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Good nutrition is important for everyone for good health. A normal diet that is nourishing and well balanced is helpful in all forms of arthritis. The diet of an arthritis patient should be planned so as to produce alkalinity in the blood. Being overweight can worsen the condition of arthritis. So while planning the diet, the weight should also be kept in mind. The other factor that worsens the condition of arthritis is constipation.
The diet should include fruits and vegetables for protection and proteins and carbohydrates for energy. It may consist of fresh raw vegetables in the form of salad and two cooked vegetables a day. The vegetables that can be used in the form of salad are cabbage, carrot, celery, cucumber, lettuce, onion, radish and tomatoes. The cooked vegetables should include beets, asparagus, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, brinjal, mushroom, onions, peas, beans, spinach and turnips.
In severe cases the patient should be put on raw vegetable juice therapy for a week. The alkaline action of raw juices will help the body in dissolving the excess accumulation of deposits around the joints and in other tissues. The therapy can be repeated after two months interval. Green juice, extracted from any green leafy vegetable can be taken in combination with juices of carrot, celery and red beet. Fresh pineapple juice is highly beneficial as it contains the enzyme bromelain that helps in reducing swelling and inflammation of the joints.
The other three basic food groups-meat and meat products, milk and milk products, breads and cereal foods should also be included in the diet. The meat and meat products include fish, eggs, cheese, poultry etc. These foods provide protein that is required by the body for maintenance and repair of body tissues. They also supply iron, minerals, vitamins and fat.
The milk and milk products includes yoghurt and cheese. They are the rich sources of calcium that is essential to maintain bones and teeth and also keeps the nervous system healthy. They also provide protein, some vitamins and fat.
The whole grain cereals and breads provide carbohydrates for food energy. They also supply proteins, minerals, vitamins and dietary fibre.
Along with the diet variety of foods should also be added. There are more than 40 different vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that are essential to health and are supplied by the food eaten. A single food cannot provide all the essential nutrients. By adding variety of foods to the diet the requirement of essential nutrients can be easily met.
Overweight is the main factor that worsens the condition of arthritis. The diet of arthritis patient should be planned in such a manner that weight is controlled. In order to lose the weight the fat intake should be excluded from the diet. Fat supplies more calories than proteins and carbohydrates. High fat foods like butter; cheese, khoa, puries, mathi, meats, chicken, creams, chocolates and chips should be avoided. Refined sugar, rich sweets, desserts and alcoholic drinks should also be avoided as they only provide calories. Fluid intake should be increased. Fresh juices, plain water and lemon drinks are highly beneficial as they contain fewer calories. Bulking agents like isabgul add bulk to the diet and helps in reducing the total food intake.
The other main factor responsible for the onset of arthritis is constipation. Constipation poisons the system and increases the irritation and inflammation of the joints. The first step in the treatment and prevention of arthritis is to relieve constipation. According to Ayurveda arthritic pain is mainly due to accumulation of excess air in the body. Constipation stops the proper elimination of air from the body and aggravates the pain. Constipation is mainly due to improper diet and fluids. Heavy foods containing fats such as creams, pastries, puddings, proteins, fried foods like pakora, puri and parantha should be avoided. The quantity of raw foods that contain fibre should be increased in the diet. High carbohydrate fibre containing diet like carrot, dry peas, and drumstick should also be included in the diet. Excessive tea and coffee, smoking and chewing tobacco should also be avoided. The highly spicy food hampers the digestive system so they should be avoided. The food should be chewed nicely as it will make the process of digestion easier. Various fruits like litchi, apple, prunes, dates and guava are also useful for constipation.
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