When you are dealing with arthritis of any kind, including osteoarthritis, your diet can help alleviate some of your symptoms. A healthy diet is essential for good overall health, and along with other treatments for your arthritis, alternative therapists recommend that you have a good diet. Besides making sure you have a balanced and healthy diet, taking additional nutrients from supplements is another way to help alleviate some of your arthritis symptoms.
How Omega-3 Fatty Acids Can Help Your Arthritis
When you have some form of an inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, reactive arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis, taking Omega-3 fatty acids, the same found in fish oil, can be helpful to your symptoms. You will need a large amount of the Omega-3 for it to be most effective, so taking a pure, concentrated fish oil supplement is best. If you can find a pure krill oil supplement, these are the hold the most Omega-3.
If you prefer not to take fish oil because you are a vegetarian or it just disagrees with you, you can find other forms of Omega-3 fatty acids in flaxseed oil, walnuts and rapeseed oil. They may not be as beneficial as pure fish oil, however.
Understand that fish liver oil is different than fish oil. It is a good source of vitamins D and A, but be careful because large doses of Vitamin A can be harmful, especially to your unborn baby if you are pregnant. If you have gout, you should not take fish oil because of the high amounts of purine in the oil.
Benefits of Vitamin E for Arthritis Sufferers
Some say that taking a vitamin E supplement is also a beneficial part of your arthritis treatment, as it can prevent damage of your cells in your joints and bones. It may also hold anit0inflammatory properties. Vitamin E is an important part of your diet, especially if you are already taking fish oil. Doses of no more than 400 mg a day are recommended, and you can find several foods that contain vitamin E such as avocados, various nuts, wheat germ, plant oils such as wheat, olive and soy.
Sunflower seeds.
Do we need Selenium
It is common to have a mild deficiency of selenium, and it is suggested that this deficiency can make your arthritis progress faster, but there is a lot of skepticism about this as well. Usually obtained from yeast for medical purposes, selenium is available either on its own in capsule form or as part of a lot of mineral or vitamin supplements.
The Value of Vitamin D
Since most people get a lot of their vitamin D from the sunlight on their skin during the summer, a lack of vitamin D can be seen in winter months. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to soft bones, or osteomalacia and osteoporosis. Currently, the effect of vitamin D supplements on the pain and progression of osteoarthritis in the knees is being evaluated.
Most foods have a low content of vitamin D. The best sources to find this vitamin are in oily fish like salmon, mackerel and herring, and also in eggs. You can find some foods that are fortified with vitamin D such as some cereals, powdered milk and margarine.
The Effects of Glucosamane Sulphate and Chondroitin on Your Osteoarthritis
Although research is mixed, it is suggested that some people can benefit from taking supplements which contain glucosamine sulphate that either has chondroitin or does not for their osteoarthritis. Your cartilage already contains substances that are similar to these supplements, so taking them could help your damaged cartilage.
If you are allergic to shellfish or are a vegetarian, you can take the vegetarian version of this supplement which is now available. If you have diabetes, check with your doctor first before taking these types of supplements, as glucosamine can raise your blood sugar levels. If you are currently taking warfarin, you could also affect your blood's ability to thin, so you need to get regular blood checks and talk with your doctor about taking glucosamine beforehand.
You should give the glucosamine and chondroitin supplements a few months to work to see if your joint pain is improving.
Before taking any supplements, you should speak with your doctor first. When you know which supplements would be safe and beneficial for you to take for your arthritis, you can find them in the Nature's Sunshine page.
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