Diet for osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis does not only affect old people – although the probability that the cartilage of the joints will be affected increases with advancing age. In addition to a hereditary predisposition, there are also factors such as an unhealthy lifestyle and poor nutrition that have made arthrosis a widespread disease. It is still not possible to cure osteoarthritis – even a complete change in diet cannot restore the destroyed cartilage tissue – but nutrition plays an important role in osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis: Being overweight is a risk factor

If you are overweight, you run the risk of developing osteoarthritis. Being overweight puts a strain on the joints, and it accelerates joint wear and tear. Even the arthrosis symptoms of the non-bearing joints decrease with weight reduction.

In addition, experts suspect a connection between fat reduction and the reduction of inflammatory substances that are released in the body. Such inflammatory mediators are leptin, resistin and adiponectin; they are made in fat cells. Less body fat means less inflammation in the joints that leads to arthrosis.

Healthy weight loss through a balanced diet and appropriate exercise (which is important in the case of osteoarthritis anyway, so that the joints don’t stiffen completely) is a first step in treating osteoarthritis.

Reduce osteoarthritis with a healthy diet

There is no diet that can completely eliminate the symptoms of arthrosis. But nutrition has a positive effect on the course of osteoarthritis and can even prevent further development.

Foods such as: 

• fruit
• Salad
• vegetables
• potatoes
• brown rice
• Spelt
• skimmed milk products
• Cold-water fish such as squid, trout, cod, halibut and oysters 

Recommended foods for osteoarthritis

Millet is said to contribute to the regeneration of cartilage. In addition, you should only use cold-pressed oils such as olive oil, walnut oil, sesame oil, safflower oil or rapeseed oil.

Alkaline herbal tea or tea blends made from fennel, liquorice, caraway , aniseed or corn husk are suitable for deacidification  . Alternatively, pharmacies sell ready-made powder from various manufacturers. Green tea has an anti-inflammatory effect, which can thus relieve osteoarthritis pain. This effect is further enhanced by the addition of lemon.

Since free radicals are also suspected of being involved in the inflammatory processes of arthrosis, a   diet containing vitamin A, vitamin E and vitamin C is recommended. Selenium and copper should not be missing either.

Spices and herbs against osteoarthritis

There is a herb for every sorrow! Those who suffer from arthrosis are particularly concerned about the pain in the joints caused by the inflammation. However, nature has many plants that have an anti-inflammatory effect. You can refine your salad with varying herbal mixtures of turmeric,  parsley , fennel,  dill , anise, cumin, mint, chervil,  oregano , rosemary, thyme, coriander, marjoram and ginger. Chili and cinnamon also belong in the spice rack of an arthrosis patient.

Do you like drinking cocoa? Then add  honey , turmeric, chilli powder, black pepper and cinnamon to the milk  (even better: water) and cocoa powder  . Similarly, a varied herbal yoghurt can be conjured up from the morning breakfast yoghurt. The omega-3 fat-containing fish dishes, consisting of mackerel or sardines, which should be eaten twice a week for arthrosis, can be wonderfully refined with the herbs and spices mentioned above.

Osteoarthritis: Avoid certain foods

If you want to achieve a long-term improvement in your arthrosis symptoms, you should change your diet permanently. Only those who consistently follow the arthrosis nutrition tips just described will be successful. In addition, some foods must be avoided completely if possible. This includes animal fat – pork in particular is taboo, but beef should only be eaten in moderation.

Sausage, sweets and sugar, asparagus, nuts, strawberries, red pepper and tomatoes should also be consumed in moderation. Oily fish should also be avoided, as should cream, margarine, butter and egg yolks. Saturated and hydrogenated fats are on the red list, as are coffee, alcohol and black tea. Citrus fruits should also not be consumed in excess.

Anyone who sins from time to time because the temptation of chocolate cake, knuckle of pork or summer strawberries with cream was too great should ensure a balanced amount of alkaline-containing foods or drink a liter of alkaline tea to protect against   hyperacidity .