Ra Diet: What Foods To Eat If You Have Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis patients require a stable, healthy diet for a number of reasons. Patients may become overwhelmed by their chronic pain and inflammation, remain undernourished, or develop medical complications.
Maintaining a healthy diet is an important part of protecting your overall health, managing weight, improving energy levels, boosting your mental health and boosting your immune system. While diet alone cant treat your symptoms, the right diet for RA can certainly go a long way in helping you feel better overall.
Can What You Eat Help Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis
Although it most often requires medical intervention, rheumatoid arthritis natural treatments certainly include a healthy diet. Due to its inflammatory nature, the recommended rheumatoid arthritis diet is essentially the anti-inflammatory diet and the Mediterranean diet. While eating a healthy diet won’t necessarily “cure” rheumatoid arthritis as its an autoimmune disease, both the Mediterranean diet and the anti-inflammatory diet would be encouraged. The diets are very similarboth include plenty of fresh produce, healthy fats from seafood, avocados, nuts and seeds and whole grains while limited processed foods, refined grains and excess sugar.
Related: Anti-Inflammatory Recipes
Glucosamine Can Be Effective For Treating Joint Pain
Glucosamine reduces the symptoms of pain, swelling and stiffness of the joints. It is naturally synthesized in our body and present in our connective tissues such as the cartilage in our knees. As we age, we lose the amount of this substance in our body, which leads to thinning of cartilage, and that might progress to osteoarthritis.
Glucosamine cannot regenerate cartilage, but it can prevent further loss and stop the progression of arthritis. The good thing about it is that it doesnt have serious side effects.
One scientific study in adults with osteoarthritis found that taking 1,500 mg of;glucosamine daily for half a year reduced pain and improved function more than a placebo.
Another two scientific studies, showed that taking 1,500 mg of glucosamine sulfate daily for three years improved symptoms of;osteoarthritis. One of the studies concluded that: Long-term treatment with glucosamine sulfate retarded the progression of knee osteoarthritis. The other study concluded that taking glucosamine can be good for treating symptoms of osteoarthritis.
Related: Scientifically Proven Natural Remedies For Knee Osteoarthritis
Recommended Reading: What Do You Do For Arthritis In Your Fingers
Salmon Tuna Sardines And Mackerel
These fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which studies have found can decrease inflammation. According to the Arthritis Foundation, eating a 3 to 4 ounce serving of these fish two or more times a week is recommended for protecting the heart and reducing inflammation.
While fresh fish can get pricey quickly, one tip to make it more affordable is by looking in the freezer section or buying canned sardines, salmon or tuna. Be sure to choose lower sodium options when purchasing canned items if you need to keep your sodium in check.
Foods To Avoid If You Have Arthritis
Don’t Miss: How To Relieve Arthritis Pain In Your Hands
Do Any Foods Make Arthritis Worse
Some people feel that certain foods are bad for arthritis and that cutting them out helps with their symptoms. Some of the foods people worry about include:
- citrus fruits, such as oranges, lemons and grapefruit
- vegetables from the nightshade family including potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, chillies and aubergines
- gluten, a protein found in pasta, bread and cereals.
Theres no evidence that diets where certain foods are cut out, also known as exclusion or elimination diets, are helpful for people with osteoarthritis. They have been shown to sometimes help people with rheumatoid arthritis, though the food that may cause symptoms is likely to be different for each person.
This could be for a number of reasons, including the person being allergic or intolerant to the food they cut out, rather than being directly related to the arthritis. If healthy foods are not affecting your symptoms, you dont need to cut them out of your diet.
If you want to try cutting certain foods out of your diet to see if it improves your symptoms, the important thing to remember is to speak to a doctor or dietitian first. Theyll be able to support you and make sure youre trying out the change to your diet safely. Some foods are present in things we dont realise, so they can also help make sure you really are cutting out everything you plan to.
Can My Diet Affect Medication
Its important that you take any medication youve been given as youve been told to by your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Some drugs need to be taken in a specific way, such as before or after food, or with water you should be told about this, but the information leaflet included with your medication will also explain this, so make sure to read this carefully.
Taking certain drugs with food or after youve eaten can help to reduce the risk of certain side effects such as indigestion, stomach ulcers, feeling sick or vomiting. It can also help your body to absorb the drug properly and can make sure its not washed away by food or drink, for example if you use mouthwashes or gels.
Recommended Reading: Can You Stop Rheumatoid Arthritis From Progressing
Healthy Eating And Arthritis
Your body works best when you eat a wide range of healthy foods. Most people find that they feel better if they eat a balanced and varied diet to get all the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients their body needs.;
Try to eat a Mediterranean-style diet which includes fish, pulses, nuts, olive oil and plenty of fruit and vegetables. Eating a balanced diet and having an adequate fluid intake can also help provide you with better energy levels, help to maintain your weight, and give you a greater sense of wellbeing, which may improve your symptoms.;
Always seek the advice of your doctor or dietitian before changing your diet. You may be restricting your food intake unnecessarily or taking too much of certain products that may have no impact on your condition at all. Some supplements may also interact with your medication.;
Foods That May Exacerbate The Symptoms Of Ra
According to the Arthritis Foundation, there are several foods that you should avoid or decrease from your rheumatoid arthritis diet. Not only do they increase inflammation, but they can increase the risk for other chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.
Below, you’ll discover what types of foods to avoid with RA.
Foods High in Sugar
If you have a nightly ice cream habit, frequent the donut shop and have a tough time passing up the candy dish at work, it may be time to decrease your intake.
However, if youre willing to try a sugar substitute, youre in luck! There are a variety of options available: stevia, aspartame and sucralose are all non-caloric options. Caloric sweeteners include maple syrup, agave and honey.
Foods High in Salt
Excess salt can also increase inflammation, and any additional risk of inflammation should be avoided when you have rheumatoid arthritis.
The recommended amount of sodium for the average American is 2,300mg or less, but people with comorbid conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease and hypertension should limit their sodium intake to 1,500mg per day. However, the average American eats upwards of 3,400mg of sodium per day. Therefore, if you have RA, it is very important to be cautious about sodium in your diet and read nutritional labels if you are unsure.
Not All Fats Are Created Equal
However, certain fats are not good for inflammation. These fats include saturated fats, trans fats and omega-6 fatty acids.
Recommended Reading: Are Eggs Bad For Psoriatic Arthritis
Follow A Mediterranean Diet
This type of diet includes poultry, fish, and less lean red meat than a typical UK diet, plenty of vegetables , fresh fruit, olive oil, wholegrain cereals, peas and beans and nuts and seeds. This means saturated fats are reduced and replaced by unsaturated fats including omega-3. Research has shown an improvement in the symptoms experienced by people with RA when following this diet. To adopt this way of eating, aim for four or more portions of vegetables and two or more portions of fruit daily.
Use more of the oils and products rich in monounsaturated;fats olive and rapeseed oil. Using more omega-3 polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats may help to reduce inflammation and reduce symptoms. Eating an assortment of colourful fruit;and vegetables will increase your intake of compounds called antioxidants which may help to reduce inflammation and improve symptoms of RA.
Best Spices For Arthritis
Season your food with anti-inflammatory spices
Often when prepping a meal, food is the primary focus and spices are, at best, an afterthought. But when following an anti-inflammatory diet to help reduce the pain and joint inflammation of arthritis, researchers say dont forget about the potential benefits of the spices you use to season your meals.
The more anti-inflammatory foods and spices you eat, the more you are tamping down chronic inflammation, explains board certified sports dietitian Kim Larson, a national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics. I think people are often surprised at what a great anti-inflammatory source spices can be.
When you have arthritis, your joints and sometimes other parts of your body become inflamed, and many spices inhibit certain inflammatory pathways in the body. And although a dash of cinnamon on your oatmeal is somewhat infinitesimal, spices can pack a significant punch when you consume a number of them throughout the day.
If you do a sprinkle of cinnamon in oatmeal or a smoothie, then have some ginger tea mid-morning and something with pepper and garlic for lunch and dinner it can certainly have an additive effect, explains Beth McDonald, a nutritionist at The Center for Health and Healing in the Department of Integrative Medicine at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital in New York City. So with spices experiment with new recipes and try to incorporate a spice with an anti -inflammatory benefit with every meal.
You May Like: How To Ease Arthritis Pain In Fingers
Healthy Weight And Arthritis
If youre overweight or obese, the extra load on your joints may be making your arthritis symptoms worse, especially if the affected joints include your hips, knees, feet or spine. Theres also a clear link between being overweight and an increased risk of developing osteoarthritis.
To lose excess weight you need to be active, but this can be challenging for people with arthritis due to pain or stiffness. See your doctor, dietitian or health professional for information and advice.;
Not Taking All Your Medications
If your doctor prescribed more than one RA medicine, thereâs a good reason for that. One of those drugs may ease your pain, while the other helps to stop joint damage.
If youâre not sure what your drugs do or why you need them, ask your doctor. Also tell them if side effects or costs are problems. They can help you look for solutions, whether itâs another drug or help with costs, so you can keep up with your treatment.
Don’t Miss: Does Glucosamine Help Arthritis Pain
Cut Back On Meat To Decrease Ra Inflammation
Meat may be another food to avoid with arthritis. Changing from a meat-heavy;to a;vegetarian diet;often improves RA symptoms. Meat consumption is associated with higher overall fat and calorie intake, which are markers for an unhealthy diet. The fats in meat are more easily metabolized into pro-inflammatory chemicals in the body, Michet says. Production of these inflammatory chemicals is good in certain circumstances, such as when you’re fighting an infection but they can also cause painful inflammation and swelling in spaces like your joints. Instead of eating meat exclusively, supplement your RA diet with plant such as beans, lentils, and soy, Dr. Agarwal says.
Is There A Specific Diet To Manage Psoriatic Arthritis Symptoms
It’s not necessary or even beneficial, in many cases, to follow a commercialized diet for psoriatic arthritis . Instead, focusing on eating whole, unprocessed foods and limiting the amount of processed or refined foods you eat is a better approach; if you’re not sure how to do this on your own, working with a registered dietician or nutritionist will allow you to develop a customized plan that works for you.
“There are certainly some diet principles that help all patients, but you have to find one that is practical and sustainable,” says Dr. Koval. “This, along with conventional medications and treatments, can go a long way in controlling symptoms.”
The only prescribed diet Dr. Young suggests for people with psoriatic arthritis is the Mediterranean diet, primarily because all the foods you eat are known to be anti-inflammatory .
” rich in fruits and veggies, which contain antioxidants, and is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids…which help reduce inflammation as well as stiffness in the joints,” Dr. Young says.
Plus, the diet is really more of a way of life as opposed to a traditional “diet,” which means it isn’t restrictive, doesn’t cut out entire food groups, and isn’t focused on counting calories.
RELATED: The 5 Types of Psoriatic Arthritis
Recommended Reading: How To Cure Arthritis In Shoulder
Arthritis: Foods To Eat And Foods To Avoid
Jenny Hills, Nutritionist and Medical Writer Food & Nutrition
Many diseases, including arthritis are caused by chronic low-grade inflammation. It is now widely accepted that some foods fuel inflammation, while others make it better. Foods like extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, and fatty fish are scientifically proven to reduce inflammation and improve the symptoms of arthritis. Medical studies have also revealed that supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin can be effective in treating osteoarthritis.
In this article I am going to cover foods and supplements that are scientifically proven to improve symptoms of Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis . At the end of the article Ill cover the connection between vitamin D and Rheumatoid arthritis .
They have similar symptoms and both affect the joints, but the origins are different.
While OA is usually an age-related condition caused by the wear and tear of joints, RA develops any time in life and is considered an auto-immune condition.
The 10 Best Foods To Eat If You Have Arthritis
If you have arthritis, you know just how devastating this condition can be.
Arthritis is a term for a class of diseases that cause pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints. It can affect people of all ages, genders and ethnic backgrounds.
There are many different types of arthritis. Osteoarthritis is one type, which develops in joints with overuse. Another type is rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease in which your immune system attacks your joints (
Fortunately, there are many foods that can ease inflammation and may help relieve some of the joint pain associated with arthritis.
In fact, one survey found that 24% of those with rheumatoid arthritis reported that their diet had an impact on the severity of their symptoms (
This article will look at 10 of the best foods to eat if you have arthritis.
You May Like: Is Smoking Bad For Arthritis
Ra Diet: 5 Foods To Avoid With Arthritis
It’s time to kick that morning doughnut-and-coffee habit. Research shows that eating certain foods like sugary snacks and desserts and certain caffeinated beverages may worsen;rheumatoid arthritis symptoms.
According to the;American College of Rheumatology , rheumatoid arthritis is the most common type of autoimmune arthritis, affecting more than 1.3 million Americans. It is caused when the immune system is not working properly.
Symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis may include:
- Fatigue, fever, and weight loss
- Joint stiffness that is usually worse in the mornings and after inactivity
- Tender, warm, swollen joints
Early rheumatoid arthritis typically affects smaller joints first including the joints that attach your fingers to your hands and your toes to your feet.
Over time, rheumatoid arthritis symptoms may spread to the following joints and occur on both sides of your body:
- Ankles
- Shoulders
- Wrists
There are many new;drugs, even surgery, to;treat rheumatoid arthritis, but don’t ignore the simpler ways of reducing RA pain, like lifestyle measures and a healthy diet. Though the scientific research surrounding;an RA diet and rheumatoid arthritis;is still inconclusive, many highly trained doctors recommend avoiding certain foods to see if this helps your joint inflammation and pain.
Does coffee cause inflammation with RA? As mentioned, coffee may increase inflammation, so stopping coffee on an RA diet may be helpful in managing inflammation and joint pain.
Vegetarian And Vegan Diets
Many people choose to take up vegetarian or vegan diets for personal, religious, ethical, health or environmental reasons. Generally speaking, vegetarians dont eat any meat or fish, and vegans dont eat meat, fish, dairy, eggs, and other animal products.
Theres no evidence that avoiding foods such as red meat can help with rheumatoid arthritis.
Eating a plant-based diet has lots of health benefits, but its important to make sure youre still getting enough nutrients and making sure that any substitutes for animal products are still healthy choices.
Some people find that a vegetarian diet does help with their symptoms but before you change your diet, you should speak to your doctor or a dietitian to make sure youre still getting all the nutrients you need.
Don’t Miss: How Can You Stop Arthritis In Your Hands