Get Moving: Fight Stiff Joints In Winter With These Tips

The onset of winter can worsen the arthritis-related pain and stiff joints as the inflammation increases. Curcumin, found in turmeric, is a potent anti-inflammatory compound that can help ease joint pain during winters.

Having piping hot soup, wearing snug sweaters, and never getting out of bed; it is the perfect winter season set-up. However, being cozy or lazy isn’t the only reason people stay indoors this season. The dropping temperatures can be an especially tough time for arthritis patients. The cold weather worsens joint stiffness and inflammation, causing more pain as compared to other seasons – hence the term ‘winter joint pain’.

While the exact reason for winter joint pain is still being researched, cold weather joint pain is common in weight-bearing joints such as knees, hips, and ankles. Due to inflammation, patients may experience unusual or new symptoms in the joints such as persistent swelling, redness, and difficulty in using the joint.

Often in winter, the body tries to conserve heat and send more blood to the vital organs such as the heart and lungs. This constricts the blood vessels in other parts of the body, causing discomfort and joint pain when cold. Another factor contributing to this is that people tend to stay indoors when the weather is cool and the lack of activity causes the joints to get stiff and painful.

Deal With Winter Aches Like A Pro

There are a number of ways to ease winter joint pain. A few essential tips to reduce arthritis pain are:

• Dressing in warm, snug, and winter-friendly clothing
• Staying hydrated
• Doing simple physical exercises that increase blood circulation in the limbs
• Physiotherapy to maintain the flexibility of joints
• Nutritional diet and dietary supplements

The Chill Pill For Stiff Joints

There are quite a few supplements and herbs that are usually recommended for people experiencing joint pain and stiffness, including joint pain due to cold weather. These include vitamin D (for strengthening the bones), Omega-3 (for reducing inflammation), Glucosamine (for healthy cartilage), and green tea (for its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects). Another key supplement that is often left-out is curcumin. It has an excellent ability to control inflammation and reduce arthritic joint pain.

Curcumin, the Arch-Nemesis of Aches

Curcumin is a compound derived from turmeric – a common spice found in most Indian kitchens. Ayurveda described the effectiveness of turmeric in arthritis and cold weather joint pain. It can be cooked with food, mixed with milk or be applied as a paste directly to the affected joints. It provides a soothing effect, which brings relief to those suffering from arthritis and winter joint pain. This is because curcumin is a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound. The ideal way to consume is by having golden milk, known in Hindi as haldi doodh. It is a beverage that is made by heating cow’s or plant-based milk (such as almond, coconut or soy milk) with turmeric and other spices like cinnamon and ginger.

Though curcumin is obtained from turmeric, the spice itself doesn’t contain a large amount of it. Only around two to nine percent of turmeric is curcumin, by weight. Plus, curcumin is difficult for the body to absorb and small amounts of turmeric taken through food may not have the desired effects. In this sense, curcumin supplements may be a more efficient choice for easing winter joint pain and stiffness.

Curcumin supplements like Setu Turme Rich, conveniently delivers the benefits of turmeric without missing out on any of the positive effects. Turme Rich further has CurcuWIN® and MCT Oil that ensures 46 times higher absorption of the compound by the body, as compared to other products.

Both turmeric and curcumin are generally considered safe and don’t present any serious side effects. There’s a possibility that the supplement may interact with certain prescription medicines, therefore it is recommended that patients consult a doctor before adding curcumin supplements to their diet to understand potential drug interactions. For most people, curcumin supplements can be a great option to alleviate the aches and pains of arthritis in cold weather.