An Overview into Eating to Reduce Rheumatic Pain & Inflammatory Conditions

What is inflammation and rheumatism?

When the immune system is activated, it sends out inflammatory cells. These cells are meant to be helpful by attacking bacteria, viruses, or to help heal damaged tissue. This can occur when you get a cut, a sliver, any type of physical injury, or a sickness. This type of inflammation can be helpful.

If your immune system sends out inflammatory cells when you don’t have an injury or sickness, you may be dealing with chronic inflammation.

Chronic inflammation may be a sign of something else going on in the body, such as type 2 diabetes, asthma, heart disease, or rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatism refers to inflammation specific to joints, tendons, ligaments, bones, and muscle. Arthritis refers specifically to the joints, thus rheumatoid arthritis is, even more specifically, referring to inflammation of the joints.

Inflammation is a major component in most rheumatic pain conditions or rheumatic diseases, Because of this correlation, it is advisable to eat a good amount of food that reduces inflammation and to, also, reduce the consumption of food that contains inflammatory agents. Here is some simple dietary advice that may help reduce rheumatic symptoms:

THINGS YOU SHOULD EAT TO REDUCE RHEUMATISM

Green olives and olive oil in small glass bowl

Fish, especially fatty fish, fish oil, olive oil, walnut oil and avocado oil should be a part of your diet. The fat in these types of food, omega-3 poly-unsaturated fat and omega-9 poly-unsaturated fat, reduces inflammation. It’s worth noting, if you add these types of fats to your diet, it would be beneficial to reduce the intake of other types of fat, so as not eat too much fat.

You should also eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, since these also play an important part in reducing inflammation. Leafy greens (like spinach and kale), colorful veggies (like radishes, beets, and carrots), and tomatoes are just a few that are great for reducing inflammation.

THINGS YOU SHOULD NOT EAT TOO MUCH OF

It’s best to not consume much, if any, soy oil and corn oil, since these types of fat increase inflammation. Most food that you buy that is ready to eat from the factory or restaurant contain these types of fat. It is, therefore, best to try to reduce the consumption of food you do not cook yourself. And although this can be challenging on those many busy days, it really is best for your health to limit these types of foods.

Bread, cereals and products made of corn or cereals also increase the inflammatory response, especially if they contain wheat. In some individuals, wheat causes a special type of inflammation in the intestines called celiac disease, but it may also trigger inflammation of non-celiac type.

It may not be realistic to fully give up cereal, bread, and wheat products, so I don’t recommend stressing yourself out by trying to cut these foods out completely. Instead, try reducing your intake of these foods, and incorporating more potatoes, beans, rice, and peas into your meals.

As with most things, moderation and balance is key.

THINGS YOU SHOULD IDEALLY NOT EAT AT ALL

traditional round donut with chocolate frosting

You should try to absolutely not consume fat that has been chemically altered to give it another consistency. The main culprit I’m talking about are hydrogenated fats. They can be fully hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated. This type of fat has a very negative effect on your health and contain very potent inflammatory agents. Margarine, many types of snacks, fast food, and ready made donuts, cakes or cookies often contain this kind of fat. Unfortunately this type of fat is also often added to bread.

If you’re able to, you could try to bake your bread yourself. If that’s not a reality for you, check the ingredients when you buy these foods and do your best to avoid hydrogenated fats of all kinds.

It is possible to find cookies, crackers, breads, and cakes without all the inflammatory fats, and it’s ok to eat these foods once in awhile. It’s also important to be mindful of the ingredient list on these packaged foods, and try to avoid options that are full of unhealthy fats.

Some anti-inflammatory food options:

image of red radish, orange pepper, yellow tomatoes, pea pod, and a purple potato

Blueberries
Raspberries
Strawberries
Blackberries
Cherries
Peppers
Peas
Avocado
Pumpkin Seeds
Fatty Fish
Leafy Greens (Spinach, kale, lettuce)
Cruciferous Veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, kale)
Sweet Potatoes
Mango
Carrots
Tomatoes
Dark Chocolate

Some Anti-Inflammatory Herb Options:

cilantro in a yellow pot and basil in a yellow pot

Lemon Balm

Oregano
Parsley
Rosemary
Sage
Spearmint

Some Anti-Inflammatory Spice Options:

Ginger
Garlic
Black Pepper
Turmeric
Cinnamon

Conclusion

The bottom line is this: try to eat a healthy, clean diet while also trying to avoid inflammatory foods. Does this mean that you should not treat yourself once in awhile? Definitely not. But it does mean that if you eat clean most of the time, your body will thank you.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. These are things that I have utilized in my own life that have benefitted me. Everyone has different needs and life circumstances and it is important to seek the advice of a medical practitioner or a mental health practitioner before making major lifestyle changes