Suffering from osteoarthritis? Have fish oil, spinach
London, May 9: Consuming one gram of fish oil every day and including spinach in the diet could help reduce the pain of patients with osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis that generally affects the hands, hips and knees.
In the study published in the journal Rheumatology, the researchers examined the link between diet and the effective self-management of osteoarthritis.
Analysing 68 previous studies in the field, they found that a low-dose supplement of fish oil (one and a half standard capsules) could result in pain reduction for patients with osteoarthritis and help improve their cardiovascular health.
Essential fatty acids in fish oil reduce inflammation in joints, helping to alleviate pain, the study said.
An increase in foods rich in vitamin K such as kale, spinach and parsley was also found to deliver benefits to patients with osteoarthritis.
Vitamin K is needed for vitamin-K-dependent (VKD) proteins, which are found in bone and cartilage.
An inadequate intake of the vitamin adversely affects the working of the protein, affecting bone growth and repair and increasing the risk of osteoarthritis.
"The importance of a good diet and regular exercise should never be underestimated. Not only does it keep us fit and healthy, but as we have learned from this study, it can also lessen painful symptoms of osteoarthritis," said study co-author Margaret Rayman, Professor at the University of Surrey in Britain.
"We are what we eat and it is important that we have the right amount of nutrients from our food to ensure that our body systems work as they should," Rayman added.
The researchers also found that a reduction of weight for overweight and obese patients and the introduction of exercise tailored to mobility could also help ease the symptoms of osteoarthritis.
Not only does obesity increase strain on joints, it can cause low-grade, systemic inflammation in the body aggravating the condition further.
A calorie restricted diet, combined with strengthening, flexibility and aerobic exercises, was identified as an effective approach in reducing pain in overweight patients.
There is no evidence that a calorie restricted diet does anything beneficial for lean patients with the condition, the study said.
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People taught lesson to those who were talking about changing Constitution: Pawar
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Maharashtra) (PTI): NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Friday said the country taught a lesson to those who were talking about changing the Constitution.
He was speaking at the unveiling of the Urdu translation of English book "Padmavibhushan Sharad Pawar - The great Enigma" by Sheshrao Chavan here.
The political situation in the country should change, Pawar said, adding, "We should think where we are heading. We have to see that the country does not fall in the wrong hands."
Four months ago (during the Lok Sabha election campaign), Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party colleagues made statements that were not in national interest, the NCP (SP) chief said, referring to BJP leader Ananthkumar Hegde's controversial remark that they needed 400-plus seats to amend the Constitution.
"It is a good thing that the people taught a lesson to those who talked about changing the Constitution," Pawar said.
He also hit back at Union minister Amit Shah who recently called him "ringleader of corrupt people".
"A week ago, Amit Shah said that Sharad Pawar is the ringleader of all the corrupt people in the country. Earlier, when he was in Gujarat, he used the law in the wrong manner. For that the Supreme Court externed him from Gujarat. The one who was externed by the Supreme Court is holding charge of the Union Home Ministry now," Pawar said.
Shah was discharged in the Sohrabuddin Shaikh fake encounter case in 2014.
