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Can Too Many Carbs and Not Enough Protein Cause Joint Pain?
When it comes to joint pain, what you eat might help. But it's not so much about eating too many carbs and not enough protein, but about getting the right carbs and protein. Consult your doctor or dietitian to help you design a diet that helps you manage your joint pain.
Diet and Inflammation
Diet cannot cure your joint pain, but including foods that help your body fight inflammation might help reduce some of the pain you feel. An anti-inflammatory diet is one that includes fruits and vegetables; omega-3-rich fish; plant sources of protein such as nuts, seeds and beans; and whole grains. You should also limit your intake of saturated fats and processed foods, including refined carbs.
Pain-Reducing Proteins
Relationship Between Protein Intake and Joint Pain
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Healthy proteins to include in your diet to reduce joint pain include fatty fish, nuts, seeds and beans. The omega-3s in fatty fish such as salmon, tuna and herring may help reduce the swelling and pain in joints caused by rheumatoid arthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation 1.
Some nuts and seeds, including walnuts and flaxseeds, are also a good source of omega-3 fats. Nuts and seeds are also a source of anti-inflammatory vitamin B-6 and monounsaturated fats, especially almonds and pistachios. The fiber and phytonutrients in beans also help reduce joint inflammation, says the Arthritis Foundation 1. Healthy bean choices include black beans, chickpeas and lima beans.
- Healthy proteins to include in your diet to reduce joint pain include fatty fish, nuts, seeds and beans.
- The omega-3s in fatty fish such as salmon, tuna and herring may help reduce the swelling and pain in joints caused by rheumatoid arthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation 1.
Pain-Reducing Carbs
Fruits and vegetables also make healthy carb choices for joint pain. The Arthritis Foundation says you should aim for nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day 1. The antioxidants in fruits and veggies help your body fight free radicals, which are substances that damage cells and increase inflammation.
- Fruits and vegetables also make healthy carb choices for joint pain.
- The antioxidants in fruits and veggies help your body fight free radicals, which are substances that damage cells and increase inflammation.
Carb and Protein Balance
Joint Pain & Atkins Diet
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There aren't specific recommendations for the amount of carbohydrates and protein you should get in your diet when you have joint pain. For a balanced intake, and to make sure you get all the nutrients you need for good health, follow the recommendations for carbs and protein established by the Institute of Medicine. The institute suggests 45 percent to 65 percent of calories from carbs and 10 percent to 35 percent from protein, with the rest coming from fat.
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References
- Arthritis Foundation: The Arthritis Diet
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Inflammation and Diet
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010
- Van der linden MP, Le cessie S, Raza K, et al. Long-term impact of delay in assessment of patients with early arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2010;62(12):3537-46. doi:10.1002/art.27692
- Guo R, Cao L, Kong X, et al. Fever as an initial manifestation of enthesitis-related arthritis subtype of juvenile idiopathic arthritis: retrospective study. PLoS ONE. 2015;10(6):e0128979. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0128979
- Krajewska-włodarczyk M, Owczarczyk-saczonek A, Placek W. Fatigue - an underestimated symptom in psoriatic arthritis. Reumatologia. 2017;55(3):125-130. doi:10.5114/reum.2017.68911
- Hunter DJ, Mcdougall JJ, Keefe FJ. The symptoms of osteoarthritis and the genesis of pain. Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2008;34(3):623-43. doi:10.1016/j.rdc.2008.05.004
Writer Bio
Jill Corleone is a registered dietitian and health coach who has been writing and lecturing on diet and health for more than 15 years. Her work has been featured on the Huffington Post, Diabetes Self-Management and in the book "Noninvasive Mechanical Ventilation," edited by John R. Bach, M.D. Corleone holds a Bachelor of Science in nutrition.