Can changing your diet ease rheumatoid
arthritis pain?
Credit to LESLIE BECK , The
Globe and Mail, Sep. 10 2012.
The question: I have
rheumatoid arthritis. Should I avoid certain foods? And can certain foods
reduce my symptoms?
The answer: Yes, certain
types of diets, foods and supplements may help ease the symptoms of rheumatoid
arthritis as well as the side of effects of certain medications used to treat
the autoimmune disease. The diet and nutrition strategies I am about to
describe, however, should not be considered a replacement for any medication
you might be taking.
You might have heard that
people with arthritis should avoid nightshade vegetables such as bell peppers,
eggplant, tomatoes and potatoes. These foods were once thought to aggravate
joint pain. However, not one study has proven this connection and it’s no
longer believed to be true.
Studies have found, however,
that adopting a Mediterranean-style diet
– one that’s rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, extra virgin olive oil and
contains little red meat – can help reduce inflamed joints and improve physical
functioning. The characteristic foods of a Mediterranean diet deliver
monounsaturated fat, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals which can help reduce
inflammation in the body.
A number of studies have
also demonstrated that a low-fat vegan diet can bring about long-term
improvements in symptoms. (A vegan diet eliminates all animal foods – meat, poultry,
fish, eggs and dairy.) A plant-based diet plentiful in fruit, vegetables, whole
grains, beans and soy is thought to reduce inflammation and promote the growth
of friendly bacteria in the gut that enhance the body’s immune system. (If
you’re considering going vegan, I strongly recommend you consult a dietitian to
help you design a nutritionally complete meal plan.)
If you don’t want to
overhaul your diet, start by adding plenty of antioxidant-rich foods to your
diet each day. During the process of inflammation, immune cells generate free
radicals, compounds that may damage tissues in people with rheumatoid
arthritis. In fact, researchers have noticed increased free radical activity
and lower levels of antioxidants (vitamins C and E, beta carotene, selenium) in
the blood and joint fluid of arthritis suffers.
The best food sources of
vitamin C are citrus fruit, cantaloupe, kiwi, mango, strawberries, broccoli,
Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and red pepper. Vitamin E rich foods include
wheat germ, nuts, seeds, whole grains and kale.
Beta-carotene rich foods
include dark green and orange produce in your daily diet such as carrots, sweet
potato, winter squash, kale, spinach, apricots, peaches, mango and papaya.
Selenium is found in
seafood, chicken, whole grains, nuts, onions, garlic and mushrooms.
When it comes to
supplements, fish oil might help reduce the number of tender joints and morning
stiffness, and reduce pain. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil (called
docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid, or DHA and EPA) hinder the body’s production of inflammatory immune compounds.
Most studies have used a dose of fish oil that provides 3.8 grams EPA and 2
grams DHA per day, an amount that’s easier to get from a
liquid fish-oil supplement than a capsule.