If you suffer from arthritis, inflammation is the main enemy. Anything that is known to trigger inflammation is best avoided unless you are willing to end up paying for it later when you experience an uncomfortable flare-up. However, it’s not only food that causes inflammation. Drinking your daily drinks could be the cause of inflammation too.
In addition, since drinks don’t require anything to aid in digestion, they can trigger an immediate reaction, even faster than the food you consume. This is, in a way an issue. But, it could also aid in determining what brought on the flare-up.
Some arthritis sufferers don’t have the same experience with these drinks in the same way, but it’s essential to test each of them to determine the best and worst options to treat your arthritis.
The following are the top 11 drinks that are most likely to trigger painful arthritis symptoms.
11 Worst Drinks For Arthritis
1. Energy Drinks
Energy drinks are at the top of the list due to the fact that there’s nothing positive about these drinks. The caffeine content is at levels so high that it’s been linked with heart attacks and seizures. Add in a significant amount of sugar in sodas, and you’ve got yourself a drink that is not recommended for consumption by any person.
In the case of arthritis, the two main causes are caffeine and sugar. Both can trigger inflammation. Caffeine specifically has been shown to cause Gout-related attacks. Drinks with energy are acidic. Some research suggests that drinks with high acidity could deplete your bone’s essential calcium and accelerate the degrading of joints.
2. Tap Water
It is vital to drink plenty of water, particularly for those suffering from arthritis. Water aids in lubricating joints and aids in all processes in your body. But tap water, contingent on the location you live in is likely to contain a range of chemicals that could affect your tissues and cause inflammation.
A very common instance of an inflammatory chemical present in water that is filtered. Fluoride levels don’t affect most people, however, they could trigger flare-ups for those suffering from arthritis. Utilize a filtering pitcher or faucet attachment to ensure that the water you drink is pure and clean.
3. Tonic Water with Quinine
Quinine used to be a sought-after cure for arthritis. However, the truth is that it simply isn’t working anymore. There are other medications that are similar to quinine, however, they’re typically prescribed for ailments such as malaria in cases where alternatively, it’s death. The amount found in tonic water has no therapeutic benefit in the case of arthritis.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has stepped in to restrict the amount of quinine that can be added to water tonics due to the fact that in large amounts it could cause adverse reactions ranging from dizziness and nausea to bleeding issues and kidney damage.
4. Regular Soda
Soda should not be consumed by those suffering from arthritis due to the same reasons that energy drinks do. They’re packed with caffeine, sugar, and acid. Soda is virtually certain to trigger inflammation.
This mix of ingredients could cause a variety of bodily ailments in addition to weight growth. Being overweight affects the level of pain you experience from arthritis as it makes joints that are aching to take on more stress than they need to.
5. Diet Soda
Sorry, I’m sorry, but the switch to diet soda won’t change the situation in the event that you’re trying to reduce arthritis discomfort. Artificial sweeteners can have certain side effects and are equally prone to cause inflammation like refined white sugar High fructose corn syrup.
Artificial sweeteners are chemicals that alter the gut health balance by altering the number of bacteria. This means that your body is unable to process sugar and, in the process, releases inflammation-causing Cytokines. Normally, the healthy bacteria that reside within your digestive tract release anti-inflammatory compounds in order to combat the inflammatory response, but not when you’ve killed them all by using fake sugar.
6. Beer
The problem with drinking beer is many reasons. It causes your body’s system to produce chemicals known as purines as your liver is breaking down the fructose in it. The purines are then transformed into uric acids, the cause of gout.
It also contains gluten which can cause inflammation in those who are sensitive to gluten. We can’t forget about alcohol, which can be highly inflammatory when consumed when it is consumed in excessive amounts. Let’s dig a bit deeper into the negative effects of drinking alcohol.
7. Alcohol
A few glasses of wine or mixed drinks are usually fine, however, be sure to avoid tonic and gin. However, if you drink to the point of being drunk it can trigger an ensuing chain reaction that could cause a lot of joint discomfort.
Hangovers can be caused by inflammation and dehydration. Two factors can throw arthritis sufferers into a huge loop.
8. Fruit Juices
Fruit juice can be problematic generally because it has lots of sugar, but it doesn’t contain the fiber you’d obtain from eating the entire fruit. Fiber can slow sugar absorption and helps help keep blood sugar levels in check.
The issue for those suffering from arthritis is that juice usually is a source of fructose. When fructose is digested it produces purines that then increase the levels of uric acids in your body.
Gout sufferers, in particular, should avoid drinking fruit juice due to this reason. A notable alternative can be tart cherries juice which is actually a source of anti-inflammatory compounds that help ease arthritis pain.
9. Coffee
Coffee is a beverage that has positive points both on the positive and negative sides. On the other hand, it has antioxidant polyphenols that greatly reduce inflammation as well as reduce the damage caused by free radicals to your cells.
10. Milk & Other Dairy Products
A few people suffering from arthritis might be able to detect a specific protein found in milk and dairy products, known as casein, that can cause inflammation. Certain forms of arthritis can cause the body to create antibodies to casein under the belief that it is an injurious foreign substance.
The antibodies cause inflammation that can cause pain in already joint tissues that are already tender. Fermented dairy products have less casein, and are therefore more comfortable. It is a subject that requires some experimentation. You may find that dairy does not affect your arthritis in any way.
11. Tomato Juice
Tomatoes have been long-time regarded as a hazard for those suffering from arthritis. The reason for this is that they are a source of solanine, which is an anti-inflammatory chemical.
Solanine is extremely toxic however, what you’ll find inside the tomato is typically healthy. There is no scientific evidence that has been established between the solanine compound and flare-ups of arthritis.
However, these juices, which are sold in the market place are filled with salt. It is best to limit the amount of sodium you consume if you are suffering from arthritis, especially when you are taking certain medicines. Corticosteroids are used extensively to treat rheumatoid arthritis and they can cause higher retention of sodium.
While this is the best advice on the drinks best to stay clear of if you have arthritis, ultimately you’re the one who knows your body the best.
Spend some time experimenting with these drinks in small portions to find out what triggers you. A food journal can be extremely helpful to keep track of the outcomes. While you’re at it having plenty of clean drinking water that has been filtered will aid in keeping joints lubricated.
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