 |
Foods for Arthritis
Home » Health Conditions » Foods for Arthritis
| Symptom : |
arthritis
|
| Other Terms : |
Rheumatoid Arthritis
|
Deficiency of one or a combination of nutrients can contribute to arthritis. Dietary elements that are important for arthritis are tabled below together with corresponding lists of foods for arthritis prevention.
Increasing intake of these nutrients can help. One way to do so is to take a high quality arthritis supplement with the essential nutrients. The other is to maintain a healthy diet, with foods that help arthritis.
What nutrient deficiencies can lead to arthritis :
|
DIETARY ELEMENT | DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS | FOODS |
Vitamin B5
(Pantothenic Acid)
|
More on Vitamin B5
One of the rheumatoid arthritis causes is deficiency of vitamin B5, as
pantothenic acid levels have been found to be lower in rheumatoid arthritis sufferers.
|
Other symptoms that may indicate deficiency of Vitamin B5 : |
 |
numbness and tingling, with shooting or burning pains in the feet |
|
|
chronic fatigue |
|
|
mental depression or irritability or listlessness |
|
|
headaches |
|
|
nausea |
|
|
insomnia |
|
|
abdominal cramps |
|
|
increased susceptibility to colds or infections |
Rheumatoid Arthritis Nutrition | Foods for Arthritis :
Vitamin B5 rich foods that help arthritis include
· animal liver · cauliflower · mushrooms · raw rice bran.
|
Vitamin D
|
More on Vitamin D
Recent
new research links deficiency of vitamin D to rheumatoid arthritis causes and supports the role of supplementation in helping to protect against this autoimmune joint disorder.
|
Other symptoms that may indicate deficiency of Vitamin D : |
|
|
rickets which causes soft bones, skeletal deformities or retarded growth in children |
|
|
osteomalacia resulting in muscular weakness and soft bones |
|
|
muscle or bone pain (including low back pain) |
|
|
frequent bone fractures |
|
|
osteoporosis |
|
|
higher risk of periodontal disease in adults over 50 years old |
|
|
increased risk of diabetes due to insufficient insulin produced |
|
|
increased risk of high blood pressure |
|
|
leads to hypocalcemia (low blood calcium level) characterized by muscle cramps, twitching nerves or muscles, numbness and tingling of fingers and toes, irregular heart contractions, and irritability |
Rheumatoid Arthritis Nutrition | Foods for Arthritis :
High vitamin D foods that help arthritis include
· fish liver oils · mackerel · salmon, especially sockeye salmon · sardine · shrimp.
|
Calcium
|
More on Calcium
Calcium deficiency is linked to an autoimmune disease,
rheumatoid arthritis; causes tissue damage and chronic inflammation of joints, leading to joint swelling and pain, such as chronic finger joint pain or pelvic bone pain.
|
Other symptoms that may indicate deficiency of Calcium : |
|
|
osteoporosis characterized by brittle, porous bones and frequent bone fractures |
|
|
impaired bone mineralization which, in children, can cause rickets (bone softening) which may lead to bone deformities, fractures, or stunted growth |
|
|
osteomalacia (bone softening) in adults |
|
|
loss of bone mineralization in the jaw |
|
|
tooth decay or periodontal disease |
|
|
higher levels of lead in bones and teeth |
|
|
brittle or misshapened nails |
|
|
heart palpitations or abnormal heart rhythms |
|
|
risk of hypertension (high blood pressure) |
|
|
higher cholesterol levels |
|
|
insomnia |
|
|
lethargy or chronic fatigue |
|
|
poor appetite |
|
|
severe deficiency can cause spasmodic contractions of skeletal muscles, symptomized by tingling fingers, toes or lips, numbness in arms or legs, and muscle pain or severe muscular cramps or spasms |
Rheumatoid Arthritis Nutrition | Foods for Arthritis :
High calcium foods that help arthritis include
· fresh dark green vegetables like collard greens, dandelion greens, mustard greens, spinach, turnip greens, wing beans · dairy foods such as buttermilk, mozzarella cheese, raw (non-pasteurized) milk, whey, yoghurt · goat's milk · soft bones of wild salmon, sardines, tuna, and anchovies are good sources of calcium that is easily absorbed by the body.
|
Selenium
|
More on Selenium
One of the rheumatoid arthritis causes is selenium deficiency, as
rheumatoid arthritis patients tend to have low blood levels of selenium.
|
Other symptoms that may indicate deficiency of Selenium : |
|
|
weaker immune system leading to susceptibility to stress and illnesses |
|
|
greater incidence of cancer, especially gynaecological, gastrointestinal, esophageal, lung, and prostate cancer |
|
|
elevated blood pressure |
|
|
risk of arteriosclerosis / atherosclerosis (hardening and/or narrowing of the arteries), leading to heart or coronary artery disease |
|
|
impaired thyroid function (a common symptom of this deficiency) leading to hypothyroidism symptomized by lethargy, fatigue, intolerance to cold, depression, constipation, weight gain, menstrual irregularities, dry skin, and hair loss |
|
|
loose skin |
|
|
hair or skin discoloration |
|
|
whitened fingernail beds |
|
|
Keshan disease (heart disorder characterized by inflamed heart muscles) |
|
|
Kashin-Beck disease (disabling disease of bones and joints, characterized by stunted growth, bone deterioration, and deformity of joints) |
|
|
severe deficiency along with malnutrition can cause muscle breakdown characterized by pain or weakness in the muscles |
Rheumatoid Arthritis Nutrition | Foods for Arthritis :
Selenium rich foods that help arthritis include
· Brazil nuts (one of the most concentrated selenium food sources) · mushrooms (button, shiitake, reishi) · fish (cod, flounder, halibut, herring, mackerel, salmon, smelts, red snapper, swordfish, tuna) · seafood (lobster, oyster, scallops, shellfish, shrimp).
|
Caution: The above is provided for information only. Any diagnosis should be confirmed by a medical professional. Do not self-diagnose.
Go to top of this page :: Foods for Arthritis
« Back to Health Supplements Nutritional Guide Home page
|
|
