It has become widely recognized in the research that the typical Western diet causes inflammation, which leads to arthritis and other chronic inflammatory ailments.
Prof Susan Blum, MD, said this: “Foods typical of the Western diet, such as processed or sugary foods, trigger inflammation. Even seemingly healthy foods, such as eggs and milk, can trigger inflammation in some people.”
Two-step diet (elimination)
It can be complicated to find the problem foods causing inflammation in one’s diet. Many experts suggest the following:
FIRST, begin an elimination diet as a starting point. Follow this for a few weeks. i.e. eat “baseline foods” that rarely cause inflammation in most people. These baseline low-inflammatory foods are, for e.g.:
- leafy greens,
- quinoa,
- sweet potatoes,
- and chicken
SECOND, add other, regular foods back in one at a time, every 3 days (some of which may cause inflammation). This is to test the effect on inflammation and joint pain levels.
What foods to avoid?
The following list of foods are widely believed to be inflammation-causing, and should be avoided in the above elimination diet:
- Gluten, (including all wheat products)
- Dairy
- Soy
- Corn (including chips)
- Eggs (often in baked goods, fried foods, creams & desserts)
- Nightshade vegetables including tomato, potato, eggplant and peppers
- Processed foods
- Refined sugar
- Alcohol
- Red and processed meats
Next steps?
Remember the above is meant to be part of an overall healthy lifestyle, which should include healthy sleep, exercise, weight management, stress management. Consult with your doctor before commencing with any diet, or significant lifestyle change. Chiropractic & physical therapy are excellent adjunct helps managing the pain of arthritis. Reach out to us on 586-725-3100 if you’d like to discuss further.