Does your arthritis pain keep you awake at night and stop you from enjoying a normal life? If so, you need to follow some key dietary tips for arthritis that’ll help ease your symptoms. A combination of smart dieting, cutting down on calorie-rich foods, and exercises can help you sail through your life even if you’ve been diagnosed with this condition. You will also be able to avoid obesity.

While there may be no special diet for people who have arthritis, you can keep your weight in check by following some simple dietary guidelines.

1. More veggies and fruits
First, you must add more and more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains to your diet to up your intake of complex carbs. Citrus fruits, for instance, like grapefruits, lime, or orange, are loaded with vitamin C, and this helps to prevent inflammatory arthritis, boosting healthy joints in the process.

2. Omega-3 fatty acids
Foods that are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids help fight inflammation related to arthritis like rheumatoid arthritis. Besides, these are also heart-healthy foods and have no known side-effects. Examples of omega-3 rich foods are oily fish like salmon or sardine, canola, walnuts, linseed and flaxseed oil, and fish oil supplements.

3. Plant-based proteins
Eating more plant-based proteins can help ease arthritis symptoms as they have low-fat content compared to animal proteins — for instance, tofu, beans, lentils, grain quinoa, nuts, and dried peas. Beans are a cheap source of protein needed for optimal muscle health. Some beans may have high folic acid and be rich in potassium, zinc, and magnesium; these are recommended for their immune system and heart health benefits, like pinto beans, kidney beans, and red beans.

4. Foods from the allium family
Reports suggest that one of the best dietary tips for arthritis is including foods belonging to the allium family, like onions, garlic, and leek, in your meals. Garlic has disulfide that can fight cartilage-damaging enzymes.

5. Soy
If you are not a fish lover, you can start having more soy products to get the anti-inflammatory properties. Soybeans are fiber-rich and protein-rich but low in fats.

6. Choose the right oil
You can opt for oils like extra-virgin olive oil that is loaded with heart-healthy fats. Even sunflower oil and avocado oil have cholesterol-lowering properties, while walnut oil offers more omega-3 fatty acids than olive oil.

7. Low-fat dairy foods
Low-fat dairy foods like yogurt have a lot of Vitamin D and calcium, making them perfect for a diet for arthritis patients because these can boost bone strength.

8. Foods rich in calcium
Broccoli has sulforaphane that has been found to slow down the progress of osteoarthritis. Besides, it is rich in calcium that is known for its bone-building properties.

9. Whole grains
Whole grains typically have low amounts of CRP or C-reactive proteins. CRP is an indicator of inflammation related to diabetes, heart diseases, and even rheumatoid arthritis. So, add more whole-grain foods like brown rice, oats, and whole-grain cereals to your diet.

10. Green tea
Green tea is loaded with antioxidants and polyphenols that can reduce inflammation. It can also slow down the process of cartilage destruction. Besides, it contains an antioxidant called EGCG that can block the release of molecules triggering joint damage in those with RA or rheumatoid arthritis.