Dr. Sujit Jain

Arthritis? Types of Arthritis? Food to eat and food to avoid for Arthritis.

Arthritis means Joint inflammation caused due to stiffness, swelling, pain in the joints. People from all the ages, sexes, races can and do have arthritis.

The most common type of Arthritis is osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid.

Best food for Arthritis-
Low Fat Diary products like Milk, Yogurt, and cheese are packed with calcium and vitamin, both are found to increase bone strength.

Have oily Fish like Tuna, Salmon, sardines for Arthritis. Having marine life for your meal could calm arthritis- Inflammation.

Onion, Garlic, Leeks have been proven to fight inflammations.

Have unsalted nuts and seeds.

Have fresh fruits, especially pineapples, cherries, oranges, kiwi fruits, berries.

Have fresh vegetables like carrots, beets, and zucchini.

Whole grain cereals.

A well-balanced diet rich in antioxidant, i.e. Green, red, yellow, orange fruits, and vegetables goes a long way in preventing the progression of Arthritis.

There are few types of food to be avoided during Arthritis which can worsen Arthritis symptoms.

Aerated Beverages, Eggplants, caffeine, Read meat (Fatty meat),Tomatoes, Whole fat milk, Junk food, Alcohol, food with high sugar

Exercise
It was thought that people with arthritis should not exercise because it would damage their joints when the arthritis is under control people with arthritis can improve their health and fitness through exercise, without hurting their joints. It can give you more energy, help you sleep better, control your weight, make your bones and muscles stronger, decrease fatigue, If you have arthritis, you have more reasons to exercise:

Keep your joints from becoming too stiff.

Keep the muscles around your joints strong.

Keep bone and cartilage tissue strong and healthy.

Improve your overall fitness.
What happens without exercise?

If you don't exercise, your muscles become smaller and weaker, and your bones can become more brittle. Many people with arthritis keep their joints in a bent position because it's more comfortable. If the joints stay in one position for too long (without movement) they can become stuck in that position. If this happens, you may even lose the use of those joints. Exercise moves these joints and helps keep them as flexible as possible.

Ayurveda is an ancient healing technique that is very effective for today's lifestyle ailments. For many people, low back ache can be troublesome. While strong pills and capsules may give you temporary relief, they do not address the core issue and have a number of side effects. Ayurveda on the other hand, addresses the trigger and has no side effects.

Intrigued! Take a look at these Ayurvedic techniques to cure low back pain:

• Cut out on spices: We may think it unrelated, but low back pain is often accompanied by indigestion. Spinal cord nerves connect to back muscles and digestive organs. Hence, a small change in your diet can have a great impact on your health. Spicy food aggravates the digestive system and has a drying effect on the body. By cutting back on spices and oil, the digestive system can work better and there will be less stress on the nerves connecting the spinal cord and back muscles and thus result in lesser back aches.
• Warm your body: According to Ayurveda, back pains are caused by an increase in vata dosha or the amount of air and ether elements in the body. Warming the body can help lower these levels. Apply a heat pack to the back as a way of keeping the external body surface warm. Additionally, add warm food to your diet. This opens out any blockages in your digestive system and in turn reduces low back pain.
• Padahastasana: Ayurveda is very closely linked to yoga. Padahastasana is a yoga asana which addresses lower back pain by opening up the digestive channels and allowing the vata dosha to flow easily through the body. To practice this asana, stand with your legs together and lift your arms straight above your head while inhaling. As you exhale, bend forward from the hips while keeping your back and legs straight. Try and touch your toes. Hold the position for as long as possible and come back to the starting position while inhaling.
• Anuloma Viloma: Anuloma Viloma is a breathing exercise that balances the vata dosha. This is a technique that involves breathing from alternate nostrils. To begin, close the right nostril with your thumb and inhale through the left nostril. Close both nostrils and hold your breath for a few seconds. Then, release through the left nostril. Repeat this process, starting from the left nostril.
• Bishop's weed seed tea: Tea made from the seeds of Bishop's weed is can provide instant pain relief from low back pains. This is suitable for men and women of all ages except those with heart problems.

The core principle of Ayurveda is to listen to your body's messages. These techniques will help you become more tuned to your body's needs and keep you free from back aches.