The inflammatory autoimmune diseases rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis are similar in many ways. Inflammatory arthritis comes in many forms, and gout is a common one.
Although there are more than a hundred different kinds of arthritis, the most common is osteoarthritis, a noninflammatory form. Osteoarthritis affects approximately 40% of men and 47% of women at some point in their lives.
Dietary interventions, such as avoiding certain foods and beverages, have been shown to improve the quality of life and lessen the severity of symptoms for people with inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis.
If you suffer from arthritis, you should steer clear of these eight foods and drinks.
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Added sugars
If you have arthritis or not, cutting back on sugar is a good idea. Candies, soft drinks, ice cream, and even less obvious foods like barbecue sauce all contain added sugars.
Twenty different foods were tested on 217 people with rheumatoid arthritis, and the results showed that sugary soda and desserts were the most common triggers for flare-ups.
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Red and processed meats
Arthritis symptoms may be exacerbated by the inflammation caused by eating red and processed meat, according to some studies.
Interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), and homocysteine are all inflammatory markers that tend to be elevated in people who consume a lot of processed and red meats.
However, avoiding red meat and eating more plants has been linked to reduced arthritis pain and inflammation.
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Foods containing gluten
Wheat, barley, rye, and triticale (a cross between wheat and rye) all contain a group of proteins called gluten. There is evidence to suggest that avoiding gluten can help alleviate arthritis symptoms and prevent further inflammation.
Furthermore, those who have celiac disease are more likely to suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. A similar increase in celiac disease prevalence has been observed among people with autoimmune diseases such as RA.
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Super-processed foods
Fast food, breakfast cereal, and baked goods are examples of ultra-processed foods that are likely to exacerbate arthritis symptoms due to their high concentrations of refined grains, added sugar, preservatives, and other potentially inflammatory ingredients.
Consumption of processed foods has been linked to a variety of negative health outcomes.
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Beverages
Alcohol consumption should be limited or avoided by those who suffer from inflammatory arthritis because it may exacerbate their symptoms.
Alcohol consumption has been linked to increased spinal structural damage in a study of 278 people with axial spondyloarthritis, an inflammatory arthritis that primarily affects the spinal cord and sacroiliac (SI) joints.
6. certain vegetable Oils
Omega-6 rich diets and omega-3 deficient diets may exacerbate arthritis symptoms.
The body needs these fats to function properly. However, the omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio in the typical Western diet may actually increase inflammation.
Arthritis sufferers may find relief by decreasing their consumption of omega-6-rich foods like vegetable oils and increasing their consumption of omega-3-rich foods like fatty fish.
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Salty foods and beverages
People who suffer from arthritis might benefit from reducing their salt intake. Shrimp, canned soup, pizza, some cheeses, processed meat, and many other processed foods are particularly high in salt.
A high sodium diet has been linked to an increased risk of autoimmune diseases like inflammatory arthritis.
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AGE-rich foods
Molecules called advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are formed when sugars react with proteins or fats. They form during specific cooking processes and occur naturally in raw animal foods.
It has been shown that inflammatory arthritis patients have higher AGE levels compared to healthy controls. Bone and joint AGE accumulation may contribute to osteoarthritis pathogenesis and progression.
You may be able to lower your total AGE load by eating more vegetables, fruits, legumes, and fish instead of foods high in AGE.
Arthritis sufferers may find relief from their condition by adopting a healthier diet and way of life.
Highly processed foods, red meat, fried foods, and foods high in added sugars are examples of those that have been shown to be unhealthy through scientific studies and should be avoided.
Also important in arthritis management are things like regular exercise, a healthy weight, and not smoking.
The GI of refined carbohydrates is higher than that of whole, unprocessed grains. Faster than low GI foods, high GI foods raise blood sugar levels.
High GI food consumers among the elderly were found to have a 2.9-fold increased risk of death from inflammatory diseases like COPD.
White bread containing 50 grams of refined carbohydrates was associated with increases in blood sugar and one inflammatory marker in a randomized controlled trial involving young, healthy men.
Candies, breads, pastas, pastries, certain cereals, cookies, cakes, sugary soft drinks, and all processed foods containing added sugar or flour are examples of refined carbohydrates.
Conclusion
Many environmental, physical, and medical factors can set off an inflammatory response, and some of these are difficult to avoid.
But things like diet are under your control to a much greater extent.
In order to maintain optimal health, avoiding foods that cause inflammation and increasing intake of anti-inflammatory foods should be prioritized.