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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Centre doubles fines for stubble burning
New Delhi, Nov 7: The Centre has doubled the fine for farmers burning crop residue in view of the deteriorating air quality in the Delhi-NCR region, the penalty going up to Rs 30,000 for those with more than five acres of farmland.
According to the notification, which was published on Wednesday and comes following the Supreme Court's tough stance on the issue, farmers with less than two acres of land will now have to pay environmental compensation of Rs 5,000, up from Rs 2,500. And those with land between two and five acres will be fined Rs 10,000 instead of Rs 5,000.
Unfavourable meteorological conditions combined with vehicular emissions, paddy-straw burning, firecrackers, and other local pollution sources contribute to hazardous air quality levels in Delhi-NCR during late autumn and winters.
According to a Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) analysis, the city experiences peak pollution from November 1 to 15 when the number of stubble-burning incidents in Punjab and Haryana increases.
Major factors behind stubble burning include the paddy-wheat cropping system, cultivation of long-duration paddy varieties, mechanised harvesting that leaves standing crop stubble in the field, labour scarcity, and the lack of a viable market for crop residue.
Studies estimate that during peak burning periods, farm fires contribute up to 30 per cent of PM levels in the Delhi-NCR region and surrounding areas.
However, according to senior environmentalist Sunita Narain, the episodic burning of crop residue by farmers in winter is not the primary concern for poor air quality in Delhi-NCR. Instead, the persistent and major sources of pollution within the city, including transport and industries, are more worrisome.
