Dieting & Arthritis

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

Arthritis is a deeply uncomfortable condition. Far too often, we associate arthritis with the elderly, but age is not always a factor in arthritis. I know plenty of people in their twenties and thirties with arthritis ranging from mild to severe.

I, myself, have mild arthritis in my hands. You can help arthritis by paying attention to your diet. The foods you eat, how often you eat as well as the vitamins and minerals you have in your diet. It's important to understand this, because some diets are not conducive to different health conditions like arthritis.

Minerals play a vital role in your ligament, cartilage and bone health. So whatever diet you elect to follow for your lifestyle changes, if you have arthritis, you need to make sure you are getting plenty of the following minerals:

• Calcium - this may seem obvious to most people, but it is vital for your bone strength, density and repairs.
• Zinc - This is a mineral that helps your grow your bones and is often lacking in people with arthritis.
• Boron - A much ignored mineral, it's a trace element that helps to support your bone health.
• Magnesium - This mineral is good for balancing the calcium in your system and that helps to maintain bone strength, repairs and density.
• Copper - Not the wiring in your house - this mineral strengthens the tissues that connect your bones, such as cartilage and ligaments.
• Manganese - Vital for bone growth, but you need to be careful not to conflict it with calcium - they work in opposition to each other.
• Sulfur - Yes, the stinky stuff! This mineral or lack of it, actually, can cause deterioration in your cartilagen, the collagen, the tendons and the ligaments.
• Germanium - More an antioxidant than the other minerals, this one actually provides some relief from pain such as that experienced by arthritis sufferers.

The best source for all of these minerals is dark, leafy green vegetables. Vegetables in general are loaded with minerals. Steaming vegetables seems to be one of the best methods to not only eat vegetables, but also the best way to get the minerals. So whatever diet you choose, if you have arthritis, you need to make sure you get five or more 1/2 cup servings of vegetables a day.

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Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

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