Arthritis is a debilitating chronic disease in which the lining of the joints are affected by inflammation to such an extent that inability to function and pain are the result. In the chronic inflammatory process, the cells of the immune system play an important role and that makes arthritis to be typically classified as an autoimmune disease. Arthritis disease begins in cycles and symptoms come and go. Over time the symptoms become constant and the joints may become deformed and unable to move. Chronic arthritis causes not only a great deal of pain, but also causes significant disability as it usually interferes with normal living.

Dietary changes may prevent developing of the disease but they cannot unfortunately completely heal arthritis once it started to a chronic stage. However, the good news is that a proper arthritis diet plan can help reduce the pain and prevent disability associated with this disease.

A healthy arthritis diet plan can also greatly reduce the symptoms of arthritis. We will discuss here the foods to avoid and the best anti-inflammatory foods to include in an arthritis diet plan. This is basically an anti-inflammatory diet that excludes those foods that may increase inflammation and includes plenty of foods that can reduce it.

Foods to Avoid

Being overweight puts extra stress on the joints and increases wear and tear. Another risk of being overweight is that body fat is metabolically active and it is producing hormones and chemicals that increase levels of inflammation. Therefore, the first aim of following an arthritis diet plan is losing weight by avoiding excess calories. The secondary aim of your diet plan is to avoid specific food groups that may increase the inflammation process in your body. This group of foods include:

• Saturated Fats: Including fats from animal products, such as poultry skin, fatty beef or pork, and full fat dairy foods as well as vegetal saturated fats from palm oil that is used in any number of products including bars, cookies, crackers, nondairy creamers, and other baked goods.

• Trans Fats: This are artificial fats created in order to prolong the shelf life of the baked goods.

• Simple and refined carbs: They are found in white flour baked goods, in sugary foods, bread, white rice, crackers, and other processed food products.

• Fried and processed foods

• Advanced glycation end products: This are toxins that appear when foods are pasteurized, fried, grilled, or heated. The body tries to break these toxins by using cytokines that are inflammatory messengers.

• Salt and preservatives: They are used in order to increase the shelf lives of products but excess consumption may lead to joint inflammation.

Foods to Add

A good arthritis diet plan should include food course that help to reduce inflammation:

• Omega-3 Fatty Acids: They can drastically reduce symptoms of arthritis. Among the best foods for omega-3 fatty acids are Pacific oysters, mackerel, salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, trout, chia seeds, ground flax-seeds, seaweed, walnuts, and soybeans.

• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: It contains healthy monounsaturated fats and a natural compound called oleocanthal which role in preventing inflammation.

• Antioxidants, Vitamin C, Bioflavonoids, carotenes: They can protect the body from damaging free radicals and should be included in an arthritis diet plan.

• Vitamin D: It can reduce the risk of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. The foods rich in vitamin D include mackerel, wild salmon, herring, sardines, milk, egg yolks, soy milk, and UV-treated mushrooms.

• Spices: Turmeric and Ginger: They have proved anti-inflammatory effects.

The most important step to a healthier life is the change to a healthy diet. Get more information from the free copy of my e-book to make better choices!