Arthritis: Part 1 – Foods to Eat

As a Registered Nutritionist, I have seen dozens of clients who live constantly with Joint Pain and Arthritis. When I look at their daily diet journal, they are often eating too many of the foods that will aggravate the problem and not enough of the foods that will help alleviate the problem. In part 1 of this 2 part lens on Arthritis, I will give some suggestions on the best foods to incorporate into your diet to help reduce your daily pain.

"You are what you eat!" How often have you heard that expression and really thought about what it means. Next to breathing, there is really nothing that we do more often than eat. Most people eat 5 to 6 times a day, whether it be a full meal or just a snack. But as you eat, are you really considering that this is the fuel on which your body runs.

Here is an analogy for you. If you own a Ferrari and you need to fill up on gas, do you get the cheapest, low octane fuel? Of course not because you will destroy the engine. However, a Honda Civic needs that cheaper fuel and would be damaged by the high octane variety. So what is the real issue here. Is there a problem with either car? No. Is there a problem with either fuel? No. The problem is putting the wrong fuel in the wrong vehicle, or vise versa, putting the right fuel in the right vehicle.

So are you a Ferrari or a Honda? Are you putting the correct fuel in your body? Well if you have chronic pain and/or disease you already have your answer. When it comes to food, just like with engine fuel, “one size does NOT fit all”. So here are some suggested foods to help get your engine running more efficiently.

FLAX SEEDS: are high in essential fatty acids and have anti-inflammatory properties.

COLD WATER FISH: are also high in essential fatty acids and have anti-inflammatory properties. Examples include salmon, mackerel, tuna, trout and herring.

CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES: Broccoli and cauliflower have anti-inflammatory properties.

RAW VEGETABLES & WHOLE GRAINS: They are full of fiber which helps to sweep away minerals and acid build up and keep the digestive system free of harmful bacteria.

SULFUR RICH FOODS: sulfur helps to repair cartilage and bones. Examples include asparagus, cabbage, garlic and onions.

RAW PINEAPPLE: has an enzyme called bromelain which has been shown to reduce significantly diminished in patients who increased their water intake to 6 – 8 glasses a day.

CURRY: Turmeric is one of the main spices in curry and it has powerful anti-inflammatory affects as well as being a wonderful antioxidant.