According to the CDC, about 54 million people experience some form of joint pain in the United States. Arthritis is a term used to refer to any disorder that affects the joints and causes inflammation. There are many different types of arthritis, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriatic arthritis.  

Several approaches exist to reduce arthritis pain, including daily activity, maintaining a healthy weight, protecting your joints and taking pain-reducing medications. Although there is no strict diet for those who have arthritis, research suggests that what you eat can have an effect on your body’s inflammatory state. Reducing inflammation in the body can reduce pain associated with arthritis.

Here are 5 foods that may trigger an inflammatory response in the body:

Sugar: It’s difficult to say no to your favorite foods like desserts, pastries and sodas, but according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, processed sugars trigger the release of inflammatory messengers called cytokines. To reduce your arthritis pain, try cutting out all processed foods including white flour, baked goods and sugary sodas.

Saturated Fats: Compelling data has shown that high-fat meals promote endotoxin translocation into the bloodstream, which stimulates immune cells, leading to an inflammatory response. Evidence within this study has suggested that saturated fatty acids induce inflammation by mimicking the actions of the endotoxin. A few heavy saturated fatty foods to avoid include meat products (beef, pork and lamb), and high-fat dairy foods (whole milk, butter, cheese and ice cream).

Processed and Fried Foods: Not only do processed and fried foods contain a lot of saturated and trans fats, they also contain many known carcinogens. All of these will cause inflammation in the body, causing arthritis to flare up.

Trans Fat: Studies indicate that trans fats are linked to increased inflammation and are very bad for your cardiovascular health. Trans fats are usually in foods such as baked goods, doughnuts, frozen pizza and more.

Gluten: According to the Arthritis Foundation, gluten may also cause a flare-up of arthritis symptoms. Some people with arthritis also have gluten sensitivity or have celiac disease, an autoimmune disease in which people can’t eat gluten because it will damage their small intestine. Those who practice a gluten-free diet have found relief in inflammation in the joints.

At Rejuvinix, our doctors perform non-surgical joint therapies including regenerative cell therapy and advanced Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy. For more information, call (757) 345-2318 or make an appointment online.