Arthritis Friendly Diets

Arthritis sufferers experience joint inflammation causing stiffness, pain and swelling. To find relief, many people with arthritis have re-evaluated their diets to determine which foods help their condition, or trigger inflammation. Many have found that an arthritis-friendly diet can reduce inflammation and swelling.

Plant Based Foods Alleviate Symptoms

Joint inflammation is caused by enzymes called cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and 2 (COX-2), and most people with arthritis take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory COX-1 and COX-2 blocking drugs to ease their symptoms. An arthritis-friendly diet should include vegetables, fruit, nuts, tea and even chocolate, which block COX-2 activity. Many plant-based foods contain both antioxidants and phytochemicals that reduce joint inflammation and COX-2 activity.

Foods rich in omega-6 fatty acids, such as fried foods, egg yolks, meat, margarines, soybeans and cottonseed oil, exacerbate inflammation symptoms and increase the chances of obesity. Limit your intake of these foods.

Add Fish to Your Diet

Unlike omega-6 fatty acids, the omega-3 fatty acids that are found in fish help relieve arthritis pain. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that omega-3s can significantly reduce joint pain, and shorten the duration of morning stiffness. In fact, omega-3s help so much that some arthritis suffers may even be able to reduce the amount of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs they take every day. Try adding 3-oz. servings of salmon, trout, mackerel, tuna, sardines or herring to your diet at least twice a week.

Olive Oil Lessens Pain

Director of Monell Chemical Senses Center, Gary Beauchamp, Ph.D., discovered that olive oil has a direct connection to relieving arthritis inflammation. He found that the olive oil compound, olecanthal, blocks the production of COX-1 and COX-2, much like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and stronger-flavored oils produce the highest olecanthal levels. An arthritis-friendly diet should include a daily dose of 3 tbsp. of olive oil, which is equal to a 200 milligram tablet of ibuprofen. Be aware that 3 tbsp. contains more than 400 calories, so instead of gulping down tablespoons at one sitting, add to the olive oil to salads, use it instead of butter on bread, and cook with it.