Do You Have Achy Joints? These Foods Or Drinks Could Be To Blame.

Science shows a direct connection between diet and inflammatory arthritis. Here’s how you can craft your meals to promote healing, not hurting.

There are about 350 joints in the human body, and if even a few are inflamed, it can really affect your life. Achy joints in your hands can make typing or writing difficult. Joint pain in the back, knees or feet can make any type of physical exercise painful ― even a short walk around the block.

For many people, the reason they have achy joints is due to arthritis, which is defined as joint inflammation. Dr. Grace Wright, a consultant rheumatologist in New York City and founder and president of the Association of Women in Rheumatology, told HuffPost that there are different types of arthritis, each with its own unique cause.

One common type is rheumatoid arthritis, which affects an estimated 1.3 million people in the U.S. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder that can cause joint pain. The earliest symptom is pain in the smaller joints, such as the fingers and toes. Over time, it progresses to affecting bigger joints, such as the ankles, knees, hips and shoulders.

“Recognizing early signs of arthritis is crucial for timely intervention and management. These signs may include persistent joint pain, stiffness, tenderness, swelling and reduced range of motion,” said Dr. Francisco Contreras, director of the Oasis of Hope Medical Institute in Tijuana, Mexico. Contreras noted that some of the first symptoms of arthritis can include fatigue, weakness, morning stiffness and joint noises (like grinding or cracking).

Multiple doctors told HuffPost that changing one’s diet doesn’t help alleviate symptoms in all forms of arthritis, but it may play a powerful role in decreasing symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis and gout arthritis, which is also caused by inflammation. In fact, there are five types of food in particular that the doctors recommend minimizing as a way to reduce pain: