Avoid these Foods and Fight Arthritis with the Right Food

Bones of the hand

 

You can fight arthritis with the right food. You don’t need to suffer from joint pain and inflammation. Most people who have arthritis try to manage the symptoms by taking medications that reduce the inflammation and joint pain. But what if you could find a way to lessen the symptoms before they even appear? Doesn’t it make sense to avoid foods that could lead to inflammation and joint pain?

Lower your AGEs

If you want to fight arthritis with the right food, the best thing that you can do is to lower your AGEs. What are AGEs and where do we find them? An AGE is an advanced glycation end product. It is a toxin that is produced when food is heated, grilled, fried, or pasteurized. When your body detects AGEs, it tries to break them down by using cytokines. Cytokines break down AGEs, but they also lead to inflammation. And that inflammation aggravates your arthritis. By eating less food cooked at high temperatures, you could help reduce the AGE levels in your blood. And there you have it…less inflammation and joint pain!

Avoid these Foods and Fight Arthritis

Fried and processed foods

Cut down on the amount of fried and processed foods you eat. Try to say “no” to fried meats and prepared frozen meals. Instead eat more fresh produce, beans and lentils.

Baked goods and snacks

These food usually contain corn or other oils that are high in omega-6 fatty acids. These fatty acids may trigger inflammation. Instead of your usual oil, why not try coconut oil? This is a saturated fat that seems to have anti-inflammatory properties.

High amounts of sugar.

High amount of sugar in your diet resuls in an increase in AGEs. Try to cut out candies, processed foods, white flour baked goods, and sodas. If you have a sweet tooth, snack on dried fruit. Use honey or natural sweeteners like stevia to sweeten your drinks.

Salt

Salt and other preservatives are used in prepared foods because they promote longer shelf lives. But too much salt can cause joint inflammation. Instead of using salt to flavor your food, try spices. Many of these have anti-inflammatory properties.

Dairy products

Dairy products are a bone of contention. Some say that they may contribute to arthritis pain due to the type of protein they contain. This protein may irritate the tissue around the joints. Try cutting out dairy products to see if this helps your arthritis symptoms. but if you have gout, which is also a type of arthritis,you may want to increase your intake of skimmed and low-fat milk. Some people have found that this is helps protect them from the discomfort that accompanies gout.