You can change your diet to relieve arthritis pain. An anti-inflammatory diet for arthritis includes certain foods and supplements that have shown promise in studies. With this diet, you can control and reduce inflammation, swelling, and pain.
Diet Tips for Arthritis
An anti-inflammatory diet is meant to suppress the activity of inflammation that-causes the chemicals your body produces. You should view this diet more as incorporating foods rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals rather than one with strict rules. Below are long-term diet tips for arthritis pain and for losing weight:
Diet tips for arthritis:
- Fruits and vegetables: The antioxidants in fruits and vegetables can help reduce inflammation. The best fruits for your diet include plums, pomegranates, pears, apples, papaya, apricots, cantaloupe, and more. Leafy vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, beets, onions, broccoli, peas, sweet potatoes, and pumpkins, are great for arthritis.
- Whole grains: People low in antioxidant selenium can incorporate whole-wheat pasta and bread. Antioxidants suppress free radical production, which is known to induce tissue damage and suppress the body’s natural healing process. Brown rice and quinoa may also help reduce inflammation in people with arthritis.
- Beans and legumes: Beans not only help promote muscle health but then those stronger muscles can better help support the joints, which reduces the pain. The best choices in legumes include chickpeas, black-eyed peas, Anasazi, adzuki, and more.
- Seeds and nuts: Many studies show that nuts and seeds have anti-inflammatory properties.
- Fish oil: Fish oil is extracted from fish, such as cod, trout, salmon, and herring. Your body converts the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil into effective anti-inflammatory chemicals. Fish oil can also reduce morning stiffness in the legs that often make joint pain worse.
- Extra virgin olive oil: It suppresses chemicals that cause inflammation in your body. Use olive oil for cooking and drizzle it over your salads instead of butter.
- Healthy fats: Omega-3 fats found in flaxseeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and monounsaturated fats in avocados can help reduce inflammation.
Foods to limit in your diet
Some foods can actually make inflammation worse. The following are foods you should limit in your diet:
- Desserts, ice cream, and sweets
- Margarine
- Fried foods or fast foods
- Packaged or frozen dinners
- Soft drinks containing artificial sweeteners
The above foods can exacerbate unnecessary inflammation by increasing free radicals in your body. Free radicals are negatively charged atoms or molecules that are produced during your body’s metabolism. You should take red meat and dairy products in moderation.
Other natural ways to reduce arthritis pain
To avoid side effects from pain medication, you can try these natural pain-relieving options:
- Herbal supplements: These supplements often have very minimal side effects. They include stinging nettle, thunder god vine, ginkgo, devil’s claw, turmeric, and more.
- Massage: Massage can help manage pain in your joints by relieving stress.
- Acupuncture: Acupuncture has been used as a pain-relieving treatment for thousands of years in Asia. Ensure you only go to licensed and certified acupuncturists.