As Western diets became more refined, meals included less and less of the least attractive parts of the animal protein we consume. Collagen, one of the building blocks of tendons, is most easily found in the connective tissues of the animals, which we once ate but now discard. Other nutrients important for your tendons include the same vitamins and minerals necessary for healthy bones. A balanced diet and a return to more rustic soups and stews can contribute to tendon health. Consult your doctor before beginning any new diet or supplementation regimen.
Collagen
The protein collagen forms most of your body's connective tissues, including tendons, fascia and skin. Modern diets exclude many natural sources of collagen, since processing often trims out animal parts rich in this protein. Supplements created from the windpipes of cattle or cartilage harvested from sharks add this nutrient to the diet, but less picky eating habits also help. Add soups made from bones and trimmings to the menu.
Glucosamine
Glucosamine sulfate helps maintain and repair connective tissues like tendons. Glucose and glutamine --- an essential amino acid --- combine to form this important compound. Modern diets provide sufficient glucose --- a common sugar to help strengthen tendons; glutamine sources include raw parsley and spinach.
Vitamins and Minerals
Proper amounts of vitamins and minerals in the diet help strengthen tendons and bones. Vitamin C plays an important part in the creation of new collagen in the body. Vitamin D deficiency could cause symptoms very much like tendinitis. Vitamin K helps the body assimilate calcium, needed for strong bones and for tendons. Green leafy vegetables contribute vitamin K; fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C. Exposure to sunlight generates vitamin D in the skin. A well-balanced diet augmented by vitamin and mineral supplements guarantees an adequate supply of all.
Purine Balance
A diet which includes a high percentage of meat and seafood and a low percentage of dairy products could increase the levels of uric acid in the blood. Uric acid can form crystals in tendons and other tissues, causing the painful symptoms of gout. According to the American College of Rheumatology, drinking one or more glasses of milk daily and consuming yogurt every other day lowers uric acid levels and protects tendon health.
Traditional Foods
One food from traditional Chinese medicine can provide a significant amount of nutrients important to tendon health. Deer antler harvested during the soft growth stage --- when the spongy material is still filled with hormones and blood --- contains important minerals, glucosamine sulfate, and other essential compounds like chondroitin sulfate and collagen.
References
- University of California-Los Angeles School of Public Health: Intake of Purine-Rich Foods, Protein, and Dairy Products and Relationship to Serum Levels of Uric Acid
- Nutrition Research Center: Joint, Bone, Muscle & Tendon Health
- Oregon State University --- Linus Pauling Institute: Vitamin C
- Whittaker Mountaineering: Recovery Nutrition for the Injured Athlete
- Institute for Traditional Medicine: Deer Antler
