Foods for a Healthy Arthritis Diet

In case you are affected with arthritis, make sure that you avoid the foods that can trigger the symptoms and worsen them. You have to follow an arthritis diet and for this, you might need to let go of your favorite foods to maintain optimum health. Here are some tips on how to maintain a healthy arthritis diet:

* Your foods should contain a balanced ration of calcium and phosphorous. This is due to the fact that high phosphorous can lower calcium, thus resulting to worsened arthritis conditions. The foods that are rich in phosphorous include red flesh fish, red meat, liver, kidney, carbonated drinks and processed meat. Red meat is also high in uric acid and this too can aggravate the condition.

* Foods and drinks containing caffeine should be avoided as well, as these can cause loss of essential vitamins and minerals in the body.

* Sugary foods can prevent the body from absorbing enough nutrients and calcium, and so this should be excluded from your diet.

* Vegetable oil and fried foods should also be eliminated from your diet, since these may contain omega-6 that can exacerbate inflammation and worsen your arthritis condition.

* Gluten which is commonly found in oats, wheat and barley can also aggravate arthritis, so if you can, you must try to reduce the consumption of these foods.

* Alcohol can prevent the body from absorbing calcium.

* Reduce salt consumption to enhance calcium absorption in the body.

* Foods containing oxalic acid, such as chard, plums and cranberries should be avoided as well.

* Foods from the nightshade family, such as red peppers, eggplants, white potatoes and tomatoes can all aggravate arthritis condition.

* Butter and margarine should also be excluded from your diet to prevent joint inflammation and the aggravation of all the other symptoms of the condition.

* Dry roasted nuts can also worsen arthritis so almonds, walnuts and Brazil nuts should all be avoided.

As much as possible, the foods included in your diet should be the ones that can help reduce inflammation, such as garlic, apple, ginger and turmeric. Other foods that you can opt for include the following:

* Fruits loaded with vitamin C should be included in an arthritis diet, such as oranges, sweet limes, strawberries, peaches, apples and kiwifruit.

* Fruits packed with vitamin A are great additions as well, including collard, squash, Brussels sprouts and broccoli.

* Flaxseed, which is high in omega-3, is very helpful against inflammation, along with certain nuts like linseed, almond, walnut and pumpkin seed.

* You may also benefit from foods high in magnesium, such as bananas, apricots, beans, leafy vegetables and whole grains.

* Fishes like mackerel, salmon, tuna, herring, sardines and trout should all be added to your diet, as these contain high amount of omega-3 and vitamin E.

Now that you are aware of the foods that you should avoid and the foods that you can include in your diet, you can now manage the symptoms of your condition and prevent it from worsening. Following this type of diet is not only beneficial against arthritic conditions but it can also be great in maintaining overall health.