Maintain your joints with our three-step anti-arthritis plan

YOU can ward off creakiness and ease the pain it causes by changing your lifestyle. The body+soul Anti-Arthritis Diet is your starting point for happier joints.

Getting your proper quota of fruit and vegies every day is fully approved on the anti-arthritis diet. Picture: iStock

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ARTHRITIS is affecting one in five Australians. That’s 3.9 million of us — and we are forking out more for joint replacements than any other hospital procedure.

It’s one of the most costly and disabling chronic conditions faced by our population but it doesn’t have to be that way.

The body+soul Anti-Arthritis Diet is your starting point for happier joints.

While arthritis does tend to occur later in life, there are ways you can stop joints from throwing in the towel so you can avoid expensive and painful surgeries to replace those bung joints.

Avocadoes are an anti-inflammatory list and therefore get a big tick for our diet.

The key, according to physiotherapist Belinda Prince, is to start showing your joints some love right now: “It’s never too early to start taking care of your joints.”

WHAT’S WHAT

THERE are more than 120 types of arthritis but osteoarthritis — the “wear and tear” form — is to blame for more than half of all cases. People with osteoarthritis can endure endless joint stiffness and struggle to move.

Not surprising when you consider what osteoarthritis is: a deterioration of the joint whereby the cartilage has worn away so bone rubs on bone.

“The disease is debilitating and can limit people physically but it can also affect them mentally,” accredited practising dietitian and nutritionist with Arthritis ACT Erica Roughton says.

“Constant pain can get anyone down but it’s also a condition that can’t always be seen, which can make it difficult to cope with.”

Rheumatoid arthritis is the second most common form of arthritis in Australia and affects nearly half a million people. It's an auto-immune disease that causes the body’s immune system to destroy the lining of the joints.

Tomatoes are a great “anytime” food packed with nutrients including lycopene. Picture: Keryn Stevens

The cause is still unknown but research is continuing. Rheumatoid arthritis is more common in younger people than osteoarthritis and although the symptoms of both conditions are similar — swelling, pain, stiffness and loss of mobility — people with the auto-immune disease are more likely to be prescribed medication.

The advice, though, as far as lifestyle factors are concerned, is the same for both forms of arthritis.

“Eat well, maintain a healthy weight and move regularly,” Roughton says.

START HERE

WHILE there’s no cure for osteoarthritis, there are three simple steps we can all take today to ward off the condition if it hasn’t yet hit or reduce those nasty symptoms if it has.

Your path to joyful joints starts here.

STEP 1

Eat a healthy, balanced diet that’s packed full of anti-inflammatory foods (see the body+soul Anti-Arthritis Eating Plan).

“Every kilogram of weight you carry above your recommended healthy body weight adds an extra 4kg of weight for your joints to carry,” Roughton says. “That will obviously speed up their wear and tear and increase your risk of developing osteoarthritis or exacerbate your symptoms.”

Losing even a few kilos can make a big difference to your joints. Anti-inflammatory foods including salmon, berries, walnuts and green leafy vegetables are also worth popping into your shopping trolley as they’re rich in antioxidants that can reduce inflammation.

STEP 2

Get stuck into a workout regimen that incorporates strength training (see our 10 Top Moves for Stronger Joints workout).

“Any sort of movement will help with joint health but strength training makes the muscles around the joint stronger,” Prince says. “Strength training can be really simple and can be done using only your body weight or with extra weights.”

Salmon is another great anti-inflammatory inclusion.

Exercising regularly reduces the inflammatory processes in the body and research has shown that people with arthritis can prevent or delay muscle weakness through strength training. But remember to ease into it and build up slowly, Prince says.

STEP 3

Take your grandmother’s advice and stand or sit up straight. “Poor posture compromises your joints and over time, this can cause osteoarthritis,” Prince says. What does good posture look like? When standing, your ears should be in line with your shoulders, which should be in line with your hips, which should then be in line with your knees, which will be in line with your ankles. And when seated, it’s ears over shoulders over hips. Set a reminder on your phone to check your posture during the day.

YOUR ANTI-ARTHRITIS SHOPPING BASKET

Take out:

SATURATED FAT

Found in red meat and other foods, this fat raises cholesterol linked with cartilage damage in people with osteoarthritis.

SUGAR

Refined sugar, found in lollies and other treats, can cause the body to release cells that increase inflammation.

SALT

Too much salt wreaks havoc on our joints by attracting water to our cells. This makes already swollen joints even worse.

Put in:

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FOODS

Anti-inflammatory foods keep joints in good shape. Add salmon, leafy greens (spinach, kale), berries, red grapes, kidney beans, cinnamon, olives, olive oil, watermelon, capsicum, avocado, dark chocolate, wholegrain bread and walnuts into your weekly shopping basket.

7-DAY ANTI-ARTHRITIS EATING PLAN

MONDAY

Breakfast: Porridge with skim milk. Sprinkle blueberries, walnuts and cinnamon on top for a nutrient boost.

Snack: Watermelon cubes with low-fat Greek yoghurt.

Lunch: Garden salad with chopped roast turkey and sprinkled with quinoa, walnuts and apple.

Snack: Small handful trail mix with dark chocolate pieces.

Dinner: Brown rice with chicken, haloumi cheese, peas, corn and brussels sprouts.

TUESDAY

Breakfast: Two slices of wholegrain toast with spinach, tomato, avocado and ricotta, sprinkled with mixed seeds.

Snack: Celery sticks with peanut butter or low-fat cream cheese.

Lunch: Pork fillet with a rocket, pear, parmesan and walnut salad.

Ginger has been known to help ease arthritis for some.

Snack: Vegetable sticks with hummus.

Dinner: Wholegrain pasta with salmon, olives, capsicum, pine nuts and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast: Two poached or fried eggs with salmon and spinach on wholegrain toast.

Snack: One serve of cottage cheese sprinkled with walnuts, berries and red grapes.

Lunch: Toasted cheese, tomato and avocado sandwich on wholegrain bread.

Snack: Small tub low-fat Greek yoghurt with mixed berries sprinkled on top.

Dinner: Nicoise salad with tuna fillet, boiled egg, potatoes, green beans and olives.

THURSDAY

Breakfast: Seasonal fruit salad topped with low-fat Greek yoghurt, cinnamon, nuts and seeds.

Snack: Apple slices with nut butter.

Lunch: Asparagus quiche with Greek salad.

Snack: Avocado and tomato on two wholegrain crackers.

Dinner: Beef stew (with barley is best), and two slices wholegrain toast topped with melted parmesan.

FRIDAY

Breakfast: Smoothie made with skim milk, mixed berries, honey and rolled oats.

Snack: Mixed melon salad with low-fat custard.

Lunch: Vegetable soup (with kidney beans is best) and a slice of wholegrain toast.

Snack: Vegetable sticks with hummus.

Dinner: Tofu and cashew stir-fry with rice noodles and colourful vegetables.

SATURDAY

Breakfast: Buckwheat pancakes* with blueberries, low-fat Greek yoghurt and cinnamon (*replace plain flour with buckwheat flour).

Snack: Small handful trail mix with dark chocolate pieces.

Lunch: Salmon fillet with sweet potato and a mix of colourful steamed vegetables.

Snack: Cheese and tomato on two wholegrain crackers.

Dinner: Lamb and vegetable kebabs with a couscous salad, sprinkled with raisins and nuts.

SUNDAY

Breakfast: Poached or fried eggs with salmon and spinach on two slices of wholegrain toast.

Snack: Avocado and tomato on two wholegrain crackers.

Lunch: Tofu and cashew stir-fry with rice noodles and colourful vegetables.

Snack: Seasonal fruit salad with low-fat Greek yoghurt, cinnamon, nuts and seeds on top.

Dinner: Pork chops with cranberry sauce, green beans and sweet potato mash (with low-fat cheese mixed through).

CAN NATURAL REMEDIES HELP?

There’s scientific evidence to suggest these old-time fixes can ease arthritic symptoms:

FISH OIL

EVIDENCE: STRONG

The Arthritis Foundation cites a 2010 meta-analysis which found that fish oil significantly decreased joint tenderness and stiffness in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) sufferers and “preliminary studies indicate it may have a similar effect on osteoarthritis” (OA). A 2005 study of people with RA showed enhanced positive effects when fish oil supplements were used in combination with olive oil. Check the label for dosages.

Turmeric

EVIDENCE: LIMITED

Turmeric is the least studied of these natural remedies so more research is needed. Studies do show, however, that curcumin, found in turmeric, may help prevent inflammation in people with RA and knee OA.

Rosehip

EVIDENCE: MODERATE

The Australian Family Physician journal reports that powdered rosehip can significantly reduce pain in the hip, knee, hand, shoulder or neck for people with OA. It may provide modest benefits for patients with RA, but more research is needed.

Ginger

EVIDENCE: MODERATE

More data is needed, but a study published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatology found that taking 6000mg of dried ginger daily minimised OA-induced joint pain and inflammation in two thirds of sufferers.