Diet plan for arthritis

Introduction to Arthritis

Arthritis is a term that refers to a group of condition that involves damage to the joints of the body. There are more than one hundred types of arthritis, but the most common are osteoarthritis and rheumatoidarthritis.

This condition is characterized by an inflammation of the joints in one’s body. This may be caused by wear-and-tear damage that is made to the cartilage (as in the case of osteoarthritis), or by the immune system attacking the synovium (as in the case of rheumatoid arthritis), etc.

The most common symptoms of arthritis are joint pain, joint swelling, redness, decreased range of motion, morning stiffness that may last for hours, etc. The treatment of this condition may include various medications, therapy to recover the mobility of the joints or surgery to repair the damage. The doctor will prescribe the best course of treatment according to the patient’s age, overall health, and the progression of the disease.

Diet Plan

There still isn’t a complete cure for any form of arthritis. However, many experts share the opinion that, with the treatment prescribed by a doctor, and a proper diet, one can relieve all the symptoms and successfully prevent further flare-ups of the disease. This applies for each and every type of arthritis.

The purpose of following a prescribed diet is to include all the type of food that might reduce the inflammation and relieve the symptoms, and to eliminate the foods that worsen the symptoms and cause flare-ups.

There are various rules that one should follow if they desire to get rid of, or simply, minimize the symptoms. These include:

Eating plenty of fruit. A person suffering from arthritis should mainly have fruits rich in vitamin C in their diet. They usually also have antioxidants that fight off free radicals, that might worsen one’s disease. The fruit recommended include mango, raspberries, oranges, blackberries, strawberries, peaches, etc. Also, apples are very efficient when it comes to dealing with inflammations, because they have anti-inflammatory properties.Eating food rich in omega 3 fatty acids. This mainly includes fish (such as tuna, cod, sardines, oysters, and salmon, etc). Omega 3 fatty acids are proven to be the best way of fighting various inflammations.Eating plenty of vegetables. Healthy vegetables for people with arthritis are cabbage, broccoli, leeks, sprouts, garlic, spinach, olives, etc.Eating cereal grains. Brown rice, wheat, rye, oat, etc. are good source of fiber, and an excellent energy source.Avoiding certain foods that might cause flare-ups. These food include fatty foods, dairy products, processed foods, etc. One should take care and take notice of the food that causes the flare-ups for them, and then try to avoid it.Exercising regularly and controlling one’s weight. It is found that fatty tissues produce hormones that may indirectly increase inflammation and pain, and excess weight may also put extra pressure on the joints.