Not all inflammation is a bad thing (for example, you need it in the short term to heal wounds), but studies have shown that chronic inflammation that happens over a long period of time is associated with heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.
In turn, this reduces your quality of life and may even increase your risk of death, especially since it also increases the risk of cancer and type 2 diabetes.
Diet is not the only factor in inflammation and joint health, with age and genetics playing a part too. However, "what you put on your plate can make a real difference", says Professor Tim Spector, an epidemiologist at Kings College London.
Prof Spector says: "For some people, arthritis may be brought on by obesity, genetics, or hormone changes, but to some extent, all forms of arthritis involve chronic inflammation — and what you put on your plate can make a real difference. Studies suggest that a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods, such as the Mediterranean diet which is full of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and seafood, can help reduce inflammation, which will help your joints and improve symptoms."
What is the Mediterranean diet?
The Mediterranean diet has been called both "the world's healthiest diet" and the "easiest to follow". In fact, it has been named the world's healthiest diet for seven consecutive years and far ahead of the diet in second place.
As well as having all-around health benefits, it's also said to have specific advantages for heart health, diabetes management, bone and joint well-being, as well as being easy to follow and suitable for families. It earned the "world's best" title after a panel of medical and nutrition specialists assessed various diets and eating methods, scoring them on aspects like nutritional completeness, health risks and benefits, long-term sustainability, and evidence-backed effectiveness. The Mediterranean diet received an impressive score of 85.1%.
The diet places a significant emphasis on two main food types: plant-based foods and healthy fats. This entails consuming a diverse range of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes (such as chickpeas, beans, and lentils), whole grains, cereals, and fish. Moderate consumption of meat, dairy products (especially natural or Greek yoghurt), and alcohol (notably red wine) is also permitted.
You can find healthy fats in foods like peanut butter, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, pistachios, rapeseed oil, olive oil, olives, avocados, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, walnuts, pine nuts, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds, as well as in oily fish such as kippers, mackerel and salmon.
Aside from the Mediterranean diet, fermented foods like yogurt, miso, and sauerkraut are also anti-inflammatory and support your beneficial gut bacteria.
On the flip side, ultra-processed foods, foods with excess sugar and foods with unhealthy fats can fuel inflammation and make symptoms of arthritis worse. I quit ultra-processed food 15 months ago and you can see the remarkable effects here.
Prof Spector said: "Making small but consistent changes to what you eat may help you feel better, move more easily, and support your long-term health. There’s no need to cut out entire food groups or listen to myths about nightshade vegetables—just focus on improving the quality of your diet."
What is inflammation and why is it bad?
Broadly speaking, there are two different kinds of inflammation: acute and chronic. Acute inflammation appears suddenly, usually in response to an injury or infection, and then settles down once the cause is under control. Chronic inflammation is different, can last a lifetime and cause harm rather than healing. This type of inflammation is the one often linked with the chronic disease above. Harvard University says: "Switching from a typical Western diet to an "anti-inflammatory diet" (such as the Mediterranean diet) improves health in multiple ways. Reducing inflammation is just one of many possible mechanisms."
