Nutrition and Arthritis
Arthritis is a painful and often debilitating condition that can make day-to-day life difficult. Changing what you eat may help reduce your inflammation levels and decrease your chance of flare-ups. When it comes to living with arthritis, here's what you should consider when it comes to nutrition:
Consider Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Changing your diet to include more anti-inflammatory foods may help decrease inflammation levels in your body and decrease the likelihood of flare-ups. Some examples of foods with anti-inflammatory properties include:
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Fruits
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Vegetables
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Olive oil
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Fish
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Lean meat
Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to decrease joint swelling in patients with rheumatoid arthritis while boosting their immune system function. Eating foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, tuna, and spinach can help lower your levels of inflammation and ease pain. A few other foods in this category include:
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Eggs
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Walnuts
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Tofu
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Brussel sprouts
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Avocados
Stay Hydrated
It's essential to stay hydrated daily, but if you have arthritis, keeping up with your daily water intake can help ease discomfort and pain. Staying hydrated also helps flush out toxins from your body, which are linked with joint discomfort and swelling. Not to mention well-hydrated cartilage can reduce the rate of friction between bones — which means it will be easier to move around!
Vitamin Rich Foods
Although you should take your vitamins every day, it may be best also to include vitamin-rich foods to help ease arthritis discomfort. For example, your diet should consist of dark, leafy greens such as broccoli, kale, and collard greens. These foods are high in vitamin E and C, which can help protect the body against inflammatory molecules (vitamin E) and assist the body in making collagen (vitamin C), which is a major component in the cartilage that aids in joint flexibility.
Leading Primary Care Providers
At New York Health, we’re committed to providing the best primary care in New York. From childhood to adulthood, we have a dedicated team of compassionate physicians to take care of all generations. To request an appointment, call us at (631) 758-7003; we look forward to speaking with you.