Foods For Fending Off Osteoarthritis Inflammation
During National Arthritis Month, we have discussed the symptoms of osteoarthritis and ways to help alleviate the pain. Did you know there are a number of foods that can reduce the inflammation and swelling that causes the pain associated with osteoarthritis? The Arthritis Research Institute of America recommends these foods to help decrease inflammation, improve joint flexibility and ease pain. Stock up on these superfoods your next trip to the supermarket!
Salmon contains omega-3 fatty acids that can reduce joint pain and shorten the duration of morning stiffness.
Bananas and Plantains are high in magnesium and potassium that can increase bone density. Magnesium may also alleviate arthritis symptoms.
Blueberries are full of antioxidants that protect your body against both inflammation and free radicalsmolecules that can damage cells and organs.
Green Tea has anti-inflammatory properties.
Orange Juice contains Vitamin C, which is important in the development of normal cartilage.
Tofu can reduce pain and swelling in chronic knee joint pain. Try it in a fruit smoothie!
Peanut Butter is rich in vitamin B3, a supplement that may help improve flexibility and reduce inflammation.
Whole Grain Breads and Cereals can alleviate morning stiffness and pain.
Lobster is a good source of vitamin E that may have a protective effect against knee osteoarthritis.
Is There A Link Between Nightshade Vegetables And Inflammation
Some people feel that eating foods from the nightshade family, also known as solanaceous vegetables, may make their arthritis worse. But research has shown that there is no link between inflammation and solanaceous vegetables.
Examples of nightshade vegetables include:
- Tomatoes
- Potatoes
- Aubergines
Its possible to have food allergies that are linked to the nightshade family, so if youre concerned about this, we recommend you speak to a healthcare professional.
Fruits and vegetables are packed with important vitamins and minerals that you need for a balanced diet. So, if you’re considering cutting them out, you should speak to a healthcare professional first.
Does Citrus Make Arthritis Symptoms Worse
Some people have reported that citrus fruits worsen their symptoms, particularly inflammatory types of arthritis like rheumatoid arthritis. However, theres no clear link between citrus fruits and inflammation, so its probably fine for you to eat them.
In fact, there is some evidence that they can reduce the risk of inflammatory arthritis and theyre now thought to offer some benefits to people with arthritis in reducing their symptoms.
Its possible to have an allergy to citrus fruits, so if you notice worsening symptoms when you eat them, it might be worth speaking to your doctor to get further advice.
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Individual Food Items In Diet And Their Relevance To Ra
In an average diet comprising of breakfast, lunch, and dinner, there are several food items which are rich source of some phytochemicals and their efficacy in eradication of diseases has been known and is included under traditional medicines on which 80% of the world population relies . Food items such as dietary fibers, cooking oil, polyphenols, bioactive compounds from several herbs and beverages like tea are among the cheapest sources of medication however, their bioavailability has always been a matter of concern.
The Truth About Nightshades And Arthritis
Every time you eat eggplant, your knuckles start to throb. This sometimes happens after you eat other healthy foods like tomatoes and peppers.
What gives? These are some of the very foods you are supposed to eat more of to keep your weight down and boost your heart health, right?
Not necessarily.
Many people with inflammatory types of arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis do report a worsening of symptoms such as joint pain and swelling after consuming nightshades. Known in agricultural circles as Solanaceae, nightshades are a botanical family of plants that share certain characteristics. There are around 2,500 species of nightshades . Some, namely potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes and pepper, are staples in the American diet.
There are some theories on how nightshades and arthritis symptoms are linked, the main one being that nightshades contain alkaloids such as the glycoalkaloid solanine which have pro-inflammatory properties in some individuals.
Loads of anecdotal evidence link nightshades to worsening arthritis symptoms, but theres little on the scientific side to support this link. To further muddy the waters, a study published in a 2011 issue of the shu showed yellow and purple potatoes actually lowered blood markers for inflammation in healthy men.
Sandon agrees: If these foods really seem to increase symptoms, avoid them and replace them with other sources of key nutrients. A registered dietician can offer suggestions on healthy substitutes.
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Search For Rheumatologists Near You And Schedule Your Next Appointment Today
Dietary choices are always important to overall health, but if you have arthritis, the foods you choose can have a surprising impact on your joint health. You may find some arthritis trigger foods cause pain, stiffness, and swelling, while others actually alleviate your symptoms.
There are several common trigger foods to avoid if you have arthritis. For happier, healthier joints, try these simple food swaps.
What Exactly Is Arthritis
Arthritis, or joint inflammation, describes swelling and tenderness of one or more of the joints. Its main symptoms include joint pain, swelling and stiffness. Arthritis is a general term for a group of over 100 diseases causing inflammation and swelling in and around the joints.
Joint inflammation is a natural response of the body to a disease or injury, but becomes arthritis when the inflammation persists in the absence of joint injury or infection. Arthritis usually worsens with age and may even lead to a loss of joint movement.
There are different types of arthritis such as:
- Warm skin over the joints
- Redness of the skin over the joints
- Reduced range of movement.
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Pineapple: This Fruits Enzymes Can Decrease Swelling
Pineapple is rich in vitamin C and the enzyme bromelain, which has been linked to decreased pain and swelling in both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, Sandon says. So, add this tropical fruit to your diet every chance you get. Try it cubed in fruit salad, baked in savory dishes, blended into a smoothie, or added to stir-fries to give a sweet-and-sour zing.
Bromelain is also available in supplement form, but check with your doctor before taking it because it can increase the risk of bleeding, especially if you also take blood thinners such as Plavix , Coumadin, or aspirin. Bromelain may also interfere with the action of antibiotics and sedatives.
Foods With Added Sugar Or Salt
Sugar
There are different types of sugar fructose, in particular, has been shown to cause inflammation of blood vessels and increase inflammatory substances in the body.
Foods and drinks containing added sugar will often contain fructose. Try to avoid these foods and drinks, which include biscuits, cakes, doughnuts, pastries, energy drinks and soft drinks. Fructose may be listed in the ingredients as glucose-fructose syrup or high fructose corn syrup .
Salt
High-salt foods can increase your blood pressure and may also increase the loss of calcium from your bones, making them weaker.
Avoid eating high-salt foods such as canned meat, soups and vegetables, cured, smoked or salted meat, and ready-meals.
If you have rheumatoid arthritis and are being treated with corticosteroids, it is even more important to follow a low-salt diet as corticosteroids can cause your body to retain more salt.
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Powerhouse Foods That Help Relieve Arthritis Pain
Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. 54 million adults and 300,000 babies and children are living with arthritis of some kind. But did you know, arthritis isnt actually a name for a single disease? Rather, its become a shorthand used to describe joint pain, swelling, stiffness and a decreased range of motion.
Arthritis symptoms show up differently for each patient and may be anywhere from mild to completely debilitating. Sometimes these arthritis symptoms seem to clear up for a while other times, they just keep getting worse. What makes some more susceptible to pain than others? The severity of your symptoms might be proportional to your lifestyle.
There are many lifestyle changes that can reduce the risk, delay onset, or even prevent arthritis, without the side effects of medication. Even the food you put on your plate can induceor reducearthritis pain. So before you plan your next meal or load up a plate of snacks, read on to know which foods are best at reducing your joint inflammation and pain.
Are Tomatoes Bad For You 4 Reasons To Eliminate Nightshades
Cant have a salad without diced tomatoes, right? Actually, you might be better of skipping tomatoes and nightshades altogether.
In this post, we discuss the good and bad of nightshade plants and certain health conditions that can be exacerbated by a bit of ketchup. Letâs dive right in!
Tomatoes have become an essential ingredient in many modern dishes.
Have you ever tried pizza without tomato sauce???
But too much of a good thing can lead to adverse effects
And in case of nightshades, its actually not at all difficult to consume more than our bodies are capable of digesting.
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How To Satisfy Your Sugar Cravings
If you have RA, you donât have to skip the sweet stuff entirely. âAll the studies show an association between sugar in your diet and RA. We canât definitively say the two are connected,â Goldberg says. âBut if you do find that sugary foods seem to make your RA symptoms worse, then you should keep them to an absolute minimum.â
Here are some ways to do it:
Skip the sugary drinks. Theyâre already the biggest contributors of sugar in the American diet, Prest says. Women who drank at least one sugar-sweetened soda a day were about 60% more likely to get RA than women who drank less than one a month, according to a 2014 study in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Read food labels carefully. Seemingly non-sugary foods like cereals, yogurts, frozen meals, and even condiments like ketchup may have a lot more added sugar than you may realize. If you have RA, itâs a good idea to keep your added sugar intake to less than 5% of your total daily calories, Prest says. Check the nutrition label, which is now required to list added sugars in grams and as a percent of Daily Value.
You should also do a quick scan of the ingredient list for common names for sugar, such as sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup, barley malt, dextrose, maltose, and rice syrup, Hsiao says. If one of those is among the first three ingredients, chances are, itâs a high-sugar product.
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Best Grains For Arthritis
Making smarter choices in the bread and pasta aisles might reduce inflammation.
Choosing which type of pasta to cook for dinner or what bread or cereal to have with breakfast doesnt seem like a big decision, until you consider the effect certain grains can have on your body. Eating the wrong types can aggravate inflammation, potentially making your joints hurt more than they already do.
Pro-Inflammatory Grains
When contemplating your options in the bread, cereal and pasta aisles, youll want to avoid refined grains. Not only are these highly processed grains limited in nutrition, but they can also worsen inflammation throughout the body.
Grains are made up of three parts: The bran is the outer skin of the grain kernel, the germ is the innermost part that grows into a new plant, and the endosperm is the center part that provides food for the plant. Whole grains contain all three parts. Refined grains have removed the bran and germ, where most of the vitamins, minerals and protein are centered.
Examples of food made with refined grains are white bread, white rice, cookies and cakes. Because of their simple structure, these carbs break down in the body rapidly. The body turns them into sugar more quickly and sugar is highly inflammatory, says Barbara Olendzki, nutrition program director of the Center for Applied Nutrition at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester.
Should You Avoid All Grains?
Better Grain Choices
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Are Bananas Bad For Arthritis
There have been many studies on how certain foods and drinks can affect the symptoms of arthritis. Although there is some conflicting advice nearly everyone agrees that a healthy diet can only improve the lives of someone who is suffering from arthritis.
Someone suffering from gout should be looking to reduce the uric acid in their body by eating a diet low in purines so therefore eating fresh vegetables will be better than red meat. Some of the foods people eat daily however might not be as good for arthritis sufferers as they think.
Whole Grains May Help You Lose Weight And Lessen Pain
Much has been made of the health benefits of whole grains, and for good reason, Sandon says. Whole grains are simply grains that still have all three parts of the original grain: the bran , endosperm, and germ.
Whole grains are better sources of fiber and other important nutrients, such as selenium, potassium, and magnesium than refined grains. In addition, a diet rich in whole grains has also been linked to better weight control, which can help reduce pain and symptoms of RA.
So, switch from white bread to whole wheat, and from regular pasta to whole grain, Sandon says. Caution: When buying whole wheat bread, dont be misled by the label. It should read 100 percent whole wheat or have the Whole Grain Stamp from the Oldways Whole Grain Council. Also add other whole grains to your menu, like a bowl of oatmeal in the morning or a bulgur salad at night.
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Red And Processed Meats
Many meat products are produced by adding preservatives, artificial ingredients, hormones, and other additives. These are chemical ingredients that are foreign to the human body and can cause adverse and systemic inflammatory reactions in some people and in particular those people with RA.
Avoid processed meats like deli meats, bacon, and pepperoni which have been altered and cooked with hydrogenated oils and contain saturated or trans fats. Instead, choose lean cuts of meat that are labeled organic and grass-fed as opposed to grain-fed. Try to reduce your intake of red meat by swapping it for fish instead.
Best Fish For Arthritis
Adding more marine life to your meals could help calm inflammation
Arthritis is for the most part a disease of inflammation. When your joints swell, turn red and feel warm to the touch, what youre witnessing and feeling are inflammatory processes in motion.
One way to calm inflammation is with medicine your doctor prescribes. Another way is to add a few key anti-inflammatory foods to your diet. Among the most potent edible inflammation fighters are essential fatty acids called omega-3s particularly the kinds of fatty acids found in fish.
Omega-3s and Inflammation
Eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid are called marine fatty acids because they come from fish. What makes these omega-3 sources worthwhile menu additions for people with arthritis is their ability to inhibit inflammation. Omega-3s interfere with immune cells called leukocytes and enzymes known as cytokines, which are both key players in the bodys inflammatory response.
The marine omega-3 fatty acids nip inflammation in the bud before it ignites. They really help to tamp down inflammation in the body on a cellular level, says Kim Larson, a Seattle-based nutritionist and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Spokesperson.
Research finds that people who regularly eat fish high in omega-3s are less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis . And in those who already have the disease, marine omega-3s may help reduce joint swelling and pain.
Which Fish are Best?
| Fish |
|---|
Farm-Raised, or Wild-Caught?
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Is There Such A Thing As A Joint
Although the compounds in many foods are said to improve RA symptoms, more research is needed to determine just how much of those compounds would have to be eaten to derive the benefit.
What scientists know for sure is that there are important links between your stomach and inflammation, and that Western diets, with their emphasis on the fast, cheap, and highly flavorful, create the conditions for diseases like RA to flourish.
Its certain, for starters, that obesity is a risk factor for inflammatory conditions. Body fat generates substances that generate inflammation, and the more fat there is, the more inflamed the body will be. In addition, the foods that lead to obesity ones high in fat, sugar, salt, and processed ingredients are known to increase inflammation.
Also, scientists are increasingly finding out more about the ways that intestinal bacterial imbalances, which may result from high-fat low-nutrient diets, contribute to these conditions.
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That said, changing your diet probably won’t reduce inflammation enough for you to forgo other RA management treatments. But it can help reduce the amount of medication needed and the side effects of the medication, says Lona Sandon, PhD, RDN, an associate professor in the department of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, who is also an RA patient. And, Dr. Sandon adds, eating well has never been known to make any condition worse.
What Is The Arthritis Diet
For people with arthritis, following an anti-inflammatory diet may help with managing symptoms such as pain and swelling. Many of these foods are found in the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes fruit, vegetables, beans, fish, and healthy fats such as olive oil, notesDeborah McInerney, clinical nutritionist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.
Those with rheumatoid arthritis have an increased risk of heart disease because they experience systemic, or body-wide, inflammation. Therefore, a heart-healthy diet can help manage arthritis symptoms and lower the risk of developing other chronic illnesses such as heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, says Hinkley.
People with obesity are at increased risk of developing osteoarthritis because carrying extra weight puts more strain on the joints, especially those in the lower body, Hinkley adds. Due to that elevated risk, those with osteoarthritis often benefit from following a heart-healthy diet due to its ability to help with weight loss.
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