Arthritis Diet Myths

One of the most popular myths I hear from my patients is that eating golden raisins soaked in gin will cure arthritis. There is no good research to support this notion. Save your money.

A recent popular diet, the Dong diet, advocates the elimination of fruits, red meats, and dairy foods. Not only is there no scientific evidence to support this diet but there may be potential harm. By eliminating so many potentially nutritious foods, there is the danger of causing a deficiency of important nutrients. Elimination diets though, have their supporters and selective elimination under the strict supervision of a registered dietician may be something to explore if you’re absolutely convinced your symptoms are food-related.

Another diet advocates the removal of dairy products. There are some who claim that dairy products make arthritis worse. The concern here is that total purging of dairy foods can lead to severe calcium deficiency and subsequent weakening of bones.

For years, there has been a myth that states the elimination of nightshade vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, and peppers will cure arthritis. The theory is that these plants produce a harmful toxin that causes arthritis. To date there is no scientific data indicating that these foods produce the supposed destructive ingredient that is responsible for inducing arthritis. Nightshade vegetables actually are low-calorie and contain important nutrients that might help arthritis sufferers.

Another popular “tonic” is the combination of vinegar and honey. Again, no reliable concrete evidence backs this as a “cure” for arthritis.

The advice: Thoroughly check out any story you hear. Don't be fooled. Talk with a reputable rheumatologist and dietician before embarking on a food "experiment."

Diet And Arthritis

Diet does not have a significant direct impact on arthritis. Diets, vitamins and supplements will not cure or improve your arthritis but altering your diet to maintain or attain the right weight is an important step to reduce the burden of arthritis.

For weight loss, dietary change and the amount you consume is important. Your diet must contain basic nutrients such as minerals and vitamins. Poor diet will impact on your general health and subsequently on your arthritis.

Studies have shown that diets lacking certain important nutrients can increase the rate of progression of arthritis and the right diet could slow this process down.

To help your arthritis, ensure your diet is balanced and varied and incorporates vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and other essential nutrients. Reduce animal fats and eat more fish. Take plenty of fruit and vegetables.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fats found in fish oil, has been shown to be beneficial in inflammatory arthritis. It is also useful in gout but it has a high quantity of purines which is broken down in the body to produce urates and therefore should be avoided in gout. There is no evidence that omega-6 fatty acids are beneficial.

A balanced and varied diet with more fish, fruit and vegetables is beneficial in all forms of arthritis. Nutritional supplements are available over the counter and are usually costly. Most of the ingredients are present in a balanced diet. If you feel you cannot maintain a balanced diet, consider this option.

Your weight is important. So what should your weight be? You should use the Body Mass Index (BMI) as a guide to assess whether your weight is acceptable or not. To find out your BMI, first measure your height in metres, (say 2metres) then multiply it by itself (2x2=4). Check your weight in kilograms (say 80Kg). Now divide your weight in Kg by the first figure (80 divided by 4 =20). That is your Body Mass Index (20). Recommended BMI for most people is between 20 and 25. For your arthritis aim to be within this range if you can.

From childhood I have been told that calcium is good for my bones. Lack of calcium may lead to osteoporosis especially in arthritic patients. Vitamin D is also important for bone formation. Lack of this vitamin in children can lead to Ricketts. In adults it can cause osteomalacia.

The commonest source of calcium is in milk. If you are on skimmed milk as part of your low fat and calorie controlled diet be assured that skimmed milk has more calcium in it that full fat milk. Daily recommended intake of calcium in under sixties is 1000mg and over 60s -1500mg. During the summer your body manufactures vitamin D through the sunlight on your skin and you do not need to worry about Vitamin D intake. You, therefore, need to be more vigilant in winter. Older arthritic patients may need supplements.

In case of gout, you should be careful with certain foods. Foods high in purines such as meat and fish should be consumed with care. Avoid or reduce alcohol.

Fish liver oil contains both omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin D. It is a useful supplement but care should be taken in women thinking of starting a family or already pregnant. It also contains Vitamin A and is not recommended in pregnancy because of potential harm to the foetus. Avoid fish liver oil or vitamin A supplements. It is better to take pure fish oil (high in omega-3 but has no Vitamin A) rather than fish liver oil.

A balanced and varied diet with all the right nutrients is an important part of the treatment of arthritis. Combined with the right regular exercise, diet will not only help your arthritic joint but will help your general well being. On the other hand, irrespective of whatever treatment of arthritis you are on, a diet devoid of the essential ingredients to maintain good healthy bones will impact negatively on your joints.

Natural Supplements For Arthritis Patients

A common myth about arthritis is that it attacks aged persons only. This is not true. Quite a few children suffer from arthritis. However, this is not the only myth about arthritis; plenty of such notions prevail in the society. As knowledge is the only thing that removes misconception, let us learn some basic things about arthritis and help others find most suitable remediation for joint pain and aches.

Arthritis is a syndrome that involves inflammation, tenderness, swelling and pain around joints. Basically Arthritis is a set of conditions that cause damages to joints in human body. There are around 150 types of rheumatic conditions that are called arthritis. Each of the conditions has different causes, different symptoms and obviously, different remediation.

But the symptoms of all sorts of arthritis are almost similar which hinder the diagnosis process. Swelling, stiffness, tenderness and limited activities are the most common signs of arthritic conditions. Some serious types of arthritis may even cause joint deformities. Such arthritic conditions are very painful; they can turn people disabled and homebound.

Chronic arthritis is often reported to impact on patients' psychology too. It is not difficult to understand how it feels to live a confined life with severe joint pain and joint deformities. Most arthritis patients become irate out of fatigue and mental stress.

Top of that there is a financial effect which is difficult to cope with. Chronic and severe arthritis can compel a healthy young guy quit his job. This definitely puts the patients and their family under a money crunch. Depression, weight loss, malnutrition etc. are quite common for such patients.

Initially it starts with joint stiffness. Swelling, redness and tenderness around the stiff joint are also reported. These are the general symptoms of arthritis. Sometimes the suffering increases during cold weather. Individuals with no history of accident in recent past when suffer such pains should visit a rheumatologist immediately. Arthritis often accompanied by mild fever that often confuses people whether it is arthritis or flu causing the ache. Visiting a doctor is good in such situations.

Natural Supplements for Arthritis patients:

Adequate intake of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acid is often reported useful for arthritis patients. A healthy diet is what arthritis patients need apart from formal medication. Omega 3 and Omega 6 are polyunsaturated fatty acids that can only be obtained from foods. River water fish, fruits, sunflower oil, soybean oil etc. add polyunsaturated fatty acids to your diet. Consult a dietician to know how to make your diet optimum for your health.

Alternatively, you can take natural supplement tablets or capsules. Dietary supplements are available at your online drugstore or local medicine shop. Consult a physician to know what type of natural supplement is good for you and then purchase your prescription medicines online. Online drugstores generally offer pharmaceutical products at a lower rate than any community shop. To buy your medicines from online drugstores, you need not go out of your home. You can shop online any time and from anywhere - good for homebound and confined people too.

Can A Natural Diet Relieve Arthritis Pain?

I finally found relief from arthritis pain, naturally, and you can do it too. It was just a few years ago that I accidentally discovered how to get rid of arthritis pain, naturally, with no conventional arthritis treatment.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis; when people refer to arthritis they usually mean osteoarthritis. The pain in arthritis can be mild, moderate or severe. Sometimes arthritis symptoms can occur in the wrist, elbows, shoulders, and jaw but generally you don't find it there.

The synovium is a membrane that surrounds the entire joint; it is filled with synovial fluid, a lubricating liquid that supplies nutrients and oxygen to the cartilage. Collagen is the essential protein that is found in cartilage; it forms a mesh to give support and flexibility to the joints. Proteoglycans are the large molecules that help to make up cartilage; they bond to water, which ensures the high-fluid content in the cartilage.

Sometimes injuries can be the start of the arthritic disease process; osteoarthritis can develop years later after a single traumatic injury to a joint or near a joint. When chondrocytes, which are the cells that make up cartilage age, they lose their ability to make repairs and produce more cartilage; this process may play an important part in the development and progression of osteoarthritis. Researchers report a higher incidence of osteoarthritis between parents and children and between siblings rather than husbands and wives.

One dietary natural treatment method involves avoiding all inflammatory foods. Make all-fruit smoothies using a base of two bananas, add a cup of frozen or fresh blueberries and mango chunks or substitute any other fruit and add an energy boost of two tablespoons of organic virgin coconut oil if you like; add one or two leaves of kale for even more super nutrition. Many arthritis sufferers who have changed their diets significantly have noticed major and even total improvement.

Many people have told me that going off dairy products and foods containing gluten, like wheat especially, relieved them of arthritis pain entirely. If arthritis is affecting your weight-bearing joints, keeping your weight within a normal range is important to get rid of any arthritis symptoms. Some of the foods and beverages to avoid that are inflammatory are: caffeine, salt, sugar, meat, dairy products, additives, soft drinks, white flour, white rice, alcoholic beverages, fast food, processed vegetable oils, and all refined, packaged and processed food.

Some people swear by a morning drink of pure filtered heated water with a teaspoon or so of raw apple cider vinegar (like Bragg's) and honey to keep them free of arthritis pain but vinegar is too harsh for many. If you're not already doing so, make a big effort to change your diet for the better.

Some of the supplements commonly reported for relieving arthritis pain (and I don't know if any of these work) are: cherry powder, glucosamine, chondroitin, bromelain, grapeseed extract, omega-3 and omega-6, cod liver oil, manganese ascorbate, MSM, boron, niacinamide, pantothenic acid, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E. For a natural approach and for natural treatment for arthritis make an appointment with a naturopathic doctor, called a naturopath; ask around for referrals in your area.

Make sure to exercise all your affected joints every day, to keep them flexible. Important exercises for arthritis include: range-of-motion exercises, isometric exercise, and some weight-bearing exercises. At bedtime you can try putting on a pair of stretch gloves to help reduce the pain and swelling in your fingers if you have arthritic hands. A good exercise routine is important to beat arthritis and keeping arthritis pain at bay; keep on moving.

Your body has 147 different joints in motion every day of your life; keep them moving! Yes, whatever you do, keep moving; don't sit when you can stand, don't stand when you can walk or walk in place. To be on the safe side always check with your doctor before starting or changing any exercise program.

At the very least, understand what the side effects and adverse reactions are for any arthritis medication you take; one rule of thumb is - don't take any medication that has been on the market for less than five years. For conventional treatment of arthritis - if you do choose to take drugs or medications, be careful, read the labels thoroughly and talk to your pharmacist about side effects and adverse reactions; make sure you know the name of them and if they'll react with any other medication you're taking. Once you become completely informed about arthritis you'll be able to plan an arthritis treatment program, natural or conventional or a combination.

Changing your diet to lots of raw fruits and raw veggies, like I did, can turn your arthritis pain around almost overnight. More and more doctors are investigating the benefits of natural arthritis treatments and alternative therapies and most don't object to their patients trying them. Relief of your arthritis pain and symptoms is the ultimate goal - understanding arthritis and arthritis treatments is a good way to get there.