A lot of people say that reducing joint pain with a healthy diet is possible. There are so many, in fact, that the scientific community has started to take note of this. And it appears that there is a lot of truth to these beliefs. Reducing joint pain with a healthy diet, therefore, is very much possible. And that makes sense when you consider that whole grains, vegetables, and fruits often have anti-inflammatory properties. As an added benefit, eating a healthy diet means you are more likely to be at a healthy weight, thereby placing less stress on your joints.
Reducing Joint Pain with a Healthy Diet
It should be noted that while a healthy diet will certainly help you with joint pain, it is not a full cure. You cannot, for instance, eat a specific fruit once and find yourself cured for life. However, by adding some of the following to your diet, you should find some relief at least.
1. Cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli, which are all cruciferous vegetables that contain sulforaphane. This compound slows cartilage damage, and particularly that which causes osteoarthritis. This was proven in 2013 on a mice study. No human tests have been completed yet, but it makes sense to eat cruciferous vegetables anyway.
2. Fatty fish. This includes fish like trout, tuna, mackerel, and salmon, which contain loads of fatty acids, also known as omega 3. These are known to fight inflammation, which is why you should eat fish at least twice a week. If you can’t, then you may want to supplement with omega 3.
3. Garlic, which is part of the allium family (leeks and onions are, too). These have high levels of diallyl disulfide, which is believed to help with various diseases, arthritis included. Scientists have suggested that diallyl disulfide limits the number of enzymes in the body that can cause damage to the cartilage.
4. Tart cherries, which many people with arthritis find beneficial. This is because it contains anthocyanin, which also gives the fruit its red color. In 2013, the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage published a study that demonstrated that people with osteoarthritis saw a reduction in their pain after drinking juice from tart cherries.
5. Turmeric, which isn’t a food but a spice that has been extensively researched and proven to have strong anti-inflammatory properties. It contains curcumin, which, according to a review in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences in 2013, can help fight chronic inflammation. However, little is known about possible side effects. That said, the spice has been used in India for hundreds of years to fight inflammation.
6. Vitamin C, which is an antioxidant. The University of South Florida completed a study in 2011 that showed that people were 11% less at risk of developing osteoarthritis to the knee if they took vitamin C supplements. The vitamin can also be found naturally in cantaloupe, pineapple, kiwi, strawberries, and citrus fruits. If you do supplement, you should not exceed 65 to 85 mg per day, as high levels of vitamin C can make it more likely that you develop kidney stones.
