Arthritis is a condition which affects joints and bones, depending on the type other areas may be affected and quite often deformed by it. The – itis stands for inflammation in the area. There are various types of arthritis. The most common forms are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is one that affects your joints, can cause deformities of the joints and is significantly affected by the type of diet an individual has.

The vegetables in the night shade family particularly has a significant effect on the swelling and tenderness of the joints. The night shade family vegetables include tomatoes, potatoes, green peppers and eggplants. If you do suffer from arthritic type symptoms, and do have family members who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, you may experience some relief by avoiding the night shade family vegetables from your diet for a while. Another factor that may affect the amount of inflammation is how acidic your diet is. The more processed and meaty your diet is, the more acidic the body becomes, which can also impact how much inflammation your body produces.

A diet that is high in green leafy vegetables, good quality fruits and grains will quite often help reduce the inflammation in the body. In practice, I have quite often found food intolerances and mild allergies can also cause quite a bit of inflammation in the body due to histamine release in the blood stream. If you suffer from any type of arthritis, take a look at the following factors:

1. Diet – how is your diet – a weekly diet diary of what you ate and how your joints felt will help you narrow down possible triggers in food.

2. Stress – how stressful is your life and what relaxation techniques are your using to help deal with day to day life and other stressors. REMEMBER – stress is not only work and family related, stress is anything that puts your body out of its normal state of being – this could include mental, emotional, psychological, physiological, environmental and dietary factors.

If you are having difficulty identifying what might be making your symptoms worse, talk to your naturopathic physician or your doctor about possibly looking into other causes that might be affecting you.

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.