Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis are the two major types of arthritis. At its base, arthritis means or is an inflammation of the joints.

Osteoarthritis is more thought of as a condition that afflicts elderly people. As time has gone on, the cartilage becomes worn around the structure of the weight bearing joints such as the knees, hips, and spine; but certainly can affect the minor joints such as the fingers and elbows as well.

Rheumatoid arthritis on the other hand is a condition that affects the entire body and can afflict anyone at any age.

Currently there is no cure for arthritis only treatment. In this article we'll discuss how your diet can be a very important agent for you in managing your life with arthritis and joint pain.

Since by definition with arthritis there is inflammation and with inflammation there is going to be a certain amount of pain; finding foods that contain anti-inflammatory properties and incorporating them into your diet can be an important element of your lifestyle.

First of all, if you suffer from arthritis, any type of lifestyle change including your diet should be discussed thoroughly and approved by your physician. Certainly, you can get more value from some foods as opposed to others. And just like any other conditions that affect us, there are plenty of useless solutions offered up as well. Again, this is why you consult with your physician before embarking on any program.

A diet of fruits and vegetables (vitamin C & E) can have some affect on reducing pain and inflammation. Sources of food that carry a higher content of oil such as many fishes (Omega-3) have anti-inflammatory characteristics which can be beneficial. On the flip side, you should avoid stimulants such as caffeine laced drinks, refined carbohydrates.

It is important to monitor your diet and the foods you eat and be very mindful of any cause/effect relationship between you pain and your diet. If a particular food seems to be triggering additional joint pain, then that food should be eliminated from your diet - or at the least monitored more closely before making that decision. Be mindful that you probably don't want to have to eliminate an entire food group... a balanced diet is very important even if it is necessary to supplement with vitamins.

Keep in mind that joint pain with arthritis can change and vary greatly on a daily basis, and as such you'll want to avoid the temptation of immediately associating a food source with a particular change in your pain level either up or down. Instead, you'll want to note the association but monitor the results over a couple of weeks.

There is, of course, ongoing research being conducted on the association between a person's diet and their arthritic condition and there is always new information coming out and being marketed.

Remember, arthritis is different for all people as is the individual treatment and the best approach is for you to work closely with your doctor.