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Is Your Diet Causing Muscle And Joint Pain?

By Susan Brady, MPT | November 6, 2015

Muscle and joint inflammation and pain is caused by a myriad of things. One such thing that has been proven to have a detrimental impact on the overall health of our muscles and joints is an over consumption of sugar. Simple dietary changes can help to reduce this inflammation and pain.

Diet away your pain!

REDUCE SUGARS

  • Especially reduce high fructose corn syrup which is a highly concentrated sugar. Read labels for hidden sugars. The World Health Association (WHO) recommends adults and children reduce their daily intake of added sugars to less than 10% of their total calorie intake. It is believed that a reduction to below 5%, or roughly 25 grams per day, will even provide additional health benefits.

YIKES! A 12OZ CAN OF COKE HAS 39 GRAMS OF SUGAR!

EAT MORE FISH

  • Eat more fish such as mackerel, salmon, tuna, and sardines. These fish contain potent omega-3 fatty acids that help to reduce inflammation.

EAT HEALTHY FATS

  • Healthy fats have anti-inflammatory properties
  • Olives & olive oil
  • Coconuts & coconut oil
  • Avocados
  • Organic pastured egg yolks
  • Raw nuts like pecans and almonds
  • Butter made from raw grass-fed organic milk

EAT FOODS RICH IN MAGNESIUM, POTASSIUM, AND CALCIUM

  • Magnesium rich foods: almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, green leafy vegetables, and beans
  • Calcium rich foods: collard greens, kale, sardines with bones, yogurt, and ricotta cheese
  • Potassium rich foods: sweet potatoes, white beans, spinach, and dried apricots

EAT FOODS RICH IN ANTIOXIDANTS

  • Fruits with the highest antioxidant content include blueberries, black currants, wild strawberries, cranberries, acai & goji berries s
  • Vegetables with the highest antioxidant content include artichokes, spinach, kale, red & green chili peppers, red cabbage, and red beets
  • Nuts with the highest antioxidant content include pecans, walnuts, and almonds

ADDITIONAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FOODS TO COMPLETE YOUR DIET

  • Garlic has been shown to work similarly to NSAID pain medications (like Ibuprofen) by shutting off the pathways that lead to inflammation
  • Onions contain a compound called quercetin which helps stabilize the cells that release histamine, creating an anti-inflammatory effect
  • Berries contain anthocyanins which have anti-inflammatory property
    • – Red raspberry extract helped to prevent animals from developing arthritis
    • – Blueberry help protect against intestinal inflammation and ulcerative colitis
    • – Women who eat more strawberries showed lower levels of CRP in their blood

Avoiding high sugar foods and incorporating foods which contain nutrients that will help to calm inflammation can help with joint pain and so much more!

About The Authors

Susan Brady, MPT

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