Essential Superfoods for Managing Arthritis

Essential Superfoods for Managing Arthritis

Arthritis is the inflammation and tenderness of one or more joints in your body. It can cause pain and stiffness, which progress with age. The most common types are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. There are different causes for the various types of arthritis, but the most common reasons are wear and tear of the joints, underlying diseases that attack the bones and joints, and infections. You may experience severe pain, stiffness, and inability to move your joint as much as before. It is an extremely common condition and can be managed and controlled by certain types of treatments.

Although it cannot fully cure arthritis, there are certain foods you can eat to control it and ease the pain. Here are some food options that you can include in your quick meal ideas for managing arthritis:

Fatty fish

  • Fish varieties rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, etc., are known to reduce inflammation.
  • This fish group is especially great for osteoarthritis.
  • Fish are also packed with vitamin D, which can help prevent deficiency, and in doing so, it can improve the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Two servings of fish are recommended per day.

Garlic

  • Apart from a million other health benefits that garlic offers to the human body, it has anti-inflammatory properties that can help with managing arthritis.
  • Garlic also helps strengthen the immune system to fend off antigens that can potentially harm your bones and joints.

Ginger

  • Ginger can help ease the symptoms of all kinds of arthritis due to its ability to block the production of substances that cause inflammation in your body.
  • You can consume ginger to manage arthritis in a powdered or dried form.

Broccoli

  • Broccoli is extremely good for your health and even more so if you have arthritis.
  • It has anti-inflammatory properties which can help to ease the symptoms of arthritis and relieve joint pain.
  • It decreases the levels of inflammatory markers in your body.
  • It also contains sulforaphane, which inhibits the formation of cells that help rheumatoid arthritis develop. This compound also helps to reduce the production of cells responsible for inflammation.

Walnuts

  • Walnuts can help manage arthritis as they are packed with compounds that reduce the body’s inflammatory responses.
  • They do so by inhibiting the production of cells responsible for inflammation.
  • Similar to fish, walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. This helps lower pain, especially in patients who have rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Walnuts can be taken directly or cut and sprinkled on a salad or dessert.

Spinach

  • Like most other leafy green vegetables, the health benefits of eating spinach know no limit.
  • These leaves show great anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. These factors are linked to managing and controlling the symptoms of arthritis.
  • Spinach is high in kaempferol, which helps in reducing the symptoms, particularly inflammation and pain, in rheumatoid arthritis.

Grapes

  • Grapes are dense in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Grapes contain several compounds that can help ease the pain caused by arthritis.
  • It contains a compound called resveratrol, which is known to prevent the thickening of the bones and joints associated with arthritis.
  • You cannot add a bunch of grapes to your fruit salad or binge on them as an evening snack.