Joint pain and stiffness can make the simplest everyday activities difficult. After a diagnosis of arthritis from an arthritis doctor, one of the first things you attend to beyond medication and exercises is diet. Everything you eat has an impact on managing inflammation in your body; eating the wrong things will worsen your symptoms.
According to Dr. Akshay Shetty, a well-known arthritis doctor in HSR Layout, Bangalore, your food choices help in managing arthritis pain and mobility as the years go by.
Understanding Arthritis and Inflammation
It is not a one-word condition.It consists of lots of illnesses that are like arthritis symptoms-wise, and under the title of swelling, it includes stiffness and pain in the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and osteoarthritis are among the top three.
In the case of diagnosing one with joint inflammation, the reference is made to the effects of inflammatory molecules. Sometimes acute inflammation facilitates healing, but chronic effects become damaging to cartilage with resulting pain.
Such changes might include alteration in one’s lifestyle, like dieting, and can have a big impact on the concerning problem.
1. Fried and processed foods
Trans fats and refined oils found in the majority of processed foods, chips, burgers, and packaged snacks cause the body to become more inflamed. Daily consumption of processed or fried foods may increase inflammatory cytokines, which are substances that exacerbate joint swelling and
Instead, your arthritis doctor may suggest adopting a cooking method that includes griling, baking, or steaming using olive oil or any other healthy oily fat. These would help reduce joint inflammation and boost energy levels.
2. Sugary Foods and Drinks
Refined sugar is very responsible for all the inflammation involved in most people’s lives. With desserts, sodas, or packaged juices, keeping sugar intake levels high causes the production of advanced glycation end products that worsen arthritis symptoms.
Try replacing sugary snacks with fresh fruits or nuts. Lessening sugar can help you stay within a healthy weight limit and take pressure off weight-bearing joints such as knees and hips.
Tip from Dr. Akshay Shetty: Patients suffering from arthritis must maintain their ideal weight. Just put on an extra kilogram, and it stresses your joints further, especially the lower ones.
3. Refined Carbs
White bread, white rice, and refined flour-pasta promise comfort, yet have been known to raise blood sugar levels. It is these foods that trigger high levels on the glycemia that cause spikes on the insulin and might aggravate the symptoms of arthritis.
Go for the whole grains, like brown rice, millets, and oats instead. Because whole grains are rich in fiber, this ultimately contributes to gut health and lessens inflammation across the body.
4. Excessive Salt
Arthritis people are the most to be blamed for the overconsumption of salt as they consume most of the above-mentioned products without even realizing it. Processed meats, canned soups, and pickles are full of sodium that brings water retention and hence swelling joints. Apart from all of this, high salt intake also disrupts calcium balance which might lead to bone loss gradually.
The use of natural herbs and spices such as turmeric, ginger, and cumin for food flavoring may also be advised by your arthritis doctor in HSR Layout. What is more, these components are loaded with natural anti-inflammatory agents that promote joint health.
5. Red and Processed Meats
Red meats-beef and mutton-are a very rich source of saturated fats and arachidonic acid, which are the main reasons for different types of inflammations in the human body. Among other things, sausages, bacon, and ham are processed meat products that contain preservatives like nitrates that cause the worsening of joint pains.
Most probably, these proteins will be substituted by the likes of fish, chicken, tofu, or lentils. The fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, and the rest are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids that work towards the alleviation of the symptoms like joint stiffness and swelling in arthritis.
6. Excess Caffeine and Alcohol
The body, if too much caffeinated or given alcohol, will dehydrate quickly and the bones will also lose their strength. A dehydrated person with arthritis will experience more stiffness, and alcohol may also interfere with the medications that your doctor has prescribed for you.
The likes of green tea or herbal teas (both being rich in antioxidants) can be good substitutes for sugary cocktails or multiple cups of coffee. Antioxidants play a very important role in the absorption of nutrients in cartilage and thus keep the cartilage healthy and durable in the joints.
7. Some Vegetable Oils
Plant oils like sunflower, corn, and soybean which are very rich in omega-6 acids, when consumed in large amounts, can lead to inflammation by extending the omega-6 and omega-3 imbalance.
For the preparation of food, consider using cold-pressed olive oil, flaxseed oil, or canola oil instead. These beneficial oils not only work to alleviate the tenderness in the affected joint but also help to reduce the general inflammation over time.
8. Gluten and Dairy (For Some)
In fact, among persons who have arthritis, a few of them have complained of their arthritis aggravating after taking gluten or dairy foods. This happens usually to patients of autoimmune types of arthritis, like rheumatoid arthritis.
If you experience a lot of joint discomfort after having bread, milk, or cheese, you should seek the advice of your arthritis doctor because they would tend to give you an elimination diet or refer you to a nutritionist who would approach you for a personalized meal plan depending on your arthritis condition.
9. Staying Hydrated and Eating Anti-inflammatory Foods without Triggers
Avoid trigger foods and take enough water and put more an-ti inflammatory foods in your diet.
Some good examples of such food include: Fresh fruits (particularly berries, oranges, papaya); Leafy green vegetables such as Spinach and Kale; Whole grains and legumes; Nuts and seeds.
Expert Advice from Arthritis Doctor- Dr. Akshay Shetty
In his interview, Dr. Akshay Shetty, an orthopedic and arthritis specialist in HSR Layout, Bangalore, said that diet is very essential in controlling arthritis symptoms alongside medicine.
He even pointed out:
Pain relief is only one aspect —the important thing is to control inflammation in the body which can be achieved through proper diet, regular physiotherapy, and early visit to the orthopedist.
This is why the arthritis specialist can only give proper diagnosis, specific dietary recommendations, and cutting-edge treatment such as arthroscopy, joint injections, or rehabilitation therapy.
Take away: Tiny Changes, Great Reliefs
Arthritis treatment is a matter of patient perseverance above all. By eliminating inflammation-causing foods from your diet and obeying the instructions of the doctor, you will be able to alleviate the pain, stiffness, and fatigue to a large extent.
If you need an expert opinion in Bangalore, come to Dr. Akshay Shetty’s Clinic in HSR Layout, which is well-equipped to provide you with an integrated approach to the treatment of joint pain, arthritis, and sports injuries — blending cutting-edge orthopedic therapies with the doctor’s personalized guidance for your health and active lifestyle.
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