Can anti-inflammatory diets really reduce joint pain?

How can certain foods cause joint inflammation? Your body creates “free radicals” as part of its metabolic process, which are highly reactive atoms or molecules. An imbalance of these molecules can occur which is called “oxidative stress” and can lead to chronic inflammation in the body. Antioxidants can neutralize these free radicals that can cause damage and inflammation in the body.

Theoretically, foods that are high in antioxidants MAY be able to reduce joint inflammation, however there has been no high-quality scientific studies to show that chronic neck or back pain can be reduced by anti- inflammatory diets. If you have a condition that causes your joints to flare up, changing your diet might help reduce the numbers or flare-ups you have or take down the pain a few notches and lower your chances of developing other problems.

Here are some of Dr. Nucci's tips to reducing joint pain: 1. Quit smoking 2. Walk/Swim/Exercise 3 times per week for 40 minutes 3. Stretch at least 3 to 4 times per week

‍Tips to maintaining an anti-inflammatory diet:

‍1. Stack up on your fruits and vegetables. Eating 1 serving of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit per day is the ideal recommendation for your diet.

Foods that cause inflammation: - Red meat - Soda - French fries and other fried foods - Margarine - Refined carbs (such as white bread)

Anti-inflammatory foods: - Tomatoes - Olive oil - Green leafy vegetables: broccoli, spinach, kale - Fruits: strawberries, blueberries, cherries, oranges - Nuts: almonds, walnuts

2.Don’t forget your Omega-3! Eating fish twice per week is recommended. You want to eat fatty fish such as: - Mackerel - Anchovies - Salmon - Sardines - Herring

3.Choose healthy fats. Swap out your saturated fats, such as butter and cheese, for unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, walnuts, almonds, and other foods.

4.Steer clear of heavily-processed foods. Foods that are heavily processed are done so they can last longer and are generally unhealthy for you. Avoid commercial baked goods, refined sugars, processed meats (bacon, sausage, ham), and prepackaged meals. If you are experiencing back pain from joint inflammation and have exhausted your conservative care options with no improvement, call Nucci Medical to speak with our board-certified spine surgeon, Dr. Robert Nucci.