| Arthritis is a degenerative disease that tortures millions | | | | - Maintain the proper body weight. It has been |
| of people around the world. This disease results in | | | | observed that many patients suffered from |
| inflammation of the joints, pain and reduced mobility. | | | | malnutrition at the time of their first outbreak of the |
| Recent studies have shown that the proper diet may | | | | disease, so being very thin and malnourished is |
| be enough to reduce the side effects of arthritis, and | | | | certainly not recommended. Usually an easy way to |
| particularly the stiffness and the reduced mobility | | | | understand if you have the ideal weight is to use the |
| caused by this condition. Proper nutrition means | | | | body mass index. The desirable BMI values are usually |
| consuming a lot of water, sufficient protein, essential | | | | between 20-25. If your BMI is above 25 then you need |
| fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. | | | | to lose weight, and if it's less than 18.5-20 then it may |
| More specifically you need to: | | | | be a good idea to put on some weight. |
| - Consume fatty acids such as gamma linoleic acid | | | | - Consume a lot of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. |
| and omega-3, which are essential to relieve the | | | | Several studies have shown that vitamin E combined |
| inflammation. Try to include a lot of fish (salmon, tuna, | | | | with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids may lead to |
| sardines, mackerel) in your diet, as well as flax seed | | | | the improvement of the condition and reduce the pain |
| and eggs enriched with omega-3. | | | | in patients. Others studies have observed low levels of |
| - Exercise, which will not cure arthritis, but will improve | | | | antioxidants in the blood of young people that suffer |
| the functional status of the body, increase the mobility | | | | from arthritis, which means that most sufferers can |
| of the joints and reduce pain in some cases. | | | | benefit from the increased intake of vegetables and |
| - Avoid foods that contain preservatives and sugar, | | | | fruits. |
| which seem to aggravate the situation, as well as | | | | - Make your body produce more vitamin D: In the |
| foods with a lot of animal fats. | | | | advanced stages of disease, it is often observed that |
| - Reduce smoking, which reduces the amount of | | | | there is some difficulty in the absorption of calcium and |
| oxygen in the tissues. | | | | vitamin D and that the reduced bone density can even |
| - Stay away from foods that cause inflammation, like | | | | lead to osteoporosis. So, it's a good idea to take |
| polyunsaturated vegetable oils (corn, soybean oil and | | | | vitamin D supplements, but an even better idea is |
| partially hydrogenated oils like margarine). | | | | expose your skin to sunlight daily (always with caution), |
| - Eat foods that have anti-inflammatory properties like | | | | in order to force your body to produce more vitamin D. |
| ginger and turmeric. | | | | |