What is arthritis?

Arthritis is a common health condition involving chronic inflammation in your joints. It causes pain and damage to joints, bones, and other body parts depending on the type of arthritis. In the UK, more than 10 million people have arthritis or other, similar conditions that affect the joints. Arthritis affects people of all ages, including children. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the 2 most common types of arthritis.

How can my diet affect my condition? 

Consuming a healthy balanced diet with all the vitamins and minerals that’s necessary are important and are vital for everyone, but for individuals with arthritis it could help to lower the side effects of some drugs and protect against conditions affecting the heart and blood, which can be a complication of some forms of arthritis. Did you know that the foods we consume can affect arthritis pain and symptoms? Inflammation, a key cause of arthritis, is often made worse (or better) because of an individual’s diet.

It’s very important to eat a healthy, balanced diet if you have arthritis. Scientists have discovered several links between arthritis and diet, by making small changes to your diet and lifestyle can help reduce the levels of urate in your body. While there are no pacific diets or supplements that will cure your arthritis, some individuals find their condition is affected by what they eat, how much they weigh and their physical activity levels.  

Eating healthy:

Your diet should consist of a variety of foods from all 5 food groups. These are: 

• Fruit and vegetables 
• Starchy foods – bread, potatoes, rice, and pasta 
• Meat, fish, eggs and beans 
• Milk and dairy foods

Weight loss if overweight losing weight can really help with arthritis. Too much weight places extra pressure on the joints in your hips, knees, ankles and feet, leading to increased pain and mobility problems. Being overweight can also increase your risk of developing certain conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis or gout. If you eat fewer calories, it’s essential to keep a balance between different types of food so you don’t lose out on vital nutrients. For example, it’s important to avoid invisible fats in foods like:

Foods to avoid:

Biscuits, cakes, chocolate, pastry and savoury snacks or limit them to special occasions, always check the labels.

• choose lean cuts of meat, which contain less saturated fat, and always trim off any excess fat 
• choose fish and poultry more often 
• use skimmed or semi-skimmed milk 
• use low- or reduced-fat dairy products (for example yogurt, low-fat cheese) 
• use low-fat, olive-oil- or soya-based margarines 
• grill instead of frying 
• use a very small amount of olive oil if you need to for cooking (if you want to fry foods, use rapeseed oil, which smokes less) 
• fill up on wholegrain breads, cereals, fruits and vegetables 
• look for snacks that are naturally low in fat, such as fruit, vegetable sticks or plain popcorn – small amounts of nuts and seeds provide good fats but don’t appear to cause weight gain.

Saturated fats are the most important kind of fat to reduce since they can increase inflammation and pain in the body. Monounsaturated fats are neutral or even useful fats in that they don’t make inflammation worse. But they contain just as many calories as saturated fats. polyunsaturated fatty acids are useful in the diet and are found in rapeseed oil, walnuts, free-range eggs (depending on the chicken feed), oily fish and fish oil supplements.

Reduce your sugar intake as sugar includes only calories and has no other food value (so-called ‘empty calories’), so you can cut down on it without losing any nutrients. Eating 30 g (about 1 oz) less sugar each day saves 120 calories.

Consume more fruit and vegetables, at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day. Ensuring your body gets the essential nutrients exceptionally vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that is needed to stay in good health. Brightly coloured vegetables and fruits are rich in antioxidants, as are leafy green vegetables. It’s been implied that antioxidants may help to protect the joints by mopping up some of the chemicals, known as free radicals, which may cause inflammation. 

Consume starchy foods like potatoes, rice and pasta. Wholemeal versions are better as they include more fibre and so are more filling for longer. Fibre is also good for your bowels. Wholemeal versions often provide more vitamins and minerals than white varieties. Fruit (but not fruit juices) and vegetables are low in calories but will still provide plenty of the nutrients you need.

The most important vitamins and minerals for people with arthritis are: 

• calcium 
• vitamin D 
• iron. 

Other nutrients that may play a part are vitamin C and selenium. Calcium is important for keeping your bones healthy.

We get the majority of our vitamins and minerals from the food we eat rather than from supplements. Not having enough (a deficiency) of some vitamins and minerals appears to be linked with arthritis progressing more quickly.

Calcium deficiency increases the threat of osteoporosis (brittle bones), which is especially common in females after the menopause. Numerous individuals with arthritis also have a risk of developing osteoporosis, particularly if they’re taking steroids on a long-term basis. An absence of calcium in the diet can also increase your risk of developing a condition called osteomalacia (soft bones).

The greatest sources of calcium are: 

• Dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt – low-fat ones are best, and it doesn’t matter if they come from cows or other animals, for example goats 
• Calcium-enriched milks made from soya, rice or oats 
• Fish that are eaten with the bones (such as tinned sardines). 

Omega-3 fatty acids appear have a beneficial effect in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids may have a modulatory effect on disease activity, namely on the number of swollen and tender joints. dietary guidelines recommend eating two portions of fish a week, including one oil This works out at about 0.45 g per day of omega-3 fatty acids.

Avoid foods and drinks that trigger inflammation is not just good for your arthritis. An anti-inflammatory diet can also help prevent other chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes.

When trying to decrease inflammation, try cutting out alcohol altogether for 4 to 6 weeks and see what happens. You may notice a decrease in inflammatory joint pain. You may also notice that you sleep better—which itself can help decrease chronic pain symptoms.

Exercise:

If you have arthritis, you may find it difficult to get as much exercise as you used to. Swimming is exceptionally good exercise if you have arthritis since being in water takes the weight off your joints and exercises just about all muscle groups and joints in the body. walking is also good, as many individuals find Pilates and yoga are helpful as they help to stretch and strengthen the muscles. And if you’re burning less energy you’re likely to put on weight. 

Reducing salt may be a good choice for people with arthritis. Foods high in salt   include shrimp, canned soup, pizza, certain cheeses, processed meats, and numerous other processed items

Several individuals with arthritis maintain that nightshade vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, and peppers trigger their arthritis to flare. While there aren’t any studies to support a link between arthritis pain and most nightshades, tomatoes may be an exception. That’s because they raise levels of uric acid.

Warning:

It’s not recommended that you stop any of your treatments.

You should always speak to a healthcare professional before you make any major changes to your diet and lifestyle.