Osteoarthritis Diet

Osteoarthritis is painful medical condition of the joint, which worsens progressively. Thus, another term used colloquially for this joint disease is degenerative arthritis. The manifested osteoarthritis symptoms are joint pain, stiffness, tenderness, swelling, effusion and ultimately, reduced movement ability. Being diagnosed with arthritis is nothing less than a nightmare for patients, as there is no cure for it. A well-planned osteoarthritis diet, along with exercise, lifestyle changes and pain medications are the base for treatment of this degenerative joint disease.

Osteoarthritis Treatment Diet

The most disheartening part with osteoarthritis is the root cause, which is contributed by metabolic, mechanical, hereditary and developmental factors. In short, anybody can develop this debilitating joint disease. The main objectives for osteoarthritis treatment are managing painful symptoms and promoting smooth functioning of the affected joints. And to achieve these, basic osteoarthritis diet and exercise are a must to be followed by every patient for effective management of this disease. Also, maintaining weight with healthy diet is imperative to reduce the pressure applied over the knee joints.

Food to Include

• Fresh vegetables and fruits should form the bulk of arthritis diet. These plant-derived food products contain antioxidants, which are effective for fighting against the inflammatory effects of free radicals.
• Dietary carotenoid is another active ingredient that slows down joint degradation in arthritis patients. It is present in high amounts in green leafy vegetables, carrots, tomatoes and orange.
• In a clinical study, it is found that eating food rich in vitamin E (a natural antioxidant) decreases flare-ups of osteoarthritis of the knee-joint. Some eatables with vitamin E are sunflower seeds, cereals, almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, tomato, spinach, etc.
• Vitamin C plays a major role in development of joint cartilage. Taking this into consideration, items rich in vitamin C (e.g. citrus fruits, grapefruit, cabbage, broccoli, etc.) should be included in the diet.
• Incorporate walnuts and flaxseed in the regular diet plan. These seeds and nuts are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids and healthy fats. In short, they are excellent food items for anti-inflammatory diet.
• Include lots of fiber-rich food in the diet. They help in healthy maintenance of the digestive system and also, counteracts the side effects of arthritic medication (especially constipation).
• Consume oily fish, like mackerel, salmon and sardine on a regular basis to gain omega-3 essential fatty acids. These healthy fats are known to reduce inflammatory conditions significantly.
• While cooking or serving food, add herbs that possess medicinal properties, like garlic, ginger and turmeric. In case of non-availability of fresh ginger or turmeric, include dry or powdered versions.
• Last but not the least, drink lots of water and healthy fluids to keep the body hydrated and flush toxins from the system. Another benefit of consuming fluids is maintaining a good digestive health.

Food to Avoid

• Common products that are known to trigger osteoarthritis attacks are eggplants, potatoes and peppers. Strictly avoid these in the diet plan.
• While some patients experience worsened pain with tomatoes, others do not have the same effect. So, including tomatoes in the list of food products to avoid with arthritis is up to individual experience.
• Reduce the intake of food ingredients that contain fats, such as partially hydrogenated oil and polyunsaturated fatty acids. They are not only fattening, but also worsen pain symptom indirectly.
• Many patients have reported exacerbated pain after drinking orange juice. Hence, avoiding it in the diet may be effective for managing pain symptom.
• Limit the intake of packaged food items. Such food is treated with food additives for preservation purposes.
• As far as possible, stay away from processed and refined food. They are poor in nutrient contents, as much of the nutritional value is lost during the processing steps.
• If certain food items are suspected to trigger osteoarthritis joint pain symptoms, follow an elimination diet for 1 week or so, and see if the pain subsides or not after refraining from the food items. Accordingly, plan the diet for osteoarthritis treatment.
• Other food items to be avoided by osteoarthritis patients are caffeinated drinks, alcoholic beverages, dairy products, sugary food, deep-fried food, food rich in phosphorus, food containing gluten and those with oxalic acids.

Taken at a glance, osteoarthritis diet is planned with anti-inflammatory food items. If required, the doctor may suggest dietary supplement for osteoarthritis (containing vitamin, fish oil and fiber). For every patient, the goal for osteoarthritis treatment are improving the functionality of the joint and reducing the dependence on analgesics. So, follow the doctor's recommendations and make the necessary lifestyle changes for a better quality life.