Although there’s no cure for arthritis, certain foods have been shown to fight inflammation and joint pain, which in turn helps ease the pain many people live with on a daily basis.
One of the most common forms of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis — an autoimmune disease that causes the body’s immune system to attack its own tissue, including the joints, causing painful swelling and stiffness. However, adding these foods to your diet may help ease the symptoms and offer some much-needed relief.
Health experts have lauded the health benefits of berries for years and Melbourne-based nutritionist Samantha Gemmell says they’re full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that can help fight inflammation. This claim is backed up by research that found those who ate two servings of strawberries per week were 14 per cent less likely to have an elevated level of inflammatory markers in their blood.
Berries are easy to include into your diet and Gemmell suggest adding them to yogurt, oatmeal or smoothies, or simply enjoying them fresh.
We’re often being told turmeric is a super food and that it can do wonders for our health, but recent research has suggested that consuming it alone may not be as beneficial to our bodies as we think. Instead, mixing it with two other ingredients could make all the difference. Turmeric is oil soluble, meaning it needs oil for your stomach to be able to digest it properly and for your body to absorb the benefits.
For the best results, opt for virgin olive oil, extra-virgin olive oil, cold pressed oil, raw oil, unrefined coconut oil and linseed-flaxseed oils. Gemmel also advises adding black pepper when consuming turmeric because black peppercorns contain an enzyme known as piperine, which can slow liver metabolism, but allow your body to truly absorb the turmeric in your system.
Ginger is known to have anti-inflammatory properties and is a powerful natural painkiller. Ginger can be added into tea (infused with lemon or honey), in a soup or mixed into a delicious stir fry.
Olive oil contains a natural compound called oleocanthal, which may help prevent arthritis-related inflammation. Gemmell cites recent research which has shown that people who consume olive oil are less likely to have rheumatoid arthritis. This superfood also has benefits beyond inflammation including heart and bone health and has been shown to be effective in fighting neurological diseases, such as spinal cord injury, brain damage and epilepsy.
Eating oily fish four times a week helps reduce the swelling in joints affected by arthritis, Gemmell says. Omega-3 oils in fish like tuna, salmon, mackerel, sardine, trout and snapper are ideal. Try adding fish to pasta, snack on sardines on toast, or serve up a tuna steak with a Greek salad.
Green tea is rich in polyphenols proven to be anti-inflammatory, and relieves countless other conditions, like cancer and heart disease. “Although research is in the early stages, it does suggest that it could be beneficial in reducing inflammation in osteoarthritis (a type of arthritis),” Gemmell explains. However, she warns against consuming mass-produced iced teas as they are loaded with processed sugar and to opt for homemade green tea instead.
Some research suggests that drinking tart cherry juice can help relieve muscle and arthritis pain. Cherry juice, which contains melatonin, which controls sleep-wake cycles, also helps to induce sleepiness. As with all fruit juices though, it’s important to choose a version that has no added sugar.
Tart cherry juice also helps to induce sleepiness. Source: Getty