People who have arthritis are often willing to do just about anything to relieve their pain. Fortunately, you may not need to go to great lengths to minimize your pain.
Often, you can find great relief by choosing your foods carefully, exercising, and maintaining a healthy weight. Check out these foods that you should avoid – and some that you should indulge – if you have arthritis.
Avoid These Foods
- Fried and Processed Foods – Eating a lot of fried and processed foods, like prepackaged snacks and frozen meals, can increase the amount of inflammation in your body. Anyone who has arthritis knows that you should minimize inflammation in order to minimize pain. Cutting back on fried and processed foods can help to relieve the inflammation in the body, and even restore your body’s ability to protect itself. Replace processed foods with fresh ingredients, and prepare them by grilling, poaching, or sautéing in healthy oils instead of frying.
- Sugar and Refined Carbohydrates – Large quantities of sugar in your diet can increase your levels of advanced glycation end product, or AGE. AGE is a toxin that is created when foods are prepared, and they can contribute to increasing inflammation in the body as well as the development of arthritis. Again, avoid processed foods, especially white flour, candy, and soda.
- Dairy Products – The type of protein found in dairy products can irritate the tissue that surrounds the joints. Instead of consuming dairy and meat products, try getting your protein from plant sources. Foods like spinach, nuts, lentils, beans, quinoa, and tofu are excellent sources of protein.
- Alcohol and Tobacco – People who use alcohol and tobacco are more likely to develop a long list of health problems, including types of arthritis and inflammatory disorders. Cut back on these bad habits, and focus on eating a balanced diet, getting some exercise, and getting plenty of sleep.
- Salt and Preservatives – Many processed and prepared foods contain very high quantities of salt and other preservatives. These additions help to extend the shelf life of products, but they can also cause inflammation in the body. Try to reduce your overall intake of salt, and avoid packaged foods that contain preservatives.
Indulge in These Foods
- Omega-3 Fats – Research indicates that omega-3 fatty acids can reduce inflammation in the body and minimize arthritis symptoms. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in salmon, walnuts, flaxseeds, trout, and mackerel.
- Broccoli – A Mayo Clinic study shows that eating your broccoli can help to prevent the development of arthritis.
- Vitamin D – Increasing your Vitamin D can decrease your odds of developing arthritis. The best source of Vitamin D is sunlight, so go out for a walk each day. You’ll get a Vitamin D boost while getting your exercise – that’s a win-win situation.
- Olive Oil – Olive oil contains antioxidants like polyphenols and omega-3s. Use it to make your own salad dressing or marinate fish or veggies.
- Ginger – Ginger has a lot of great benefits, including treating colds, nausea, and migraines. It also helps to reduce inflammation. Try drinking ginger tea or adding fresh ginger to salads. If you take blood thinners, check with your doctor first, since ginger can interact.
If you have arthritis, you can help to control your condition by managing your diet. If your arthritis affects your feet, you can also control your pain by wearing appropriate footwear & arch support. Visit the experts at Foot Solutions.
We have a wide variety of cushioned, yet supportive footwear as well as a variety of arch supports inserts that can help to minimize your pain. Stop by Foot Solutions Ireland to learn more.
