Healthy Snack Tips for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that initially causes inflammation in the bones and joints of your feet, legs, ankles, wrists, knees, and hands; gradually, it spreads to all parts of your body, including the vital organs. This leads to poor functioning of not only one but multiple organs of your body, thus showing severe symptoms of the disease. The main causes of this type of arthritis are genetic factors, intake of very heavy foods that take a long time to digest, irregular eating habits, excessive intake of dairy products like yogurt and milk, and, most importantly, the lack of physical activity, which aggravates the disease.
This article discusses some basic tips to remember before making healthy snacks.
1. Plan your meals
It is not only essential to stock useful nutrients; you also have to manage problems with your skeletal system. Below are a few tips to prepare healthy snacks that may reduce inflammation and supply you with useful nutrients. Proper planning of meals and maintaining a proper stock of raw materials will help you to avoid fatty and processed foods. You can also prepare healthy snacks for yourself to suppress your hunger in between meals. You are suffering from a disease that worsens when you put on extra weight, so avoid oily and fried snacks at all times. In short, you can manipulate your cravings with healthy fillings.
2. Eat fresh and low fats to boost energy
You can eat plenty of fresh citrus fruits and vegetables like berries and oranges, celery sticks, cauliflower, peaches, apples, and pears as healthy snacks for rheumatoid arthritis in the evening or after your dinner. These provide plenty of benefits as they are very rich in nutrients, have anti-inflammatory compounds, and keep you energetic throughout the day.
In addition, low fat cheese and low fat yogurt can be included in your daily snack routine, which will not only fill your stomach but is healthy for your bones. Also, add a few snacks that are rich in vitamin D to keep your bones healthy and maintain the overall health of your body.
3. Make a wise decision while choosing snacks
When suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, a person will have painful hands, wrists, and feet. So instead of suffering through the pain in your hands, you should aim to make healthy snacks that are easy and quick — these may vary from pre-cut pineapples and small pieces of watermelon. You can also opt for organic and fresh veggies that make you feel like eating a snack, such as cherry tomatoes, baby carrots, and small squash. At times, you can add variety in your snacks by getting frozen or canned fruits.
One can also add nuts, foods rich in vitamin D, green tea, and kale to the list of healthy snacks for rheumatoid arthritis. They play an important role in eliminating inflammation and reducing pain.