How a Plant Based Diet Can Ease Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms

Many people with rheumatoid arthritis rely on medications to ease stiff and painful joints, but these often have unwanted side effects. The good news is you can get some relief from arthritis symptoms by changing your diet.

Inflammation

Some foods increase inflammation in the body. In relatively small doses, inflammation isn’t so bad as its part of the body’s immune response. Problems start when inflammation becomes chronic and this can contribute to a number of different health issues, including rheumatoid arthritis.

 

Foods to Consume

A healthy, balanced diet is always a good bet, but some foods are believed to have benefits for reducing inflammation and helping to improve symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. These include:

Fish: Eating oily fish such as tuna, salmon, mackerel, herring, and trout several times per week gives you a good dose of omega-3 fatty acids. This can reduce inflammation and help to ease arthritis symptoms.

Fruit and vegetables: Dark green vegetables such as broccoli, kale, and spinach contain vitamin E which has been shown in studies to have a role in protecting against inflammatory cytokine molecules.

Soy: Studies have indicated that the isoflavones in soy can help to lower C-reactive proteins in the blood.

Whole grains: Whole grains have a good amount of fiber, which reduce levels of C-reactive proteins in the blood. But if you’re intolerant to wheat or gluten, eating whole grains can trigger an inflammatory reaction and potentially make arthritis symptoms worse.

Foods to Avoid  

Some of the foods that are likely to trigger inflammation in the body include:

Fatty foods: Fried or grilled meats that are cooked at high temperatures can increase the level of Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs) in the blood. People with inflammation often have high AGEs so it’s not advisable for people with arthritis to eat many foods that promote them.

Sugar and salt: Foods that are high in sugar and salt encourage the immune system to go into overdrive and this can cause problems such as joint pain and tiredness.

Corn, safflower, and soybean oils: These oils contain omega-6 fatty acids, which can trigger inflammation, especially if your diet contains more of these compared to omega-3 fatty acids.

Credit: Sally Aquire, Freelance Health and Lifestyle Writer

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