If you have chronic joint pain or swelling, you are familiar with the agonizing frustration that comes with a sudden flare-up of the condition. Arthritis is one of the most prevalent causes of joint pain, despite the fact that there are a number of other reasons why someone could feel persistent joint pain.
It’s possible that you think of arthritis as being just one illness out of many, but in reality, there are over a hundred different kinds of arthritis that someone might have. These are all connected in some way to joint pain or joint disease.
Diet is one of the ways that you may control flare-ups of the joint swelling and pain associated with this condition, which is tremendously hard to live with despite the fact that there are strategies to alleviate the discomfort and manage the sickness overall.
We spoke with Trista Best, MPH, RD, LD, a registered dietitian at Balance One Supplements about the foods that are the worst to eat and may make your joint pain worse. Our goal was to have a better understanding of the impact that your diet has on the symptoms of arthritis.
Added sugar
Because they are extremely inflammatory, refined carbohydrates and added sugars should be avoided or decreased in the diet of an arthritis patient, advice Best. “Because of this, refined carbohydrates and added sugars should be avoided or reduced in the diet of an arthritis patient.”
In a poll of people with rheumatoid arthritis, participants stated that sugary desserts and drinks with added sugar were among the top things that made their joint symptoms worse. [citation needed]
This does not imply that you have to give up dessert completely, but it is a good idea to keep track of the amount of added sugar you consume and consider substituting natural sweets, such as fruit, wherever possible.
Gluten
Consuming meals that are high in quality and contain gluten may be totally acceptable and risk-free for the normal individual who does not suffer from arthritis. Gluten may, unfortunately, be a role in the flare-ups of joint pain experienced by those who already suffer from this condition on a regular basis.
It has been shown that gluten and goods containing wheat may over time contribute to inflammation, and inflammation is directly associated with joint discomfort and swelling. Gluten and wheat-containing products may also lead to inflammation. According to the findings of a study that was presented in the Open Rheumatology Journal, a diet that excluded gluten and focused on plant-based foods was shown to have a beneficial effect on the reduction of arthritic symptoms and joint pain.
However, we are not in any way advising that a gluten-free diet be followed by anybody and everyone. Products that include gluten may have amounts of fiber that are beneficial to those who do not have arthritis or another autoimmune illness.
Foods that have been processed.
It’s true that highly processed meals are tasty and very inexpensive, but they also come with a hefty dose of unfavorable side effects, including the potential to aggravate joint pain and inflammation.
Processed foods are believed to enhance arthritic symptoms by contributing to variables such as excessive weight gain and increased inflammation, as stated in Autoimmunity Reviews. As is the case with everything else on this list, we are not recommending that you can never eat processed foods again; rather, we are proposing that you restrict your intake whenever you can in order to ease the swelling in your joints.
Angus beef
It’s possible that reducing your consumption of red and processed meats and increasing your consumption of plant-based proteins might help alleviate some of the painful and swollen symptoms of arthritis. According to research that was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a greater diet of red meat was linked to higher levels of inflammation. Another study published in Frontiers in Nutrition came to the conclusion that avoiding red meat and adopting a plant-based diet may help alleviate the symptoms of arthritis.
You don’t have to give up any of these items permanently, but considering limiting the amount that you eat can help relieve the discomfort in your joints and perhaps provide you some relief that will endure.