The concept of well-being and prevention go hand
in hand with a concept Hippocrates stated: “Let
food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”.
Diet also plays an imperative role in the
general field of inflammation. For all patients, regardless of their articular pathology,
losing
a few excess kilos is always recommended, not
only for mechanical reasons, but also because
research has highlighted that adipokines have a
key role in articular-rheumatic disorders.
The type of nutrition which helps to keep joints
healthy has to be balanced and varied. It should
also be rich in antioxidants and contain little
amounts of alcohol. The diet should also not
contain too many elements of animal origins.
Dietary fats deserve a special mention, as they compose
the membrane of our cells. If our diet is rich in
omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, they (and
especially the arachidonic fatty acids) may become the
source of powerful inflammatory substances: such
substances are useful when they are kept in relation
with other less inflammatory substances derived from
omega-3 fatty acids, but they can have very dangerous
outcomes when taken in excessive quantities. According
to a number of researches, the suitable ratio of omega-6
to omega-3 should be 4:1, whereas the membrane of the
cells of a typical Western person usually shows a ratio
of 15:1.
A perfect diet that suits everyone doesn’t exist, but
the difference in these ratios is obviously important
and a large number of researchers believe that the
imbalance of an excessive quantity of omega-6 could lead
to an increase in the production of prostaglandin which
has an inflammatory action. This ratio has been thrown
even more off balance by the increase in the intake of
vegetal oils used in industrially prepared food.
Here
are some useful directions:
“Friendly” food:
● plenty of
seasonal fruit and vegetables;
● extra
virgin olive oil is a panacea for our
articulation, thanks to the molecule of
oleocanthal which can inhibit the Cox enzymes,
which are the cause of the inflammation;
● fatty fish,
such as fish who live in cold water like salmon
or trout, as well as fish oils: anchovies,
sardines, mackerel. These types of fish increase
the ratio of Omega-3 and balance its relation
with Omega-6.
Eat with moderation, and be careful to:
● processed
foods such as chips, biscuits and snacks;
●
industrially made bread; refined, treated and
preserved foods; some types of margarine and
butter; these foods lead to large intakes of
trans-fats, unsaturated and saturated fats, and
therefore increase the ratio of Omega-6 fatty
acids which are transformed into inflammatory
compounds;
● foods
originating from animals/animal products.
A piece of advice: pay attention to the
product’s label, this will help you to better
chose what to put in your shopping bag.
Dr. Angelo
Bianco Specialist in nephrology and food science,dietetic consultant
in Abano Terme’s nursing home
Specialist in acupuncture,
Bach flower
therapy and Australian flower therapy.
Collaborates with thermal hotels
Hotel Terme Bristol Buja,
Panoramic
Hotel Plaza, and
Hotel Terme Cristoforo.
We have asked some experts and specialists to help us improve our understanding of the causes and therapeutic
modalities of shoulder pains. In the following pages you
can find some explanations and suggestions which cannot
replace medical advice, but they try to highlight the
importance of prevention and prompt action by calling a
specialist who can locate the cause of the problem and
who can give the most suitable therapeutic solutions.
SOS back pains
The backache is one of the most
common pathologies: stiffness,
wrong postures, joints lesions,
many are the causes of this pain
that can become a daily
companion. Discover with our
experts’ advices how to face it
and…beat it!
At the spa for two
How wonderful and complicated is
a relationship! Let’s try to
understand how to create moments
for two rich in cuddles and
communication perhaps while you
are plunged into thermal water.
