Change Your Diet to Tame Arthritis Pain

Posted on June 24, 2008 in Latest News

It is observed that people generally don’t associate arthritis pain with their diet. But research indicates that what you eat may make your arthritis pain worse or better. A well planned and balanced diet is important for everyone but it can work wonders for arthritic people. Diet experts recommend 7 basic guidelines for healthy and balanced arthritic diet. These guidelines are listed below:

Maintain ideal weight

Consume variety of foods

Eat foods containing sufficient fiber and starch

Avoid excess of cholesterol and fat

Avoid excess of sugar

Avoid excess of sodium

Drink alcohol in moderation

Before planning your meal you need to follow this guideline. You can take help of your physician, dietician or nutritionist for better planning of your arthritis diet.

You will come across number of advices regarding nutritional supplements and diet changes for arthritis pain. By altering your diet you can easily get relieve from the arthritis pain. To find relief from arthritis pain, try some of the diet changes listed below:

Eat More Fish: In case you are suffering from severe joint stiffness and pain you need to eat more fish. Several research studies have found that omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fatty fish, can help relieve some of the joint stiffness and pain. Fishes which are rich source of omega-3 fatty acid are Sardines, Tuna, Herring, Salmon, Trout, Mackerel, Lake Whitefish, Anchovies and Bluefish. In case you don’t like fish then you can eat fish oil capsules. The most effective dose for relieving arthritis pain is around 3-5gms/day, but it may take several weeks before you notice an improvement.

Savor Some Plant Oils: In case you are suffering from rheumatoid arthritis then it is better to replace some of the fats in your diet with olive oil may relieve your joint ache. According to a research study Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil reduces the production of inflammation causing substances in Rheumatoid Arthritis. Other oils which are helpful in reducing joint inflammation are flaxseed, evening primrose, borage seed and rapeseed oils. They contain a fatty acid which is similar to omega-3 fatty acid and is called as Gammalinolenic Acid (GLA). Since you don’t find these oils in your normal diet hence you can get them from supplements. The effective dose is 1-2gms/day. Another research study found that an unusual combination of plant oils may help the osteoarthritis pain.

Fill Up On Veggies: Various research studies show that vegetarian diet may lessen the rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. Though it is not clear why vegetarian diet is beneficial in arthritis. It could be the positive effect of absence of red meat from your diet as scientists think meat affects the types of fatty acids in the blood, which can lead to inflammation. In case you have decided to avoid meat then make sure that you get enough of protein from other sources like beans, corn, nuts, wheat germ, peas and bread.

Spice up Your Life: If you enjoy spicy food then you might be at advantage. Turmeric the main ingredient of spicy food contains natural anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory substance called curcumin. Researchers think that curcumin may block the release of compounds causing joint inflammation.

Grab Hold of Ginger: Ginger works as a natural anti-inflammatory hence reducing the pain and swelling associated with arthritis. According to a research conducted in Denmark ginger was found to relieve muscular discomfort, pain and inflammation. The effective dose is 5gms of fresh ginger or 1gm of powdered ginger/day.

Eliminate the Offenders: It is observed that some foods might trigger your arthritic pain. So to find out if food allergies are flaring your arthritis pain you need to try eliminating certain foods from your diet one at a time until you observe improvement. The foods most often thought to aggravate arthritis include milk, shrimp, certain meats, wheat products and nightshade vegetables like bell peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, etc.

Just remember that arthritis symptoms tend to come and go and well planned and balanced diet can certainly help relieving you from arthritis pain.

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