Osteoarthritis: Ease your joint pain through a proper diet
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, known as degenerative joint disease. It generally involves the joints of the hands, knees, hips, shoulders or the spinal vertebrae, and it can be caused by aging, heredity, and injury from trauma or disease.
For people who have osteoarthritis, a well-balanced diet with extra omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and water is essential. Although experts do not recommend a specific diet for this disease, the daily eating plan when you have osteoarthritis should focus on keeping your weight down, building strong cartilage, and reducing inflammation.
It is well-known that being overweight adds burden to the weight-bearing joints, increasing the risk of developing or aggravating osteoarthritis, so weight loss is an important element in treatment of osteoarthritis for many people. One study involving obese people with knee osteoarthritis showed that the body weight reduction with 10% improved the function of the knee joint by 28%.Usually, any weight loss can make a difference in pain control and delaying the progression of osteoarthritis. In some cases, weight loss can prevent the need for surgery.
Weight loss is possible by cutting calories, eating smaller portions, avoiding sugary foods and drinks, and eating mostly plant-based foods.
Fruits and vegetables are always a healthy food choice. They contain a lot of healthy nutrients- antioxidants and fiber, including. Some antioxidants – such as those found in apples, onions, shallots, and strawberries – prevent the cell damage and may also help reduce joint inflammation, easing the pain of arthritis. An important antioxidant is Vitamin C provided by lots of fruits and vegetables. This vitamin helps build collagen and connective tissue. The recommended daily amount of Vitamin C is of 75 mg a day for women or 90 mg a day for men. The fiber provided by a plant based diet is also important when it comes of osteoarthritis because it prevents and treats the constipation that accompanies some pain medication.
Joint pain can also be reduced by eating foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. They work by reducing inflammation in the body. Clinical trials have repeatedly shown that Omega-3 is a safe and effective alternative to the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Daily supplementation with 2.6 grams of Omega-3 results in significant clinical benefit and may reduce the need for concomitant medication. One easy way to add omega-3s to your diet is by having two 3-ounce servings of fish each week. Some of the best sources are trout, salmon, mackerel, herring, tuna, and sardines.
A similar effect of reducing and preventing the inflammation has a compound in olive oil, called oleocantha. It works in much the same way that NSAIDs do. About 3 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil offers the same relief as 200 mg of ibuprofen. Unfortunately this amount adds 400 calories to the diet, so the olive oil should be used to replace other fats, such as butter.
Some extra attention is asked when cooking foods. Preparing foods at high temperatures, such as grilled or broiled meats, produce inflammatory compounds called advanced glycation end products (AGEs). These compounds are associated with diseases such as arthritis, heart disease, and diabetes. To reduce the levels of AGEs people should cut back on grilled, fried, broiled, or micro-waved meats and on any other processed foods.
From the most known diets, the Mediterranean Diet, the Food Lovers Diet, the Zone Diet are some of the diets which can help prevent and treat osteoarthritis.
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