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Extra pounds place excess wear and tear on joints and ligaments. Hundreds of diet plans exist to help you lose weight: ignore them all. The healthiest and most important step towards eliminating unnecessary fat from your body is to eat a balanced diet in moderation, and become more active. Using the Eat to Beat Arthritis Diet as your guide, choose foods that suit you best and enjoy them in small portions until your weight has reached an ideal level.
Serve yourself whenever possible (other people always give you more than you need), and only put on your plate what you intend to eat. Do not have second helpings. If you would usually take two tablespoons of peas, take only one. If you usually enjoy a full bowl of soup, ladle out half a bowl as your diet portion. For the good health of your heart and vascular system, cut the amount of butter and animal fat in your diet to the smallest possible amounts, and use only half the oil you would usually use on salads and in cooking. Eat smaller portions and eat more slowly to enjoy the full flavour of your food. There are two exceptions to the rule on eating less. Among the foods you will enjoy on the Eat to Beat Arthritis Diet are liver and a nutritious Health Drink. Do not reduce your intake of either of these foods. (Gout sufferers must eliminate the liver, however. See here (#litres_trial_promo).)
If you are trying to lose weight, it is essential to add some extra exercise to your daily routine to burn off unwanted calories. Housework and walking to the shops are not enough.
If you smoke, try to stop. The health evidence against smoking tobacco is overwhelming. Smokers dislike hearing people drone on about this, but the effects of smoke on your body are worth keeping in mind when you are committed to improving your health. As all those massively expensive anti-smoking campaigns tell us, the link between smoking and certain forms of cancer is obvious, but smoking causes other damage as well. There is evidence that the damaging levels of free radicals released in the body by cigarette smoke increases inflammation, and thus increases the level of pain associated with arthritis.
Enjoy gentle exercise
Many of the causes of joint and muscle pain and discomfort should be eliminated or reduced by following the Eat to Beat Arthritis Diet. However, you also need to keep active to keep your body at its best, especially if you need to lose weight.
The choice of exercise activities is rich and varied. All you need to do is choose one and give it a try. If your first choice does not suit you, try another, and another, until you find one that you enjoy. Add at least three exercise sessions to your weekly routine. Include gentle stretching at both the start and conclusion of each session. No matter how old or unfit you are, visit the local gym and see if they offer anything that would interest you. Alternatively, contact local community and church groups to see if they offer activities that would get your blood pumping. You’ll be surprised by the variety of activities available. For example, line dancing seems to be all the rage for every age these days, and some of the less strenuous martial arts both strengthen the body and calm the mind.
Remember, talk with your doctor before beginning any new exercise or sporting activity. He or she will probably applaud your decision to get out and get moving.
Good forms of exercise include walking, swimming and stretching. Gardening is also valuable exercise as it promotes joint health by stretching and placing gentle pressure on muscles surrounding joints in the arms, legs, hips and back.
Pain may be increased when you first start exercising, but you will soon ‘work through’ that as your stiff joints regain their flexibility. Exercise unlocks stiff joints and tissues. How many times have you heard someone say, ‘I was so stiff this morning I thought I wouldn’t be able to get out of bed; but once I got moving everything was fine.’ You have probably had this same experience, and know that movement is a large part of keeping stiff limbs and muscles active.
To conquer the pain of arthritis, you should gently and repeatedly move the joints and tissues that hurt. By doing so, you strengthen the muscles that support the tissues, stimulate normal bone growth, and stimulate the circulation to the inflamed area. Remember, if you reduce your level of daily activity because you are afraid of the pain and discomfort that accompanies movement, you are going to lose more muscle strength and fail to stimulate normal bone growth.
Yoga and Pilates are two excellent exercise disciplines. Both stretch and strengthen muscles, but in their elementary forms neither one pushes or pulls muscles into extreme positions or activity. As relaxation is a principal goal in the practice of yoga, it has special value for arthritis sufferers. Yoga originated in India about three thousand years ago, and is based on physical control and relaxation. The practice has become increasingly popular over the past several decades, and many forms of movement and self-training have evolved. To learn more about yoga, visit your local library for books on the subject. Also, shop around to see what programmes are available in your area. Yoga is often offered in community and adult education centres.
Pilates is a form of exercise and body control developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 1900s. Born in Germany in 1880, Pilates was sickly and frail as a child, and as a result became obsessed by physical fitness. By the time the Great War broke out in Europe, Pilates was in England, teaching detectives self-defence. As a German, he was interned for the duration of the conflict. While in the camp he devised a regime of exercises for his fellow internees that maintained their health and fitness level while they were held in confinement. Not one of these people died during the influenza outbreak of 1918, and Pilates often claimed this was due to the exercise programme he developed. (There may be some truth in this, as we now know that exercise strengthens the immune system.)
After the war Joseph Pilates returned to Germany and began working with dancers and others who sought perfection in body form, flexibility and balance. When asked to begin work with the German army, Pilates refused and fled to America. On the boat he met a nursery teacher whom he later married. Together they established a fitness studio in New York, where dancers, athletes and members of top society soon became his clients. His devoted followers have included Martha Graham, Gregory Peck, Katharine Hepburn, Jodie Foster, Michael Crawford, Joan Collins and Sigourney Weaver. Tennis professional Pat Cash and world champion ice skating star Kristi Yamaguchi are among the athletes who have profited from Joseph Pilates’ teaching. His methods are now taught around the world.
The Pilates method differs from other fitness programmes in the way the exercises are approached. Like yoga, it binds the activities of the mind with those of the body, making the mental perception of the body as important as physical movement. As in yoga, the three main elements of each exercise are relaxation, control and co-ordination. Pilates differs from yoga in one important way, however: the Girdle of Strength, that is the internal cage of muscles that supports and holds the body’s internal organs in place, is tightened and used in every exercise practised. So too are the multifidous muscles, which stabilize the lumbar spine. By building power and flexibility into these often overlooked muscle groups, Pilates uniquely contributes to the physical fitness of sufferers of innumerable physical ailments and injuries.
For more about Pilates and how it can help you, browse in your local library and bookshop for more information. Also contact community and fitness centres to see what they have to offer in the way of basic courses.
Get adequate sleep
Insomnia affects the ability to concentrate and increases the awareness of pain and discomfort. If you have trouble sleeping, you are not alone. According to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, more than 100 million people in the United States do not get a good night’s sleep on a regular basis. Tired people have slower reaction times, are less productive and are less likely to interact with others in a positive manner. Like everyone else, arthritis sufferers should do all they can to maximize their chances of sleeping for eight hours a night. Here are some tips on what you can do to help you deal with this insidious problem.
First, however, what is insomnia? According to the Mayo Clinic, in the United States, these are some signs to watch out for:
It takes longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep
You wake several times during the night
You wake up feeling muddled and tired
You fall asleep during meetings and daytime events
You are forgetful.
Dr Peter Hauri, Director of the Mayo Clinic Insomnia Program, suggests that answers to the following questions may help determine why you have sleep problems:
Do you feel anxious when you are getting ready for bed?
Do you argue with your spouse or partner in bed?
Do you worry about the next day’s tasks when you are trying to fall asleep?
Do you keep checking the time on a bedside clock?
Do you sleep better on holiday, or at a friend’s house, than when you are in your own bed at home?
Do you try to force yourself to go to sleep?
If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions you should take action.
Dr John W. Shepard Jr, M.D., Medical Director of the Mayo Clinic Sleep Disorders Center, has offered the following tips on how to get the full eight hours of sleep we all need each night. Remember, however, that what works for one person may not work for another. Try one or two of the following suggestions at a time until you find the combination that is right for you.
Avoid caffeine and nicotine. Both are addictive stimulants that can interfere with sleep. (Remember that on the Eat to Beat Arthritis Diet, neither caffeine nor cigarettes are permitted.)
Exercise, preferably in the afternoon.
Watch what you eat and drink. Fatty and spicy foods may cause heartburn that disturbs sleep.
Avoid drinking alcohol before going to bed; it may cause you to snore or get up during the night. (You should be avoiding it anyway while on the Eat to Beat Arthritis Diet.)
If you must have a midnight snack, eat foods rich in the amino acid L-tryptophan, which triggers the release of serotonin in the brain. Good snacks include a glass of milk (warm or cold, as you prefer) or a tuna or turkey sandwich.
Make sure the room is cool before going to bed, but have enough bedding to keep your body warm. Warm hands and feet encourage sleep.
Avoid naps. Save your sleep for night-time.
Enjoy stillness. Leave the radio and television off. If external noises disturb you use earplugs.
Use your bed only for sleeping and sex. Watch television somewhere else.
Set a sleep schedule. Try to go to bed and get up at the same time each day. Remember that a lazy Sunday morning in bed after a night out can mean a restless night ahead.
Do not fret if you cannot go to sleep immediately. After a time, get up and do something else, like reading a good book. Then try again.
Learn to relax
Learn to unwind and let the world pass by. Use techniques like yoga and meditation to help release you from internal tension.
A hot bath or shower will relax you. Gently massage the area around inflamed joints. Try using herbal bath products that make you relax.
Many people who are disabled or slowed in their daily activities by pain become obsessive about what they cannot do. If this sounds familiar, then concentrate on what you can do, and do not be afraid to ask others for help to take care of the rest. It isn’t easy, but it is necessary. If, for example, you are used to keeping your home and garden immaculate and can no longer do so, you need to admit that this is the case and take steps to reduce or spread the load. Decide which chores can be reduced in frequency, which can be turned over to someone else and which can simply be ignored. You may have ironed your bed linen – even your underwear – for many years but is it really necessary?
Have a good laugh
Laughter and a positive attitude are powerful medicines to be taken in large and frequent doses. When someone is in pain or discomfort they have a tendency to turn emotionally inwards. Before they know what has happened, the pain is worse. And as the pain gets worse, they withdraw into themselves. Laughter brings out the best in people. Let it lift you when those aching joints are getting you down.
To brighten your spirit:
Enjoy films and videos that you know will make you laugh, even if you have seen them before. Read a book with a positive message. Better still, read a book of jokes or amusing short stories. I know a lovely elderly gentleman who reads Harry Potter to forget his gouty feet.
Call a friend who makes you laugh. Avoid all talk of illness and pain; just enjoy a good chat.
Write a letter to someone you love. Tell them about all the funny and happy things that you can remember happening during the past week.
Part Two The Facts About Arthritis and Diet (#ulink_17db660e-370b-59e7-96d0-bab4432125f5)
Chapter 1 About arthritis (#ulink_9fad8ba8-dd59-51e3-8189-dcf3e4d57185)
The aim in this part of the book is to get you started on the Eat to Beat Arthritis Diet. After basic information about arthritis in several of its more common forms you will read about food and diet, and how they affect inflammatory illnesses.
Coming from ‘arthron’, the Greek word for joint, arthritis literally means ‘inflammation of the joint’. It may surprise you to know that about 200 different illnesses, all causing degeneration of joints and soft tissues, are classified as arthritis. Millions of people around the world suffer from some form of this illness, and in the United Kingdom one quarter of all visits to the doctor relate to its symptoms.
Although there are a surprising number of different types of arthritis, the great majority of people suffer from either osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis vary in their degree of severity, ranging from very mild discomfort to crippling. As you would expect, those with milder forms of these conditions will experience a greater degree of healing on this diet than those who have already suffered a major deterioration of joints. However, everyone should improve, and many will experience a return to normal activity.
Osteoarthritis is due to ‘wear and tear’ on joints, and most people beyond the age of 65 are affected to some degree. Athletes, or people involved in vocations that repeatedly use one or more joints – such as dancers and typists – may begin suffering from signs of arthritis at a relatively young age. Osteoarthritis may co-exist with other forms of arthritis, especially rheumatoid arthritis. It frequently occurs in the weight-bearing joints of the knees, hips and feet. Bony lumps, called ‘nodes’ sometimes form on the ends of finger bones, causing a gnarled, enlarged appearance. Stress, wear and tear can also cause slow deterioration of the discs between the spinal vertebrae, leading to pain and stiffness in the neck and back.
Heat and redness around an affected joint is common, and cold packs help dull the sensation of pain during the early part of an attack. Warm packs relax muscles surrounding joints, and are effective after acute pain has subsided. Remove warm packs after 10 minutes.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease involving the immune system. About three times as many women as men are affected. It is thought that some factor in the environment triggers an abnormal immune response in the joints. Many experts agree that specific foods may trigger inflammation. Unfortunately, not every case of rheumatoid arthritis responds to the same stimulus, and it is necessary to identify the specific food, or foods, that affect an individual.
Rheumatoid arthritis begins gradually with aching and stiffness. At first it may involve only one joint, but soon spreads to others, tending to affect the same joint on both sides of the body. Small lumps under the skin may appear around the elbows. Sufferers may get very tired, but experience a great deal of difficulty sleeping. A minority of sufferers will experience other symptoms, including skin rash and ulceration, enlargement of lymph nodes, and inflammation of tissues around the lungs and heart.
Bearing all this information in mind, just how does the Eat to Beat Arthritis Diet work? Its success relies on three objectives. The first is to eliminate from the diet all foods that trigger, or aggravate, abnormal inflammation in the joints and tissues. The second is to reduce the symptoms by supplying the body with nutrients known to strike at the stiffness, swelling and aching caused by inflammation. Many scientists believe that free radicals are a primary factor in causing inflammation, and foods used in the diet are rich sources of natural antioxidants that block inflammation. The third objective is to supply, through both food and dietary supplements, substances that help rebuild the internal components of joints destroyed by wear and tear.
Now that you know how the diet works, the following chapter will explain which foods are best for success.
Gout is a form of arthritis caused by a build-up of waste products in the blood. For more detailed information about it clickhere (#litres_trial_promo). For more detailed information on all forms of arthritis clickhere (#litres_trial_promo).
Chapter 2 Food, supplements and medication (#ulink_d64d8da0-3627-5be1-b13d-e33ee68aee52)
‘People are more easily convinced of the power of magic, than convinced of the healing power of nutrition.’
The above statement – one I often use to open seminars – is, sadly, very true. Yet you can halt the pain of arthritis by changing the way you eat. In most cases, the difference will be so great it will change your life forever. All that is required for this transformation is the knowledge of which foods to avoid and which to enjoy, and a commitment to staying on the diet long enough to experience its benefits. Once you have experienced the improvement it brings about you will be very reluctant to return to your old ways. The path to success is not easy, however. You will be giving up foods and drinks that are part of most people’s daily lives – for example, coffee, alcohol, bacon, bread and sugary sweets. These changes will be easier if you understand why they are necessary. Use this book as your guide, and you will soon find that you feel better, look better and no longer crave the foods that trigger the pain that once overshadowed your life.
Several years ago a group of women attending a community meeting about nutrition were asked for a show of hands as to how many agreed with the statement: eliminating a single food from the diet can change a person’s health. Less than a third agreed. During the discussion that followed, some people were slightly amused by the question: after all, they ate a ‘healthy’ diet, how could that do them harm? When asked to describe a ‘healthy diet’, it was generally agreed that a healthy diet consisted of foods they ‘had always eaten’. In fact, none of us eats ‘what we have always eaten’. Differences in food production and processing – along with changing cultural influences – have subtly reshaped both the content and nutritional value of the food we eat. A healthy diet entails eating a high proportion of fresh fruits and vegetables, pulses, grains and nuts, and a modest amount of meat.
Many consumers are confused by all the dietary advice provided in the media these days. What should we listen to: old advice that we have followed for years; or new opinions still untested by time? Listen to both, and then ask yourself which makes good sense. If promises made for a wonder food sound too good to be true, they probably are. If someone tells you that a special diet will help control an illness, ask why and how it works. That is why you should take time to read all the information in this book, rather than just trying the recipes. You need to become familiar with your enemy in order to beat it.
Do eggs dangerously increase levels of blood cholesterol? The answer to this question is an example of how conflicting information about the health value of a food arises. Until the medical community became convinced that high levels of blood cholesterol were a significant risk factor in coronary artery disease, eggs were looked upon as a safe and healthy food, ideal for all the family – including infants and the infirm. Then came the theory that the cholesterol contained in foods, such as egg yolk, increases the level of blood cholesterol. As a result, people were advised to reduce their intake of eggs to as few as two per week. Recently, scientific research has established that the cholesterol contained in eggs has very little effect on blood cholesterol: saturated fats, such as those found in red meat, are the culprits. Eggs contain a far lower percentage of saturated fat than a portion of cheese of equal weight and, when enjoyed in moderation, they are an easy-to-eat food, high in the protein and vitamins our bodies need. Produced by free-range hens fed on grain and free of infection, eggs are a welcomed part of breakfast, lunch or dinner. You will see in Parts Three and Four that eggs are very much a part of the Eat to Beat Arthritis Diet.
Basic nutrition
Food is the essential link between your body and the rest of the living world. For optimum health, there is no substitute for a diet based on leafy vegetables, root vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, grains and various forms of meat. Eat food in a form as close to its natural state as possible: fresh, raw or lightly cooked, unsalted and without artificial flavours, colours and preservatives. That way, you will be giving your body the nutrients it requires.
Plants contain natural compounds that have healing properties. Ginger, for example, is not only a good source of B-vitamins, magnesium and zinc, but also contains a substance that helps control nausea. Chilli peppers contain a substance that fights pain. (More examples are found here (#u1c52ad55-880a-41b0-bf49-f72d0e29d79e).) So to get the most from your diet, include a wide range of foods from plants, and vary what you eat.
A balanced diet contains a healthy combination of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. It may surprise you to know that international experts recommend a diet containing about 50 per cent carbohydrate, 30 per cent fat and 20 per cent protein. The healthiest carbohydrates come from grains, root vegetables and fruits. Sources of protein should be as low-fat as possible. Red meat (muscle) and full-fat milk products are high in saturated fats, which should be limited to no more than 10 per cent of the total calories consumed. Organ meats such as liver and kidney are relatively low in saturated fats, as are tofu and other plant-protein products.
It is widely believed that fats are bad for us, and that all fats should form a minimal part of a healthy diet. This is not true. Our bodies need fat, and deficiencies in certain fats lead to illness. Fats are a compact source of stored energy. They also aid the absorption of vitamins A, D and E from the gut, and form important parts of cell membranes, hormones and messenger molecules in the body. For good health, enjoy oils obtained from plants, and oily fish. These provide healing substances that people suffering from arthritis need to help fight pain. More is said about this when the omega-3 fatty acids, like those found in fish oil, are discussed. (See here (#litres_trial_promo) and here (#litres_trial_promo).)
If you are a vegetarian, ensure you eat at least one meal a day that combines grain and one or more pulses; for example, rice and beans. All the amino acids (protein building blocks) needed by the human body are found in plants, but not in the combination required by the human body. The amino acids we must obtain from our diet are called essential amino acids, and must be supplied in the same meal. More in-depth information can be found here (#litres_trial_promo).
Vegetarians may not benefit from this diet as much as people who eat meat because they will not benefit from the healing properties of liver.
Foods that harm
Things we eat may cause harm in several ways:
Some may contain a toxic substance that, eaten in excess, can create metabolic problems in your body.
Some may trigger an allergic reaction.
Some may cause food sensitivity.
Some may aggravate inflammation.
Here are some examples:
Arthritis sufferers, and people concerned about the health of their bones, should be aware that rhubarb contains oxalic acid, which inhibits the body’s ability to absorb calcium and iron from other foods. (The acid is concentrated in the leaves, which are poisonous and should never be eaten.) Rhubarb aggravates gout and rheumatoid arthritis, and may even cause an attack if eaten in excess. It may also increase the risk of kidney stones in some patients. If you cook rhubarb, do not use aluminium pans, as the acid juice dissolves aluminium from the surface, leaving it in the food for you to eat. Aluminium may be harmful to the body. Rhubarb is not the only plant containing oxalic acid. Smaller amounts are found in spinach, sorrel and chocolate.
Certain foods can trigger an allergic reaction – some people are allergic to nuts, for example. Seafood, especially lobster and prawns, may also cause problems.
This is a good opportunity to talk about the difference between an allergic reaction and food sensitivity (also known as food intolerance). These two conditions are frequently confused.
An allergic reaction is a serious matter that has immediate consequences. It is caused when the body’s immune system has built up antibodies to one or more substances in a particular food. Symptoms include hives (urticaria), severe breathing difficulty, rash, swelling of the tongue and throat, and – in extreme cases – shock and death. Tingling of the lips and mouth after eating a particular food is a sign that an allergy to a particular food may be developing. If you experience such a response to a specific food, obviously it is prudent to avoid it.
Food sensitivity, or intolerance, is far less dramatic, but can cause serious symptoms that may vary from person to person. Migraine headaches, nausea, indigestion, eczema, stomach upset and hyperactivity have all been linked with food sensitivity. Symptoms do not appear with the speed seen in allergic reactions, and it is frequently difficult to identify the exact cause of the problem. In order to identify which food is causing the symptoms, an elimination diet is usually necessary.
For a few days the sufferer is placed on a diet based on foods known to cause little, if any, intolerance. This gives the body time to rid itself of substances that may be causing the problem. Following this rest period, other foods are introduced one at a time. Most will cause no recurrence of symptoms, and thereafter can be safely added to the diet. As more foods are introduced, almost inevitably one new item will cause symptoms to reappear. When this occurs, the culprit (or one of them) has been identified and the person on the exclusion diet will know to avoid that food in the future.
The Eat to Beat Arthritis Diet includes an elimination diet that should help you identify your sensitivity to foods that can trigger, or increase, the painful inflammation of arthritis.
Certain foods known to cause sensitivity are eliminated from the Eat to Beat Arthritis Diet. These are:
ALL PRODUCTS MADE WITH WHEAT AND OTHER GRAINS CONTAINING THE PROTEIN GLUTEN (RYE, BARLEY AND OATS)
More is said about this later (see here (#litres_trial_promo)). For the moment, however, you need only be aware that gluten is often the cause of health problems ranging from migraine headaches to coeliac disease – a debilitating condition characterized by diarrhoea, bloating, and even anaemia. Coeliac disease can cause serious problems in some people, and even mimic the symptoms of certain forms of cancer.
Cutting out gluten will improve your general health and nutritional status. It will also help control the inflammation that causes much of the pain of arthritis.
ALL FOOD AND DRINK CONTAINING CAFFEINE
Some experts believe that caffeine increases the swelling and pain of inflammation. Many people find that removing this one source of trouble from their diet dramatically improves their life.
ALL PROCESSED FOODS, INCLUDING SALTED AND PRESERVED MEATS
