Arthritis is a common condition that causes pain and inflammation in the joints of the body. Although arthritis is more common in older adults, it can affect people of all ages, including children. Arthritis can affect quality of life and make daily activities difficult.
Is eating important for people with arthritis?
It is important to eat a balanced diet and maintain a healthy body weight when living with arthritis. A healthy lifestyle can help control symptoms and help reduce the risk of other conditions, such as obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
There is no special diet or miracle food that can cure arthritis, but there is a lot of interest in how diet can affect people with arthritis. Some people with arthritis use dietary changes to try to improve their symptoms.
Eating a healthy, balanced diet can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight and reduce your risk of arthritis and other health problems. Eating well can help you feel more energetic throughout the day. If you are overweight, losing even 5–10% of your weight can help reduce joint pain and inflammation, improve your mobility, and help medications work better. Eating well can also help reduce your risk of other conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, and osteoporosis.
How can I develop healthy eating habits?
Changing your eating habits can seem overwhelming. But taking just a few small steps can make a big difference. Some small changes include:
- Plan your meals ahead of time, use a grocery list, and shop for groceries.
- Shop in the outer section of the grocery store and read labels to make better choices.
- Make small changes by trying new foods.
- Eat smaller portions to maintain a healthy weight and waistline.
- Choose a variety of foods at each meal to ensure you get enough nutrients.
- Choose whole foods over processed foods. Eat plenty of raw fruits and vegetables, whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, barley, oats, and whole wheat bread.
- Eat plenty of dark green, red, and orange fruits and vegetables.
- Add more plant-based meals to your week.
- Eat some high-quality protein like lean meat, fish, dairy, nuts, seeds, or beans at each meal.
- Choose healthy fats from avocados, nuts, seeds, olive/coconut oil, and fish, while reducing saturated fats from animals and avoiding trans fats (hydrogenated fats).
- Increase your intake of calcium, vitamin D3, vitamin K2, and magnesium for strong bones.
- Drink fluids like water to avoid dehydration. Limit juice and soft drinks.
- Limit sodium and choose sea salt over table salt.
- Avoid genetically modified foods (like corn, soy, and canola oil) and foods grown with high levels of pesticides.
- Choose local or organic foods when possible.
- When your hands hurt, eat fresh or frozen cut-up fruits and vegetables, or pre-made meals delivered from your local grocery store.
