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Arthritis is a condition that causes inflammation in the joints. There are different types of arthritis. Some of them include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriatic arthritis. While this condition is most common in elderly people, especially those over 65 years of age, it can also affect younger people, unfortunately. Treatment for the different types of arthritis is mostly geared towards reducing the inflammation and helping in the pain management.
Diet can also play a role in helping you manage the symptoms of arthritis. Although no one specific diet can totally help you with your arthritis, some dietary habits can definitely make you feel better.
It is, however, advisable to experiment first and see what works for you and what does not. Some have to do with how you prepare the food, while others have more to do with the food itself.
Here are some foods to avoid if you have arthritis.
1. Saturated Fats
Foods that have high levels of saturated fats will likely trigger the inflammation of the fat tissue (adipose). This could put you at risk of getting heart disease and worsen inflammation, making your arthritis situation even worse than it might already be.
Some examples of foods that have very high levels of saturated fats include fried and processed foods, red meat and full-fat dairy products. Reducing your intake of this will help in that it will restore your body’s natural defenses and keep inflammation low.
2. Sugar and refined carbs
Taking too much sugar on a daily basis will cause an AGE spike in your body which will cause inflammation. According to reputable studies, sugar triggers the release of inflammatory messengers. They are known as cytokines. So understandably, it is hard to avoid sugar.
Part of the reason is that sugar comes in a number of different names. To be on the safe side though, just look out for any labels that end on “ose” for example fructose or sucrose. For your own good cut out things like soda, candy and other desserts with empty calories and food made from refined white flour.
3. Corn oil/ omega- 6s
First of all, the body actually needs Omega 6 fatty acids for normal growth and development but it just needs the right balance of omega-6s to omega-3s. Taking too much omega-6 will bother you if you have arthritis, as it is linked to inflammatory chemicals.
To be on the safe side, it is advisable to stay away from oils containing sunflower, soy, vegetables, peanuts, corn, and safflower. Instead, focus more on adding omega-3s such as olive oil, nuts or go for seeds such as pumpkin and flax seeds.
4. Salt
Salt can make things worse for people with arthritis. You should be on the lookout as to whether excess intake of salt worsens your joint inflammation or not. It is better to stay away from most packaged foods. They contain so much salt and preservatives.
Instead, cook your food at home. That way, you can use salt in its whole form and you will also be in a better position to control how much of it you take. Whenever you go shopping, try and get products with natural preservatives and always read labels and choose products with reduced sodium.
5. Dairy products
Other than the fact that dairy products contain a lot of fat, they also have in them a protein that could irritate that tissue surrounding the joints.
Since the effect of dairy products differs in different patients, it really is worth experimenting to see whether or not eliminating it helps you or not. If it helps, then you might want to try a vegan diet.
6. Alcohol
Alcohol drinking could lead to gout, which can also cause arthritis in the smaller bones that are found on the feet. In cases where one has gout, the uric acid is not metabolized.
Too much alcohol consumption overworks the liver and could cause inflammation and also an interference with all that is required for one to have healthy joints, that is, a balanced diet, sleep, and exercise.
7. Tobacco
Tobacco is really not good for anyone but it’s even worse in that it increases your chances of developing rheumatoid arthritis. Smoking harms your bones. It also harms the joints and connective tissue.
For people who are already suffering from arthritis, it affects how the medication works. It makes it less effective and could cause some serious complications in the event that surgery is necessary.
8. Foods cooked at high temperatures
These foods cooked at high temperature lead to the production of AGEs (advanced glycation end products) which create inflammation. By foods cooked at high temperatures, we mean those that are grilled, pasteurized or fried and they could end up releasing cytokines when they are eaten, which could send inflammatory messages throughout the entire body.
It may not be very practical to eliminate all of such foods but you can reduce your intake of them. Go for whole fruits, salads and lightly cooked vegetables instead.
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