From the years 2013 to 2015, 54.4 million adults in the United States or 27.7 percent of the population annually have been told by a physician that they had some form of arthritis encompassing rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or fibromyalgia. The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis and other rheumatic conditions include gout, fibromyalgia, and rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis means inflammation of one or more joints. It describes more than one hundred conditions that affect joints, tissues around joints, and connective tissue. Symptoms vary depending on type, but most often include pain or stiffness of joints.
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It is often called "wear and tear" or degenerative joint disease. It is most often found in hands, hips, and knees. The cartilage and bones of a joint begin to break down. Osteoarthritis develops slowly and increases over time. The signs and symptoms of this type of arthritis include pain or aching, stiffness, decreased range of motion, and swelling. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune, inflammatory disease in which the immune system attacks its own joints causing inflammation. This type of arthritis most often attacks many joints at once and affects hands, wrists, and knees.
Rheumatoid arthritis may affect other tissues causing problems in organs including the lungs, heart, and eyes. RA causes the lining of a joint to become inflamed causing joint tissue damage. This tissue damage can cause chronic pain, loss of balance, and deformity. There are times of worse symptoms known as flares and times of symptom reduction or alleviation known as remission. Symptoms include weight loss, fever, fatigue, weakness with more than one joint experiencing pain or aching, stiffness, tenderness, and weakness.
Gout is a common form of arthritis that usually affects one joint at a time and is very painful. Men and obese adults are most likely to contract gout. There are times of flares and remission. There is no cure for gout, but the condition can be treated and managed. Gout flares start suddenly and can last for days or weeks followed by remission for long periods of time. Symptoms in an affected joint may include intense pain, swelling, redness, and heat. Gout is caused by hyperuricemia or elevated uric acid levels. The body makes uric acid by breaking down purines found in the body and food eaten. Hyperuricemia may cause crystallization in joints, fluids, and tissues. An interesting treatment of gout that I learned from several patients is adding a slice of lime to the water that is consumed for the time necessary. This remedy seems to reduce crystallization within joints and relieve symptoms. I have never suffered from this condition but have had several patients swear by this treatment. Lupus occurs when an unknown cause impacts an individual's immune system to attack and damage tissues leading to widespread inflammation. There is no known cause, but treatments are available.
Fibromyalgia causes pain all over the body, sleep problems, fatigue, and mental and emotional distress. Fibromyalgia may be abnormal pain sensitivity processing. It affects about two percent or four million adults in the United States. There are treatments but the causes of fibromyalgia are unknown.
Certain foods have been shown to fight inflammation, strengthen bones, and support the immune system. Adding these foods to your diet may ease the symptoms of arthritis. Some fish are high in omega-3 fatty-acids which fight inflammation. Fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids are salmon, mackerel, tuna, and herring. Extra virgin olive oil contains large amounts of heart healthy fats and oleocanthal which has properties that are like anti-inflammatory drugs. Avocado and safflower oils lower cholesterol. Walnuts have nearly ten times the omega-3 fatty-acids that olive oil possesses. Cherries, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries contain anthocyanins that studies have shown to reduce gout attacks. Low fat dairy products like yogurt, milk, and cheese supply calcium and vitamin D that increases bone strength. Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption and boosts the immune system. Green leafy vegetables are also rich in calcium and vitamin D. Broccoli is abundant in Vitamin K, vitamin C, and sulforaphane which research demonstrates aids in prevention or slowing the progression of osteoarthritis. It also contains large amounts of calcium promoting bone health. Reasearch also shows that citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, and limes that have an abundance of vitamin C aid in inflammatory arthritis and maintain healthy joints. Whole grains lower levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood which promotes inflammation associated with heart disease, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis. Oatmeal, brown rice, and whole grain cereals are excellent sources of whole grains. Beans contain much fiber that also lowers CRP. Beans are also a good source of protein that is important for muscle health and repair. Some beans are abundant in folate, magnesium, zinc, and potassium which are all known to promote heart and immune system health. Garlic, onions, and leeks from the allium family have shown to reduce signs of early osteoarthritis. The compound diallyl dauphine found in garlic may limit cartilage damaging enzymes in human cells. This provides a basic review of foods that may help treat or prevent many types of arthritis. For excellent nutrition software that provides cardiovascular and nutrition programs with hundreds of meal plans produced in seconds, and more articles or information please visit tpnperfectbodies.com.