12 Food items to include in your diet if you have Arthritis!

Since 1996, 12th October is observed as World Arthritis Day. This day is observed to raise awareness about arthritis. Arthritis is the inflammation of joints & Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It affects millions of people every year. Arthritis occurs when the protective cushion around the bones known as Cartilage, wears down or gets damaged.

Although, it can affect any joint in the body major weight-bearing joints like Hip & Knee are the most affected. There are more than 100 types of arthritis. Arthritis can be caused by multiple reasons, namely — Degenerative (mostly age-related), inflammatory, infective, or injury.

A joint affected by arthritis becomes painful & causes difficulty in movement. Since arthritis is mainly age-related, a lot of the older population is impacted by it.

The sad part is that they continue to suffer in pain thinking that pain & disability is a part of growing old. I would like to emphasize that, being old doesn’t mean you have to suffer in pain. Pain & disability is not a part of aging, and every person must be able to lead an active & pain-free life.

Nowadays we are also seeing a lot of younger population getting affected by arthritis.

Such early onset arthritis can be attributed to lifestyle (lack of exercise, sedentary lifestyle, and excessive consumption of fast food) or inflammatory, infection, or injury. Excessive consumption of Fast food etc can lead to inflammatory tendencies & thus predispose to Arthritis.

The most frequent reason for osteoarthritis is genetic and age-related wear and tear, since the durability of each individual’s cartilage is based on genes. If your parents have arthritis, you may also be at risk of suffering from degenerative joint disease, or it may be a result of your own anatomy.

Arthritis impacts the mobility of the person and that in turn impacts the activities of daily life and even employment. It is very important to keep the joints healthy by regular exercise, eating healthy, and keeping the weight under control.

Treatments vary depending on the type of arthritis. The main goals of arthritis treatments are to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life.

Being overweight or obese puts an extra load on your joints & may make your arthritis symptoms worse, especially if the affected joints include your hips, knees, feet, or spine. To lose excess weight you need to be active, but this can be challenging for people with arthritis due to pain or stiffness.

If you have arthritis, you know just how devastating this condition can be.

While there is no special diet or ‘miracle food’ that can cure arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions, but there are some simple dietary changes that you can be mindful of when you have arthritis. Studies have shown that these foods are known to reduce disease progression and the severity of symptoms.

Now let’s come to the food that you can, or you should eat if you have arthritis

1. Garlic: Garlic is jam-packed with health benefits. Additionally, garlic has been shown to have an anti-inflammatory effect that may help decrease symptoms of arthritis.

2. Ginger: Besides adding a burst of flavor to teas, soups, and sweets, ginger may also help ease the symptoms of arthritis. Consuming ginger in fresh, powdered, or dried form may reduce inflammation and aid in reducing symptoms of arthritis.

3. Walnuts, pine nuts, pistachios, and almonds: Nuts are jam-packed with an inflammation-fighting monounsaturated fat high in monounsaturated fats. Known to reduce inflammation.

4. Linseeds and linseed (flaxseed) oil & canola (rapeseed) oil: Again another very rich source of Omega 3 fatty acids.

5. Dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt, fortified cereal, edamame. dark, leafy greens like spinach and kale enriched soy or almond milk. Calcium is essential for keeping bones healthy and strong.

It also helps with muscle control and blood circulation. Our bodies do not naturally produce calcium, so we need to obtain it through the foods we eat. When we do not get enough calcium, our bodies begin to remove it from the bones. This can eventually weaken the bones and lead to osteoporosis. Research studies have linked low blood levels of D with an increased risk of both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Additional research shows that osteoarthritis gets worse three times faster in people with inadequate vitamin D in their diets compared with those who have sufficient D.

Only a few foods are particularly rich in vitamin D. These include oily fish and fortified milk and orange juice. Hence, most people need to supplement their diets with extra vitamin D. A multivitamin typically provides 400 IU.

6. Brightly colored fruits and vegetables: such as oranges, bell peppers, pumpkins, tangerines, and papayas — contain carotenoids called beta-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin. Some studies suggest that diets rich in carotenoids decrease inflammation.

7. Oily fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, and tuna: These are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to have potent anti-inflammatory effects. Fish is also a good source of vitamin D, which can help prevent deficiency. Multiple studies have found that rheumatoid arthritis may be associated with low levels of vitamin D, which could contribute to symptoms. You can also use some fish oil supplements.

8. Margarine and eggs: Rich source of protein and Calcium.

9. Olive oil: Contains Monounsaturated fats, Known to reduce inflammation.

10. Broccoli: It’s no secret that broccoli is one of the healthiest foods out there. In fact, it may even be associated with reduced inflammation. One study that looked found that the intake of vegetables like broccoli was associated with decreased levels of inflammatory markers Broccoli also contains important components that could help reduce symptoms of arthritis. sulforaphane is a compound found in broccoli, it blocks the formation of a type of cell involved in rheumatoid arthritis development

Seeking out some “safe sun” — 10 minutes a few times per week-provides a good dose too.

Tips for managing your diet if you have arthritis

• Eat a well-balanced diet to get all the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients you need
• Include a variety of fruit and vegetables, protein foods, dairy, nuts,
• Include plenty of omega-3 fatty acids in your diets, such as oily fish, linseeds, canola oil, walnuts, or foods that are fortified with omega-3s (for example, eggs or margarine)
• Drink plenty of water
• Get some sun!