For December our chosen topic of the month is healthy eating. Your diet can be crucial to managing the symptoms of your arthritis. With Christmas coming up it may seem like a strange time to be discussing diet but going into the New Year with a renewed understanding of healthy eating for arthritis could help reduce some of your most painful symptoms.
A healthy body weight can be key to managing some of the pain you experience with arthritis. This is particularly true of osteoarthritis. A small amount of weight loss can help to reduce the strain on joints which are suffering from pain and pressure.
Controlling your Calorie Intake
The NHS states the average man should intake 2500 calories per day and the average woman should intake 2000 calories per day. However, this is based on the average and also incorporates the fact that these people may be fairly active. Every individual can calculate their own calorie requirements, or it is something you can discuss with your doctor. If you are less active than the average person, you may need to reduce your calorie intake.
A Healthy Diet for Arthritis
A healthy diet for arthritis should be a good balance of all food types. There are specific foods good for helping to ease symptoms but overall, a standard healthy diet should help to improve your health generally.
The bulk of any diet should be a combination of fruit and vegetables and starchy foods such as pasta, rice, bread and potatoes. A good diet also requires some protein such as meats, fish and eggs and some milk and dairy products. Foods high in fat, salt and sugar should be kept to a minimum. However, they can still be incorporated as part of a healthy diet. A good water intake is also key to staying healthy.
A healthy diet for arthritis should also be rich in specific vitamins and minerals. Although the research isn’t definitive a deficiency of vitamins and minerals can result in deterioration of your condition. The most important vitamins for arthritis include calcium, iron and vitamin D.
There is no reason not to enjoy the festive season. However, if you want to help ease your symptoms or slow the progress of your condition, you should consider a healthy diet.
