It’s relatively common knowledge that diet plays a huge part in your lifetime risk of developing cancer. But new research indicates that it might also factor into the occurrence of arthritis. The root cause of this painful joint condition has not been fully understood in the past, but it has often been linked to wear and tear. People who have physically demanding jobs or are obese seemed to be at higher risk.
But now it appears that the balance of bacteria living in your gut, which is influenced directly by diet, can be an inciting factor in the development of arthritis. In turn, the chronic inflammation and lower activity level found in arthritis patients can lead to the development of cancer.
In mouse studies, researchers noted that obese mice tended to have more harmful bacteria in their guts than lean mice. The bacteria led directly to chronic inflammation and progressive joint deterioration. When the gut biome was shifted toward a healthier balance of good bacteria, the joint damage was halted and often reversed.
Researchers think a high-fat Western diet, nicknamed the “cheeseburger and milkshake” diet, could be the culprit. More research in humans is necessary, but in the meantime, avoiding the following 7 foods will reduce both your risk of cancer and your arthritis pain. At the end, we’ll share a supplement that could work in concert with a healthy diet to balance your gut biome even more!