How a vegan diet can help reduce arthritis joint pain.

Pain and inflammation are physical problems everyone deals with at some point, but for people with arthritis, it’s an ongoing battle. The term arthritis refers to a broad category of more than 100 chronic conditions that cause pain, stiffness and loss of mobility in one or more joints. According to the CDC, arthritis limits the activities of more than 20 million adults in the United States, making it the nation’s leading cause of disability.

Although there are many forms of arthritis, there is a common thread that runs through almost all of them: inflammation.

In an otherwise healthy body, inflammation serves a vital function in responding to perceived threats to help us fight off infection and heal wounds. Unfortunately, the chemical reaction that causes inflammation can be stimulated by other factors, from the foods we eat to an autoimmune disease like rheumatoid arthritis.

For people living with arthritis, inflammation can not only be caused by the disease, but also compound its effects by causing bone erosion, swollen joint capsules, ligament damage, fluid build-up and muscle weakness over time. Chronic inflammation can also become a major factor leading to diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Can a vegan or plant-based diet help fight arthritis inflammation?

The good news is that nutrition gives us a two-pronged approach to preventing or reducing joint pain. We can choose foods and supplements that have a demonstrated anti-inflammatory effect, and we can also choose to avoid certain foods that are known to cause inflammation.

First, let’s look at some of the usual suspects that are known to ignite inflammation.

Red meat:

Beef, pork and most other meat products derived from mammals are considered red meat, which has been linked to higher risk of diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. High consumption of red meat has been associated with increased inflammation in the body. This is especially true of processed meats such as bacon, ham, salami, pepperoni and hot dogs, which are often salted, cured or fermented to enhance flavor and preservation.

Processed foods:

Saturated fats and refined sugars can increase inflammation in the body and worsen arthritis symptoms. Fast food, packaged snacks and sugary drinks often contain high levels of saturated and trans fats, as well as refined sugars and carbohydrates, which can increase inflammation. People on a vegetarian or vegan diet generally consume saturated fat by replacing animal fats with healthier plant-based fats from things like nuts and seeds, which are more likely to reduce or even prevent an inflammatory response.

Dairy products: 

Some people with arthritis may be sensitive to dairy products and may experience increased inflammation when consuming them.

What plant-based foods have an anti-inflammatory effect?

Adopting a vegan diet by cutting out meat and dairy products alone does not necessarily mean you will experience reduced inflammation and arthritis pain. However, the nutrition choices we make when seeking the most nourishing plant-based diet tend to involve the foods that help fight inflammation. 

A diet of whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables,organic whole grains, legumes, and healthy fats can help reduce inflammation and joint pain associated with arthritis. Sometimes referred to as a Mediterranean-style diet, this combination of foods delivers several components like those listed here:

Omega-3 fatty acids: 

Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties and can help reduce arthritis inflammation. These essential building blocks are found in abundance in fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel, but are also prevalent in flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnuts. Important thing is to balance omega-3 with omega-6 fatty acids. When we have too much processed, damaged omega-6 fats, like from cooking and salad oils, inflammation can start to get out of control. Since the Standard American Diet provides an overabundance of omega-6, it’s important for us to consume foods with plentiful omega-3 to maintain a healthy balance while eliminating common vegetable oils from our diet

Antioxidants: 

Powerful, protective antioxidants are found in many types of fruits and vegetables such as berries, citrus fruits, leafy greens, and bell peppers, as well as extra virgin olive oil. Antioxidants help protect the body from free radicals that can harm bodily tissue and trigger oxidative stress, an inflammatory response that plays a major part in the development of chronic and degenerative ailments, including arthritis. Whole plant foods often have a higher level of antioxidant compounds such as phytochemicals and vitamins that can help reduce inflammation and improve arthritis symptoms. 

Spices and extracts: 

Spices are powerful, concentrated sources of anti-inflammatory compounds that add great flavor to your foods at the same time. Spices like turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, all-spice, cardamom and garam masala and extracts like curcumin, grape seed extract and other natural extracts offer anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce arthritis pain caused by inflammation. Since most people use spices in moderation in their food, most can be found as dietary supplements that help the body obtain and absorb a useful amount.

Probiotics: 

While they aren’t exclusive to a vegan diet, probiotics can help support a healthy digestive system (or “gut”) by promoting a balanced and diverse microbiome along with a healthy, plant-based diet,  Raw vegetables are loaded with beneficial bacteria that don’t easily wash off; they are one of the benefits of eating raw vegetables in the first place.  Our immune system takes cues from our gut when it comes to distinguishing good cells from bad, so in this way, a happy gut can mean happier joints.

Additional benefits of a vegan diet for arthritis

Aside from delivering a variety of anti-inflammatory compounds, a vegan diet can also help relieve arthritis pain and inflammation by promoting weight loss and optimal health. Excess body weight increases stress on weight-bearing joints like knees and hips, and a well-nourished body will be better prepared to activate its miraculous self-healing abilities. 

You don’t have to be a committed vegan to experience the anti-inflammatory power of whole, natural nutrition. The Hallelujah Diet Arthritis Rescue Plan is a carefully curated regimen of nutrient-rich supplements designed to support joint health.

Since everyone’s physical and dietary needs are different, talk to your doctor or dietician when making any significant changes to your diet.

Keeping your joints strong and healthy is a critical component to healthy aging. They're vital to mobility, which is essential to longevity and ultimate wellness. Unfortunately, there are a number of natural occurrences that could lead to weakening joints - age, weight and injury all play a role in how your body develops. Thankfully, however, there are many natural ways to reduce your risk of experiencing cartilage tear that leads to everlasting discomfort and the possible need for replacement surgery. Consider the following tips for taking care of your joints as you age: 1. Exercise accordingly By making time for exercise throughout the week, you can stabilize your joints and protect them from future wear and tear. It's especially important for you to follow an exercise routine as you age, as your body will continue to change as you grow older. To prioritize joints specifically, try muscle-strengthening movements such as light weight training, or target specific joints accordingly, such as the knees, with cycling. It's also critical to stretch and keep your joints moving throughout the day. You shouldn't be sitting, nor standing, from dusk until dawn. If you work on your feet all day, make time to sit down and relax. If you work at a desk, on the other hand, take time to go for a walk every few hours. 2. Maintain a healthy weight Maintaining a regular, healthy weight based on your age and height keeps unnecessary added pressure off of the joints that can tear cartilage and cause permanent damage. Your knees, hips and back are in charge of supporting your body and may have difficulty doing so if you're overweight. Adopting the Hallelujah Diet is the best and healthiest way to lose excess pounds and maintain a healthy weight to reduce joint pressure. 3. Prioritize nutrients that support joint health A healthful, primarily raw, plant-based diet is suggested for taking proper care of your body in all aspects. By prioritizing the right vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, you can properly address and suppress joint inflammation and keep it from surfacing in the future. Avocado oil, safflower oil, walnut oil, cherries, broccoli, citrus fruits and beans offer an abundance of sufficient nutrients to support joint health and keep the rest of the body healthy as well. 4. Consider a joint health supplement Instead of masking the harsh symptoms that come with joint issues, why not address them with a natural, effective supplement? Our Hallelujah Diet Joint Health supplement targets the source of the pain with plant-based ingredients that stop acute inflammation in its tracks while supporting your body's effort to rebuild cartilage and sustain overall wellness. Soon after adding this supplement to your regimen, you'll say goodbye to pain and hello to joint regrowth! For more information on our valuable offerings, search through our database of supplements to aid your body back to health today.

Your overall joint health is very important as joints form the connections between bones and provide support and help you move. While they may seem simple in structure, joints are complicated body parts. Any damage to them due to disease, injury, or an active lifestyle can interfere with your movement and cause significant amounts of pain and a loss of functionality. A lifetime of walking, exercising, playing sports, and simply moving can take a toll on your cartilage—the smooth, rubbery connective tissue covering the ends of bones. The degeneration of cartilage can cause chronic inflammation in the joints, which may lead to arthritis. As reported by WebMD, many different conditions can lead to painful joints, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, bursitis, gout, strains, sprains, and other injuries. Joint pain is widespread. In one national survey, about one-third of adults reported having joint pain within the past 30 days. Knee pain was the most common complaint, followed by shoulder and hip pain, but joint pain can affect any part of your body, from your ankles and feet to your shoulders and hands. Painful joints may become a challenge as you get older. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 30 million adults in the United States suffer from osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis, which is known as degenerative joint disease.

Symptoms Your Joints Might Be Deteriorating

The fundamental causes of joint deterioration are inflammation and cartilage damage brought about by one or more of the risk factors outlined below. Your doctor may closely examine your affected joint to review symptoms, checking for tenderness, swelling or redness, and range of motion as a result, there might be a recommendation for imaging and lab tests and even an x-ray or Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI). The symptoms caused by osteoarthritis often develop slowly and worsen over time:

• Pain: Your joint may hurt during or after movement.
• Tenderness: Your joint may feel tender when you press lightly on it.
• Stiffness: Joint stiffness may be most noticeable when you wake up in the morning or after a period of inactivity.
• Loss of flexibility: You might find you're not able to move your joint through its full range of motion.
• Grating sensation: You may hear or feel a grating sensation when you extend or flex the joint.
• Bone spurs: Small pieces of bone, which feel like hard lumps, may form around the affected joint.

Risk Factors for Joint Problems

Factors that may increase your risk of osteoarthritis and other joint degradation include:

• Older age: The risk of osteoarthritis increases with age.
• Sex: Women are more likely to develop osteoarthritis, though the reasons are not yet understood.
• Obesity: Carrying extra body weight contributes to osteoarthritis by putting added stress on weight-bearing joints, such as your hips and knees. Also, fat tissue produces proteins that may create harmful inflammation in and around your joints.
• Joint injuries: Injuries, such as those that occur when playing sports or resulting from an accident, may increase the risk of osteoarthritis. Even wounds from many years ago that you thought had healed can increase your risk of osteoarthritis.
• Certain occupations: If your job places repetitive stress on a particular joint, that joint may eventually develop osteoarthritis.
• Some people inherit a tendency to develop osteoarthritis.
• Bone deformities. Some people are born with malformed joints or defective cartilage, which can increase the risk of osteoarthritis.

Treatment of Joint Deterioration

While there is no cure for osteoarthritis and other joint conditions, doctors usually treat symptoms with a combination of therapies, many of which most challenging in the beginning. A better place to start before diving into these may be as simple as the Hallelujah Diet® Joint Health Supplement. From the rave reviews of the product, you’ll learn that dozens of users experienced miraculous relief from their pain and joint stiffness. In addition to the supplementation, you could consider the treatment options suggested below by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• Increasing physical activity
• Physical therapy with muscle strengthening exercises
• Weight loss
• Medications, including over-the-counter pain relievers and prescription drugs
• Supportive devices such as crutches or canes
• Surgery (if other treatment options have not been effective)

Management of Pain and Symptoms

To help manage your pain and reduce your symptoms, HealthLine suggests that you might want to try some lifestyle adjustments to make things easier on your joints and bones. These adjustments can improve function, as well as your quality of life, and include:

• Exercise: Low-impact exercise can help strengthen muscles and keep bones healthy. Exercise also improves joint mobility. Avoid heavy-impact activities, such as tennis and baseball, and begin doing more low-impact exercises. Golfing, swimming, yoga, and cycling are all easier on the joints.
• Heat/cold therapy: Apply warm compresses or cold packs to joints when they are sore or painful. Doing this can help relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
• Assistive devices: Using devices such as braces, splints, and canes can help your body support weak joints.
• Rest: Giving painful, sore joints adequate rest can relieve pain and reduce swelling.
• Weight loss: Losing as few as five pounds can help decrease the symptoms of arthritis, especially in large joints like the hips and knees.

Joint Health Outlook

It’s normal that, as you age, you’ll experience some soreness and aching in your joints—especially when you stand, climb stairs, or simply move. However, by making wise lifestyle changes like losing weight, getting light exercise, and regularly supplementing with the Hallelujah Diet® Joint Health Supplement, you’ll be able to live life to the fullest!