Arthritis diet
Eat in a way that supports your joints and your bones
Stiff knees every morning, a gout attack that wakes you at 2am, or a bone density scan that came back worse than you expected. What you eat changes how your joints and bones cope, and a dietitian can show you exactly where to start.
Medicare, NDIS, DVA and private health funds accepted.
Understanding Arthritis diet
Diet will not remove arthritis, but it can change how much pain and inflammation you live with day to day. With gout, what you eat and drink affects your uric acid level and how often you flare. With osteoporosis, calcium, vitamin D and protein intake affect how much bone you hold onto.
Our dietitians and exercise physiologists work on the same problem from two directions: what you eat, and how you load your joints and bones. You get a plan built around your diagnosis, your medications and the food you actually enjoy.
Who does it affect?
adults of any age, though risk climbs after 50 and after menopause.
How common is it?
[CONFIRM: around 3.6 million Australians live with arthritis and around 1.2 million have osteoporosis].
What is the recovery like?
varies; gout triggers can shift quickly, while bone and weight changes take longer.
Who should I see for treatment?
your dietitian, often alongside your exercise physiologist.
What funding options are available?
Medicare, NDIS, DVA and private health funds accepted.
What is an arthritis diet?
An arthritis diet is not one named diet. It is an eating pattern that lowers inflammation, keeps your body weight in a range your joints can carry, and supplies the nutrients bone and cartilage rely on. The same pattern usually helps gout and osteoporosis too.
Problems build slowly. Weight gain adds load to knees and hips. Regular beer, spirits and sugary drinks push uric acid up until a joint crystallises and flares. Years of low calcium, low vitamin D or low protein intake quietly thin bone, and you feel nothing until something breaks.
Common contributing factors:
Excess body weight, which increases load and inflammatory signalling
Alcohol and fructose-sweetened drinks, which raise uric acid
Low calcium, vitamin D or protein intake, which limits bone repair
Restrictive or self-directed elimination diets that cut out whole food groups
Symptoms of Arthritis diet
Joint pain that worsens with activity and settles with rest
Morning stiffness in the affected joints
Swelling, heat or redness over a joint
Sudden, severe pain in one joint, often the big toe, overnight
Fatigue and general unwellness with inflammatory arthritis
Loss of height, a stooped posture, or a fracture from a minor fall
Your plan comes out of the assessment, not a handout.
What to expect at your first appointment
Tell us what is going on
Your diagnosis, your flares, your scans and bloods, your medications, and the meals in your normal week.
A full assessment
Your dietitian reviews intake, weight history, calcium and vitamin D status, and the triggers that show up in your pattern.
A clear plan
Specific swaps, portions and shopping lists you can start this week, written to fit your budget and cooking habits.
Review and adjust
We track symptoms, flares and bloods over time, then change the plan as your results and goals change.
When to book an appointment
Joint pain or stiffness has bothered you for more than six weeks
Pain is limiting your walking, sleep, work or stairs
You have tried cutting out foods yourself and nothing has changed
You are not sure which foods matter for your gout, arthritis or bone density
Book an assessment if:
Looking after yourself at home
Small, consistent changes usually beat short bursts of strict eating.
Excess body weight, which increases load and inflammatory signalling
Alcohol and fructose-sweetened drinks, which raise uric acid
Low calcium, vitamin D or protein intake, which limits bone repair
Restrictive or self-directed elimination diets that cut out whole food groups
Meet the team who treat this
Behind every appointment is a team of practitioners who know each other, trust each other and work together for you. Across seven clinics and nine disciplines, our team shares expertise, coordinates treatment plans and celebrates your progress together.
Aimee Fuller
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Alicia Whiticker
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Amanda Banks
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Amanda Duggan
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Amy Meekings
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Anita Beerapu
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Benjamin Tucker
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Blake Cossar
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Bronte Tupper
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Chris Farrugia
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Corrina Aitken
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
David Logue
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Dean Gresser
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Emma Nassif
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Esha Sharma
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Fatima Hussaini
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Felicity Spencer-Davey
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Frankie Raikadroka
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Hannah Norrie
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Heather Edwards
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Isaac Vella
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Jarrah Nesbitt
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Jonathan Lopez
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Justin Hanna
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Kasey Collins
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Katrina Gauci
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Kennedy Touet
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Kristy Edwards
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Kyle Perry
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Lorna Nicastri
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Maja Bosic
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Marxy Koronel
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Matt Barton
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Michael Todd
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Mr Jeffery Jenkins FACPS
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Nathan Cavanagh
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Patrick Celeban
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Praise Khin
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Sarah Bonnici
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Shannon Smith
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Siobhan Kelly
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Taleisha Bozzi
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Trystan Singh
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Uty Kotwal
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Yoni Hochberg
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Zak Lloyd
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
EPC, DVA, NDIS and WorkCover welcome
Nearly half of our appointments are funded through Medicare, DVA, NDIS or WorkCover. We manage the paperwork so you can focus on your health.
NDIS
We support eligible NDIS participants across podiatry, physiotherapy, exercise physiology, dietetics and psychology, depending on your plan and goals. Eligibility and funding are set by your plan.
Medicare
Medicare may rebate podiatry, physiotherapy, exercise physiology and dietetics sessions when your GP refers you under an Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) or Chronic Disease Management (CDM) plan, and psychology sessions under a Mental Health Care Plan. The number of sessions is set by your plan.
DVA
Gold and White card holders can access DVA-funded care across our services with a valid referral.
WorkCover
If you have been injured at work, we accept WorkCover referrals for physiotherapy, exercise physiology and psychology, and manage the paperwork with your insurer, with a clear return-to-work plan.
Seven clinics across three regions
Find a clinic near you. Each location is staffed by local practitioners who know your community.
Penrith
Western SydneyOur largest centre, with our full range of services under one roof.
Ropes Crossing
Western SydneyPodiatry, at Ropes Crossing Village.
Blaxland
Blue MountainsPodiatry, physiotherapy, exercise physiology and group classes.
Springwood
Blue MountainsPodiatry, dietetics and a boutique footwear store.
Katoomba
Blue MountainsPodiatry, physiotherapy and dietetics, in a restored 1914 cottage.
Ryde
North ShorePodiatry, physiotherapy, dietetics and exercise physiology, with a footwear store and gait analysis.
Lindfield
North ShorePodiatry, with mobile podiatry across the North Shore and Northern Beaches.
Ready to take the pressure off your joints?
Book an assessment and get an eating plan built around your joints, bones and real life.
Frequently asked questions
Do nightshade vegetables like tomatoes and potatoes make arthritis worse?
For most people, no. There is no consistent evidence that tomatoes, potatoes, capsicum or eggplant worsen arthritis, since they carry nutrients that support joint and bone health. A small number of people notice a genuine pattern. If you suspect one, your dietitian can run a structured trial and reintroduction rather than you cutting them out permanently on a hunch.
Which drinks are most likely to trigger a gout attack?
Beer and spirits carry the highest risk, followed by soft drinks and juices sweetened with fructose. Beer contains purines as well as alcohol, so it hits from two directions. Wine appears lower risk in moderate amounts. Water, tea, coffee and milk do not raise uric acid, and low-fat dairy may modestly lower it.
Will cutting out dairy help my joint pain?
There is no strong evidence that dairy worsens arthritis, and cutting it out can make osteoporosis risk worse by dropping your calcium intake. If you avoid dairy for other reasons, calcium-fortified soy milk, tinned fish with bones, tofu set with calcium, almonds and leafy greens can cover the gap. Your dietitian can calculate what you are currently getting.
How much does losing weight change knee pain?
Weight loss reduces both the mechanical load and the inflammatory signalling that drive knee pain. Because of the way force multiplies through the joint when you walk, each kilogram lost removes several kilograms of load with every step. Many people notice a change in stairs and walking distance well before they reach a goal weight.
Is strength training safe if I have osteoporosis?
Yes, with the right prescription. Bone responds to load, so supervised resistance and weight-bearing exercise is a core part of osteoporosis care rather than something to avoid. Your exercise physiologist adjusts for fracture risk and generally limits heavy forward bending and forceful twisting of the spine. Nutrition and loading work together: neither does much alone.
Can diet replace my arthritis or gout medication?
No. Diet works alongside medication, not instead of it. Urate-lowering medication does far more for uric acid than food alone, and osteoporosis medication protects bone that nutrition cannot rebuild by itself. Never stop or change a prescription on your own. Tell your GP what you are changing, and we can write to them with your plan.