Do you suffer from pains and aches around a specific joint or muscle? Is it swollen and tender to touch? Does the pain increase when you move, causing difficulties in day to day life? If the answer is yes to even one of the questions above, then this blog is for you! what you can change in your nutrition to reduce and manage your tendinitis today!
A healthy diet can help manage the symptoms of bursistis or tendinitis but it won’t cure or prevent because both conditions involve inflammation. By avoiding certain foods that can cause inflammation, and choosing healthy alternatives, this can help minimize derivative pain and swelling. Foods can be neutral, acid, and alkaline. Foods containing too much acidity causes the body to release substances that cause inflammation. The key is to maintain the body at a low alkaline, or neutral, level and reduce the intake of foods that are acid. You can reduce the symptoms of your bursitis and tendonitis just by having your diet in check.
High-fat meats, especially red meat, and dairy products, especially cheese, though they are a source of nutrients such as protein, they are leading providers of saturated fat, which increases inflammation in the body.
Eating too many refined grains leaves little room for whole grains, which provide good amounts of fiber. Refined grains have a high glycemic index which impacts your blood sugar levels. Avoid foods such as white pasta, white rice, white bread, and refined cereals. Alot of these types of foods lead to excess body weight which increases stress on your joints, worsening the conditions even further.
With the grocery shop shelves overflowing with packaged foods, it is easy to end up with a diet of over-processed foods loaded with toxic flavoring, coloring additives, preservatives and refined ingredients. Alot of these foods are high in calories and low in nutrition. Such additives can increase your sensitivity to inflammation and directly activate an inflammatory processes in your body. This can be said about alot of fast foods.
Similar to refined grains, refined sugar can worsen bursitis and tendinitis, due to their high glycemic index. Spikes in your blood sugar may fuel the inflammation.
Partially hydrogenated oils are unhealthy, inflammatory fats found in processed foods which can help increase pain and swelling, and can cause serious cardiovascular health. Certain foods that should be avoided such as margarine, shortening, commercial pizza dough, pastries, pie crust, cookies and crackers.
Genetically engineered crops (GMO) contain genetic particles that stimulate inflammation (among many other health issues). Watch out for GMOs in your food, they will do your body no good.
Surprisingly enough, there are foods causing inflammation that you might want to avoid, even though they are otherwise very healthy – namely, the nightshade family. This includes tomatoes, eggplant, bell peppers, banana peppers, habanero peppers, and potatoes.
What Should You Eat When You Have Tendinitis
To reduce the nasty symptoms of tendonitis, it is firstly essential to reduce bodywide inflammation; by doing so, you will allow quicker, effective healing whilst also preventing injuries. Below is a list of foods to incorporate into your diet, and some foods that you should reduce and eliminate altogether.
Dark Leafy Greens
Vegetables, particularly dark leafy greens are rich in antioxidants which fight oxidative stress – one of the main causes of inflammation. These nutrient-dense veggies are also packed wih vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D+K, folate and minerals like magnesium. Another benefit is that they are high in fibre so they will keep you fuller for longer, and also feed your good gut bacteria; Include vegetables like:
- Broccoli
- Spinach
- Bok choy
- Brussel Sprouts
- Kale
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Rocket
- Aim to have at least half of your plate full of either raw or cooked vegetables.
Protein
This macronutrient is key to help repair any broken tissue in the; a lack of dietary protein can cause weakness, delayed recovery, pain and fatigue. The essential amino acids which can only be obtained from food sources are:
Lean proteins (organic chicken, turkey)
Grass-fed beef
Wild caught fish
Raw dairy
Eggs
Bone broth
Bone broth naturally contains collagen, which is excellent for healing tendons; this is purely because collagen naturally helps develop and form tissue within the body. It is great to speed up recovery from strains, ligament injuries, strain and also tendonitis! Try and have bone broth 2-3 times a week.
Vitamin C-rich foods
This water-soluble vitamin is essential to help rebuild collagen. Other vitamin C rich sources are:
Berries
Pineapples
Citrus fruits
Peppers
Broccoli
Squash
Sweet potatoes
Zinc-rich foods
Zinc is one of the minerals that aids in tissue development and repair. Food sources include:
Beef
Pumpkin seeds
Spinach
Cheese
Beans
Wholegrains
Potassium and magnesium containing foods
These minerals can speed healing, help with muscle recovery, improve circulation and promote relaxation in the body. Add the foods below to obtain the minerals:
Avocado
Coconut/coconut water
Bananas
Mushrooms
Sweet potatoes
Foods to Avoid When You Have Tendonitis
High Fat Meats
Fatty meats and full-fat dairy products such as cheese, may increase your risk for tendonitis. They contain high amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol, which raise your levels of chronic inflammation. To lower your risk, watch your intake of dark meat poultry with the skin, whole milk, cheese, and fatty cuts of beef and pork. Instead, aim for leaner options like egg whites, chicken breast, low fat milk/cheese, and seafood.
High Calorie Drinks
Being overweight is a risk factor for tendonitis because it increases stress on your joints. High calorie drinks can easily lead to weight gain and obesity because it’s easier to drink your calories than eat them. Many beverages are not very filling compared to calories from solid foods. Drinks such as fruit juices, milkshakes, soft drinks, energy drinks and sports beverages, are top sources of calories in the typical diet. Instead, quench your thirst with a nice glass of water or at least cut back on the sugary beverages.
Refined Grains
Eating too many refined grains leaves less room for whole grains. Refined grains could lead to tendonitis because of their high glycemic index, which impact your blood sugar levels. Eating them can cause spikes in your blood sugar. A diet composed of many refined grains can increase your inflammation and risk for tendonitis. In addition, a diet with an abundance of these foods can lead to weight gain and diabetes. Instead of white bread, white pasta and sugary cereals, choose wheat bread, wheat pasta, oatmeal, quinoa, barley or brown rice.
Sweets (Oh Those Sugary Treats)
I think this is pretty self-explanatory. Candies, ice cream and baked goods, such as cakes, cookies, pastries, and so forth, may increase your risk for tendonitis because they are all sources of empty calories. These delicious treats are easily overeaten because they’re tasty and are high in calories. Unfortunately, they are as yummy as good as they are unhealthy because these sweets do not contain many essential nutrients and can easily cause weight gain. To avoid this, try to reduce your intake of foods high in sugar and increasing your intake of vitamin C and flavonoids. Replace sugary treats with fresh fruit like apples, blueberries, cherries, pineapple, raspberries, and strawberries.
Remember the next time you go grocery shopping, simple choices make a difference. Remind yourself that fresh is best because that’s when nutrients are at their highest.
Lastly, if you’d like to couple your new healthy eating habits with massages to combat tendonitis, it has shown that massage therapy, specifically deep tissue or sports massage are a great help. These techniques stimulate circulation and cell activity, which aid in reducing inflammation and pain.
Supplements for Tendinitis
A.Vogel Stinging Nettle has excellent purifying properties. It acts as a blood tonic, providing nutrients to the tissues while removing waste products. It is particularly useful for halting or reversing the tendency to accumulate acidity in the joints, which is what happens in most cases of chronic tendinitis. Stinging nettle contains silica, a mineral that contributes to the regeneration of connective tissues, which include tendons. While there are no contraindications to the use of stinging nettle, it is best to increase the dose gradually in cases of low or high blood pressure.
A.Vogel Calcium Absorber Urticalcin is a homeopathic complex that promotes the cellular absorption of calcium and silica. If you tend to get calcified deposits on your tendons, Calcium Absorber Urticalcin will help reverse the process and relocate calcium to where it’s needed. Calcium Absorber Urticalcin can be taken with other calcium supplements or on its own to maximize the absorption of dietary calcium. If you use calcium supplements, avoid those in the form of calcium carbonate and always take calcium together with magnesium to avoid the risk of deposits forming.
A.Vogel Joint Pain Relief is made with devil’s claw, a plant that acts at several stages of the inflammatory process. Studies show that devil’s claw is as effective as conventional anti-inflammatories, but without the side effects. By reducing inflammation, devil’s claw helps speed the healing process. Unlike other types of anti-inflammatories, devil’s claw is actually good for the kidneys and liver thanks to its detoxifying action, which is vital in the treatment of arthritis and osteoarthritis. It can be used for short or extended periods.
A.Vogel Absolüt Arnica Gel is a topical preparation containing (phytotherapeutic rather than homeopathic) arnica, a plant with powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Arnica contains substances called sesquiterpene lactones, which have the ability to stop the body’s inflammatory reactions. A study comparing Absolüt Arnica Gel and a topical gel containing ibuprofen showed that Absolüt Arnica Gel is just as effective at relieving inflammation and causes fewer undesirable side effects.
Lastly, glucosamine is highly recommended in cases of joint wear because it is a substance our body uses to make cartilage, tendons and ligaments. It can accelerate the healing process and prevent the problem from becoming chronic.
Supplements are very useful for restoring the body’s equilibrium, but if your diet is primarily acidic and you keep making repetitive movements, the problem is likely to return
Prevention Tips
- Practice exercises that help in stretching and strengthening the muscles surrounding your tendon.
- Warming up before and cooling down after a strenuous workout is also important to prevent tendinitis.
- Avoid repeated use of an injured tendon.
- Avoid being in one position for too long.
- Give yourself ample rest so that your body works towards repairing your tendon.
You must be quite aware by now of the implications of leaving tendonitis untreated for too long. A rather simple condition can progress and become complicated if you decide to delay the treatment. All you have to do is get enough rest and follow a combination of the remedies and tips listed in this post to combat tendonitis and its symptoms successfully.
Do you have any other doubts or queries regarding tendonitis? Ask us in the comments below.
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