Foods That Aggravate Your Joints
Bad food choices do more than make you fat and clog arteries – they can cause inflammation of your joints as well.
In my San Diego Chiropractic clinic I try to instill the importance of a healthy diet to my patients all the time. The obvious case for eating healthy is that a poor diet typically causes weight gain which increases the stress on your joints eventually leading to irritation, inflammation, pain and swelling. The stress from carrying extra weight also makes injuries such as sprain / strains more likely.
There are still more reasons for eating a healthier diet – as it turns out, there are many foods that directly aggravate joint problems by contributing to the inflammatory process. Some of these foods that you should avoid are listed below. Avoiding these foods will have a beneficial effects on your joints.
1) Red Meat – Red meat can cause or contribute to the development of a host of arthritic processes including rheumatoid arthritis and gout. If the meat is not organic and steroid free it can also contribute to a variety of health problems.
2) Dairy Products – Many adults are either lactose intolerant or have other allergic reactions to dairy products. Allergic responses trigger the release of histamines which cause inflammation. The products of inflammation put pressure on the surrounding muscles and ligaments causing pain.
3) Saturated Fat – Consumption of saturated fat is a main source of weight gain and it has inflammatory properties. Saturated fat can both cause weight gain which stresses the joints and produce inflammation. Butter, cheese, fatty meats, and more all contain high levels saturated fat. Saturated fats are of course also linked to high cholesterol and increased risk of heart disease.
4) Caffeine – Caffeine is a stimulant that increases overall metabolic activity. As far as a direct link to contributing to joint pain or any specific type of arthritic process, there are no definitive studies. However, there is considerable anecdotal evidence that suggests that caffeine can aggravate joint pain. As a nation, we consume an abundance of caffeine, it is found in chocolate, coffee, tea, soda and energy drinks. If you are suffering from joint pain, it would be a worthwhile experiment to cut out the caffeine for a few weeks to see if it is affecting you.
The link between a healthy diet and chiropractic care is clear. Cleaning up your diet will make you healthier, probably happier and may help resolve some or most of your joint pain. As a chiropractor who works with joint pain daily, I am familiar with the joint pain cycle that leads to inactivity, joint pain / stiffness and weight gain. It is a vicious cycle that requires dietary changes that include both eating healthy foods and eliminating the intake of unhealthy foods.
Yours in Good Health,
Dr. Steve Jones
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(619) 280-0554
