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Does eating certain
foods help to cure arthritis? Conversely, is the elimination
of certain foods any help in controlling this debilitating
and painful disease? With over 100 different forms of
arthritis and not a lot of research into its causes
and cures, the debate rages on.
Because the symptoms of arthritis often
seem to come and go without warning it’s hard to
tell whether any sudden relief was due to a new diet
or not. It is important for the sufferer to be able
to choose a new treatment because it makes him feel
to some degree in control of his life and also gives
hope, an important consideration.
Researchers have discovered that a diet
including too many calories can actually aggravate RA,
while 5% of sufferers in another study showed a flare-up
of symptoms after drinking milk. A reduction of fat,
dairy and red meat was shown to relieve pain. In 1998,
Finnish researchers found that the addition of lactobacillus
improved symptoms of RA. This was supported by animal
experiments, where mice given lactobacillus were found
to be less likely to develop the disease and their immune
systems were more able to cope with it if they did.
One thing to remember when following
any diet is that the nutrients lost through the elimination
of any foods must be replaced by other means. Certain
foods or food groups often seem to cause a worsening
of arthritis symptoms. In this case, an elimination
diet could be helpful. All suspected foods must be completely
eliminated from the diet for several weeks, then reinstated
one at a time over a period of several days. If the
symptoms of pain and inflammation re-occur after each
food is eaten again, then it could be a culprit. This
should be done at least three times to determine that
there were no other factors involved. If an elimination
diet is followed, it is wise to keep two diaries. One
of the food eaten and at what times and dates, the other
of the dates and times of pain flare-ups. When the two
are compared, it will be plain to see what was eaten
that could have caused pain.
Some of the food groups that are suspected
of causing pain are the nightshade group ie, white potatoes,
tomatoes, eggplant and bell peppers. Others are red
meat, lemons, grapefruit, corn, wheat, rye and milk,
eggs coffee, sugar and cheese.
One of the main studies done way back
in the 1950’s has shown that fish oil has a very
beneficial affect on arthritis pain. Fish oil supplements
are widely taken, but in some cases cause unwelcome
side effects like a fishy after-taste, gas and an upset
stomach. Some researchers recommend simply adding omega
3’s to the diet by eating cold-water fish like
mackerel, herring, tuna, salmon, anchovies, bluefish
and mullet.
Another study, researched and supported
by the University of Manchester, discovered that people
with high levels of beta-cryptoxanthin were 40% less
likely to develop arthritis. This is classed as a pro-vitamin
A carotenoid which can be found in all yellow or orange-
fleshed fruits and vegetables. It enhances bone, skin
and immune health. Pumpkin, winter squash and peppers
are the vegetables with the highest levels of beta-cryptoxanthin,
while tangerines, persimmons and papayas are the fruits
with the highest levels.
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