Can adjusting my diet help ease arthritis pain?

If you have arthritis, you want to do everything you can to fight painful inflammation. Orthopedic surgeon Vonda Wright, reveals how a smart diet can help tame inflammation to relieve arthritis pain.

Transcript

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Get rid of omega-6 fatty acids. Omega six fatty acids aren't listed on labels,

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but they're abundant in most processed snack foods. [MUSIC PLAYING]

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If you have arthritis, you want to do everything you can to fight painful inflammation.

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Adjusting your diet can help. Consider three strategies. Eat loads of fruits and vegetables.

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They're full of plant substances called phytochemicals that squelch inflammation. Get rid of omega-6 fatty acids.

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Omega-6 fatty acids aren't listed on labels. But they're abundant in most processed snack foods,

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margarine, and anything else made from corn, sunflower, and cottonseed oil.

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Omega-6s could be called pain makers. That's because inflammatory chemicals in your body

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become much more aggressive when you consume far more omega-6s than good omega-3 fatty acids, which

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brings me to the next tip. Eat plenty of omega-3s. Those are found in fish, nuts, and olive and canola oil.

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A healthy diet can also help you lose excess weight. Fat cells release cytokines, chemicals linked

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to pain and inflammation. So losing even a little extra weight can help ease those pains.