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Mediterranean Diet for Arthritis

Mediterranean Diet for Arthritis is one recommendation to help control this condition.

Arthritis is not one disease. The Arthritis Foundation tells us that there are over 100 types of arthritis.  In this post I will share information primarily about osteoarthritis (OA).   According to the CDC 1 in 4 adults , approximately 58M people, will develop arthritis.   There are certain risk factors that you cannot control.  62% of OA sufferers are women.  Men are more likely to be affected by Gout.  Inherited traits may influence susceptibility to OA.   HLA (human leukocyte antigen) class II genotypes are that genes can also make your arthritis worse.

For more information about arthritis The Arthritis Foundation and CDC are both great resources.  

Who is at risk?

30% of the people who get arthritis are overweight.  The cause of QA has changed over time.  OA used to be considered a wear and tear condition.  Doctors now know that OA is a disease of the whole joint not just the cartilage.  The bones become weaker, the connective tissue (ligaments) deteriorates and inflammation damages the lining of the joint (see What is Arthritis, The Arthritis Foundation).  While some may say that the stress of extra weight causes the link, I prefer to think the link between inflammation and being overweight is just as likely.  

With this new information we now know that people who have chronic joint injuries are at risk.  Since arthritis occurs frequently in the hands, knees, hip, and spine, then people who work in certain occupations are also at risk.  Changing jobs may not always be possible to control the inflammation so that the more debilitating effects of OA are delayed.  

What Is the Mediterranean Diet (MD)?

Nutrition is not the only area used to manage this condition.  Staying active, managing pain, consulting a doctor, and protecting your joints should be combined with good nutrition.   Inflammation is the main factor that makes OA worse.   

 While the quantities and type for each food group are similar there are three ways they differ that contribute to lower inflammation.   MD is plant based.  Studies support that plant based diets are anti-inflammatory.  While the MD diet calls for about 6.5 ounces of protein compared to the 5.5 ounces for the U.S. based diet, seafood is the preferred source. MD consists of whole foods especially whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Finally olive oil is an ingredient.  Studies have linked platelet function to consumption of olive oil.  Platelets are important to wound healing and the inflammatory response.  

Would you like to start with a Mediterranean Diet?

Making a change to MD will take time to yield results.  Be patient with yourself and watch for results to appear after three to six months.  Some people may respond and see results in two to three weeks.  I highly recommend America’s Test Kitchen, Complete Mediterranean Cookbook, ISBN 978-940352-64-0.  The first part of the book describes how to start and there are detailed recipes for every occasion.

What and When? 

What your plate looks like will change.   You will be eating more vegetables and whole grains.  Think of meat as a flavoring instead of a serving.

MS emphasizes eating more during the breakfast and lunch meals.  Expect dinner to be the smaller meal of the day.  Who doesn’t want to spend less time cooking in the evening?  A large colorful salad or an omelet sounds just right.

To make affordable means get familiar with what is in season in your area for vegetables and fruit.

Meal Planning Will Be needed.

I found Spiced Baked Rice with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, A Braised Chicken with Mushrooms and Tomatoes, and a simple couscous and vegetable dish.  For breakfast I started with egg frittatas and overnight oatmeal with yogurt.  

A shopping list that allowed me to prepare most meals.  I include chicken and bacon because some things are required for happiness.  

Seasoning :  Garlic,  onions, paprika, saffron, lemons or lemon juice, cinnamon, oregano, dill, basil, fennel, pepper, olive oil

Vegetables :  tomatoes, avocado, spinach, broccoli, artichokes, zucchini, squash, cauliflower, carrots

Fruits in season or frozen: berries, apples, melons, oranges, figs.

Tubers:  potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips

Beans and Legumes (buy canned to save time):  Lentils, beans, peas, chickpeas 

Eggs, Seafood, Dairy:  Eggs, salmon, mackerel, sardines, mussels, tuna, shrimp, greek yogurt

Nuts and Seeds:  Almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds

Pasta and couscous :  Rigatoni, couscous, rice, Quinoa, Bow Tie, Fettuccine 

Disclaimer.  The information provided in this article may not be appropriate for all people.  If you are not currently exercising or have or suspect you have conditions like cardiovascular, metabolic or renal disease, then you should consult your physician before considering making any changes suggested.  

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How Do You Want To Talk About Being Large?

As a Personal Trainer, I discuss weight differently than I do as a Health Coach. In this installment, I want to discuss how these professions and our society are evolving regarding weight, obesity, and body-shaming. Are you wondering why I decided to talk about this subject? I have three reasons. I read about Queen Latifah’s reaction when her trainer called her obese; I completed Tasha Edwards, MS course on Breaking Body Barriers. Finally, I read Kellie Walters, Ph.D. recent article in IDEA Fitness Journal, Weight Biases: How Do They Influence Our Industry.

I want to know how do you want to talk about your body size? I invite everyone to share their comments below as we explore this topic. The material provoked a lot of reflection about how I think and talk about weight.  

Health Coaching and Personal Training Approaches.

First the approaches of both of these professions are starting to converge. Remember that I recently was certified as a Health Coach and have had my Personal Training certifications for over ten years. The Health Coach perspective asks coaches to address their weight bias first. We are taught to see our clients as a whole and resourceful people who can change their lives. As a coach, we collaborate with our clients to help them find their best selves. We are immediately instructed to ask permission to discuss a client’s weight. We candidly discuss what words will be used during that discussion. What resonated strongly with me was when I watched Tasha Edwards’ say that 95.8% of women 40-50 years old have negative emotions about their weight. I have always been stocky. I did not take action to improve my health earlier because I thought it was of no use.  

My Personal Training instruction and experience were quite different. While we were taught about the many causes of obesity (environmental including medications, stress, genetics, hormonal, sleep, energy balance), we were encouraged to use strong labels like obesity or overweight. As a new trainer, senior trainers often told me people need to have a wake-up call to become motivated. That their life depended on this change. No wonder 50% of women avoid gyms and fitness classes. However, the practice is changing with people like Tasha Edwards and Kellie Walters speaking out.

Walters gives fitness professionals five steps to reducing weight bias.

  1. Start with yourself. 
  2. Solicit feedback.
  3. Expand your worldview.
  4. Think through your actions.
  5. Continue Your Education.  

Using these five steps I started to think of my biases. First, there was a thread in each of these items. That anti-fat bias was a colonial idea used by white men to justify enslavement. At first, I shied away from this idea. Then as I reflected, I realized it has merit. As a trainer, I seldom saw large Black women in the gym. I did always assume thick people wanted to lose weight. I have to admit I have a bias here, and Tasha and Kellie helped me realize it. I will use the fourth step to ensure that I think through how I use images and how to be more inclusive of people with different body sizes.  

Stating Measurement Results in Language Our Clients Find Offensive.

Queen Latifa recently related a story about a discussion with her trainer. The trainer spoke to her about her BMI and called her obese based on the result. In Adreon Patterson’s Cinemablend article, the trainer, Jeanette Jenkins, states she based her comments on two other tests: bio-electrical impedance and calipers. As I read the two descriptions of events, I thought, what if the trainer had the discussion about how the client wanted to talk about her weight. I wonder if then the anger could have been avoided. This would have enabled a deeper discussion of the client’s values and motivation for training. Would it have been better to skip the characterization and focus on the higher rates of high blood pressure, heart attack, and diabetes for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).

Assessments help estimate the risk to your health. However, only you can tell your health coach or trainer what words do not cause you shame. Sharing words like large or thick that are not shaming to you will help your coach engage you in further discussion about your health concerns. What is important is that you understand the more significant health risk of a higher body fat percentage. The tests your doctor does on a routine physical like Cholesterol, Triglyceride levels, and blood pressure are all necessary measures.  

For more information about why health coaching is about you, please ready my blog post, It’s All About You.

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Disclaimer. The information provided in this article may not be appropriate for all people. Suppose you are not currently exercising or have or suspect you have conditions like a cardiovascular, metabolic, or renal disease. In that case, you should consult your physician before considering any suggested changes.  

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Better Sleep Homework

Donna Wurster

Better Sleep Homework.  Are you ready to start?  If not that is OK, yoWhat is sleep hygiene?u can read on to explore some of the alternatives.  Maybe you will decide to try out a few changes or take more time to think about it.  

I will start by providing some information about sleep hygiene.  If you want to skip  forward to the homework, then please do.

What is sleep hygiene?

Sleep hygiene includes activities a person does to ensure high-quality sleep.  I don’t have to repeat that in these trying days and with all our obligations to work, family, and community that none of us gets enough sleep.  Should you decide to make some changes, remember that you will need to give yourself 2-3 months for these changes to become a habit. Consider reading an earlier blog post to learn more about Making Small Changes .

Good sleep hygiene has many components designed to enhance your body’s natural cycle of sleep.  For a deeper explanation of the sleep cycle read my previous post.  The room where you sleep is a good starting point.  I understand many people use their bedrooms for an office, living room, and place to eat.  When multi-use cannot be avoided try creating a sitting area so that your bed is reserved for sleeping.  The temperatureture in the room is normally suggested at 60-68 degrees Fahrenheit.  Make it as cool as you can tolerate.  For most of us, a dark room is better.  Avoiding bright lights later in the day will help you fall to sleep.

During your day.

Plan to stay with a consistent sleep schedule.  As much as you can plan to get up at the same time each day and go to bed at the same time.  I can share that when I go to bed at the same time every night I am almost assured to stick with my exercise and eating plan.  Otherwise, the fatigue just makes me not want to start.  For many of you looking forward to the weekends for that extra sleep, consider giving it a try, maybe you will find you enjoy having the extra time to enjoy the morning.  

Seek out exposure to natural light early in the day.  There is nothing like getting out of bed and opening your blinds to see the sun.  You may be fortunate enough to be able to step outside for a few minutes to enjoy a bit of sunshine.  Some of us live in areas of the country that do not get much light so you may want to invest in bright light and use your wonderful imagination to picture the sunrise.  

Add Some Exercise.  If you are not currently exercising, then start with 10-15 minutes per day.  If you are exercising, then consider an increase of 15 minutes per day (up to one hour).  A recent study at Iowa State University, Archer-Eichenberger, showed that lifting weight can improve sleep.  Consider adding resistance training up to three times per week.

In the evening.

Your dinner can have a big effect on how well you sleep.  Although we often think that feeling very full makes us drowsy it can also cause discomfort and contribute to stomach upset when you lie down.  Leave plenty of time to digest your food or consider eating a smaller meal.  Your food selection may also contribute to chronic inflammation.  In Is Inflammation Making You Exhausted? Eat These Foods to Start Sleeping Better Turner makes the connections between poor sleep and inflammation and makes some food suggestions to help improve sleep.  A few of these like cherries, pineapple, and green tea may make light before bed snacks.

Of course, we all want to wind down in the evening and some of us want to be fired up to play video games.  Two beverages imbibed that can interfere with sleep are alcohol and caffeine.  If you are like me and you have trouble staying asleep at night, try limiting your alcohol intake.  General guidance is not to consume either of these within three hours of going to bed.  

Put down the screens.  The blue light from screens interferes with the production of melatonin.  Melatonin is the hormone that makes you sleepy.  Also depending on the content of the images you are viewing you may not be as relaxed at bedtime.  

When you go to lay down.

A soothing bedtime routine will help you wind down for the day.  A shower or a bit of meditation can do wonders for your relaxation.  Focus on allowing yourself to slow down and accept the end of your day.

To help you fall to sleep try Progressive Muscle Relaxation Training.   Michael Grothaus describes his experience with using the technique the military uses which is similar.  There are also several breathing techniques to explore like, 4-7-8 technique.  Holding my breath for seven seconds is challenging for me so I just breathe in and breathe out slowly for twice as long.

Better Sleep Homework

You may download a spreadsheet to track your progress.   If you have a fitness tracker, I suggest you use the tracker also.  You may also want to add columns for your sleep score and any other data you want to add.

And now the assignment.  Keep track of how you are sleeping for four days with no changes.  Then for the next seven days commit to making three changes.  I strongly suggest a consistent bedtime and wake up time be one.  

Pick the changes you want to make.

  • Consistent sleep schedule.
  • No screen time within 30 minutes of going to bed.
  • Use a relaxation technique.  This is a good choice for people who kow they have trouble falling asleep.
  • Avoid large meals three hours before bed.
  • Stop drinking alcohol before bed.  
  • Add meditation before bed.
  • Any other change you think will help you feel more relaxed.

The worksheet will help you keep track of:

  • Time you went to bed.
  • Time you woke up.
  • Total time sleeping.
  • How well-rested do you feel?  One of 1-5 with 1 being very tired and 5 being well-rested.
  • Did You fall to Sleep Quickly,  Same 1-5 scale.
  • How Much Were You Awake During the Night? Same 1-5 scale.
  • In the next five columns, you will answer Yes or No to what change you made.  During the five days pick three from the list or add two of your own. 

Thank you for reading.  Let me know if you will be working on your sleep hygiene.  I will be doing my homework as well.  The final blog in this series will be in two weeks to allow time for each of us to evaluate the results.  

Disclaimer.  The information provided in this article may not be appropriate for all people.  If you are not currently exercising or have or suspect you have conditions like cardiovascular, metabolic or renal disease, then you should consult your physician before considering making any changes suggested. 

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Rarely is it too late to be healthier

Rarely is it too late to be healthier. Thank you for being skeptical.  You should ask questions and consider carefully when it comes to your health.   Take the time to think about the pros and cons of making changes so you know they are right for you.  

How Do We Know?

We know getting healthier works because we can point to people who have proved it by their actions like Florence “Flo” Filion Meiler.  Ms. Meiler started training for track and field events in her 60s.  In 2021 She set a new record in the 2000 meter steeplechase in her 80s.  Several studies have also confirmed this.  A University of Birmingham study of 70 and 80-year-olds showed that people who did not exercise regularly have as much potential to build muscle mass as master athletes. 

Studies have proven

A Ralph La Forge study in 2002 of 60-83-year-olds showed that starting a weight training program three times per week could increase Bone Mineral Density (BMD).  A June 2016 article in NIH News in Health studied over 600 adults ages 70 to 89 who increased their activity to 150 minutes per week.  After two years they concluded that this group became disabled less often and recovered more quickly when disabled.  There are many more studies describing how eating changes like using DASH, Mediterranean-style, or MIND diets have helped people live longer.

When Do Changes Start?

For most people, the first signs of aging happen in their 30’s.  You begin to notice fine lines and wrinkles.  Most of us do not get concerned about this. At this time your hormones begin to change causing that slow weight gain begins.  As you enter your forties and fifties Bone Mineral Density (BMD)  will reduce.  Your blood vessels and arteries start to stiffen making your heart work harder.  Also in your forties, we begin losing muscle mass progressing to as much as 50% over time.  This condition is called sarcopenia. 

Will Changes Make A Difference?

Increasing physical activity, eating a healthy diet, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, getting good sleep, and managing chronic stress are all actions you can take.  Of course, the best results are found in people who are able to maintain these habits all their life. 

When you start in your 60s you may have conditions like heart disease or diabetes that will make progress more challenging,  Be sure to consult your physician.  Engaging the services of a health coach and the/ or exercise professional may be recommended.    Some of the benefits are better balance, improvement of chronic conditions, and a leaner and lighter body.  In women exercise can eliminate the reduction in bone density.  Recent studies have shown that Alzheimer’s markers in people over 60 are reduced by 30 minutes of exercise.  A 2019 study indicated that your mood will improve.  We all want to be happier. 

Diet Changes

A healthier diet can improve your blood pressure control and reduce your weight.  Friedrich  notes that in studies  people starting exercise at age 53 were able to increase their aerobic capacity by 18 percent and their heart elasticity by 25%.  Since bone density begins to reduce during your 40s and 50s, starting a recommended dose of calcium would help you avoid a higher risk of fractures.

  1. Calcium – Men 50-70 1K mg per day, Women >=51 1200. Vitamin D >=50 800-1K mg.

The decision is yours. As always, I would love to hear from you.  Post a comment with your thoughts and ideas?  What topics are you curious about? Contact Me

Disclaimer.  The information provided in this article may not be appropriate for all people.  If you are not currently exercising or have or suspect you have conditions like cardiovascular, metabolic, or renal disease, then you should consult your physician before considering making any changes suggested.