Did you know that making changes to your diet can help reduce the pain and inflammation of arthritis?
Although there is still no cure for arthritis those who suffer from it will accept any relief they can get. The pain and stiffness associated with arthritis can really slow a person down. Arthritis can interfere with a persons quality of life, making it more difficult for them to do ordinary tasks.
Arthritis is not just a condition that effects older people. Arthritis can effect anyone at any age. My younger cousin was actually born with rheumatoid arthritis.
Osteoarthritis is a form of arthritis that does usually effect older people, but rheumatoid arthritis is usually something people are born with.
No matter your age or type of arthritis you have the pain and stiffness are just as bad, some more severe then others. Imagine not being able to do simple things like using a hand held can opener or gripping a pitcher of lemonade. Things that seem simple to the average person can be a major production to someone who suffers from arthritis.
I myself do not suffer from arthritis, but I have a hand full of family members that do. That includes my younger cousin that I mentioned before. Although I myself do not have arthritis I can some what relate to the pain and stiffness associated with it. A few years back I had a work related injury to my lower back. I know that a back injury and arthritis are two very different things, but pain from either or are usually associated with inflammation.
I have been to both a physical therapist and a chiropractor to help with the pain and stiffness. They were both helpful in their own ways, but I can’t rely on them every day of my life. I also use pain relievers from time to time, especially when it rains. I prefer Aleve ( sodium naproxine) it seems to work the best. Although it does help I’m not one who likes to rely on over the counter pain relievers. I don’t want to develop a dependency on them.
I have had a lot of luck in the past using certain vitamins and minerals to treat other ailments that I had suffered. So I decided to research some vitamins and minerals that might help with inflammation. I did come across a few, but the other thing I found was a short list of foods to avoid if you suffer from arthritis. So I jotted down the foods and looked into why eliminating these foods would help. What I found was this – foods you should avoid if you suffer from arthritis are:
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Egg Plant
Pepper(s)
The reason you want to avoid these foods is due to the alkaloids in them. The alkaloids in these foods can actually inhibit the formation of collagen. Collagen plays an important role in the making up of cartilage. * Red Berries and Cherries do the the opposite they actually stimulate the production of collagen. So if you like Red berries and Cherries go ahead indulge.
There are other foods to avoid, but I can’t be as specific. The reason for this is because you would have to see an allergist to pin point the exact food. However I can give you basic groups of foods to look into. These foods are:
Grains
Eggs
Nuts
Meats
Dairy Products
When it comes to Rheumatoid Arthritis a low fat, low protein vegetarian diet can be quite beneficial
Vitamins and minerals that help with arthritis are:
Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Vitamin B6
Zinc
Even though avoiding certain foods is not a cure for arthritis it is at least some kind of relief.
