An article in “Clinical Review of Dietary Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) published in the British Journal of Rheumatoid (1993) stated that changes in diet may benefit patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Improvement in diet is extremely safe and may improve symptoms and reduce medication needs.
The immune system responds to microorganisms in the intestines. Microbes (little critters) in the intestines can consist of Amoeba’s, bacteria such as H-Pylori, Parasites, Fungal infestations and more. Microbial infestation causes the body to create antibodies (our bodies defense) which may in turn cause an inflammation in the joints. Microorganisms in the intestines can lead to “leaky gut”. These microbes can be detected by a stool analysis that is easy to perform in the privacy of your own home. Pharmaceuticals that treat Rheumatoid Arthritis can possibly create a worse “leaky gut”. Leaky Gut is an expression where proteins that are not broken down leak out of the intestinal wall which is not suppose to happen and sets off an inflammatory response in the body.
Eating foods you are allergic to (your body may not express allergic symptoms, i.e. coughing, sneezing, runny nose and eyes, closing of throat or swelling of eyes and mucosal passages) can also cause an inflammatory reaction affecting the joints. Elimination of reactive foods (IgG antibody response) can greatly improve symptoms of RA. There is a blood test, that tests 154 foods to your blood to find out what your body is reacting to in a delayed response, meaning up to 4-5 days after eating the suspected food. This delayed reaction is hard to detect with out the blood test.
A diet high in vegetables and fruit, without grains and dairy has proven to be beneficial in reducing RA symptoms. This means the removal of cereals, bread, corn, rice, oats and dairy (milk products) continues to improve symptoms of RA. This doesn’t mean that we should become vegetarians or vegans, because the body still needs protein to function optimally. Fresh produce, especially certified organic (without pesticides, etc.) proved extremely beneficial for RA patients.
Along with diet changes, better support for RA patients is called Cytokine Therapy. Cytokine therapy is the use of signaling molecules or metabolic factors to program repair, or to override catabolic mechanisms of disease, thus reversing the course of disease and reinstating anabolic pathways throughout the body. Cytokine therapy repairs tissue through cellular pathways. It is direct therapy that reprograms cellular pathways and tasks. It is far reaching throughout the body’s physiology; that is, from cells to tissues and organs, to repair body systems. Cytokine is the global term for interleukins and growth factors. They are endogenous (made in the body) molecules of communication. They are proteins that mediate cellular response. The cytokines available for cytokine therapy are oral recombinant non-antibody proteins, which means that they are exactly the same molecule as occurs naturally in the body. These endogenous molecules can be reproduced in the laboratory through bio-expression and purification techniques that yield recombinant proteins. Some prescription drugs can interfere or neutralize the effect of cytokines, but most of the more common prescriptions such as high blood pressure or cholesterol medicine are compatible. Cytokine Therapy can be extremely effective with out the common side effects of pharmaceuticals.
A Study appearing in the journal, Rheumatology (2008) showed that cod liver oil could possibly help patients with RA to reduce their medication. Most of the subjects were on NSAID’s (non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). The participants were placed on 10 grams of cod liver oil per day and were able to reduce their NSAID’s after 6 months. The authors of the study concluded that cod liver oil supplements that contain omega-3 fatty acids could be used to decrease the amount of drugs needed with RA patients.
Lastly but most important is exercising can safely provide pain relief and build muscle strength.
When joints are stiff and painful, exercise might be the last thing on your mind. Yet when you have rheumatoid arthritis, exercising regularly is one of the best things you can do to take care of yourself and your joints. Here is why exercise is so important:
People who exercise live longer, with or without rheumatoid arthritis. Regular exercise can actually reduce overall pain. Exercise can keep your bones strong. Thinning of the bones can be a problem with rheumatoid arthritis, especially if you are taking steroids. Exercise helps bones keep their strength. Exercise maintains muscle strength. Regular exercise improves functional ability, lets you do more for yourself., feel better about yourself and you will be better able to cope.
(referenced provided upon request)