Foods that Aggravate Arthritis: Your Guide to Healthy Eating

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Foods that Aggravate Arthritis

Arthritis is a bone disease that affects the bone and the joints of the human body, especially the weight bearing bones, leading to inflammation and pain, and in some cases distortion of the bones. Around 50 million people are affected with arthritis worldwide.

Arthritis basically is an auto-immune disease, when the body mistakes their own body as foreign and attacks itself, in the case of arthritis, your body’s own joints and muscles, like an allergic reaction. As with some people with allergy reaction have to avoid certain foods, in the same way arthritis can trigger inflammation by eating improper foods. Although this does not mean to completely get them out of your diet, but reducing or substituting them may help to lower the inflammation response and may even help prevent a subsequent attack. Below is a list of foods that are to be avoided by arthritis patients.

  1. Fried foods and trans fats: It may come as a bad news for some people, but yes trans fats and fried foods can actually trigger or worsen your arthritis. And why, because these foods result in an increase of body fat, putting more strain on joints and ligaments. Moreover body fat is a metabolically active substance that causes the release of many hormones and chemicals in the body that actually increase inflammation. Grilling, boiling or steaming your foods are better, healthier alternatives.
  2. Sugar and highly refined carbohydrates: Eating sugar and refined carbohydrates in your food renders a metabolic substance in your body called the advanced glycation end product or AGE. AGE is toxin that damages protein molecules in the body, and as a result the body produces cytokines that breaks it apart, thereby triggering more inflammation and pain. Avoiding sugary and high carbohydrate food items helps lower your AGE levels. Use honey and brown sugar instead of high refined white sugar, and try using whole grain wheat and rice instead of the refined grains.results will vary
  3. Dairy products: While helpful in maintaining bone strength and calcium levels, too much consumption of dairy products leads to a buildup of the proteins a-lactalbumin, β-lactoglobulin and caseins, which are triggers for joint inflammation and may cause leaching of the bone calcium into the surrounding muscles, thereby stiffening them. Consuming dairy products in moderation helps to prevents excessive buildup of the aforementioned proteins.
  4. Salt and its derivatives: Salt should be taken in moderation by arthritis patients. Salt actually causes the ion channels of cells to open up and release inflammatory chemicals that cause joint pain and swelling. Moreover, when salt increases your blood pressure, restriction of the blood vessels causes reduced blood flow in joints, thereby rendering them more prone to wear, tear and a pronounced electrolyte imbalance. Limiting your salt intake to modest levels may just help you to avoid joint pain.

A balanced diet can lead to better health and most likely prevent other health problems. Taking your diet seriously may help you increase the quality life and help reducing a lot of preventable problems while increasing your lifespan.

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