How can nutritional choices affect arthritis?

Is there an arthritis diet? Your doctor would probably say no. Does that mean diet doesn't matter? Far from it.

• Since diet doesn't appear to affect arthritis to the same extent that it does heart disease, diabetes, some cancers and other illnesses and conditions, no one has worked up exact guidelines, backed by decades of studies, on eating to beat arthritis.
• Even though there's much more to learn and more studies to be had, compelling evidence suggests that eating a healthy diet may help relieve arthritis symptoms or prevent arthritis from becoming worse.
• Evidence also indicates that even specific types of food can help suffering patients.
• While lack of consensus may make precise diet prescriptions difficult for doctors, making reasonable dietary choices at the very least can complement your exercise goals and improve your overall health.
• Here's how good nutritional choices affect arthritis.

1. By getting more of nutrients believed to play a role in controlling inflammation, it may help ease symptoms, especially for rheumatoid arthritis.
2. Making up for nutritional deficiencies sometimes caused by arthritis may help prevent joints from deteriorating further.
3. Nutritional supplements such as glucosamine show promise in shoring up arthritic joints, although you should be cautious about self-medicating your disease.
4. Losing weight by making smart food choices (along with burning calories with exercise) takes some of the load off joints, easing pain and slowing degeneration, especially with osteoarthritis.

• There are no guarantees and what works for you may not work for everyone with aching joints. But consider the possibilities:
• In one study from Denmark that controlled calories and boosted intake of arthritis-fighting foods, people who stuck out the diet showed significant improvements in morning pain and pain intensity overall, joint swelling and medication costs.
• Just another way that a healthy diet and exercise can contribute to more than just weight loss.