Diet Changes to Relieve Arthritis

About 46 million American adults have arthritis. Arthritic patients commonly experience limited mobility and are placed at an increased risk for weight gain, diabetes, and even heart disease. For decades, people have been trying to overcome arthritic symptoms through diet and exercise instead of surgery and prescriptions. A vegetarian diet, with antioxidants in the form of whole grains, dark leafy greens, beans, nuts, and seeds, is considered to be good for arthritis. The Mediterranean diet with fatty fish and olive oil will also help your body to defend itself against inflammation.

Excess body weight influences arthritis by putting extra strain on already burdened joints. People who are 20% or more over normal body weight have more problems with their arthritis. The extra load placed on the weight bearing joints (more specifically the knees, hips, ankles, feet, and spine) can increase the pain in those joints.

Diet can alleviate or even worsen the symptoms of arthritis. Constantly monitor your diet to find out if something is aggravating your arthritis. Do this by keeping a journal of what you have eaten, and what pain you experience. However, make sure to consult your doctor before making drastic changes in your daily diet.

GUIDELINES TO SELECT FOOD FOR ARTHRITIC PATIENTS

Eat from all 4 basic food groups (breads and cereals, fruits and vegetables, meats, and dairy) to obtain the needed forty-plus essential nutrients to maintain good health.
Avoid too much fat, saturated fat, cholesterol.
Starches such as bread, rice, beans, pasta, and potatoes give the body energy.
Avoid excess sugar because it provides empty calories and little nutrition, contributing to excess weight gain.
Avoid excess salt because it can contribute to high blood pressure and water retention.
Alcohol can deplete the body of vitamins and minerals besides being high in calories, so avoid it.

Some foods are believed to reduce the symptoms of arthritis. Following is a list of foods that can be safely consumed when suffering from arthritis.

Arthritis diet is a pure vegetarian diet. Therefore, reduce the intake of meat or avoid it completely. Eating a large amount of red meat has been linked to an increased risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.
Foods that contain high polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially the omega-3 fatty acid, are very essential to reduce joint pain and other symptoms of arthritis. Fish like tuna, herring, mackerel and salmon are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Similarly, walnuts, avocado and soybeans also contain omega-3 fatty acids.
Avoid processed and fried foods. Have vegetable soups, juices and herbal teas. Try to eat fresh and healthy foodstuffs.
Use ginger and turmeric (used alone or in curry) in food because they both have anti-inflammatory properties.
Have fresh fruits (like apples, kiwi, mango, peach, strawberries, etc.) and vegetables (like broccoli, collard, spinach, sweet potatoes, etc) which helps in relieving symptoms of arthritis.
Drinking four or more cups of coffee a day increases your risk for arthritis and osteoporosis. Drink a refreshing cup of green tea or ginger tea in the place of coffee.

Along with a good diet plan, it is also essential to maintain a healthy body weight. Proper body weight will put less strain on the joints and reduce pain. As the diet is found to have a considerable effect on arthritis, it is essential to follow a proper diet in order to gain quick relief.