| As a practicing orthopedic medical doctor and | | | | prevent chronic diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. In |
| surgeon I'm constantly dealing with older patients | | | | some Mediterranean regions, it's typical for people to |
| who suffer with chronic joint pain on a daily basis. | | | | get as much as 40% of their calories from fat, but |
| And before prescribing medication or more invasive | | | | most of that comes from olive oil. Olive oil acts on |
| options I always advocate a nutritional approach to | | | | the immune system and helps to lower inflammatory |
| disease prevention. | | | | reactions in your body. 2 |
| Recently, I've read new information on how your diet | | | | Although the research is less robust, the |
| plays an important part in the health of your bones | | | | Mediterranean diet may help prevent osteoarthritis, |
| and joints. It seems that studies are indicating that | | | | too. The foods that the diet is built around are fresh, |
| possibly changing something as simple as your diet | | | | natural, and rich in antioxidants. Research shows that |
| can help bring relief to those achy joints and cartilage. | | | | a diet rich in antioxidants may help to lower your risk |
| Arthritis comes in many different forms and can | | | | of developing osteoarthritis. 3 |
| strike at any age, but your risk increases as you | | | | Putting the Mediterranean Diet to Work for You |
| grow older. Arthritic conditions are often caused by | | | | Here's how to eat Mediterranean-style, starting |
| or at the very least linked to the levels of | | | | today. |
| inflammation in your body. Your diet can play a major | | | | *Begin using more olive oil. It has a low smoke point, |
| role in how much or how little systemic inflammation | | | | so it is not the best oil to cook with at high heats, |
| your body has to contend with. | | | | but it is excellent for cooking over low heat and it's |
| One of the best diets for reducing inflammation is a | | | | great to drizzle over salads or steamed vegetables. |
| Mediterranean diet. A Mediterranean diet includes | | | | *Eat more fish and shellfish. Seafood delivers lots of |
| sources of good fat like olive oil and fish. It depends | | | | good lean protein and healthy fatty acids. It's also a |
| on lean proteins like fish, shellfish, chicken and some | | | | central part of the Mediterranean diet. |
| dairy (especially yogurt). And it includes a lot of fresh | | | | *Eat more yogurt. Yogurt is loaded with active |
| fruits and vegetables. | | | | bacteria that are good for your digestion. Choose |
| People who live in the Mediterranean and eat the | | | | either plain yogurt or one that is low in sugar. And |
| typical diet of that region suffer from fewer chronic | | | | make sure it contains active cultures. |
| diseases including arthritis. | | | | *Load up on the fruits and vegetables. Have a |
| People suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, a | | | | serving of one or the other with every meal, and |
| particularly painful form of arthritis that can affect | | | | build your snacks around fresh produce. Yogurt and |
| your body's organs as well as joints, fare well on a | | | | fruit makes a great snack, for example. Or fresh cut |
| Mediterranean diet. In one study, rheumatoid arthritis | | | | vegetables tossed with feta cheese and olive oil. |
| patients switched to a Mediterranean diet for twelve | | | | *Go light on the grains. When you do eat grains, |
| weeks. At the completion of the study, the patients | | | | choose whole grains. |
| had lower levels of inflammation, better physical | | | | Try eating Mediterranean style for a few weeks. I'm |
| function, and a greater level of vitality. 1 | | | | willing to bet that you feel better and you'll be taking |
| Some researchers suspect that it is the central role | | | | positive steps to prevent arthritis from slowing you |
| of olive oil in a Mediterranean diet that helps to | | | | down. |