ARTHRITIS (back to nutrition facts A to Z menu) Characteristics of ArthritisThere are two main types of arthritis: osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis rarely develops before the age of forty, but it affects most people after the age of sixty. The severity of symptoms range from so mild that you don’t know you’ve got it, to so severe that the smallest movement is agony. The most common reason is wear and tear of the cartilage that covers the end of the bones. Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory condition, where cartilage and tissues in and around the joints are damaged or destroyed. Rheumatoid arthritis creates stiffness, swelling, fatigue, anaemia, weight loss, fever and, often, crippling pain. It frequently occurs in people under forty years of age, including young children. Diet advice and nutrition facts - Arthritis | Eat plenty of sulphur containing foods, such as garlic and onion, and eggs. Sulphur is needed for the repair and rebuilding of bone, cartilage and connective tissue, and aids in the absorption of calcium. | | Eat plenty of green leafy vegetables, and vegetables of every colour, non-acidic fresh fruit. | | Eat whole grains (except wheat) such as spelt, kamut, millet and brown rice. | | Eat oily fish, such as mackerel, herring, sardine, pilchard (avoid the tomato sauce in the tins of fish). | | Eat fresh (not dried or tinned) pineapple when available as the enzyme Bromelain found in pineapple will help reduce inflammation. | | Take a tablespoon of linseeds with a couple of glasses of room temperature water every day. | | Apple cider vinegar is very good for people with arthritis. | | Reduce saturated fat from animals in your diet and avoid fried foods. | | Avoid all milk and other dairy produce. You may be alright with goats or sheeps yoghurt. | | Avoid red meat, unless you have Blood Type O, in which case you may find that small portions of lean and organic red meat (no more than 4oz/ 125g) will suit you quite well. | | Avoid the nightshade family of vegetables (peppers, aubergine or eggplant, tomatoes and white potatoes – also tobacco). The solanine found in these foods can cause pain in the muscles to susceptible people. | | Avoid table salt (sodium chloride) but include the natural sodium found in foods such as celery – this is needed to keep calcium in solution and not sit on top of your joints. | | Get your iron from food, but ensure your multimineral supplements does not contain extra iron (unless your Doctor tells you you’re anaemic) – there is some evidence iron may be involved in pain, swelling and joint destruction. You do need some iron though, so eat broccoli, blackstrap molasses, beetroot, peas. | | Check for food allergies and intolerances with a nutritional consultant or allergy specialist, and, especially if you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, have a test done via a nutritionist to check whether you have a ‘leaky gut’ – you almost certainly have! | | NSAIDs, among other things, cause ‘leaky gut’. This can be healed with the help of a nutrition consultant. Meanwhile, take L-Glutamine (Higher Nature) and Butyric Acid (BioCare). | | Also have a hair mineral analysis via a nutrition consultant. | | Get tested for chlamydia organism which has been linked to some cases of arthritis. | | Check silicone breast implants. | | If you are overweight, lose the excess. See weight management. |
Health Supplements (Click on the health supplement to go there.) There are dozens of useful supplements used in arthritis. Every person who has arthritis responds differently, so be prepared to try a few. The most successful and important are mentioned first on the list below. Essential Health Supplements: Also try any of the following health supplements: |
