Arthritis can be a very painful disease to live with on a daily basis. However, there are certain foods that have pain relief properties that are specifically directed to arthritis symptoms. Based on scientific research, here are three foods that can help reduce your pain as well as reduce your risk of developing chronic arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis:
1. Tart (and Non-Tart) Cherries
You may avoid tart cherries so that you don't make a pucker face, but you may want to rethink that decision. In fact, it may help with gout, which is a very painful, yet common form of arthritis. It results in joints that are hot, stiff and red. One study suggests that the consumption of cherries may help reduce the number of recurrent gout attacks.
Another study showed that muscle pain was reduced in runners after a running event. This was thanks to the twice-daily consumption of 12 oz of tart cherry juice for one week leading up to the event. Since muscle pain can occur with arthritis, it can be concluded from this study that tart cherry juice may help relieve some of the muscle pain that is experienced by arthritis sufferers.
2. Oranges
Most people know that vitamin C can help prevent colds and keep the immune system in check, so they eat plenty of citrus fruits, such as oranges. However, what you may not realize is that oranges also contain beta-cryptoxanthin, an antioxidant that is incredibly powerful when it comes to anti-inflammatory conditions. This includes various forms of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In fact, one study suggests that a single glass of orange juice – freshly squeezed – every day can reduce your risk of developing inflammatory disorders, including RA.
3. Evening Primrose
You probably know evening primrose as a flower, but it can also be found in oil form. According to research, it has the ability to treat rheumatoid arthritis, PMS symptoms, and even atopic dermatitis (which is an aggravating skin condition). In one study, evening primrose has been shown to reduce the pain intensity that is suffered with arthritis. According to the Arthritis Foundation, evening primrose oil is not an overnight fix. It can take as many as six months to work. You can take 540 mg to 2.8 g each day for rheumatoid arthritis.
Although eating the aforementioned foods can likely help reduce your arthritis symptoms and your risk of gout attacks, it may not always be enough. You may still be suffering, but you don't have to do so in silence. Contact an arthritis specialist to learn more about the various treatment options that are available for your arthritis. For more information, contact a company like the Arthritis & Rheumatology Associates of South Jersey.
Share12 August 2015
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