Using the term arthritis we describe over 100 existing conditions that can cause pain, stiffness and inflammation in one or more of our joints and all of them can benefit by eating a healthy well balanced diet which will ease the pain. This article deals with the more common conditions as there are to many to focus on.

The different types of arthritis we will focus on are the common but very painful gout, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and neither of them can be cured by diet changes, but we can ease the condition by eating certain types of foods and avoiding others. An example is that fish oils help with most arthritic conditions, while gout benefits by avoiding alcohol and certain meats and there are supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin that will ease the symptoms of osteoarthritis but none of the other forms of arthritis.

A person with any type of arthritis should:

1) Eat a well balanced diet
2) Increase their calcium intake [thus reducing the risk of osteoporosis in later life]
3) Avoid fasting and crash diets
4) Drink plenty of fluids and avoid alcohol
5) Reduce the fats consumed to maintain their weight within a normal range

For the poor person suffering with gout [a type of arthritis]:

By now you should know that it is the waste product known as uric acid [which is normally excreted via the urine] that builds up in a joint and causes pain and inflammation [strangely enough gout seems to attack the big toe joint most of the time].

To ease these symptoms you will need to:

1) Avoid shellfish - such as prawns or crayfish
2) Avoid all alcohol - or at least restrict yourself.
3) Avoid offal - these are the organs of the animal.
4) Avoid some types of fish - mackerel, sardines, anchovies and herring to name but a few.
5) Avoid yeast products - beer [which you should already be avoiding] and Vegemite [marmite].
6) Remember not to overeat and to take your time while eating.

Now for rheumatoid and osteoarthritis:

Eat foods that are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids like:

Oily fish - sardines and salmon etc
Add linseed to your diet and use the oil from this seed
Use canola oil in place of your usual oil
Walnuts contain a good amount of omega 3
Fish oil supplements - choose carefully here as some fish oils contain high doses of vitamin A

By consuming foods rich in omega3 you will find that the pain will ease in your inflamed joints, this is because these fatty acids seem to reduce the number of inflammatory molecules produced by the bodies immune system. There are other benefits to this diet change as it can help lower the risk of prostrate cancer and asthma.

There are other supplements out there like glucosamine and chondroitin [evidence about their success in treating arthritis is limited] that may relieve pain for people with osteoarthritis [especially if there has been a breakdown of cartilage]. These supplement will not relieve the symptoms of any other arthritis and have been known to interact with other medications like warfarin, please remember to consult your doctor before taking this supplement.

Obesity and arthritis

Being overweight puts a lot more strain on a persons joints than they realize, if the affected joints are the hips, knees or spine the extra load will increase the pain and inflammation of the arthritis. Osteoarthritis risks are also increased due to the extra weight on a persons bone structure. Due to the stiffness and pain in their joints, obese people will find it difficult to increase their activities in order to assist with weight loss, here are a few strategies to assist you with the problem:

1) You will have to diet - but ensure that it is high in nutrition while low in kilojoules
2) Try low impact exercises - swimming, water aerobics [quite good as the water supports your weight while you exercise] and long walks [if your knees are not involved]
3) Find exercises that do not use the arthritic joints - try stationary cycling if your hands are arthritic, upper body aerobics if it is your knees [easy enough to do in the sitting position]

The above exercising ideas are just an example, experiment with different activities till you find one that does not affect your arthritic joints and stick with the activity while you are dieting.

REMEMBER - there is no miracle cure for this condition, but changing your diet to include the foods above will help with easing your pain.