You’ve heard the term “you are what you eat”, right? Well, as it turns out that old saying is actually true. If you have psoriatic arthritis, it will be important to pay close attention to the foods you are putting in your body.
“There’s no doubt that pain can be exacerbated by eating the wrong foods,” says Mark Young, assistant professor at Johns Hopkins Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the director of the Oasis Center for Pain, Acupuncture, and Nutritional Medicine in Nottingham, Maryland. “By the same token, it can be made much better by eating the right foods. The ‘You are what you eat’ adage is correct in all aspects of disease prevention and management.”
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Which foods are good for psoriatic arthritis?
1. Heart-healthy foods
In addition to selecting foods with anti-inflammatory properties, it’s important for people with psoriatic arthritis to select heart-healthy foods because people with psoriatic disease have an increased cardiovascular risk.
In fact, 31 percent of people with psoriasis had metabolic syndrome, which can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, compared with people without psoriasis, according to a study published in May 2021 in The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
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“Some of the diet approaches for psoriatic arthritis could help with heart function as well,” Young adds.
Whatsmore, a heart-healthy diet can help people with psoriatic arthritis combat obesity, which affects many people with the disease. This is crucial because excess weight can exacerbate joint pain and make medications less effective.
Essentially, a heart-healthy diet will help control psoriatic arthritis symptoms, control blood pressure and protect heart health.
2. Omega-3 Fats and Flavonoid-Rich Foods
“Foods replete with omega-3 fatty acids can be helpful to ease discomfort,” Young notes.
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Seafood, such as tuna, mackerel, or wild salmon are all great omega-3-rich options and Young advises choosing them over supplements.
“The natural form is always better than fish oil. With fish oil, you don’t know about the
