The older we get, the more aches and pains we seem to develop, especially in our knees, ankles, wrists, fingers and back. These aches and pains can have a huge negative impact as we carry out many of our normal daily activities.

Knee pain can keep you from having any kind of active life, making you tend to be more sedentary, which in turn leads to other negative health issues. Pain in the joints of our fingers make simple things like picking up a glass of water, using a fork to eat with and signing your name, difficult and painful.

All too often, these pains are some form of arthritis. There are two main types of arthritis – osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, both of which can cause the same types of pain, but for different reasons.

Osteoarthritis is generally caused from overuse of a joint or loss of the cartilage or other connective tissue in the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is caused when the body’s autoimmune system attacks your joints.

There are some dietary tips to help manage either or both types of arthritis. For example, if you have rheumatoid arthritis, some professionals recommend eating more fruit and vegetables and less saturated fats (red meat). Additionally, some suggest that eliminating coffee can help manage the inflammation and pain in the joints. High sugar diets and other caffeinated beverages can also make the symptoms worse.

Using polyunsaturated fatty acids instead of saturated oils can help improve the duration of the morning stiffness, joint pain and tenderness in the joints. What are polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs)?

• Fish – salmon (wild caught), tuna (albacore), mackerel herring and trout
• Flaxseeds or flaxseed oil
• Safflower oil
• Corn oil
• Soybean oil
• Sunflower seeds
• Walnuts

Other foods considered to help ease the symptoms of arthritis include:

• Garlic – known to contain anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. One study of 1,082 twins found that eating more garlic reduced osteoarthritis in the hip.
• Ginger – known to contain anti-inflammatory properties. Studies show that ginger blocks the production of substances in the body that cause inflammation. A study showed use of ginger resulted in reduction of pain in 63% of test subjects with osteoarthritis in the knees.
• Broccoli – also helps with anti-inflammatory properties.
• Walnuts – in addition to be a good source of polyunsaturated fat, they also help reduce inflammation in joints.
• Berries – known to contain antioxidants which help decrease inflammation. Some berries are also rich in quercetin and rutin, two plant compounds that have a number of positive health benefits.
• Spinach – never say Popeye with arthritis, did you? Spinach contains antioxidants and other nutrients that have anti-inflammatory properties.
• Grapes – contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
• Olive oil – besides being another good source of polyunsaturated fat, it also contains anti-inflammatory properties.
• Tart cherry juice – contain anti-inflammatory properties.

Diet may not prevent arthritis from affecting you, but what you eat and drink can certainly affect how severe your arthritis is and how much easier it is to live with it. Like so many other health issues, our diets can make all the difference.