Arthritis is characterized by the swelling of one or more joints in the body. If you have arthritis you have likely experienced pain, stiffness, and tenderness of your joints. You can have arthritis in one single joint or have it all over your body in every joint. One of the main types of arthritis is osteoarthritis, which affects the cartilage in your joints and progressively breaks it down. The other most common type of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis (or RA). 

RA is an immune system disorder, which results in the immune system of your body mistakenly attacking your joints and breaking them down. While there is no cure for arthritis you can follow an arthritis diet to help you reduce rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. Here are some foods that you should avoid if you have any type of arthritis:

1. Processed foods

Many of the foods that we love are processed foods so it can be difficult to avoid, but if you are sick of living with the symptoms of arthritis it is absolutely worth giving up processed foods. Processed foods are almost all prepackaged foods. These foods contain trans fat and hydrogenated oils. These ingredients can cause inflammation in your body which can cause increased swelling and tenderness of your joints. Avoiding these foods can help reduce inflammation and help prevent pain.

2. Omega-6 fatty acids

Omega-6 fatty acids are found in many different foods and should only be consumed in small doses. Eating foods that are high in omega-6 fatty acids like peanuts, corn, and soy oils can also increase inflammation throughout your body. This can cause more pain and swelling and increase the symptoms that you feel.

3. Sugar and sugar alternatives

Many processed foods contain these ingredients and they should be avoided. Other foods that are not processed may still contain large amounts of sugar and sugar alternatives. The main foods that include these ingredients are soda, juices, chocolates, candy, desserts, and other sweets. Foods that contain high amounts of sugar and sugar alternatives can also cause inflammation in your joints and other areas of your body. Why is it okay to enjoy something sweet that is small? They should be avoided in large amounts.

4. Red meat

Red meat is one of the main foods that should be avoided if you are trying to follow this diet because red meat is known to contain a large number of saturated fats. These fats are not good for you or your body. They can increase your cholesterol levels and cause a large amount of inflammation in your body. This inflammation is terrible for those living with arthritis because it causes more pain than you need.

5. Cheese and high-fat dairy

When you indulge in high-fat dairy products like cheese, whole milk, and others you are also consuming the ingredients that make them. The main ingredients that you will find in these products include saturated fats and advanced glycation end products. Both of these ingredients can cause inflammation in your joints and increase the symptoms that you feel.

6. Alcohol

If you are an avid drinker and consume large amounts of alcohol you may notice that you have more pain and inflammation in the next few days. Large amounts of alcohol have been shown to increase inflammation and cause more pain. While stopping drinking for a day or two may not have any change in your symptoms you can try cutting down or quitting for a longer period to see what happens.