Foods can be powerful tools in maintaining health and preventing disease. Most notably foods that fall under the new group of foods deemed “Super Foods”. We’re discussing five super foods that help in protecting joints, and may ease pain in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or arthritis. 
- Cherries and berries are more than sweet treats. Cherries and dark-colored berries are Nature’s richest sources of anthocyanins, a group of antioxidants called flavonoids which possess exceptional anti-inflammatory properties. Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, and cherries top the list of anti-arthritis fruits.
- Find pain relief in an unexpected part of your local supermarket – the fish counter! Go wild – wild fish are better sources than farm-raised. This includes wild salmon, scallops, sardines, and anchovies. These possess natural compounds that halt inflammation, relieve pain, and actually encourage your joints to produce new cartilage.
- You can add flaxseeds to your new list of arthritis healing foods. They may be tiny, but their arthritis-fighting properties are impressive due to their rich supply of alpha-linoleic acid (ALA), one of the omega-3 fatty acids that make cold-water fish such a powerful joint protector. Flaxseed, in fact, is the very best plant source of healing omega-3s. Just two tablespoons of ground flaxseed (also called flax meal) provides you with 140% of the daily recommendation for omega-3s.
- Yogurt’s been around for thousands of years, but science is just beginning to understand its remarkable healing properties. For instance, yogurt is a potent inflammation-fighter with well-documented curative effects for arthritis finger pain and stiffness. Yogurt’s beneficial bacteria not only reduce inflammation, they also strengthen the entire immune system. This joint health food even improves your body’s efficiency at absorbing essential nutrients, particularly calcium.
- Nibbling a brazil nut or two every day is also great for your arthritis. That’s because this chunky nut contains more of the trace mineral selenium than any other food. Selenium is especially important for people with arthritis because low levels of this potent antioxidant actually invite more damage to our joints. Eating selenium-rich foods also helps limit free radical damage, while helping to relieve arthritis symptoms.
