Foods to Avoid If You Have Arthritis 

Arthritis is common in people who are in their 50s or even younger. Many people deal with arthritis because of their genetics and poor lifestyle. If you have mild arthritis, you may have to change your lifestyle slightly to deal with it. Rheumatoid arthritis requires proper medal assistance; however, you can still deal with it by adding healthy habits to your life. 

Quite a few foods can trigger arthritis, making it harder to handle. Hence, it is essential to switch your diet and add healthy foods to it. Let’s look at what foods are best for arthritis and what to avoid. 

Foods to Avoid When Dealing with Arthritis 

One of the major symptoms of arthritis is inflammation, which can cause pain, fatigue, swelling, etc. Many foods trigger inflammation; hence, it is essential to stay away from them. We are listing some foods that should not be on your list to eat if you have arthritis: 

1. Eliminate Sugar 

Eggs and rheumatoid arthritis can cause inflammation. However, sugar is one food item that can be a huge trigger to most diseases. Most fitness enthusiasts leave sugar and start noticing a huge difference in pain and swelling. 

We all eat more sugar than necessary, especially tea, coffee, etc. If you want to keep rheumatoid arthritis under control, you should eliminate sugar from your diet. Having natural sugars from fruit and honey is great for fulfilling your craving. If you like your tea and coffee sweet, you can add stevia or natural sweeteners. 

One of the main arthritis triggers is obesity, which puts your joints under pressure. Sugar is the main cause of obesity; hence, it is best to eliminate it from your diet. It will take you a few days, but you can do it successfully using your willpower. 

2. Unhealthy Fats 

All fats are not bad, but unhealthy fats are quite harmful to your body. The number of fats in cheese, greasy food, etc., can cause obesity to grow to an exceptional level. Hence, it is best to cut out trans fats and saturated fats from your diet. 

These fats cause the bad cholesterol to increase, which can cause blood pressure and inflammation. It is essential to replace unhealthy fats with healthy fats. Avocados and fish have healthy fats that you can benefit from greatly. Try to limit the portion of fats you have and replace them with vegetables and dietary fiber. 

3. Reduce Salt Intake 

Salt can be one of the biggest enemies as it creates water retention and causes high blood pressure. Doctors recommend rheumatoid arthritis patients not have salty food as it can make the condition much worse. If you have the habit of eating salty foods, you must try to lower your sodium intake. 

Avoid salad dressings with too much salt, unhealthy fats, and preservatives. It is best to have Himalayan pink salt or rock salt instead of normal salt because they have low sodium levels. If you limit your sugar and salt intake, you will be able to manage your health better. 

4. Avoid Red Meat 

To manage pain, avoiding foods that trigger it is essential. Red meat is one of the foods that can make arthritis pain worse. It can trigger the condition making it harder for you to deal with it. Most doctors recommend avoiding red meat as it causes inflammation and swelling. 

Red meat has hard-to-digest enzymes and increases bad cholesterol. It is best to replace red meat with white meat as it is easier to digest and is a rich source of protein. On the other hand, fish is also a great protein source that helps combat arthritis pain. You can also resort to plant-based protein as it is easier to digest and has great nutritional value. 

Note: Apart from avoiding all the foods we have mentioned, excluding all inflammatory foods from your diet is also essential. Some dairy products can also trigger inflammation; hence, you must be cautious when consuming them. Having inflammatory foods can cause hair loss and digestive issues. 

Final Verdict 

Arthritis is a common issue in older people and is easily manageable by making your lifestyle healthier. Although, food makes a huge impact on fatigue, pain, and swelling you experience. It is essential to avoid foods that can cause inflammation and digestive issues. 

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