Ever Considered an Arthritis Diet for Arthritis Treatment or Prevention?
The medical community is divided on the impact of diet and lifestyle on arthritis treatment.
While doctors have known for years that diet can affect gout and a particular type of arthritis, they are still not sure if it applies to other types of arthritis like rheumatoid or osteoarthritis. But overall health and nutrition are important.
Being overweight can lead to certain arthritic conditions. Some joints are forced to carry more weight.
The added weight can cause joint pain and overuse, or worsen wear on components. It is important to ensure that arthritic patients eat healthy foods and seek help from healthcare professionals in creating and following a balanced diet.
Here are some tips and tricks to help you get started for cure of arthritis:
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Prevention of Arthritis: the Vitamins
Vitamin B5 – When B vitamins are grouped together and stored in the same tank, they work at their best. They are great for reducing swelling, especially the B5 vitamin.
Vitamin B3 – This vitamin reduces tissue swelling, dilates small vessels, and increases blood flow. Vitamin B3 is not recommended for people with high blood pressure, gout, or other sliver conditions.
Vitamin B6 – Another B that reduces tissue inflammation and swelling
Vitamin B12 – This vitamin has many functions. It aids in cell formation, digestion, and myelin production.
Vitamin C – This vitamin is anti-inflammatory and relieves pain. It also eliminates free radicals.
Vitamin E – Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that protects the joints from free radicals and increases joint flexibility.
Vitamin K – This vitamin aids with mineral deposits in the bone matrix.
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Important Minerals for an Arthritis Diet
Boron – This trace element aids in bone health.
Calcium – This mineral is essential for bone health.
Magnesium– Magnesium keeps calcium in balance.
Zinc – This mineral, which is essential for bone growth, is often missing in patients with arthritics.
Manganese – Manganese is essential for bone growth. You should not consume manganese and calcium together as they could work against one another.
Copper – Copper strengthens connective tissue.
Germanium – This antioxidant is helpful in pain relief.
Sulfur – A deficiency in sulfur can lead to the deterioration and destruction of ligaments, cartilage, and collagen, as well as tendons.
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Nutrient Combos for an Arthritis Diet
Chondroitin Sulfate is a lubricant for joints, joint fluid, and connective tissue that can be found in sea cucumbers.
Gelatin – This cheap source helps greatly with raw cartilage replenishing
Glucosamine Sulfate – This combination is essential for tendon, ligament and bone, cartilage, and synovial fluid formation.
Quercetin – This aids in inflammation reduction.
Type II Collagen – This is used for the growth and repair of joints, articular cartilage, and connective tissue.
Arthritic Diet and Nutritional Healing
There are many things to take into consideration when it comes to nutritional healing and arthritic diets. Each person may have different needs. Some people may be allergic to certain foods. This can lead to arthritic problems.
Rheumatoid arthritis can be aggravated by eating foods high in sodium nitrate and tartrazine. Consuming foods rich in hydrazine, a substance known to cause systemic lupus (an arthritic condition that is linked to lupus), can also lead to inflammation.
Behcet’s disease is a rare form of arthritis. Black walnuts may trigger flare-ups in those with this rare condition. As you can see, there are many arthritic conditions. There are also many foods that could trigger them.
It is best to assess each individual arthritic condition, and then tailor your approach to the particulars.
There are more than 100 conditions and diseases that arthritis refers to. We will only cover the most common conditions, including rheumatoid, osteoarthritis, and fibromyalgia.
A high proportion of people with rheumatoid arthritis have a low blood zinc level. Numerous independent studies have shown that rheumatoid arthritis patients who were given higher zinc doses showed marginal improvement.
However, the tests weren’t sufficient to prove it.
Copper’s effects on rheumatoid arthritis have been extensively studied. Although the results are not conclusive, there is some evidence that copper can be used to treat the condition.
However, most medical professionals dismiss this treatment as ineffective.
Copper therapy can be used from food sources. It may work for some people. Copper supplements can have side effects so it is best to eat copper-rich foods if you are considering copper therapy.
They include a change in sense of taste and smell, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, abnormal blood clots, increased joint pain, chills, anemia, and kidney problems, and excess copper can cause cirrhosis of the liver in patients prone to Wilson’s Disease.
Talk to your doctor to make sure that you don’t have excess copper in your body.
You have many options when it comes to increasing your copper intake.
Many nutritionists and naturopaths recommend that you avoid dairy products if you have rheumatoid.
They can worsen your condition. Overdosing can lead to serious health problems. It is best not to take vitamin doses higher than prescribed without consulting a doctor.
Certain vitamins and minerals can cause some conditions to worsen, and vitamins can lead to dangerous levels of vitamin intake. It is better to seek out food therapy for any vitamin or mineral increase you desire.
Some osteoarthritis patients have had some success with food supplements glucosamine or chondroitin. They report a reduction in stiffness and pain.
These supplements are available in pharmacies and health food shops, but the FDA doesn’t monitor them.
The National Institutes of Health are currently studying chondroitin and glucosamine. This will allow them to learn more about their effectiveness in osteoarthritis.
Chondroitin can cause blood thinning and excessive bleeding in patients with osteoarthritis who are taking blood thinners.
Supplements of fish oil have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. Increasing your fish intake, and/or taking fish oil capsules (omega3) can help reduce arthritis inflammation.
There is concern about osteoarthritis and the possibility of the destruction of cartilage.
Therefore, those suffering from osteoarthritis should not consume large amounts of Vitamin-A as there are some indications that Vitamin-A contributes to the cartilage’s deterioration.
Although clinical evidence is still sparse in the case of Fibromyalgia there are many personal stories of people experiencing improvement when certain dietary habits are observed.
The success rate of those who have successfully treated the disease through diet is universal.
According to Dr. Joseph Mercola (author of “The Total Health Program”), nine out of ten sufferers are women with fibromyalgia. 76% of those who followed the suggested dietary rules saw a significant decrease in their pain.
Fibromyalgia, unlike other arthritis conditions, is more of a condition than a disease. Many of its symptoms can be reversed. Complete recovery can be achieved by making changes to your diet, reducing stress, and getting enough sleep.
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Superfoods for Conquering the Pain of Arthritis
With some thought and planning, it’s easy to make these nutrient-dense foods part of your daily diet. With choices from virtually every food group, you’ll soon be well on your way to arming yourself to battle the pain of arthritis and begin to manage it from the inside out.
Salmon is among the richest sources of healthy fats, making it an ideal source of omega-3 fatty acids. In addition, salmon contains calcium, vitamin D, and folate.
Besides helping with arthritis, eating salmon may protect the cardiovascular system by preventing blood clots, repairing artery damage, raising levels of good cholesterol, and lowering blood pressure.
Commonly referred to as one of nature’s ‘perfect foods,’ bananas are perhaps best known for packing potassium, but they’re also good sources of arthritis-fighting vitamin B6, folate, and vitamin C.
They’re easy for your body to digest, and since they’re a great source of soluble fiber, they are an important player in your weight loss efforts, because you feel full after eating one without consuming a large number of calories.
If you are in need of vitamin C but aren’t a big fan of citrus fruits, reach for green pepper. A single green pepper contains 176 percent of your daily needs for vitamin C — and colorful red and yellow varieties have more than double that amount.
That makes them richer in C than citrus fruits, but sweet peppers are also excellent sources of vitamin B6 and folate.
Vitamin D is a tough one to come by in foods, but shrimp fills that bill since they have about 30 percent of the daily recommended amount in about three ounces – much more than a cup of milk.
Shrimp also contains omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin C, along with other nutrients essential for general health, including iron and vitamin B12.
Hard or soft, fresh or ripened, cheese in all its variety is an excellent source of calcium for bones, and protein for muscles and other joint-supporting tissues. Cheese can be easily sliced to put on a cracker or a sandwich, grated into your favorite recipe, or eaten alongside an apple or pear for a fresh, quick snack.
Green tea contains hundreds of powerful antioxidant chemicals called polyphenols and has been cited for helping prevent problems ranging from cancer to heart disease. But studies also suggest green tea may help prevent or ease symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
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