Arthritis diet: The 'ultimate' diet swaps and best foods to avoid arthritis symptoms

From express.co.uk

ARTHRITIS is a debilitating condition people can develop at almost any age, most predominantly in later life. One way to help alleviate the symptoms is by making diet alterations, according to the Arthritis Foundation.

Arthritis proves debilitating for sufferers and can drastically reduce people's quality of life as they approach their twilight years. Most efforts to relieve the pain include medicines or surgical interventions. But people often benefit from a few lifestyle changes as well, such as a new diet.

Arthritis symptoms manifest at the joints, where inflammation makes movement painful.

They include:

• Tender, stiff and painful joints
• Inflammation inside and surrounding the joints
• Impeded movement at the joints
• Warm and red skin on the surface of each affected joint
• Muscle wastage and weakness

Making slight changes to people's diet can help manage the disease's activity, and the Arthritis Foundation recommends sufferers try the "Mediterranean diet".

The long-touted diet includes meals rich in fruit, vegetables, beans and fish, with as little processed content as possible.

Over time, research suggests adopting it will help lower people's blood pressure, protect against chronic illness, curb inflammation, aid weight loss and benefit the joints and heart.

The foundation has suggested six types of food people with arthritis should eat more.

The 'ultimate' diet swaps and best foods to avoid arthritis symptoms (Image: GETTY)

Fish and olive oil

Fish, specifically salmon, tuna, sardines, and cold water varieties, serves as one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

These help to reduce inflammatory proteins, according to research that found people with fish-rich diets have fewer in their bodies. And olive oil provides a source of healthy fat and oleocanthal.

The latter acts similarly to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) by dampening the body's inflammation capabilities and stemming pain sensitivity.

Fruits and vegetables

Both fruit and vegetables contain generous helpings of antioxidants. These, especially anthocyanins found in cherries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and others of the same colour, help fight potentially damaging free radicals.

Vitamin C rich fruits such as oranges can reduce inflammatory markers, while vitamin K rich vegetables such as broccoli and spinach reduce inflammatory markers.

Beans

Beans contain fibre and phytonutrients known to help lower inflammation indicators. These indicators, known as CRP, indicate infections and rheumatoid arthritis when at a high enough level.

Readily available varieties such as red, kidney and pinto beans contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds which reduce CRP.

Nightshade vegetables

Although they share a name with deadly nightshade, nightshade vegetables will help improve people's lives. These include red peppers, eggplant, tomatoes and potatoes, each nutrient-rich.

They can help people lose weight, a well-known aggravator of arthritis, and research has suggested these vegetables could also inhibit pain.

Nuts and seeds

Nuts and seeds are fibre-rich foods that form a vital cornerstone of an anti-inflammatory diet.

Studies centred on people with a nut and seed rich diet found they had a 51 percent lower risk of dying from inflammatory diseases.

People who lack vitamin B6, which nuts have in droves, often have higher inflammatory markers.

https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/1476743/Arthritis-diet-ultimate-anti-inflammatory-diet-swap-arthritis-symptoms-evg