There are many persons suffering the painful symptoms of Osteoarthritis (OS), which is a joint disease. In the United States alone there are 20.7 million who live with pain and stiffness everyday. Inflammation from the disease causes damage to the ability of the joint to lubricate and it also causes damage to the cartilage found in joints.

Early in the disease the person may hardly notice the symptoms, as they may be very mild. The symptoms will range from a slight pain upon exertion and repeated motion of the joints to feeling just a little stiff in the morning. When the stiffness quickly subsides the symptoms are soon forgot.

Osteoarthritis is a progressive disease, which means it worsens over time and there is no cure for it. There are however many foods that when consumed, they can lessen the severity of the effects of the disease.

Foods such as Cold water fish, organically grown fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, whole grains and the herb - ginger.

It is also beneficial to avoid refined products such as items made from white flour, white rice, and white pasta. It is also important not to eat excessive amounts of saturated fats and foods that contain trans fats.

What are Saturated fats and Trans fats?

Saturated fats in large quantities can cause high blood cholesterol. It can be found in foods that are made from animals as well as plant foods. Animal foods that contain saturated fats are: beef, beef fat, butter, cheeses, cream, lard, milk and other dairy foods, port, and also poultry fat. Plant foods that contain saturated fat are: cocoa butter, coconut and coconut oil, palm kernel oil and palm oil.

Trans fats can be naturally occurring or they can be artificial. Trans fats are commonly found in beef and dairy products. Artificial trans fats are found in found in food process with hydrogen gas because it reacts with oil. Such artificial sources of trans fats are: packaged cookies, crackers, canned icing, potato chips, stick margarines and popcorn made in the microwave. A big contributor of trans fats are factory-produced hydrogenated vegetable oil.

Trans fats were used to process foods starting about 20 years ago. Food manufacturers added trans fats to processed foods in order to prolong the shelf life of these foods.

Trans fats can clog our arteries and contribute to the rising rates of heart disease and obesity. They also increase total cholesterol levels and can drop the healthy HDL cholesterol in our blood streams.

Trans fats are much worse for our over-all health than natural fats found in butter and beef.

Artificial trans fats found in processed foods like crackers can clog not only our arteries to our heart but those in our brain as well; which can lead to an increased risk for heart attacks and strokes. The processed foods we consume can actually kill us. Not only do we suffer the pain and stiffness of osteoarthritis but we can add to our discomfort by running the risk of adding these other diseases to our bodies.