Suffering from arthritis? Try a veggie curry!

SICK and tired of the often agonising symptoms of arthritis? Well regularly eating a vegetable curry could be a good place to try to start beating them.

A study has found that a diet rich in spices and vegetables can help fight the inflammation which causes joints to swell and stiffen.

Researchers from KIIT University in India also name dried plums, blueberries, olive oil and green tea among the foods which can relieve the symptoms.

Dr Bhawna Gupta, one of the authors, said: ‘Supporting disease management through food and diet does not pose any harmful side effects and is relatively cheap and easy.

‘We believe that an ideal meal can include raw or moderately cooked vegetables... with the addition of spices, seasonal fruits, probiotic yoghurt – all of which are good sources of natural antioxidants and deliver anti-inflammatory effects,’ she said.

A vegetable curry contains several ingredients which the study, published in the journal Frontiers In Nutrition, states may help manage arthritis.

These include ginger and turmeric, which are rich in the ‘phenolic compounds’ that naturally prevent inflammation.

Rheumatoid arthritis, which impacts more than 40,000 people in Ireland, usually affects the hands, wrists and feet, and is a long-term illness. The condition can also cause tiredness.

Dr Natalie Carter of Arthritis Research UK said: ‘Research has shown that maintaining a healthy weight and eating a Mediterranean-style diet can be beneficial for some people.

‘This is why we are investing in research that, for example, looks into the role that gut bacteria plays in the development of rheumatoid arthritis.’

However, she added: ‘We do believe that more needs to be known before recommendations can be made in that area.’

Rheumatoid arthritis, is a longterm illness in which the immune system causes the body to attack itself.

It has increasingly been linked to the action of bone-destroying cells called osteoclasts.

The authors say dried plums could work to fight arthritis by blocking the creation of these cells. Fish oil contains fatty acids, and olive oil contains olcic acid, which both fight painful inflammation in the joints.

A healthy diet can also lower inflammatory cytokines – the chemicals released by the immune system that can cause problems in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Dr Gupta said: ‘Doctors, physicians and dieticians can use our study to summarise current proven knowledge on the links between certain foods and rheumatoid arthritis. The nutrients found in food which tackle arthritis could also be used to develop new medicines, dubbed ‘nutraceuticals’.

She added: ‘Patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis should switch from omnivorous diets, drinking alcohol and smoking to Mediterranean, vegan, elemental or elimination diets, as advised by their doctor or dietician.

‘Knowing the nutritional and medicinal requirements of their patients, they can then tailor this information for the betterment of their health.’

Affects 40,000 people in Ireland