What Foods Causes Inflammation In Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sugar And Refined Flour

Anti inflammatory diet for chronic inflammation, chronic pain and arthritis

Your blood sugar levels can surge after you’ve eaten simple carbohydrates that are easily broken down by the body. Such foods include sugary snacks and drinks, white-flour bread and pasta, and white rice. A spike in your blood sugar prompts the body to produce pro-inflammatory chemicals called cytokines, which can worsen your RA symptoms if the inflammation affects your joints. These foods can also cause you to put on the pounds, stressing your joints. There is no real replacement for these foods, but you can try gluten-free alternatives, which can be helpful, says Domingues.

Additions To Your Diet

Add these high-quality foods to your diet. They can help to fill nutritional gaps and reduce joint pain:

Omega-3 Fatty Acids. This healthy fat is found in foods such as fish, nuts and in dietary supplements such as fish oil. Omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and stiffness. Studies show that those who ate omega-3 rich foods or took a fish oil supplement had a reduction in joint pain. If youre not a fan of fish, try plant-based sources of Omega-3 foods such as ground flax, flaxseed oil and walnuts.

Vitamin D. The sunshine vitamin is important for bone and muscle function. Research studies have linked low blood levels of vitamin D with increased risk of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Sources include sunlight, egg yolk, salmon, cod liver oil and fortified foods such as milk and orange juice. Read your medication labels and talk to your doctor or pharmacist to find out if any of your medicines put you at risk for developing vitamin D deficiency. And be sure your provider orders a vitamin D test as part of the bloodwork for your annual check-up.

Turmeric. This spice contains a chemical called curcumin that can reduce joint pain and swelling by blocking inflammatory cytokines and enzymes. Clinical trials using turmeric showed long-term improvement in chronic inflammatory-related joint disease. Add turmeric to smoothies, eggs, or sauces for added flavor and an anti-inflammatory boost.

What Medications Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis

Early treatment with certain drugs can improve your long-term outcome. Combinations of drugs may be more effective than, and appear to be as safe as, single-drug therapy.

There are many medications to decrease joint pain, swelling and inflammation, and to prevent or slow down the disease. Medications that treat rheumatoid arthritis include:

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Biologics tend to work rapidly within two to six weeks. Your provider may prescribe them alone or in combination with a DMARD like methotrexate.

Read Also: Is Spicy Food Good For Arthritis

What Are The Four Stages Of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Stage 1: In early stage rheumatoid arthritis, the tissue around your joint is inflamed. You may have some pain and stiffness. If your provider ordered X-rays, they wouldnt see destructive changes in your bones.
Stage 2: The inflammation has begun to damage the cartilage in your joints. You might notice stiffness and a decreased range of motion.
Stage 3: The inflammation is so severe that it damages your bones. Youll have more pain, stiffness and even less range of motion than in stage 2, and you may start to see physical changes.
Stage 4: In this stage, the inflammation stops but your joints keep getting worse. Youll have severe pain, swelling, stiffness and loss of mobility.

What Foods Make Rheumatoid Arthritis Worse

Rheumatoid arthritis is a type of chronic inflammatory arthritis that is associated with flares and remissions. Flares are the times when you experience the signs and symptoms of RA, and remissions are periods when those signs and symptoms disappear.

Researchers have not yet found a specific diet for rheumatoid arthritis, but some evidence suggests that certain foods can trigger your RA symptoms and make them worse.

7 types of food and alcohol to avoid with RA

Foods that are likely to increase the inflammation in your body and cause weight gain fall under this category, which includes:

Red meat and dairy products

Daily consumption of red meat, though high in protein, is also high in saturated fats, which are bad for your rheumatoid arthritis. Saturated fats can cause inflammation, increase your uric acid levels and contribute to weight gain. The same is true for full-fat dairy products, including milk.

Sugary foods and foods containing refined flour

Sugar present in sweetened drinks and sodas, desserts and pastries, as well as foods containing refined flour, such as white bread, pasta and white rice, are also not your friend when it comes to RA.

Processed foods and ready-to-eat foods or foods that can be prepared instantly within a few minutes are often loaded with sugar and refined flour. They can cause spikes in your blood sugar level and trigger the production of cytokines, which are pro-inflammatory chemicals that can worsen your RA symptoms.

Fried or grilled foods

Pillar I: Heal Your Gut

To get to the root cause of your rheumatoid arthritis, we start with addressing your gut. I have used the 4R approach successfully with thousands of patients.

Remove the bad Get rid of inflammatory and toxic foods, and infections such as yeast overgrowth and SIBO.

Restore whats missing Adding digestive enzymes and HCL to your daily regimen will help support optimal digestion and nutrient absorption, as well as assist your bodys intestinal repair and inflammation responses.

Reinoculate with healthy bacteria Restore beneficial bacteria with probiotics to re-establish a healthy balance of good bacteria to heal your gut.

Repair the gut Provide nutrients necessary to help the gut repair itself. Leaky Gut Revive® Max supports gut lining and your immune system. Drinking bone broth or adding collagen protein will also help to heal your gut.

Also Check: Does Arthritis Make Your Hands Swell

What Are The Complications Of Ra

Rheumatoid arthritis has many physical and social consequences and can lower quality of life. It can cause pain, disability, and premature death.

Premature heart disease. People with RA are also at a higher risk for developing other chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. To prevent people with RA from developing heart disease, treatment of RA also focuses on reducing heart disease risk factors. For example, doctors will advise patients with RA to stop smoking and lose weight.
Obesity. People with RA who are obese have an increased risk of developing heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Being obese also increases risk of developing chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. Finally, people with RA who are obese experience fewer benefits from their medical treatment compared with those with RA who are not obese.
Employment. RA can make work difficult. Adults with RA are less likely to be employed than those who do not have RA. As the disease gets worse, many people with RA find they cannot do as much as they used to. Work loss among people with RA is highest among people whose jobs are physically demanding. Work loss is lower among those in jobs with few physical demands, or in jobs where they have influence over the job pace and activities.

What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Ra

Mayo Clinic Minute: Fighting arthritis with food

With RA, there are times when symptoms get worse, known as flares, and times when symptoms get better, known as remission.

Signs and symptoms of RA include:

Pain or aching in more than one joint
Stiffness in more than one joint
Tenderness and swelling in more than one joint
The same symptoms on both sides of the body

Disease Activity Score 28

Disease activity score 28 is a validated index for monitoring the disease activity of RA. This index is a multi-dimensional instrument that utilizes the number of swollen and tender joints, the levels of an acute phase reactant , and the total self-assessment of disease activity by visual analogue scale of general health. In this study, all patients were examined by the study rheumatologist to determine the number of swollen joints and tender joints , and then DAS-28 scores were calculated using the following formula :

Many Topical Treatments For Ra Also Target Inflammation

Applying ice to swollen, painful joints alleviates pain by decreasing inflammation. Topical creams and patches that contain NSAIDs or salicylates can also have anti-inflammatory, pain-reducing effects. One of the reasons they may work is because the drug is absorbed through the skin into the bloodstream and it decreases systemic inflammation, Rubin explains.

Also Check: Can Rheumatoid Arthritis Affect Your Back

Inflammatory Foods For Rheumatoid Arthritis

In addition to medication treatment plans that include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs , limiting or eliminating altogether certain foods from your diet can help you to feel better as well.

Inflammatory foods are foods that can produce or trigger inflammatory symptoms in joints and in the digestive system. These are foods that are generally processed, cooked at high temperatures, or contain lots of chemical preservatives and unnatural ingredients. Be sure to check all foods labels carefully for any of the below ingredients.

Vegetable Oils And Dressings

You might think that oil from corn, sunflowers, and peanuts would be healthy. But these oils are high in Omega 6 fatty acids. While your body needs some Omega 6, too much leads to inflammation. Avoid most mayonnaise and bottled salad dressings, as well as vegetable oils such as safflower, sunflower, soy, and grape seed.

Also Check: How Do They Test You For Rheumatoid Arthritis

Refined Sugars And Artificial Sweeteners

Refined sugar and artificial sweeteners are inflammatory foods that can lead to leaky gut syndrome. Consuming sugary foods leads to increased production of AGEs, which cause oxidative stress and spikes levels of inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein . Refined sugars are found in many processed and packaged foods, including cookies, cakes, candy, and soft drinks. Its not the end of the world if you indulge in a sweet treat from time to time. However, consuming too much sugar can lead to inflammation, diabetes, and obesity.

What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis

RA is a systemic autoimmune condition that can affect organs such as the eyes, lungs, heart as well as synovial joints. The most affected are the small joints in the hands and feet but it can affect knees, hips and shoulder joints too. Several joints can be affected at the same time, usually symmetrically , such as both hands. RA causes the joint lining to become inflamed and swollen. This results in destruction of the joint surface, causing extreme tenderness and pain. Increased inflammation in people who have RA increases the risk of developing heart attack, stroke, and heart failure.

Don’t Miss: How Do You Reduce Swelling From Arthritis

What Are The Risk Factors For Ra

Researchers have studied a number of genetic and environmental factors to determine if they change persons risk of developing RA.

Characteristics that increase risk

Age. RA can begin at any age, but the likelihood increases with age. The onset of RA is highest among adults in their sixties.
Sex. New cases of RA are typically two-to-three times higher in women than men.
Genetics/inherited traits. People born with specific genes are more likely to develop RA. These genes, called HLA class II genotypes, can also make your arthritis worse. The risk of RA may be highest when people with these genes are exposed to environmental factors like smoking or when a person is obese.
Smoking. Multiple studies show that cigarette smoking increases a persons risk of developing RA and can make the disease worse.
History of live births. Women who have never given birth may be at greater risk of developing RA.
Early Life Exposures. Some early life exposures may increase risk of developing RA in adulthood. For example, one study found that children whose mothers smoked had double the risk of developing RA as adults. Children of lower income parents are at increased risk of developing RA as adults.
Obesity. Being obese can increase the risk of developing RA. Studies examining the role of obesity also found that the more overweight a person was, the higher his or her risk of developing RA became.

Characteristics that can decrease risk

Best Healthy Snacks For Arthritis: The Journey Is The Reward

Inflammatory Foods: What To Avoid

Snacking isnt going to be your only tool against arthritis. We suggest our GLX3 New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel Oil supplement as part of your routine, along with a healthy, antioxidant-rich diet and appropriate exercise. If youre done with snacking and ready to make dinner, here are 6 super easy meal ideas for people arthritis.

These elements come together into a sort of full-circle arthritis fighting routine. Exercise is critically important for whole body health and wellness, but as youve probably learned, many exercises take their toll on your joints. By eating a healthy diet, you can do everything in your power to offset the inflammation and joint pain and get back to doing the things you love most whether that be playing with the kids or going on a morning walk.

Youve tried exercises and youve tried the different home methods for using heat to help

How useful was this post?

Average rating 4 / 5. Vote count: 23

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

Since you found this post useful…

We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!

Let us improve this post!

Tell us how we can improve this post?

Also Check: How Serious Is Rheumatoid Arthritis

Foods That May Worsen Ra Symptoms

“There’s no proven diet that will do anywhere near as well as the current drug therapy,” says Vinicius Domingues, MD, a rheumatologist based in Daytona Beach, Florida, and a medical adviser to CreakyJoints. “There’s no diet that’s going to put your arthritis in remission.

But what you eat or don’t eat can make a difference. Here are some foods to think twice about, because they contribute extra calories and provoke inflammation that worsens your RA symptoms.

Nutrient Rich Fruit And Vegetable Smoothies

If youve had your fill of fruits and veggies in their whole form, try blending them into a smoothie to go. Check out these recipe ideas and incorporate them into your next trip to the grocery store. Smoothies are a great way to get your nutrients on busy mornings or while sitting at your desk at work and theyre delicious to boot!

Don’t Miss: Can Dogs Take Baby Aspirin For Arthritis

Types Of Inflammatory Arthritis

Some of the common types of inflammatory arthritis are:

Rheumatoid arthritis :RA is an autoimmune condition. In RA, your immune system mistakenly attacks the lining of your joints.
Psoriatic arthritis :PsA is a type of arthritis that impacts individuals with the skin condition psoriasis. Its an autoimmune condition in which the immune system attacks healthy joint and skin tissue.
Axial spondyloarthritis: Axial spondyloarthritis is a type of inflammatory arthritis that mainly impacts the spine and sacroiliac joints. The SI joints are the joints that connect your hipbone to your spine.
Lupus arthritis: Like RA and PsA, lupus is an autoimmune condition. Many people with lupus have musculoskeletal involvement, which can lead to joint pain and swelling.
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis :JIA is a type of inflammatory arthritis that affects children and adolescents. Its an autoimmune condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy joint tissues.
Gout:Gout is an inflammatory condition that can cause joints to swell and become sensitive and painful. Its triggered by the presence of uric acid crystals in the joints.

Generally speaking, all types of inflammatory arthritis involve the following symptoms in the joints:

tenderness or pain

However, each type of inflammatory arthritis can also have unique symptoms or impact a specific area of the body. Lets explore this now.

Symptoms Caused By Inflammation

As RA progresses, inflammation causes significant damage to your joints. An inflamed joint is typically red, warm to the touch, and swollen. Chronic inflammation leads to the breakdown of cartilage , ligaments , tendons , and the bones themselves.

Over time, chronic inflammation can cause your joints to become unstable and no longer function properly. Joint deformitiesparticularly in the fingersalso commonly occur with RA.

While joint damage is the most visible sign of inflammation caused by RA, this condition also causes damage to organs, including the eyes, skin, heart, blood vessels, kidneys, liver, and lungs.

Levels of inflammation fluctuate when you have RA. As a result, you’ll feel better on some days, and worse on others. Periods of worsening symptoms are called flare-ups .

Read Also: How Serious Is Psoriatic Arthritis

Will Changing My Diet Help My Rheumatoid Arthritis

When combined with the treatments and medications your provider recommends, changes in diet may help reduce inflammation and other symptoms of RA. But it wont cure you. You can talk with your doctor about adding good fats and minimizing bad fats, salt and processed carbohydrates. No herbal or nutritional supplements, like collagen, can cure rheumatoid arthritis. These dietary changes are safer and most successful when monitored by your rheumatologist.

But there are lifestyle changes you can make that may help relieve your symptoms. Your rheumatologist may recommend weight loss to reduce stress on inflamed joints.

People with rheumatoid arthritis also have a higher risk of coronary artery disease. High blood cholesterol can respond to changes in diet. A nutritionist can recommend specific foods to eat or avoid to reach a desirable cholesterol level.