Arthritis Pain Relief Diets

Those who suffer from arthritis typically experience pain in the joints due to stiffness or inflammation. Diet has been shown to make a difference, but to see results it is imperative that those suffering from arthritis eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. It's no secret that poor food choices can wreak havoc on your body, and in the same respect, certain foods can boost your immune system. With this premise in mind, it's easy to see the correlation between eating a healthy diet and easing arthritis aches and pains. Recommendations for healthy eating for those who have been diagnosed with arthritis include the following :

• Eat a well-balanced diet
• Avoid alcoholic drinks
• Avoid fasting
• Avoid crash dieting
• Drink plenty of water
• Control weight gain
• Increase intake of Calcium

Good food choices to be incorporated in the daily diet oft those diagnosed with arthritis include the following :

• Sweet Potatoes
• Spinach
• Squash
• Bell Pepper
• Broccoli
• Mango
• Papaya
• Strawberries
• Apples
• Peaches
• Brown rice
• Chick Peas
• Whole wheat bread
• Ginger
• Turmeric
• Garlic
• Sunflower seeds
• Almonds
• Walnuts
• Pumpkin seeds
  

Just as there are certain "good" foods to help alleviate symptoms, there are also foods that should be avoided, like the following :

• Red meats
• Chocolate
• Fried Foods
• Coffee
• Tea
• Tomatoes

Recommended Diet

• Fresh and light diet, consume food immediately when it is cooked & warm (avoid stale and cold food)
• Wheat bread / brown bread, boiled vegetables, green vegetables, rice cooked with green gram
• Garlic, spinach, dates, fenugreek
• All fruits except bananas, mangos, grapes
• Eat lunch by 12 noon & dinner before 7 pm
• Fasting once a week, eat fruits during the fast but avoid any other food rich in calories

Strictly Avoid following Food

• Non vegetarian food
• High protein diet
• Hot & spicy food
• Deep fried food
• Bakery products
• Cold drinks, soft drinks, aerated drinks
• Fast food
• Do not overeat

Following is the diet suggested for the patients suffering form arthritis :

• Vegetable juices and soups
• Coconut water / milk
• Carrot juice
• Beet root juice
• Cucumber juice
• Cooked vegetables like squash, zucchini and pumpkin
• Spices like cumin, coriander, ginger, asafetida, garlic, fennel and turmeric Green salad with a dressing of lemon juice and a little salt
• Khichadi
  (made by cooking rice and mung dal )
• Regular physical exercise and massage with oil should form an important part of the routine.

The patient of arthritis must avoid the following :

• Eating hot, spicy and fried foods, sweets, wind forming foods like cabbage, Cauliflower, spinach, broccoli, okra and potatoes.
• Too much tea, coffee, alcohol, white sugar, yogurt, chocolate, cocoa.
• Antibiotics, painkillers, steroids and nicotine
• Sleeping during the day
• Staying up late at night
• Mental tensions like worry, anxiety, fear, stress and grief.
• Eat small meals at frequent intervals. Avoiding both starving and binging. Eat slowly, that gives our body time to tell us that it is full before we've eaten more than we need.
• Avoid simple sugars and processed carbohydrates. Choose whole cereals or whole wheat products and avoid white flour and its products as far as possible. Eat healthy, mostly unprocessed foods, including fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and limited amounts of lean animal protein. This also includes fiber in your diet which makes you feel full soon and also moves fat through our digestive system faster so that less of it is absorbed.
• Consume at least 8-9 servings of fruits and vegetables including 1 green leafy vegetable daily.
• Eating salads is a healthy option, but don’t replace your meals only with salads, and be careful with salad dressings, mayonnaise, and other condiments that are high in fat content. They greatly increase the calorie count and can negate the healthy aspects of a meal.
• Avoid too much of deep fried, oily or fried foods. Include good proteins in the form of pulses, sprouts, milk, eggs, fish, and lean meats or de skinned chicken.
• The most important nutrient that is always forgotten is water. Drink sufficient water daily to keep yourself well hydrated.
• Keep in mind ‘fat free’ or ‘sugar free’ products do not mean calorie free. Make sure to read the food labels before any food item you consume. Be an aware customer.
• Physical activity or exercise is a very important criterion to remain fit and lose weight. Just a simple brisk walk for 40-45 minutes or stretching exercises for lower body will help. Exercise makes it possible to create a calorie deficit and lose weight without starving your body and slowing your metabolism.

Food items that can be consumed freely in any desired quantity are :

1. Vegetables and green salads (don’t eat tomatoes and cucumbers)
2. Fresh fruits (except banana, grapes, orange and other sour fruits)

Food items that must be taken in a limited quantity are :

1. Milk (250 ml or half a bottle or one and a half cupful). This is the quantity for the whole day and includes the milk taken in tea and coffee.
2. Butter, ghee, oil or cream – 2 to 3 small tea-spoonful. Some diet experts advice to stop taking them altogether.
3. Three to four chapattis (without applying ghee on them) per day or 1 to 2 oz (i.e., half to one small bowlful) rice.
4. One small bowlful dal or Green gram (moong) soup during the whole day.
5. One or two small potatoes during the whole day.
6. Eggs
7. Fish
8. Meat
   barring the above-mentioned items no other food should be taken.

Food items that are not allowed are :

1. Sugar, chocolate, peppermint, sweets, jam, honey, etc.
2. Fruit-juices
3. Alcohol
4. Biscuits, cakes, etc
5. Ice cream
6. All other grains and pulses barring those mentioned above.