You have noticed a lot of stiffness in your knees when you wake up, stand up or start walking. Your doctor suggested that switching to an anti-inflammatory diet might help with your knee and joint problems. The question you may have is, “why do I need an anti-inflammatory diet if I do not feel that I have inflammation?”. Inflammation is not necessarily obvious at first, but it can cause joints to swell, be inflamed and become painful. Inflammation is how the body deals with invaders or something foreign in your body. Those intruders (i.e., could be pollen, a new medication or reaction to an injury) triggers your body’s immune system. This starts a cascade of events that release inflammatory molecules that lead to redness, stiffness, pain and limit the range of motion and ability to stand, climb stairs or walk. Your doctor may recommend implementing meals that contain anti-inflammatory foods to improve or prevent symptoms.

What is Inflammation?

Inflammation is an immune system response to an unusual event like an injury or infection. The body manufactures white blood cells to fight off what is perceived as foreign elements such as bacteria or germs and protect the concerned area. The inflammation process could become chronic where the system stays on for a long period of time and start damaging tissues and organs. For instance, if you suffer from arthritis, the inflammation can make your joints stiff and painful, with these symptoms getting worse over time. This could significantly impair your daily activities and overall quality of life. Many specialists and doctors think that the answer is on your plate, not in your pharmacy cabinet.

How Can Diet Help?

Many of the foods listed in the Standard American Diet can cause inflammation, such as refined carbohydrates, fried foods, excess sugar, red and processed meats, and unhealthy sources of fat. Eaten on a daily basis, these inflammatory foods could become health risks such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and worsen any chronic inflammatory conditions. However, some foods like tomatoes, green vegetables, fruits or fish could have the opposite anti-inflammatory effects and help reduce inflammation and symptoms of chronic conditions like arthritis.

List of anti-inflammatory foods

• Berries: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries.
• Tomatoes
• Fatty Fish: tuna, salmon, mackerel, and sardines.
• Nuts: walnuts, almonds and cashews.
• Avocado
• Peppers
• Oranges, grapefruit, and limes.
• Grapes
• Olive oil.
• Turmeric, ginger, curry, and cinnamon.
• Garlic

Frequently Asked Questions About Inflammation

Is swelling always associated with pain?

Most of the time, yes. The two go hand-in-hand in most cases. The swelling of the tissues and joints causes pain.

Would joint inflammation induce both swelling and pain?

When a joint becomes inflamed due to arthritis or any other related condition, the blood vessels dilate around the joint to increase blood flow. The leukocytes, or white blood cells, rush to the area to fight off infection. The same thing happens if you scrape your knee and see a clear liquid surrounding the wound.
This immune system response causes inflammation in this area. The joint often feels warm to the touch or painful and may increase the pain from an injury as well.

Can arthritis or other chronic inflammatory diseases cause both pain and swelling?

Yes. Arthritis can cause both pain and swelling of the joints. Chronic inflammation can damage the joint and surrounding tissues.

What is included in an anti-inflammatory diet?

What to Avoid?

Refined carbohydrates: A diet high in carbohydrates such as potatoes, rice, pasta and bread contribute to inflammation and should be avoided.

Vegetable Oils: Vegetable oils high in Omega-6 fatty acids have been linked to an increase in inflammation, according to a study published in the Journal of Obesity. Finding a balance of Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids is key in reducing chronic inflammation.

Trans fat: Trans fat is a type of fat typically found in fast food products. These fake fats, called partially hydrogenated oils, give the food the desirable taste and texture we have come to love. These processed oils have been linked to health problems like heart disease and diabetes.

The Solution to Joint Pain

The best advice to help you cope with arthritic joints is to: (1) Eat and stick with an anti-inflammatory diet based on foods that reduce inflammation, 2) Get adequate exercise to keep the joints flexible, and (3) Take supplements like Genuwell Joint Health.
Genuwell Joint Health from Kondor Pharma offers natural benefits for joints as supplements to a healthy diet with anti-inflammatory foods. The formulation for Genuwell Joint Health is based on Boswellia serrata (Indian Frankincense), an ingredient in Ayurvedic medicine that reduces inflammation, increases joint flexibility, and makes walking easier for people suffering from arthritis and other chronic joint diseases.
This product has been approved by the Canadian regulatory body to reduce pain and swelling of the knee joints associated with osteoarthritis. The Genuwell formula is vegetarian and gluten-free, so people with celiac disease can use it. If you or someone you know suffers from painful joint inflammation, arthritis or other conditions, please share this information with them. If you want to learn more about our products, please visit the Kondor Pharma website at https://kondorpharma.com/product/genuwell/ or contact us at info@kondorpharma.com or at +1-800-892-6981.