Dietary Help for Osteoarthritis
Loanne Allen B.Sc., Grad. Dip. Diet & Nutr., MDAA

Stress reduction and a good diet are an important part of caring for arthritis

What To Do!
1) Eat a diet high in complex carbohydrates and dietary fibre – whole grain bread, high fibre cereals, brown rice and whole grain crackers. Limit white products, such as white bread, crumpets, pancakes, white pasta/noodles etc.
2) Eat 3 serves of fresh fruits and at least 5 serves of vegetables/salads daily
(1 serve = ½ cup cooked or 1 cup raw)
3) Eat more essential fats found in nuts and oily fish. Omega-3 fats are particularly important and are found in oily fish such salmon, mackerel, sardines and herring, soy products, soy bean oil, walnuts, canola oil and linseed. Try eating at least 1 serve of omega-3 rich foods daily.
4) Avoid saturated fats and trans fatty acids, found in animal fats, coconut, palm oil and heated oils.
5) Eat a low to moderate fat diet, but one that is low in animal fats and proportionately rich in good fatty acids, such as the omega 3’s mentioned above, and also gamma linolenic acid (found in black currant seed oil, borage oil and evening primrose oil).
6) Eat Calcium Rich foods – at least 4 serves daily from the following dairy products or calcium enriched soy products (1 serve = 1 cup light milk, 200g tub yoghurt, 40g light cheese or 1 cup custard)
7) Eat Soy products daily – at least 3 serves (1 serve = 1 cup soy beverage, 1 cup soy beans, 100g tofu, 200g soy yoghurt, 100g soy custard, 2 slices soy & linseed bread, 1 cup soy flakes or 1 soy burger)
8) Avoid Caffeine, Alcohol and Tobacco
9) Eat a diet rich in Vitamin C (200mg daily), Vitamin E (400mg daily) and Selenium (300ug daily).
10) Keep active and drink at least 8 glasses of water daily


Note: Boron apparently plays a role in the retention of calcium and also positively stimulates hormonal factors for both men and women, contributing to healthy bones" Boron-rich foods include alfalfa, lettuce, peas, cabbage, apples, dates, prunes, raisins, almonds and hazelnuts. Sulfur and methionine-containing foods such as legumes, cabbage, brussel sprouts, garlic and onions are also beneficial.

An elimination/rotation diet may be used under supervision. The most common offenders in foods that are thought to increase arthritis include dairy products, refined foods, meat, citrus fruits and nightshade foods (tomatoes, white potatoes, eggplant, and peppers) and margarine. The nightshade foods are alkaloids that can increase inflammation and inhibit collagen repair; they also contain a toxic substance called solanine that triggers reactions in people, and should be avoided.