Diet and running are clearly linked, according to Brian J. McGrory, MD,MS, a well-known Hip and Knee Replacement Surgeon at Maine Medical Partners – Orthopedics. There are a number of measures that runners can pursue to minimize joint inflammation symptoms preparing for a race, or while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
One measure that does not receive a lot of attention is following a certain diet. One reason is that we only partially understand how our diet interacts with all of the mechanisms our bodies use to remain in balance. Another is that some patients may respond to certain dietary changes, while others may not.
What is known is that certain foods have an overall inflammatory effect on our immune systems. Experiments show that certain measures of inflammation are reliably increased or decreased by certain dietary changes.
Diet and Running: good foods
Foods good for runners include those with a low glycemic index. Glycemic index is the blood glucose-raising potential of the carbohydrates in different foods. When you think about diet and running, foods that elevate our insulin response rapidly are the foods that often cause inflammation. That state affects our whole body, including joints that have arthritis. This does not mean that a specific diet caused the joint inflammation, but rather that the diet is possibly aggravating the inflammation in the affected joint. Processed carbohydrates like sugar and bleached flour products are examples of foods that should be avoided. Instead, complex carbohydrates like those in fruits and sprouted or whole grain breads are better.
Of course running requires a lot of calories and on race day even more. Simple sugars may be appropriate for energy during the race. Outside of high performance or very long distance, runners who are concerned about joint inflammation should stick to complex carbohydrates when possible.
Want to read more about diet and running? See lessons in injury prevention.