Plant Foods Relieve Osteoarthritis Symptoms

Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disorder in the United States. An estimated 31 million Americans are suffering from osteoarthritis. This degenerative joint disease can make life miserable for the victim; the pain, swelling, and stiffness of the joint and the loss of range of motion make it difficult for people suffering from this disease to perform simple tasks, such as opening a box, grasping a computer mouse, or even driving a car.

Drugs used to treat osteoarthritis are not consistently effective and many of them bring along some dangerous side effects. Now a new study has shown that eating plant foods can help to alleviate the symptoms of arthritis. And the good news about the findings of this study is that there are no dangerous side effects associated with the consumption of plant foods. 

This research was conducted by scientists from Michigan State University. In this study, the researchers divided 37 osteoarthritis patients into 2 groups: a control group and an intervention group. The 19 subjects in the intervention group were placed on whole-food plant-based diets for 6 weeks and the 18 patients in the control group were allowed to continue with their current diets. At the end of the intervention period, patients fed with whole plant foods reported a significant improvement in pain, stiffness, swellings, and movements in the joints compared to their counterparts in the control group. The researchers, therefore, concluded that strict adherence to plant-based diets can help alleviate the symptoms of osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is the leading cause of chronic disability in the United States. The symptoms of osteoarthritis are often disabling. For osteoarthritis patients in search of relief from the joint pain, stiffness, and other associated symptoms, switching to plant-based diets can be a great help. Adhering to an oil-free, low-fat plant-based diet of whole unprocessed foods permits alleviation of the symptoms of osteoarthritis and improves the quality of life for people suffering from this degenerative joint disease.

Additional Information:

(1) Arthritis Foundation: Arthritis Statistics and Facts

(2) Whole Food Plant Based Diets Alleviate the Symptoms of Osteoarthritis

(3) The Epidemiology and Impact of Pain in Osteoarthritis