Yes, you can eat to help beat JOINT PAIN

Joint pain – now there’s a huge topic. In the text that follows I shall be saying the word arthritis quite a lot! The most common form is osteoarthritis (where a minor injury can spark off a healing process, which leads to fluid, more bone growth, degeneration of cartilage and some nerve endings that won’t behave). Then there’s rheumatoid arthritis (here the immune system affects the joints, causing pain and swelling). Together with gout, these are two examples of inflammatory arthritis.

What steps can we take? Two things need watching – smoking, which affects the density of bones, and alcohol, which can stimulate production of uric acid crystals, making gout so painful.

Keeping our weight down is also going to put less pressure on joints, but minimising certain foods can also help alleviate the condition. You’re all going to roll your eyes, because they’re our old friends – sugar, red meat, processed foods and refined carbs. I can almost feel your despair.

Look, eating purer and – forgive this word – ‘cleaner’ is always going to be better for our health. Swap sugary snacks for nuts – the good fat is a real tonic for the joints. Likewise, oily fish and olive oil will boost skin quality and joints. These are essential fats. Add to that plenty of green veg, pulses and wholegrains and you’ll be giving yourself the best chance of avoiding, or at least managing with less pain, the whole arthritis business.

Some say the nightshade family (tomatoes, potatoes, aubergines and peppers) can aggravate joint pain, but there is very little evidence, although tomatoes may increase uric acid production. Experiment and find out for yourself.

✱ Annie is a fitness coach and creator of the nutrition and fat-loss programme, The 21 Day Blast Plan (theblastplan.com)