5 Foods to Eat 5 Foods to Avoid for Arthritis
By Nmami Agarwal 01-May 2020 Reading Time: 10 Mins
Arthritis is referred to the ailment of inflammation in the joints. It can happen in one joint or more and can get worsen with the time of life. There are amply of different types of arthritis exists, with different causes and treatments. There are various symptoms of arthritis but the common ones include stiffness, joint pain, swelling and redness around the skin. In many cases, the symptoms appear suddenly and the disease is usually seen in adults above the age of 65 (found mostly in women more than men and overweight people).
There are various medications and treatments available to cure arthritis but lifestyle changes like weight loss, a healthy diet, maintaining an exercise regimen can also decrease the symptoms of arthritis while reducing the risk of any further complications.
Today, we bring you foods to eat and foods to avoid for effective treating of the condition of arthritis. Give a quick read to these and incorporate these foods into your lifestyle to get rid of arthritis symptoms.
Foods to eat
- Fatty fishes: Fatty fishes are packed with great nutrients especially Omega-3 fatty acids which help in curing the symptoms of arthritis. Omega 3s found in fishes like salmon or tuna can effectively grease the joints while reducing the inflammations and swelling in it. If you are suffering from arthritis, then consuming fatty fish twice in a week can definitely help you in curing the symptoms. Apart from this, you can also add a handful of nuts especially walnuts to your diet for effective results.
- Green veggies: Vitamin K is one of the effective nutrients that help in strengthening bones and assists in abolishing inflammatory cells that causes arthritis. Green leafy veggies like kale, spinach, and broccoli are packed with plenty of nutrients including great quantities of Vitamin K and antioxidants that can combat the symptoms of arthritis. Add these veggies in your daily diet to make your inflammation fade away with time. Other than this, you can also add foods like eggs and cereals for effective results.
- Garlic: Garlic has been well known for its medicinal properties and can easily be found in your kitchen cabinets. Garlic offers a great number of nutrients and it contains a compound known as Allicin that can decrease the risk of emerging cancer and fight off the inflammation caused in the joints. The anti-inflammatory properties of Garlic can give instant relief in the symptoms of arthritis while adding other significant health benefits in the body. You can consume raw garlic (early morning, empty stomach) for effective soothing of the inflammation. You can also add it to your food if you don’t like eating it raw.
- Ginger: Ginger is an age-old remedy to add flavours to the teas, soups, sweets and many others. But it’s not limited to that! Ginger contains a compound known as gingerol which can easily treat problems like indigestion, bloating and ease out the symptoms of arthritis as well. It contains anti-inflammatory properties that can give you instant relief in no time. Regular consumption of ginger can unclutter the jammed joints while lubricating it to work well. You can consume ginger in concoctions, add it in your food and have it raw as well.
- Berries and other antioxidant-rich foods: Adding foods that are rich in antioxidants is one of the significant ways to lessen the inflammation caused in the joints. Berries, grapes, green tea, carrots, peaches, guava, oranges and tomatoes are packed with various Vitamins, Minerals, and antioxidants which are well known in diminishing the inflammation caused in the joints. Add different types of berries like strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, mulberries and fruits rich in antioxidants in your diet to get plenty of nutrients to fight the symptoms of arthritis.
P.S.: You can consume a handful of nuts and seeds regularly.
Foods to avoid
- Fried and processed foods: Fried and processed foods fill up the negative calories in the body which leads to weight gain (one of the major cause of arthritis) and worsen the condition of arthritis. As per various researches, “Decreasing the consumption of fried and packaged foods like fried meats, chips, flour-based food items, cookies, drinks and many others can reduce inflammation and actually help restore the body’s natural defenses which ultimately treats the condition of arthritis.”
- Sugary foods: Foods rich in sugar not only increase the inflammation but it also leads to various other health ailments like increased body weight, high cholesterol levels, increased risk of diabetes and heart diseases. Cut down the consumption of packaged sugary drinks, candies, baked goods, sodas (even diet sodas) to relive out the arthritis pain and symptoms.
- Refined carbs: Simple and refined carbs are known as the bad carbs and can increase the risk of various diseases in the body. Consumption of refined carbs can worsen the condition of arthritis in no time. Replace your refined oil from healthier version like olive oil, extra virgin olive oil and sunflower oil and reduce the consumption of refined grains like pasta, pastries, white flour, sweet desserts, pizza and many others to treat the symptoms of arthritis.
- Dairy products: Due to the nature of protein dairy products consume, it can add up to arthritis pain. Some people found this type of protein irritated for the inflammation while for some a change to a vegan diet is relieving as it does not contain any animal product. Always check your reaction towards the dairy products and consult a doctor whether you can incorporate dairy products in your diet during arthritis or not.
- Alcohol and tobacco: Consuming alcohol and tobacco can give you plenty of health ailments including joint inflammations. If you consume too much alcohol and smoke on a regular basis then you are at a high risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis or gout.
P.S.: A smart way to get protein is to get it from green veggies instead of getting it from meat and dairy products.
Over to you
Apart from this, you can incorporate various physical activities in your lifestyle and get an adequate amount of rest to cure arthritis. Regular exercising can help in managing a healthy weight which is quite important for improving the condition of arthritis. Also, it helps in keeping your joints supple, flexible, and runny and helps in the smooth functioning of the body.