Arthritis causes millions of people to experience chronic joint pain. Spinal arthritis affects the joints of the neck and the back. While medications may be necessary to treat spinal arthritis, many people can also benefit from making certain dietary changes to reduce their pain.
Arthritis and Weight
Being overweight is not only a contributing factor of arthritis pain, but can actually make people more prone to developing arthritis in their joints. The John's Hopkins Arthritis Center reports that even an extra 10 pounds of weight can increase joint pressure dramatically. While they mostly focus on arthritis of the knees, this is true for other joints in the body commonly affected by arthritis, including the neck and lower back. In addition, being overweight or obese leaves a person more vulnerable to arthritis than a person of a healthy weight.
Dieting for Weight Loss
There is no specific arthritis diet; however, a weight loss diet can help a person with spinal arthritis minimize their symptoms. People with spinal arthritis who need to lose weight can focus on reducing both their caloric intake and the amount of fat they ingest. However, they should ideally do this under a doctor's supervision. Johns Hopkins recommends healthy weight loss of about one to two pounds a week. Even for a person who is obese, fad diets promising quick weight loss are not the answer. Instead, focus on heart-healthy foods and limit the amount of low-nutrition junk foods in your diet.
The Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Dr. Andrew Weil is a proponent of the anti-inflammatory diet, which potentially decreases the amount of chronic inflammation in the body. Scientific evidence for this diet is limited. However, many of the foods Dr. Weil suggests are heart-healthy and can help a person with spinal arthritis lose weight at a healthy pace. If the foods have the added benefit of reducing inflammation, then the diet may have an even better chance of helping those with spinal arthritis control their symptoms.
Arthritis-Friendly Foods
Anti-inflammatory foods tend to be the same as those often suggested for weight control. Dr. Weil recommends a person following an anti-inflammatory diet plan increase her consumption of fruits and vegetables. He suggests high-fiber versions such as berries, leafy greens and sweet potatoes. In addition, Dr. Weil prefers whole grains over white and wheat flour products, and suggests increasing your intake of salmon, beans and yogurt. Natural omega-3 fats, such as those found in sardines and ground flax seed, are also high on the list.
Foods to Avoid
Many of the foods Dr. Weil suggests avoiding due to their potentially inflammatory properties are the same ones that tend to contribute to larger waistlines. These include fast foods, hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup and highly processed foods. In other words, skip the cookies, corn chips and drive-through burgers. Certain beverages should also be limited or avoided, including sodas and drinks with concentrated sugars. Reducing the amount of junk food in the diet, according to Dr. Weil, can reduce the amount of inflammation triggered in the body. For people with spinal arthritis, this simple change may help with pain control.
