Foods to Eat and Avoid with Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis is a swelling in the joints that occurs in people who have psoriasis. Psoriasis causes red, itchy, scaly patches of skin at the scalp, knees, and elbows. Psoriatic arthritis occurs in about 30 percent of people who have psoriasis. Although there is no official diet that has been approved to treat psoriatic arthritis, some people claim to feel better when they eat certain foods and avoid others. If you have an aging family member with psoriatic arthritis, their doctor may suggest making changes to their diet to help manage the symptoms. Here are a few of the foods your senior loved one’s doctor may recommend eating, and which to avoid.

Foods to Eat

There are a couple of different diets that may help in different ways. Choosing one will depend on the goals the older adult has in terms of overall health and psoriatic arthritis symptoms. Some diets that may help are:

• Diet for Weight Loss: Studies have shown that when people lose weight, their psoriasis symptoms are less severe. This may be because fat tissues send proteins into the body, which can cause inflammation. A weight loss diet includes fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and lean meats. It limits sugars, carbohydrates, and fats.
• Gluten Free: There is evidence that around 25 percent of people with psoriasis are sensitive to gluten, a protein found in barley and wheat. A doctor can perform a blood test to determine if the senior is allergic to gluten.
• Anti-Inflammatory: Some foods can cause inflammation, such as dairy, fatty red meats, processed foods, refined sugars, and some vegetables. Other foods can reduce inflammation, including fish with omega-3 fatty acids, carrots, sweet potatoes, kale, and blueberries.
• Mediterranean Diet: Eating a diet that includes ample amounts of extra-virgin olive oil may help reduce inflammation because of the omega-3s it contains. Also included in a Mediterranean diet are whole grains, cold-water fish, fruits, and vegetables.

Foods to Avoid

There are many foods that can make inflammation worse and contribute to weight gain. Some foods that may worsen psoriatic arthritis symptoms are:

• Processed or enriched grain products, including white bread and white rice.
• Processed meats, like bacon, hotdogs, and sausage.
• Candy.
• Fried food.
• Packaged desserts, like cookies and snack cakes.
• Sugary drinks.
• Alcohol.

Home care can help older adults with psoriatic arthritis to manage symptoms. Home care providers can assist seniors with planning meals that avoid foods that can cause inflammation. They can also take the senior to the grocery store to help them purchase ingredients. Home care providers can also remind older adults to take medicines the doctor has prescribed for the condition. And, when arthritis pain makes doing tasks around the house difficult, a home care provider can help with those, too. Home care providers can clean the house, do laundry, and even help with pet care.

Sources
https://www.webmd.com/arthritis/psoriatic-arthritis/psoriatic-arthritis-and-your-diet#1
https://www.everydayhealth.com/hs/psoriatic-arthritis-management-treatment/psoriatic-arthritis-foods/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/316969.php

If you or an aging loved one are considering home care services in Edison, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Care Street Home Care of New Brunswick today. Call (732) 607-8870.