INDUSTRY INSIGHT
BONE & JOINT HEALTH
SPONSORED CONTENT
Live Long and Prosper: Food and Exercise Are“ Medicine” For Your Bones and Joints
Healthy bones and joints are essential not only for lifespan – how long you live – but also for healthspan – how well you live. If you want to live a long, active life, think of food and exercise as“ medicine” for building strong bones, powering muscles, and reducing pain in your joints.
This article is Part 1 of a two-part series on simple lifestyle changes that lead to greater longevity as well as better healthspan. First, let’ s explore how food is medicine to help you live long and prosper.
What you eat shapes your health. Nutritious foods can prevent, manage, and even treat many health conditions including common bone and joint conditions like osteoporosis( loss of bone), sarcopenia( loss of muscle), and osteoarthritis( wear and tear to the joints). Whether you’ re young or old, male or female, calcium and vitamin D are the“ building blocks” for bones at all stages of life. Incorporating calcium-rich foods in your eating habits can help prevent bone loss, osteopenia, and osteoporosis. Examples of calciumrich foods include:
• Dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt
• Fortified plant-based milks like almond, soy, or oat milk
• Dark, leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collards
• Canned sardines and salmon with bones
Vitamin D is needed for your body to absorb and use the calcium you take in. Exposure to sunlight and eating foods rich in vitamin D will help, but many people still require a supplement to reach the recommended level.
In addition to strengthening bones, certain foods also combat the inflammation that worsens joint pain, particularly in those with osteoarthritis.“ Antiinflammatory foods” that can help reduce joint swelling and ease discomfort include:
• Omega-3-rich fish like salmon and mackerel
• Flaxseeds
• Berries
• Dark, leafy greens
• Spices like turmeric and ginger One team has the resources and support you need to“ live long and prosper.”
It’ s easy to feel overwhelmed by nutrition information, and it’ s hard to stick with diet changes. The Wellness Center for Bone and Joint Health can help you move the needle on your personal health goals. We offer:
• Resources that help you get the most out of the foods you eat: o A recipe book for anti-inflammatory and calcium-rich eating o A preop nutrition guide that prepares your body for surgery or any procedure
• Support and coaching as frequently as you need it – through in-person sessions and telemedicine or phone check-ins.
Tiffany Belculfine, PA-C • Dr. Tony DiGioia • Dr. Noelle DiGioia Guthrie
Medical Director Dr. Noelle DiGioia Guthrie and Certified Physician Assistant Tiffany Belculfine are ready to help you improve your bone and joint health, reduce pain, and live a longer, healthier, and more active life.
Call or email to speak with a provider at 412.641.8594 or Dr. Noelle @ PFCUSA. org, or visit boneandjointhealth. org / screening to download our free resources.
DID YOU KNOW THAT FOOD IS MEDICINE? Get screened to know where you stand.
( l) Tiffany Belculfine, PA-C and( r) Dr. Noelle DiGioia Guthrie
FREE SCREENINGS FROM THE WELLNESS CENTER:
• Ultrasound bone density testing
• Grip strength testing to detect muscle loss
• Fall-risk screening
• Nutritional assessments
Early evaluations and screenings are a must! Make an appointment to get evaluated by a team that addresses all of your bone and joint health needs. Simple, non-invasive tests can tell you if you’ re on the path to a long and independent life or headed for worrisome health down the road.
412-641-8594 boneandjointhealth. org / screening
UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex 8000 Cranberry Springs Dr. Cranberry Township, PA
UPMC Outpatient Center 275 Clairton Blvd. West Mifflin, PA
UPMC Family Medicine 2000 West St. Munhall, PA
UPMC St. Margaret Family Health Center 1072 5 th Ave. New Kensington, PA
UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital 300 Halket St. Pittsburgh, PA
30 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE ❘ icmags. com