Arthritis diet: The 60p spice to avoid arthritis symptoms and joint pain

From express.co.uk

ARTHRITIS symptoms can include joint pain, inflammation and restricted movement, but you could lower your risk of arthritis pain by simply making a few changes to your daily diet. One of the easiest ways to avoid symptoms is to add more turmeric spice to your food plan

Arthritis is an incredibly common condition in the UK, that affects more than 10 million people. If you've been diagnosed with arthritis, you could benefit from adding more turmeric to your diet, it's been claimed.

The most common type of arthritis in the UK is osteoarthritis. The condition is caused by the smooth cartilage between joints being worn down.

There are some treatments available to help relieve some symptoms for arthritis patients.

However, you could also avoid joint pain by simply adding a little bit more turmeric into your routine.

(Image: GETTY Images)

Turmeric is a yellow/orange spice that's usually used in curries to give it a distinctive colouring.

It grows as a root, but is also related to the ginger family, and it's been used for medicinal purposes for hundreds of years.

Its healing properties are owed to its active ingredient - curcumin. Curcumin is a natural anti-inflammatory, which is why it could be beneficial for some osteoarthritis patients.

LloydsPharmacy said: "Turmeric has historically been used by alternative healers to treat pain and swelling.

"This is because it contains a substance called curcumin, which is thought to possess anti-inflammatory properties.

"The best way to consume turmeric is to take it as a supplement in capsule form.

"Certain supplements also contain black pepper, which is thought to help the body absorb more curcumin."

But, it's still unclear whether rheumatoid arthritis patients would benefit from turmeric in a similar way to osteoarthritis patients.

You should always speak to a doctor before deciding to add more turmeric to your diet - and it should never be used as a replacement for prescribed medication.

However, if you're tempted to give it a go, you could add ground turmeric to your diet, or even consider drinking turmeric tea.

Shop-bought tea is often a better choice than simply adding a pinch of turmeric to your dinner, because it can be specifically designed to have a higher concentration of curcumin.

If you add more turmeric to your diet, you shouldn't forget to manage your arthritis symptoms in other ways, too.

Make sure to do plenty of exercise, and try to maintain a healthy weight. Physiotherapy and painkillers could also help to relieve some of your arthritis symptoms.

Speak to a doctor if your symptoms get worse unexpectedly, or if you're worried that you might have arthritis.

https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/1462242/arthritis-diet-spice-avoid-arthritis-symptoms-joint-pain-evg