Arthritis Help 4 Friends: food

Showing posts with label food. Show all posts

Wednesday, 16 September 2026

A New Study Links Everyday Foods to Rheumatoid Arthritis Flares

From mensjournal.com

Medical experts break down how your daily food choices directly impact joint stiffness and unexpected autoimmune flare-ups

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease where the immune system mistakenly attacks the lining of the joints, causing painful inflammation, swelling, and potential bone damage. The inflammation can also damage other parts of the body as the immune system turns against its own tissues. While there is currently no cure, a recent review published in Nutrients reveals a direct link between what you eat and the symptoms you experience.

Changing your diet cannot replace conventional rheumatoid arthritis medications like DMARDs, NSAIDs, or corticosteroids, but adjusting your daily meals can help manage systemic inflammation and improve overall well-being.

“The study suggests that people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may benefit from an eating pattern that provides more omega-3 fats and antioxidant-rich nutrients, while limiting an excess of omega-6 fats,” says Jamie Schwartz, RD, LDN, who was not involved in the study. “In practical terms, that could mean putting foods such as fatty fish like salmon, sardines and mackerel, along with walnuts, flaxseeds and chia seeds on the menu regularly. Colourful fruits and vegetables, which provide nutrients such as carotenoids and vitamin E, are also consistent with the study’s findings.”

The Simple Foods That Worsen Joint Pain

The review also found that eating high amounts of processed carbohydrates and added sugars can actively worsen inflammation throughout the body. Using an anti-inflammatory eating plan works as a supportive, complementary tool alongside standard medical care to boost your daily quality of life.

However, while food choice helps reduce inflammation, it is crucial to recognize that diet will not replace medical treatments altogether. There is currently no evidence that changing your meals can safely take the place of disease-modifying medication.

How to Tell If a Specific Food Is Triggering Your Flares

Pinpointing individual food triggers can be tricky because RA flare-ups stem from many different culprits beyond food sensitivities. Factors like rising stress levels, sudden illness, and poor sleep can all cause symptoms to spike.

“To determine if certain foods are difficult to digest for you, and therefore trigger a flare, keep a food and symptom record, but make sure you track everything that you are feeling,” says Alexia Beauregard, MS, RD. “How are you sleeping? What is your stress level, and how are you managing your stress? Do you feel like you are getting sick with something like a cold? Another option is to eat a very simple, basic diet for one or two weeks of food that is easy for you to digest.”

Beauregard suggests choosing a calm week when your life is predictable, and you’re not sick, to test foods you suspect are problematic. Food sensitivity reactions are dose-dependent, meaning you might need to eat the food several times over a few days before your body reacts.

Why Food Choice Is a Powerful Companion, Not a Magic Cure

At the same time, keep your expectations grounded regarding what diet can prove. Eating an anti-inflammatory meal plan is a supportive lifestyle choice rather than an instant remedy for painful flare-ups.

“The study actually doesn’t establish food sensitivities as a cause of individual flares. It found correlations between overall nutrient intake and measures of disease activity at a single point in time, says Schwartz. “Because it was cross-sectional, it cannot establish that eating a particular food caused inflammation to rise or fall. The authors themselves call for randomized controlled studies to establish whether dietary changes actually produce these effects.”

The ultimate takeaway is that filling your plate with anti-inflammatory whole foods supports your overall health and can help calm systemic inflammation, but your prescribed treatments remain the primary defence against joint damage.

Sources

Deseatnicova, E.; Covaliov, E.; Deseatnicova, O.; Siminiuc, R.; Rezus, E.; Groppa, L. Impact of Nutritional Diet Therapy on Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease Activity. Nutrients 2026, 18, 517. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18030517

https://www.mensjournal.com/health/new-study-links-everyday-foods-to-rheumatoid-arthritis-flares

Thursday, 10 September 2026

7 High-Protein Foods That Can Reduce Inflammation

From verywellhealth.com

Key Takeaways

Some high-protein foods can also provide nutrients and compounds that may help reduce inflammation.
A balanced anti-inflammatory diet can include both animal- and plant-based protein sources.
Eating protein-rich, anti-inflammatory foods may support muscle repair, immune function, joint health, and exercise recovery.

Getting enough protein and eating anti-inflammatory foods are important for good nutrition. Chronic inflammation can lead to arthritis, inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS), cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. Protein plays a key role in blood clotting, immune response, and muscle repair.

The good news: You don’t have to pick one nutritional benefit over the other. Here are seven high-protein foods that also help reduce inflammation.

1. Tuna

Tuna in sesame with lime and soy sauce on a plate — *Alexandr Kolesnikov / Getty Images*

25.4 grams of protein per 3-oz serving

Tuna and other cold-water fatty fish are a great source of omega-3s. These fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties that might help lower the risk of certain cancers, rheumatoid arthritis, and dry eye disease.

“Anti-inflammatory foods contain naturally occurring compounds such as fibre, antioxidants, and healthy fats that help to calm our immune systems and reduce cellular irritation,” Kristin Eis, MS, RDN, registered dietitian at Henry Ford Health in Detroit, told Verywell in an email.

Both fresh and canned tuna provide these anti-inflammatory benefits. Canned tuna is an affordable, shelf-stable, high-protein option that you can eat as a quick meal on the go.

2. Salmon

Two cooked salmon fillets on a white plate with grilled tomatoes and rosemary — *A serving of salmon typically has no carbohydrates to spike blood sugar.*
*HUIZENG HU / Getty Images*

16.8 g protein per 3-oz serving

Like tuna, salmon is a nutritious fatty fish to include in your anti-inflammatory, protein-maxxed diet.

“Salmon is an excellent source of high-quality protein and is rich in omega-3 fatty acids that can help reduce inflammation throughout the body,” Eis said.

Inflammation contributes to heart disease risk, so heart health organizations recommend that people add more omega-3-rich foods, specifically fatty fish, to their diets. A 2021 study showed that eating a diet rich in salmon—two servings per week—lowers cardiovascular disease risk for people with prior heart problems.

3. Sunflower Seeds

4.88 g protein per 1-oz serving

Sunflower seeds contain antioxidants that provide anti-inflammatory benefits. If you want to add these seeds to your diet, try mixing them into salads or eating a handful as a snack.

Eating healthy fats from seeds, nuts, and fatty fish along with fibre and polyphenols from plant foods creates a solid foundation for a healthy, anti-inflammatory eating pattern, according to Diana Guevara, MPH, RD, a nutritionist supervisor at UTHealth Houston.

4. Almonds

An image of almonds — *MixitIstock / Getty Images*

6 g protein per 1-oz serving

Almonds are a crunchy, versatile nut you can enjoy as a snack or turn into butter for a protein-packed sandwich spread.

A recent study showed that people with obesity who ate 2 oz of almonds per day had improved inflammation markers after six weeks. A previous study showed that the same amount of almonds lowered intestinal inflammation after 12 weeks in people who started the study with elevated inflammation.

5. Black Beans

An image of black beans — *Nungning20 / Getty Images*

7.5 g protein per 1/2 cup serving

Black beans offer significant anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Use these or other beans in veggie burgers, chili, or tacos to add extra protein to these meals.

Legumes, like black beans, edamame, and lentils, are great for people who want plant-based protein sources that are also high in fibre and polyphenols, Guevara said.

6. Firm Tofu

Block of firm tofu sitting on a plate and cutting board, aside soy beans, carrots, tomatoes, and peppers. — *HUIZENG HU / Getty Images*

9.16 g protein per 3-oz serving

Tofu is another plant-based protein that works well in a variety of meals, like stir-fries and scrambles. You can also use silken tofu in desserts, but this variety contains less protein—only about 5g per 3oz serving.

“In addition to being a versatile, high-protein food, it contains compounds called isoflavones that can help lower harmful inflammatory chemicals in the body,” Eis said.

7. Guava

An image of guava — *Murilo Gualda / Getty Images*

2.8 g protein per two small guavas

Guava offers more protein than most fruits, and research shows that it has anti-inflammatory properties. You can eat guava raw, add it to smoothies, or cook with the sweet fruit.

Guava and the other items on this list are great for anyone who wants to consume protein while lowering inflammation.

“Maintaining a diet rich in high-protein, anti-inflammatory foods helps your body build and repair muscle while also lowering harmful inflammation and swelling. These foods can also improve joint health, support immune function, and aid in recovery after exercise,” Eis said.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/high-protein-foods-that-can-reduce-inflammtion-12062766

Friday, 17 July 2026

8 Best Summer Vegetables for Rheumatoid Arthritis

From everydayhealth.com

Vegetables are a cornerstone of a healthy diet, especially when you have rheumatoid arthritis. Colourful produce is packed with phytonutrients, antioxidant compounds that may help protect your joints against inflammation.

And summer’s a great time to get your fill, since many seasonal veggies are at their peak of freshness — and thus nutrition. “While eating fruits and vegetables cannot cure RA, it can help improve your symptoms, especially when combined with your other medical treatments,” Barbara Gordon, EdD, RDN, a professor emerita of nutrition and dietetics at Idaho State University in Meridian, Idaho.

Next time you’re at the market, reach for more of these picks. They can help keep your joints and connective tissues healthy — so you feel your best.

Bell Peppers

Sweet and colourful, red and orange bell peppers are top sources of antioxidants like vitamin C and beta-cryptoxanthin. And that can be helpful for people with autoimmune conditions like RA. “Shifting to an overall dietary pattern rich in these antioxidants helps manage the hyperactive immune response, ultimately quieting the chronic inflammation that drives joint tenderness and pain,” says Alison Kane, RDN, a dietitian and wellness program manager at Mass General Brigham in Boston.

You may have heard that people with RA should avoid nightshade vegetables like bell peppers (as well as potatoes, eggplant, and tomatoes), since they contain compounds that could trigger or worsen joint pain. There’s no solid evidence to back this up, though a controlled trial is currently underway, for the first time, to assess the effect of a diet that eliminates nightshades may have on inflammatory and rheumatologic marker levels in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Pay attention to your body and do what feels right for you, Kane says.

Tomatoes

Nothing says summer like a juicy tomato. But here’s another reason to love them: Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant heavily studied for its ability to reduce systemic inflammation. While you’ll find lycopene in fresh tomatoes, you’ll get even more of the nutrient when you cook tomatoes in olive oil, since cooking makes lycopene more bioavailable. (Just-simmered marinara sauce, anyone?)

Lycopene also protects heart health and may support lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and blood pressure. That’s a big bonus, since RA can increase your risk for heart disease.

Zucchini and Summer Squash

These veggies have a high water content — and during the hot summer months, staying adequately hydrated could help make your joints feel more comfortable. Fluids are a must for helping them stay well-lubricated, as well as for flushing out toxins that could worsen inflammation.

On the antioxidant front, zucchini and summer squash also deliver compounds like lutein and zeaxanthin that curb inflammation. Try slicing the veggies into long, thick planks, brushing with avocado oil, and grilling them until crisp-tender, Kane recommends.

Cucumbers

Speaking of water-rich veggies to keep your joints lubricated? At 96 percent water, cucumbers are at the very top of the list. So they’re a great snack for hot summer days, especially when paired with protein-rich Greek yogurt, Gordon says. Dipping them in hummus will also give you some extra protein.

And even though they’re mostly H2O, cucumbers also pack some valuable nutrition. They’re a good source of silica, a trace mineral that your body needs to build the healthy connective tissues that make up and support your joints.

Dark Leafy Greens

Grab a bunch of Swiss chard or summer spinach next time you stop at the market. These summer greens are a source of iron — a mineral that’s extra important when you have RA. Rheumatoid arthritis may raise your risk for anaemia (a condition often caused by iron deficiency), which is tied to more severe RA and worse inflammation.

To get the most iron from your leafy greens, pair them with a source of vitamin C. “I like to use a citrus-based dressing, such as a homemade lemon vinaigrette, on a dark leafy green spinach or kale salad and toss with chickpeas or lentils for additional iron,” Kane says.

Dark leafy greens also deliver vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps fight inflammation and has been shown to reduce chronic pain severity.

Peas and Corn

One more reason to say yes to summer succotash: Peas and corn are both packed with fibre, which is thought to play an important role in lowering inflammation and potentially slowing the progression of RA. “Fibre feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut, which in turn reduces the production of inflammatory chemicals in the body,” Gordon says.

And like their fellow green and yellow veggies — zucchini and summer squash — peas and corn also offer up antioxidant compounds like lutein and zeaxanthin.

Beets

Rich, deep hues are often a sign that a vegetable or fruit is loaded with antioxidant compounds. And beets, with their dark magenta pigment, are no exception. They’re one of the best ways to get betalains, a group of antioxidants with anti-inflammatory activity that some experts suspect could support the treatment of inflammatory health conditions. You’ll get a healthy dose of vitamins C and E, too.

And since fresh beets are so abundant in the summer, they’re worth choosing over canned beets when you have RA. “During the canning process, some of the antioxidants are lost. About half the vitamin C is destroyed, and much of the betalains end up in the canning liquid rather than the beets themselves,” Gordon says.

Onions

While you can find onions year-round, they actually hit their peak during the summer. And you’ll want to add the aromatic veggies to your menu. Onions are a top source of flavonoid antioxidants like quercetin, which have been shown to block inflammatory compounds that are related to RA. They’ll offer heart-health protection too, since they can help lower levels of bad cholesterol.

If you’re used to sautéeing onions, try quick-pickling them in a rice wine vinegar with a dash of sugar for a fresh summer flavour. “They add a bright, tangy pop to summer tacos, grain bowls, or grilled turkey burgers,” Kane says.