For the more than 10 million people in the UK currently living with arthritis, flare-ups can feel like a cruel lottery. But despite being dismissed as unpredictable, one expert believes they may be far more within our reach than most patients realise. Director of Education at Functional Diagnostic Nutrition, Elizabeth Gaines, told GB News: “In my clinical experience, flare-ups in inflammatory arthritis are often terrain-dependent.”She says sleep deprivation, chronic stress, gut dysbiosis and a pro-inflammatory diet all directly contribute to the systemic inflammatory load fuelling the flare. And crucially, these factors are modifiable.This reframe could help millions who tolerate suffering on a daily basis, as arthritis becomes a matter of “active terrain stewardship”.More than 10 million people living in the UK are plagued with arthritis flare-ups | GETTYDiet, according to Ms Gaines, is one of the first and most accessible levers available to patients, though expectations around specific foods should be tempered.Tart cherries, which are rich in anthocyanins, have strong evidence among fruits for reducing inflammatory markers. Blueberries, pineapple and pomegranate, on the other hand, also show promise for taming inflammation.Ms Gaines warned against the “superfood fallacy”, however, which she argues leads many to falsely believe a single food can offset the harm of an otherwise inflammatory diet.“No fruit reverses arthritis,” she declared plainly. She also pushes back on the popular belief that nightshade vegetables are to blame for flare-ups, noting the idea has “very weak scientific support”.Her broader advice is to cut out ultra-processed foods and refined sugar, increase omega-3-rich foods like oily fish and walnuts, and finally, take sleep seriously. In fact, taking sleep seriously is what Ms Gaines describes as the “most underrated anti-inflammatory intervention available to anyone”.More important still is weight management, which may matter more than individual food choice.Tart cherries have strong evidence among fruits for reducing inflammatory markers. | GETTYWith every extra pound of body weight adding roughly four pounds of pressure on the knee joint, weight loss is probably the single most impactful non-pharmaceutical intervention for arthritis, the dietitian explained.For the millions currently living with arthritis, understanding what’s driving their flare-ups could give them back a sense of control over the condition.