Please note: This information is educational and not a substitute for medical advice. Check with your provider before starting a new exercise or self-care routine, especially if you have a heart or lung condition, recent surgery, osteoporosis, or are pregnant.
What it is
There is no single “pain diet.” An anti-inflammatory eating pattern focuses on whole and minimally processed foods: vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, olive oil and fish, with fewer sugary drinks, refined grains, fried foods and processed meats. Mediterranean-style eating is a well-studied example.
For many people with knee, hip or back pain, reaching a healthier weight is also part of the plan.
How it may help
Harvard Health and Cleveland Clinic describe how foods such as leafy greens, fatty fish, nuts, olive oil and fruit are linked with lower markers of inflammation, while refined carbohydrates, fried foods and processed meats are linked with higher levels.[1][2]
For knee osteoarthritis, every pound of weight lost takes several pounds of pressure off the knee with each step, and losing 10% or more of body weight may improve pain and function.[3]
Results vary from person to person. These approaches are meant to complement, not replace, the care plan from your provider.
Starter routine
Week 1: drinks
Swap one sugary drink a day for water, unsweetened tea or coffee, or sparkling water.
Week 2: half the plate
At one meal a day, fill half your plate with vegetables and fruit.
Week 3: smarter fats and protein
Have fish, beans or nuts in place of processed or fried meat two or three times this week, and cook with olive oil.
Week 4: whole grains
Switch white bread, rice or pasta for whole-grain versions at a few meals.
Keep going
Check in with your weight and how your joints feel once a month, not daily. Small, steady changes add up.
Safety tips
- Change one thing at a time, such as swapping soda for water or adding one vegetable to dinner.
- Fill half your plate with vegetables and fruit, a quarter with lean protein and a quarter with whole grains.
- Ask before starting supplements. Some interact with blood thinners or other medicines.
- Aim for slow, steady weight loss. Your primary care provider or a registered dietitian can help you plan safely.
- Pair eating changes with regular activity to help the changes last.
Stop and call your provider if you notice:
- New weakness, numbness or tingling in a leg or arm, or numbness in the groin or inner thighs
- Loss of bladder or bowel control (call 911 or go to the emergency department)
- Chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness or fainting
- Sharp pain that is clearly worse during or after the activity and does not settle within a day or two
- Fever, unexplained weight loss, or pain after a fall or injury
Mild soreness that fades within a day is common when starting something new. Sharp, spreading or worsening pain is not.
Watch and learn
Video: “How to Start An Anti-Inflammatory Diet | Ask Cleveland Clinic's Expert” from Cleveland Clinic on YouTube. It loads from youtube-nocookie.com only when you press play. Shown for general education; GSMC did not produce it. Watch on YouTube
Video: “Mayo Clinic Minute: Fighting arthritis with food” from Mayo Clinic on YouTube. It loads from youtube-nocookie.com only when you press play. Shown for general education; GSMC did not produce it. Watch on YouTube
Video: “Foods to Eat to Manage Arthritis” from Cleveland Clinic on YouTube. It loads from youtube-nocookie.com only when you press play. Shown for general education; GSMC did not produce it. Watch on YouTube
Captions: press the CC button in the video player to turn on captions. Some captions are generated automatically by YouTube and may contain errors.
Conditions this may help with
Sources
This information is educational and not a substitute for medical advice.