What is rheumatoid arthritis diet?
Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease which affects the joints. This medical condition can affect both men and women of all ages. Rheumatoid arthritis comes in many forms, but most commonly it affects small joints in the hands and feet but does affect knees, hips and shoulder joints too.
Food
There is little evidence about any foods that can reduce or increase the pain. However, recent studies showed that foods high in saturated fats, such as: bacon, butter, steak and cream, might increase inflammatory chemicals in the organism. These chemicals are called prostaglandins and they cause swelling, pain, inflammation or even joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis. Prostaglandins can be also be produced by converting it from arachidonic acid which is found in high amounts in meat, as some findings confirm. Some people with rheumatoid arthritis find that a diet with no meat helps relieve pain and stiffness, but others don’t find any benefits from eating a meatless diet.
Maintain a healthy weight
Surplus weight is damaging joins and might increase pain, stiffness and swelling in the joints. If you are overweight, you can combine a healthy diet with regular exercise. It is important to change the fat tipe in your diet because it helps you lose weight and in the same time it lowers the risk of heart disease.
Eat more oily fish
Salmon, sardines, tuna, swordfish, mackerel, marlin and snapper flash is abundant in omega 3 polyunsaturated fats. Fish oils have been shown to help smooth down inflammation and might help to reduce joint pain. The recommended amount of fish is two portions a week (one portion = 140g).
Eat iron rich foods
Tiredness and anemia are a common symptom of rheumatoid arthritis. These symptoms appear because of the long-term use of non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs, which can lead to internal bleeding. To avoid that, eat iron rich foods, such as: lean red meat, eggs, green leafy vegetables and fortified breakfast cereals. To help the body absorb iron, eat vitamin C rich foods like vegetables or fruits every meal. If you apply some of the tips above, you may see some relieve of the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.