Incorporate these nutrient-rich foods into your diet to help combat arthritis and keep your joints healthy.
Chronic inflammation is not only bad for your overall health, but it can also lead to and exacerbate the symptoms of arthritis. “The inflammatory process certainly plays a role in joint health,” says Bucks County Orthopedic Specialists’ Dr. Thomas Vikoren, an orthopedic surgeon and hip and knee replacement specialist. “I treat so many patients who are struggling with pain and limitations from arthritis and chronic inflammation in their joints. While diet alone can’t fix these issues, studies show that the food you eat can play a role in improving health and reducing joint pain and symptoms.”
In fact eating a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods, can actually reduce various inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein, which rises and falls in response to inflammation in the body.
“Anti-inflammatory foods are powerhouses,” says Dr. Vikoren. “As orthopedists we want to help patients live as healthy and pain-free as possible. Eating right, exercising, and prioritizing foods that can reduce inflammation help us fulfill that mission.”
So, here is a list of anti-inflammatory foods and recipes that can help you incorporate them into your lifestyle.
(If you are struggling with arthritis, pain, or inflammation in your joints, contact us at 215-348-7000 to make an appointment at a one of our convenient locations with one of our Bucks Orthopedic specialists.)
The Powerhouses: Anti-inflammatory foods that can improve your joint health
- Tomatoes
- Cherries
- Beans
- Nuts
- Olive Oil
- Spinach
- Salmon
Spinach, Cherry, & Walnut Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
This bright salad is bursting with flavor and anti-inflammatory ingredients.
Ingredients
Salad
8oz Baby Spinach
1 cup Cherries (pitted & fresh, frozen & thawed, or dried)
¾ cup Crumbled Blue Cheese (or Feta or Goat Cheese)
1 cup Walnuts (toasting the walnuts will add a buttery flavor and extra crunch)
Pepper to taste
Balsamic Vinaigrette
3 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
5 tablespoons Extra-virgin Olive Oil
½ teaspoon minced Garlic
¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
¼ teaspoon Pepper
(For a creamy option, add ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt)
Directions
- In large bowl, combine spinach, cherries, walnuts, and pepper.
- Make vinaigrette by adding all ingredients to a mason jar, add lid, and shake vigorously until combined. (Can also use blender to combine ingredients)
- Pour vinaigrette over salad, toss with cheese, and serve.
Sheet Pan Mediterranean Salmon with Tomatoes
Make this nutrient-packed entrée in 30 minutes, serve over quinoa, farro, or rice.
Ingredients
4 Salmon fillets (washed, dried, skin removed)
1 container Cherry Tomatoes
½ cup pitted Olives
1 Lemon thinly sliced
1 teaspoon minced Garlic
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
Kosher Salt & Pepper to taste
Fresh Herbs (oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme) to taste
Feta Cheese (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Line baking sheet with non-stick foil/parchment paper.
- Place 4 salmon filets on baking sheet.
- Scatter ingredients on and around salmon, including cherry tomatoes, olives, lemon slices, garlic, and salt and pepper.
- Drizzle olive oil over all ingredients.
- Bake uncovered for 15 minutes or until salmon is cooked through and flaky (FDA recommends salmon cooked to internal temp of 145 degrees).
- Garnish sheet with fresh herbs (and feta cheese if desired).
- Serve with side dish of salad.
If you have arthritis or are struggling with swelling and pain in your joints, contact us at 215-348-7000 to make an appointment with a specialist at one of our three locations. Our goal is to keep your bones and joints healthy. We thoroughly evaluate, diagnose, and treat your symptoms, and offer innovative pain management techniques, cutting-edge surgical options, and physical therapy to keep your life vibrant and active.