Arthritis it can be extremely painful, inconvenient and frustrating. Regardless of where arthritis flares up in your body, the pain and swelling it can be devastating to the experience.
Two of the most common types of arthritis that people experience are rheumatoid arthritis, which involves the immune system, and osteoarthritis, which involves the breakdown of cartilage.
While there are different medications that your doctor may prescribe to help relieve arthritis symptoms, there are also certain foods you can incorporate to help too.
To learn more, we talked to some dietitians to get their advice on the best eating habits to adopt if you’re currently living with arthritis.
Trista Best, MPH, RD, LD at Balance One Supplements, who lives with rheumatoid arthritis, says following an anti-inflammatory diet is ideal if you have arthritis.
“There are three main types of food that should be avoided or reduced in the RA patient’s diet, which are refined carbohydrates and sugar, gluten and preservatives,” says Best. “Refined carbohydrates and gluten are highly inflammatory and can trigger an arthritis flare-up or exacerbate pain from a current outbreak.”
If you are a seafood lover, you will be relieved to know that eating fish It can help ease the pain that arthritis brings.
“Fish is an excellent source of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, and regular consumption of omega-3-rich fish has been linked to reduced joint inflammation in people with arthritis,” says Paula Doebrich, RDN, MPH and owner of Happa Nutrition.
Doebrich says the best fish sources of omega-3s are fatty fish like tuna, Salmon, sardines or mackerel. If you’re not a seafood lover, you can always talk to your doctor about implementing a omega-3 supplement instead.
Are here The 26 Best Omega-3 Foods to Fight Inflammation and Support Heart Health.
Like the fish, “Nuts and seeds They are also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to reduce inflammationDoebrich says.
But that’s not the only thing that makes them a great option for people with arthritis. According to Doebrich, “Nuts and seeds They are also a good source of selenium and vitamin E, which act as antioxidants in the body.”
The Cleveland Clinic notes that walnuts not only contain healthy nutrients, but are also high in protein and low in saturated fat, making them a good replacement for foods like Red meat, which can cause flare-ups in people with arthritis.
Lastly, using olive oil as a replacement for butter or vegetable oil it can help reduce the swelling and pain that so often accompanies arthritis.
“This is because olive oil it’s an excellent source of healthy monounsaturated fats, and EVOO is also rich in antioxidants, which are known to be anti-inflammatory,” says Doebrich.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, there is a compound in olive oil called oleocanthal which naturally helps reduce inflammation and may also be helpful for your heart health too.
did you know This Surprising Juice Blend May Reduce Arthritis Pain?