Diet can make a huge difference to arthritis.  Some foods are known to cause inflammation and pain.  Some foods are known to prevent and/or relieve inflammation and pain.  Arthritis is made worse by lack of fluid – not drinking enough.  Some people’s arthritis is made worse by being overweight.  Some people’s arthritis is triggered by particular foods.

Arthritis (whether rheumatoid, psoriatic or osteo-arthritis) is often caused or worsened by low levels of key nutrients.  This may be because the diet is deficient or because the gut is not working efficiently, or both.  The herbalist’s approach to arthritis is usually fourfold:

• Dietary advice about which foods to avoid/reduce and which to increase
• Herbs to improve the health of the gut to increase the absorption of nutrients and to reduce the absorption of toxins
• Herbs to improve the blood supply to the joints to improve the delivery of nutrients and the removal of toxins
• Herbs to improve the elimination of toxins through the gut and urinary tract.

Zinc and vitamin B are particularly important as they affect the metabolism of essential fatty acids.  Essential fatty acids are important in the regulation of a range of inflammatory responses, including arthritis.  Glucosamine helps prevent the deterioration of the joints.

Avoid / Reduce

Dairy products including milk, cheese, butter
Animal fat
Corn oil
Sugar
Refined foods including white rice, white flour
Processed foods including carry-outs, hamburgers, pies, biscuits, sweets
Coffee, tea, cola

Eat/drink plenty

Brown rice
Whole grain cereals
Fruit: apple, pineapple, pears, prunes, cranberries, cherries, berries …..
Vegetables: carrots, asparagus, lettuce, pumpkins, beetroot, sweet potato, broccoli, spinach, cauliflower …..
Beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas
Oily fish: salmon, herring, sardines …..
Seeds: pumpkin seeds, linseeds (soak or pulverise) …..
Ginger
Garlic
Turmeric
Borage (starflower) oil, flaxseed oil,  fish oils
Water
Herb tea
* note - trigger foods can, very occasionally, include some of the above.