BY CHIOMA UMEHA
According to the
findings, you can do something about your arthritis. The first step is to learn
everything you can about the illness. Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most
common types of arthritis, affecting the interior joints of the hands and feet,
causing swelling and pain.
Apart from joint
discomfort and swelling, you may also have weariness and, in some cases, a
fever. If any changes, especially during the cold season, may aggravate your
problem. Osteoarthritis is another type of arthritis that mostly affects the
elderly and those who have had trauma to their joints. Experts have discovered
some natural arthritis treatments that can aid those suffering from this
painful disease.
Hippocrates wrote
centuries ago, "Let food be thy medicine," which is especially wise
if you suffer from arthritis. Several studies have found that certain foods can
help relieve tender joints, reduce joint stiffness, and even help arthritis
patients decrease the amount of medication they require.
Other foods, on the
other hand, can aggravate pain and inflammation. While there is no cure for
arthritis, adopting an anti-inflammatory diet might help alleviate symptoms and
reduce your risk of developing other chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart
disease, stroke, and perhaps Alzheimer's disease
Possible
Cause of Inflammation
The slow breakdown of
cartilage in overworked joints was formerly blamed for osteoarthritis (OA),
which affects 27 million Americans.
Researchers at Stanford
School of Medicine recently changed medical understanding on OA by
demonstrating that chronic, low-grade inflammation is the primary cause of the
illness.
The study's principal
author, William Robinson, MD, PhD, said in a story on the Stanford website,
"It's a paradigm shift." "Most people in the field think of
osteoarthritis as a simple case of wear and tear, like a car's tires
progressively wearing out."
In fact, persons with OA
have an abnormally large number of inflammatory cells in their joints. Early in
the disease, initial joint damage triggers a biochemical chain reaction that
escalates into an immune system attack, according to the study published in
Nature.
The role of inflammation
in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an inflammatory illness that causes inflammation
of the joints and surrounding tissues, has long been recognized. Because the
body mistakenly assaults healthy tissue as if it were an enemy invader, it's
like being shot by friendly fire.
RA can begin at any age,
but it is more common in those in their 40s and 50s. It affects joints on both
sides of the body and causes pain, swelling, redness, stiffness (especially in
the morning), and weariness in women three times more than in males. Joints can
lose their range of motion and distort overtime. According to the National
Institutes of Health, the condition can also affect other organs, causing
symptoms such as chest pain, dry eyes and mouth, itching and burning in the
eyes, and numbness or tingling in the feet.
Foods
to Avoid If You Have Arthritis
1. Added sugars.
2. Highly processed
foods
3. Gluten-containing
foods
4. Alcohol
5. Salty foods
Six Techniques to Relieve Arthritic Pain
1. Manage your weight
2. Get enough exercise
3. Use hot and cold
therapy: take a lengthy, warm shower or bath in the morning to help relieve
stiffness and using an electric blanket or wet heating pad to lessen discomfort
overnight are two heat therapies. Cold therapies can aid in the relief of joint
discomfort, oedema, and inflammation. Wrap a towel around a gel ice pack or a
bag of frozen veggies and apply it to hurting joints for immediate relief.
Never put ice straight on your skin.
4. Use meditation as relief
to pain
5. Eat a balanced diet
6. Get a massage
Foods
that Aid with Arthritis Management
If you take medication,
consult your nutritionist/dietitian before making major dietary changes, as
some foods can have negative interactions with certain medications.
According to research,
the following anti-inflammatory foods may be especially beneficial for
arthritis patients:
Oily
fish: such as herring,
salmon, mackerel, and tuna: These fish—or fish oil supplements—contain omega-3
fatty acids, which are among the most effective anti-inflammatory substances in
food. According to the University of Maryland, fish oil can help with joint
discomfort and morning stiffness. In one trial, persons with RA who took fish
oil were able to reduce their dose of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines
(NSAIDS).
Shellfish: Shellfish, such as mussels, are another
source of omega-3 fatty acids. Researchers found that eating mussels improved
walking speed, grip strength, joint stiffness, and discomfort in persons with
OA. According to the University of Maryland, a study of 17 randomized research
indicated that omega-3 supplementation improved joint pain in RA patients.
Tart
cherries: According to CBS News,
tart cherries "had the highest anti-inflammatory content of any food"
according to a 2012 study presented at the American College of Sports Medicine
conference in San Francisco. The researchers discovered that consuming tart
cherry juice twice a day for two weeks lowered inflammation markers in women
with inflammatory OA. In a previous trial of OA patients, a daily intake of
tart cherries (in the form of extract) reduced OA pain by more than 20% for the
vast majority of men and women.
Olive
oil: A recent test of RA
patients revealed that supplementing their diet with fish oil and olive oil
relieved joint pain, hand grip strength, morning stiffness, and weariness more
effectively than taking fish oil alone, as compared to a placebo group of
patients who were given soy oil.
