What is Arthritis?
Arthritis refers to joint pain or joint disease and inflammation. It can happen to people of all ages and sexes but is generally very common in women and old age people. Symptoms of arthritis are such as swelling, pain and stiffness. People suffering from arthritis can also experience decreased range of motion. Some types of arthritis may also affect the heart, eyes, lungs, kidneys, skin as well as joint pain.
Though this disease can be mild, moderate or severe, and it may come and go, precautions are a must. So, here are the top 5 foods which you must avoid and consume respectively if you’re suffering from Arthritis pain.
Food to avoid
1) OMEGA 6 FATTY ACIDS
These are found in oils such as sunflower, corn, vegetable, soy and peanut. The significant fatty acids are destroyed in the processing of these oils and furthermore while heating. Omega 6 fatty acids are generally present in baked goods and snacks and very easily trigger the joint pain and inflammation.
2) SUGAR
The high amount of sugar in your diet may also cause Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs), which generally appear when food products are fried, heated or grilled, to rise. It raises inflammation in every part of the body making it prone to atherosclerosis and thereby affecting immune cells which then start secreting inflammatory chemicals that may result in increased risk of cancer, depression, and anxiety.
So here you need to cut down on desserts, candies, carbonated soft drinks, and almost everything which has a name ending with ‘ose’ (eg., sucrose and fructose)
3) DAIRY PRODUCTS
Skim or whole cow’s milk, goat’s milk, cheese, yogurt, etc. all these things should be avoided as they contain a type of protein, known as casein, which triggers the arthritis pain. Many opt for a vegan diet – which contains no animal products at all. Though it is recommended to avoid all dairy products completely removing products like milk may cause calcium deficiency.
4) Alcohol and Tobacco
Drinking and smoking may give a temporary satisfaction but they directly affect the liver and lungs and their functions as well as also disturb other multi-organ interaction resulting in inflammation. They are best to be avoided at all times.
5) NIGHTSHADE VEGETABLES
Veggies such as eggplant, peppers, potatoes (not sweet potatoes), and tomatoes are to be avoided as a natural compound solanine is found in them which worsens the arthritis pain.
Food to consume
1) Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Unlike omega 6, this fatty acid acts as a pain killer and also as an anti-inflammatory. It is present in fish, virgin olive & fish oil. Also, since dairy products cause inflammation and pain, and meat is also not recommended for arthritis patients due to its high content of saturated fat, fish is a great source of proteins. Soybeans are another rich source of omega 3.
2) GINGER AND TURMERIC
They have anti-inflammatory properties which ease the pain. You can add ginger to your daily tea or can have pickles of both gingers and turmeric.
3) BROCCOLI
Broccoli, cauliflower, and other calciferous vegetables are rich source of vitamin C and K and contains a compound called sulfonamides which acts as an anti-inflammatory. It is also rich in calcium which is good for bones.
4) GREEN TEA
It contains epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which blocks the molecules that cause joint damage and also prevent cartilage from breaking down. Green tea also has Polyphemus, antioxidant believed to reduce inflammation.
5) NUTS
Fibre, copper, manganese, zinc and Vitamin E rich nuts are very healthy and beneficial for people suffering from arthritis. Also they contain an immune boosting alpha linolenic acid (ALA).
Removing and adding above food products in your diet can greatly help you fight Arthritis, but make sure to consult your physician before any new experiment. Other than above mentioned diet, pain and inflammation caused by arthritis can also be reduced by exercising daily and staying fit as one of the significant causes of this disease is obesity. So, stay fit and eat healthy.