There’s no substitute for our advanced treatments at CurePain, but that doesn’t mean we underestimate the power of a healthy lifestyle.
Dr. David Wu and our team of joint pain specialists know that a balanced, joint-friendly diet can maximize virtually every treatment and service we offer. That’s why we often include diet, exercise, weight management, and even cognitive strategies in our patients’ treatment plans.
In this blog, we show you just how effective your food choices can be in fighting joint pain. Here’s a list of ten foods you can add to your diet to support your joint health and relieve pain.
Fatty fish (think salmon, mackerel, sardines, and trout) have high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which are potent anti-inflammatories. Fish are also an excellent source of vitamin D, which strengthens your bones.
Supplementing your diet with garlic can significantly decrease inflammation in your joints. One study found that females with active arthritis who took 1,000 mg of garlic supplement for eight weeks saw decreased pain and blood markers for the disease.
Add ginger to your tea, soup, and sweets for a burst of flavor and to reap its inflammation-fighting power. Ginger can prevent certain proteins from triggering your immune system and ramping up inflammation.
Broccoli is one of the best vegetables you can eat even if your joints are in tip-top shape, but they become almost a necessary part of your diet when your joints start to ache. The natural components in broccoli, glucosinolates, tamp down inflammation and can even improve your bone strength.
Walnuts are small but mighty. They’re packed with nutrients, like alpha-linolenic acid, a type of omega-3 fatty acid, which can help control and reduce inflammation.
It doesn’t matter if you like raspberries, blueberries, or strawberries; they all come packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and other minerals that decrease inflammation in your body. You don’t even have to buy a box of whole berries — virtually any form of berry will do the trick. One study found that eating 40 grams of powdered blueberries for four months resulted in improved joint pain symptoms in 79% of participants.
Spinach is rich in antioxidants like kaempferol, which has been shown to decrease the potency of inflammatory agents in the body.
Grapes are sweet, juicy, and bursting with inflammation-fighting antioxidants like resveratrol. Taking resveratrol supplements alongside arthritis medication proved to reduce joint pain compared to medication alone.
Consuming olive oil is another excellent way to reduce inflammation through your diet. That’s why diet patterns rich in olive oil, like the Mediterranean diet, have been shown to reduce joint and increase function in those with arthritis.
Tart cherry juice offers a wide range of health benefits, and drinking it regularly can significantly improve mobility, pain, and quality of life. One four-week study found that tart cherry juice reduced CRP and uric acid levels, which are linked to osteoarthritis.
Joint pain is complicated, so it makes perfect sense that your treatment plan will include a variety of methods and strategies, including making dietary changes. If you want to eat with your joints in mind, reach for anything that reduces inflammation and strengthens your bones.
Your diet certainly won’t cure joint pain (especially if it’s caused by arthritis), but you can equip your body with what it needs to fight against the inflammation causing your symptoms.
Looking for more information on addressing joint pain? Call our friendly staff or use our online booking tool to schedule a joint pain consultation at our Torrance, California, office today.
