Arthritis is the term used to describe any disease having symptoms of inflammation and joint pain. There are many types of arthritis-

Treatment is mainly to reduce inflammation and pain in the joints. There is no particular diet that can be followed, but you can try to avoid anti-inflammatory foods that could increase arthritis pain and inflammation in the infected joints.

  • Fried and processed foods are very harmful to the body when consumed on a regular basis. You should try to eat them as less as possible. You will notice a change in the inflammation level, as well as, it restores the body’s natural defense system. Eat more fresh vegetables and fruits in your daily diet and avoid fried meats, frozen meals, fast foods as the chemicals and preservatives used in these foods are harmful in long term.
  • Lower your AGE’s it is an Advanced Glycation End (AGE) product, a toxin that is generated in the food when it is re-heated, grilled, fried or pasteurized. This toxin can damage certain proteins in our body. Our bodies try to break this toxin by using cytokines which carry inflammation messages to the toxin AGE. So where ever in our body the toxin appears it can cause arthritis and other forms of inflammation. We can reduce the amount of blood age levels by decreasing the foods cooked at high temperatures in our diet.
  • Sugars and refined carbs are also responsible for increasing AGE levels in our body. High sugar content in the diet, candies, processed foods, white flour baked items and all fizzy drinks increase inflammation and cause arthritis pain.
  • Dairy products can also cause arthritis pain symptoms due to a certain protein present in milk, it can irritate the tissue around the joints. It is better to change to a vegan diet as it is free of animal products. Change your protein source to vegetables, spinach, tofu, beans, lentils, nut butter and quinoa.
  • Alcohol and tobacco cause a lot of health problems, as well as some that affect the joints. Smokers have a high chance of becoming infected with rheumatoid arthritis and alcohol drinkers have a high chance of developing gout. To maintain healthy joints you need a balanced diet, physical activity and a good amount of rest. Make healthy choices and stop drinking and smoking.
  • Salt and preservatives packed foods and snacks contain huge amounts of salts and preservatives to increase the shelf life of the product. Immoderate use of salt can cause inflammation in the joints. As far as possible reduce your salt intake,  when purchasing packed foods, ready meals, snacks and microwaveable items be aware that these products are high in sodium, preservatives and additives. All ingredients very harmful for arthritis.
  • Corn oil is high in Omega-6 fatty acids which can worsen inflammation. Several backed foods and snacks are made in corn oil. Switch from omega-6 fatty acid snacks to omega-3 fatty acids snacks which is healthy and anti-inflammatory. Food source rich inomega-3 fatty acids are olive oil, nuts, pumpkin seeds and flax seeds.

Since there is no particular diet that is helpful for arthritis patients, it could be what works for one person may not work for another. So it is best to take advice from your doctor and maintain a healthy body weight, eat a balanced diet and rest well.