Amazing Foods To Get Rid Of Arthritis Pain

Arthritis is an autoimmune disease which affects people of all ages. The main symptom of this disease is the swelling, redness and pain in the various joints in the body. The intensity of arthritis pain may vary according to the climate, the activity level of the person and according to the food they consume. There are certain food items which help to reduce the swelling and pain associated with arthritis and there are certain foods that will aggravate the arthritis pain. Reducing the arthritis pain will help to improve the mobility of the patient.  Here is the list of some foods that are helpful in reducing arthritis pain. If you are an arthritis patient, you can include many of these foods in your arthritis diet to ease the pain in the joints. However, it is better to consult your doctor before making major changes in your diet.

Foods to Help Fight Arthritis Pain

1.    Bananas

This is a great food to fight arthritis.  Bananas fight arthritis and reduce the symptoms associated with it. It improves the overall health of the person.

•   It contains high levels of potassium which necessary for the proper functioning of cells.
•   It contains vitamins such as vitamin C, vitamin B6 and folate which help to improve the immune system of the body.
•   The fiber present in banana helps in the proper digestion of the food and helps to maintain the general health of the person.

2.    Olive Oil

This is one of the best oils to be used by the arthritis patients. Olive oil contains healthy monounsaturated fats which do not get oxidized in the body. Studies have shown that in people consuming olive oil the chances of developing rheumatoid arthritis are less.  Make sure that you are using high quality extra virgin olive oil to achieve maximum benefits.

•   Extra virgin olive oil works similar to over- the- counter painkillers in people with arthritis.
•   Use virgin olive oil as a salad dressing or use it for cooking the vegetables to get rid of arthritis pain.
•   Do not over heat the olive oil as the nutrients in the oil get destroyed at high temperature.

3.    Sweet Potatoes

This should be one of the main ingredients in the menu of an arthritis patient. Sweet potatoes have more nutrients than the regular white potatoes.  They contain beta carotene, anthocyanin, vitamin A, C, soluble fiber and minerals.

•   Use organically grown orange or purple fleshed sweet potatoes.
•   You can use steamed, boiled or baked sweet potatoes to reduce the pain.
•   The vitamin C improves the immunity and anthocyanin reduces the inflammations in the joints.
•   Substitute the food preparations including white potatoes with sweet potatoes to reap the benefits of this food.

4.    Green Tea

Green tea offers many health benefits as it contains high levels of antioxidants.  Antioxidants are highly effective in reducing the arthritis pain. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the substance present in green tea which reduces the inflammation associated with arthritis.

•   Make a decoction of the green tea by boiling the green tea with water.
•   Consume at least 3-4 cups of green tea every day to reduce the pain and inflammations in the joints.

5.    Bell Peppers

Bell peppers are rich in vitamin C which helps to reduce the inflammations and to increase the body immunity against infections. The antioxidants present in bell peppers prevent the formation of free radicals in the body which causes the deterioration of health. It is better to use raw bell peppers in food preparations as the vitamin C gets destroyed when cooking.

•   The bell peppers help in collagen formation and help to maintain the skin and muscles.
•   The capsaicin present in bell peppers improves the blood supply to the joints and reduces inflammations.
•   You can use them in salads and stir –fries

6.    Whole Grains

Whole grains have the ability to reduce the inflammations in the body. While the refined grains increase the inflammations, the whole grains decrease the inflammations. They are rich sources of fiber and other nutrients.

•   Include more of whole grains in your food. There are whole grain breads and pastas available in the market.
•   You can use brown rice instead of polished white rice.
•   Include whole grain cereals in your breakfast to reduce the arthritis pain.

7.    Nuts

There are different varieties of nuts which help in reducing the level of inflammations.  Nuts provide healthy fats for the body. It is necessary to include one ounce of nuts per day in the arthritis diet to get benefitted by it.  It contains anti-oxidants and omega three fatty acids which are essential for good health. They are also rich sources of vitamin E.

•   The most important nut for arthritis pain is the walnuts.
•   Chop and add nuts to your salads, desserts or vegetable dish or you can use them as such.
•   The anti-inflammatory nutrients in walnuts play a special role in maintaining bone health.

8.    Mango

Mangos are not available throughout the year, but make sure that to eat them whenever you get the chance to reduce the arthritis pain. Mangoes have a number of antioxidants in them. Ripe mangos are a rich source of beta carotene.  The beta carotene prevents arthritis from getting worse.

•   You can eat ripe mangoes or can have them in your fruit salads.
•   You can use them in the form of fresh mango juice or mango shake.

9.    Apples

Apples are a rich source of vitamins and iron for the body. The iron in the apple is useful in the formation of hemoglobin in blood, which improves the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. This property of apple helps in reducing the inflammations in the joints due to arthritis.  You can use them in your weight loss diet and get the strain on the joints reduced. This will ease of the arthritis pain to a great extent.

•   Consume apples on a regular basis to get rid of arthritis pain
•   You can also consume them as juice or as a salad.
•   Make sure that you consume the skin of the apple to get maximum result as they contain beta carotene.

10.    Shrimp

Shrimps and shellfish are low in saturated fats and provide lots of nutrition. The omega -3 –fatty acids in them is found to reduce arthritis symptoms. Shellfish and shrimps are rich in vitamins and minerals such as selenium, iron, zinc, vitamin B12, niacin. The selenium in seafood helps manage arthritis pain. If you are allergic to seafood or if you have high cholesterol you have to avoid this food on the arthritis food menu.

•   You can include shrimps and shell fish in various recopies.
•   You can stir fry the shrimps or shellfish with vegetable in olive oil and consume them to control arthritis pain.

11.    Salmon

Salmon is one of the most important sources of omega -3 –fatty acids. Hence it is commonly used by people suffering from arthritis to reduce the pain. Omega -3 helps to reduce the inflammations in the joints and reduces the redness and pain. You can also use other oily fishes such as sardines and mackerel for this purpose.

•   Make sure that you consume salmon or any other oily fish at least twice a week.
•   Avoid using fried fish, instead use grilled, baked, steamed or poached fish to get the benefits of omega -3.

12.    Lentils

Lentils are considered as a healthy food as it provides the necessary proteins required by our body. This food is suggested for those people suffering from arthritis pain as well. The proteins are necessary for maintaining the muscles which help in the movement of the bones in the joints.

•   Buy raw lentils and cook them as needed.
•   You can use them in soups or you can prepare gravies with the lentil.

13.    Spinach

Spinach provides many benefits to arthritis patients. Spinach contains calcium and is rich sources of fiber. They contain phytonutrients which improves the overall performance of the body.  There are many flavonoid compounds in spinach which has anti –inflammatory property.  The vitamin K present in spinach helps to maintain the bone health.

•   Always wash the spinach thoroughly before you cook them
•   Boil the spinach with lots of water for one minute to release its acid content
•   Strain the spinach and use it in salads or to your lasagna recipe.

14.    Beets

Beetroot contains a special anti-oxidant called betalain which prevents the build –up of free radicals in the body. Potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron;  fiber, folic acid vitamins A, B & C; beta-carotene etc are a few of the many nutrients and minerals that are found in beets. Betalains have anti- inflammatory property and hence a good choice of food for people with arthritis.

• Do not overcook beets as the betalain gets removed from the food.
• Steaming the beets for 15 minutes is the best way to prepare beets.
• You can steam the beets cut into quarters without removing the skin.  You can add the steamed beets to your favorite salad.
• You can use grated beets to garnish salads or soups.

15.    Tomatoes

Tomatoes are found to be very effective in relieving arthritis pain. The most important content of the tomato is lycopene and this content is responsible for lowering the pain.

•   Include cooked tomatoes in your diet if you want to use them to relieve the arthritis pain
•   Cooking releases the lycopene present in the tomatoes and our body will be able to use them effectively.

16.    Soy

Soy is one of the best foods that help to relieve the joint pain in arthritis patients.  Soy is available in different forms in the market. They are a rich source of protein and iron.  Soy products are excellent foods to reduce the inflammation and pain. Soy reduces the chance of osteoporosis in women.

•   Include any of the soy products such as tofu, miso or temph in your daily diet, if you want to keep the arthritis pain under control.
•   Tofu has been found to be more effective in reducing inflammations in arthritis patients.
•   It is necessary that you consume at least 25 grams of soy protein every day to get health benefits from it.

Are you a person suffering from the pain, inflammation and reduced mobility caused by arthritis? Are you trying to improve your condition with proper foods for arthritis control? You can try out the different foods suggested here and find out which all are effective for you in managing the arthritis pain. Try to include two or three foods in your diet, to get rid of arthritis pain. You can use the above foods in various recipes of your choice. The most important thing is that you consume these foods on a daily basis to get the maximum possible result.

 

Source: GoHealthTips