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Aromacaring Fact
sheet
Arthritis |
| Changing the way you eat
will change the way you feel. The right foods can keep you free of stiff
joints, swelling, and fatigue, while also improving overall health. There
are also medications, supplements, and self-help measures that can help
minimise your pain and discomfort. |
Eat more
Whole (unprocessed) foods Vegetables (particularly green) Fruits (except
citrus) Cut out more meat or choose low fat (chicken etc,.) Whole foods
Fruits Vegetables Seeds and nuts Bean products Fish - particularly oily
fish (tuna, salmon, sardines, mackerel) Grains and Pulses.
The Eat less products can increase inflammation and provoke
allergies. Eliminate problematic foods and increase your daily intake of
vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Increase fibre intake and drink more
water to compensate for increased fibre moving through the digestive
system. Fibre helps move food and wastes through the digestive tract
before they have a chance to form toxic substances that can cause
inflammation.
Dietary fats
The wrong kind of fats can increase inflammation in joints, while the
"good" fats will help keep inflammation in check. Whole foods
are typically high in healthy fats, including the essential fatty acids,
which research has proven help decrease arthritic inflammation
Acids
High acidity increases the potential for developing inflammatory
conditions. Reducing your intake of acid-forming foods (sugar, alcohol,
vinegar, coffee, meat, citrus and dairy products) can decrease
acidity.
Medication
Aspirin and Ibuprofen are common anti-inflammatories taken to help during
acute attacks of inflammation and pain. Over the long term they will loose
their effectiveness and may cause side effects.
Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)
Evening primrose, Borage or Starflower oil, Cod liver oil etc. in
sufficient doses all help to boost immunity and reduce inflammation. EFAs
are also found in oily fish products. |
Avoid or eat less
Saturated fats (animal fats) Saturated margarines, cooking oils Coffee
Processed foods White flour Salt Sugar Red meat Chemical additives Yeast
and Dairy products Citrus fruits and squashes Tomatoes Vinegar Alcohol
Steroids
Will help to reduce inflammation over the short term but have side
effects. After prorogued treatment they will interfere with the body's
natural immune response. During acute episodes of pain, you may need
stronger conventional pain medication - contact your GP for advice.
Supplements
The only supplements PROVEN to help with arthritis inflammation include:
Glucosamine sulphate which has been proven to increase lubrication around
affected joint areas and has no side effects. For more articles and
information, visit the Arthritis
Resource Centre.
Zinc
Research has shown that acute arthritis sufferers have a zinc deficiency.
Zinc is needed to metabolise EFAs. Zinc can be taken as a supplement and
is found in meats (which you are trying to avoid!), wholegrain flour,
brown rice, pulses, dried fruits, onions, garlic, pumpkin and sunflower
seeds.
Massage
Light massage over an inflamed area of pain and the stimulation of
pressure points can help to interrupt the pain signals to the brain. Local
heat treatment (infra-red, wheat packs, hot water bottles) also helps to
increase circulation around an affected area to help with ain and healing.
Essential oils
Some essential oils have analgesic, anti-inflammatory or muscular warming
properties—ask your Therapist for advice. |
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Other forms of self-help
Exercise helps to increase the mobility of joints,
circulation, overall fitness, well-being and natural healing. If
weight-bearing exercise is not possible, use passive exercise clenching
and relaxing your muscles as you sit or lie in bed.
Sitting and lying - look at the way you sit or lie in
bed. Does your mattress or chair sufficiently support your back and neck,
is your circulation restricted?. Different back and neck pain requires
different sitting or lying positions. Pillows under the neck give good
support to arthritic spine and neck pain and take the strain away from the
spine
Mobility - plan ahead and avoid excessive twisting, lifting,
bending and turning. Minimise discomfort by working out the best way
pain-free way to move.
Leisure be aware of how you sit, do you strain or twist
to watch the TV? Is reading and writing at the right height to take the
strain off particular joints?
Jane Ellwood Dip(HE) RNLD MIFPA
Email jane@aromacaring.co.uk
www.aromacaring.co.uk
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