Do you have arthritis, or are you starting to experience a little joint pain from time to time? If so, you'll appreciate knowing that like so many of our modern-day degenerative diseases, arthritis symptoms are SO food-related. This is good news because what we eat is always within our control.

My motivation to research this subject comes from the fact that I've had a smidge of joint pain lately, and I don't want it to go any further. And what I found is reassuring-according to scientists and doctors, food choices can keep arthritis at bay, minimize symptoms, or prevent them from advancing.

Here's some information I found on one of my favorite websites, www.healthline.com: Arthritis is a general term encompassing conditions that share joint pain and inflammation. Typical treatment involves pain-reducing medication. While there is no definitive arthritis diet, research suggests including anti-inflammatory foods in your diet and limiting foods that may trigger joint pain can make a significant difference. Read on for 7 specific things to do to minimize arthritis symptoms:

Researchers at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine examined disease prevention through diet. Findings showed that "cutting back on the consumption of fried and processed foods, such as fried meats and prepared frozen meals, can reduce inflammation and actually help restore the body's natural defenses." So in a nutshell, here's what you can do:

Cut down on the amount of fried and processed foods you consume, and include more vegetables and fruits in your diet.

Lower your AGEs. AGE doesn't refer to how many birthdays you've celebrated. An advanced glycation endproduct (AGE), is a toxin that appears when foods are heated, grilled, fried, or pasteurized. AGEs damage certain proteins in the body, and the body tries to break these AGEs apart by using cytokines, which are inflammatory messengers. Depending on where the AGEs occur, they may result in arthritis or other forms of inflammation. So in a nutshell, here's what you can do:

Reduce the amount of foods cooked at high temperatures in your diet and you'll help reduce blood AGE levels.

High amounts of sugar in the diet also result in an increase in AGEs, which can result in inflammation. So in a nutshell, here's what you can do:

Cut out candies, processed foods, white flour baked goods, and sodas to reduce your arthritis pain.

Dairy products contribute to arthritis pain due to the type of protein they contain. According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, for a large percentage of people this protein irritates the tissue around the joints. Some sufferers of arthritis pain have success switching to a vegan diet-which contains no animal products whatsoever. So in a nutshell, here's what you can do:

Rather than getting protein from meat and dairy, get the bulk of your protein sources from vegetables like spinach, nut butters, tofu, beans, lentils, and quinoa.

Tobacco and alcohol use leads to a wide range of health problems, including some that affect joints. Smokers are more at risk for developing rheumatoid arthritis, while those who consume alcohol have a higher risk for developing gout. So in a nutshell, here's what you can do:

Healthy joints require a balanced diet, physical activity, and an adequate amount of rest-all of which can be compromised by alcohol and tobacco use. Cut back on drinking and smoking and ramp up your eating habits with healthy choices, regular exercise, and good quality sleep.

Know what's in your food. Most store-bought foods contain excessive salt and other preservatives to promote longer shelf lives. For some people, excess consumption of salt will result in inflammation of the joints. It may be worth trying to reduce your salt intake to as modest an amount as is reasonable. So in a nutshell, here's what you can do:

Read labels and avoid preservatives and additives. Less salt helps with arthritis management, so be especially careful to avoid prepared/processed meals. Though they're convenient, microwavable meals are very high in sodium.

Most store-bought baked goods and snacks contain corn or other oils high in omega-6 fatty acids (trans-fats) and they trigger inflammation. Some studies have looked at the pain-relieving effects of omega-3s on individuals with rheumatoid arthritis, and have found that fish oil, which contains omega-3s, helps with joint pain relief. So in a nutshell, here's what you can do:

Replace foods containing omega-6 fatty acids with healthy, anti-inflammatory omega-3 alternatives such as olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, flax seeds, chia seed, and pumpkin seeds.

I conclude by including the caveat included on every health site I visited (each one in more or less the same words): "While there is no established arthritis diet plan, and what works for one person may not work for someone else, experts do advise arthritis patients to maintain a healthy body weight and eat a balanced diet using trial and error to determine which foods you need to eliminate." This statement protects the authors of the sites from litigation. So I'll throw the same statement in as well. But my personal experience? Arthritis is SO food-related, and eliminating the above suggestions has made a huge difference. See if that approach doesn't do the same for you.