Best diet if you are suffering from Arthritis.
When you suffer from arthritis, diet plays a very important role. Though arthritis and diet don’t have a direct impact on each other, a balanced and healthy diet will definitely help you to reduce some symptoms of arthritis. There is no special diet for arthritis as such, but by altering your diet you can get some relief. If you are overweight and suffer from arthritis, one thing you can do is to change the amount and type of food you eat. One way in which diet can help in arthritis is to lose weight, since being overweight puts a strain on joints and is a major risk factor in developing arthritis of the knee.
Before altering your diet remember these basic points.
- Eat a well balanced diet.
- Change the type of fats and oils you eat.
- Drink plenty of non-alcoholic fluids.
- Avoid crash dieting or fasting.
- Keep your weight under control, by doing regular exercise and reducing the amount of dietary fats you consume.
These were some points to be considered before changing your diet. Given below is the diet for people suffering from arthritis. Hope that this diet will help you in arthritis.Given below is the best diet if you are suffering from Arthritis.
Eat more fruit and vegetables
Include more and more fruits and vegetables in your diet. It may be in a salad form, cooked form or juice form. You can also get more fiber from eating plenty of fruit and vegetables. Studies have shown that people who eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables seem to have a lower risk of developing inflammatory arthritis. This is due to the important nutrients, particularly vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that the body receives in form of fruits and vegetables. Include the fruits and vegetables like oranges, apples, cherries, peppers, spinach, beetroot, tomatoes, avocado, sweet potato and broccoli.
Take Vitamin D and Calcium
It has been observed that arthritis develop faster in those who have vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is needed for the body to absorb calcium so its deficiency can be overcome from the diet rich in vitamins like oily fish or vitamin supplements. Daily intake of about 10-20 micrograms of vitamin D can be helpful for people over 60. Calcium is an important nutrient and its lack in diet increases the risk of arthritis. Increase the intake of food that contains calcium like milk, cheese and yogurt. Soya milk is rich in calcium and is preferred to cow's milk. People over 60 should take about 1000 or 1500 mg of calcium everyday.
Include more Omega-3s in your diet
It is found in cod liver oil and oily fish and is beneficial in inflammatory arthritis due to the polyunsaturated fats present in them. By using canola or flaxseed oil in cooking or salad dressings you can increase your intake of Omega-3s in your daily diet. Other oils like borage seed oil or evening primrose oil are also high in omega-3. Pure fish oils are high in omega-3.
Add Olive Oil in your diet
Some studies have shown that eating large quantities of olive oil may reduce the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. This is due to the presence of high concentrations of unsaturated fatty acids in it. Though the exact reason for how it helps in reducing arthritis is unknown it may be due to the presence of high concentrations of unsaturated fatty acids in it.
Other than these, foods like brown rice, millet, oats, wheat, barley, pulses, eggs, green tea, goat's milk and nuts like hazel, almond and walnuts should be included in your diet.
Foods like cow's milk, coffee, chocolate, sugar, butter, salt, pepper, red meat, potatoes, dairy products, starchy and greasy foods should be avoided.
Thus a balanced and varied diet with all the right nutrients will help you in arthritis treatment. Balanced diet combined with the right regular exercise, will not only help your in arthritis but also help your general well being.