Rheumatoid Arthritis

 Diet, Exercise and Natural Supplements

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that usually causes inflammation to the joints. It usually occurs when the healthy body tissues are mistakenly attacked by the immune system. The immune system is made up of complex cell organization and antibodies that will destroy any invaders of the body but in patient of arthritis the cell and antibodies will attack the healthy body tissue.

Rheumatoid arthritis can affect multiple body organs. The signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis will come and go especially in cases of severe tissue inflammation. The inflammation of body tissue makes the RA to be active but when there is no infection the disease goes into a remission.

Remission can last for as long as 5 years and during this period there are usually no symptoms.

The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include:

I. Lack of appetite
II. Muscle and joint aches
III. Energy loss
IV. Fatigue
V. Low grade fever
VI. muscle and joint stiffness
VII. Red swollen painful joints

Rheumatoid arthritis is symmetric. This means it affects both sides of the body.

Early symptoms of RA can be prolonged joint stiffness and pain especially in the morning. You will find it difficult doing simple task such as opening the door, carrying something using hands.

In some cases you will experience pain in the small feet joint while walking especially in the morning. When RA affects only one joint the inflammation will look like the one caused by other forms of arthritis such as gout.

When the inflammation gets chronic it usually causes damage to body tissue, the bones and the cartilage. This will eventually lead to erosion and weakness of the bones, cartilage loss and muscle weakness then later will result to joint deformity and loss of function.

Rheumatoid arthritis has no special diet but there are certain foods that can help you ease the pain, fatigue and stiffness. Some of these foods include:

Mediterranean diet – These diets include fruits, vegetables, olive oil, fish, legumes and nuts.

Fish such as tuna, salmon, trout, walnuts and tofu contain omega-3-fatty acids which can help in reducing inflammation. Flaxseed oil, canola oil, tofu and soybean product also contain omega-3-fatty acids.

If you have RA, exercises can help in reducing the symptoms such as inflammation and stiffness. Exercise also help in building muscle strength. Exercises are also helpful in reducing the pain of RA, improving the functionability of the joints and keeping the bones strong.

You should know that not all kinds of exercise are safe for you. The exercises that are helpful include the strengthening, stretching and conditioning exercises.

Strengthening exercises usually involve working the muscles against resistance. Strengthening exercises can be done using weight or without weight. These kinds of exercises are good in strengthening the muscles.

Strengthening exercises are usually simple and involve holding different joints for some time. These exercises are usually done before getting involved in an exercise program so as to adjust the body to exercise mode. Stretching exercises are effective in improving your flexibility.

Conditioning exercises also called aerobic exercise help in improving the cardiovascular fitness. These exercises help in making the heart and blood vessels healthy. Conditioning exercises include cycling, swimming and using elliptical machine.

Some of the exercises that you should avoid when you have RA include:

i. heavy weight lifting
ii. jogging

These kinds of exercises are considered high impact exercises and can increase your symptoms or put you at risk of injuries.

Before you start any kind of exercises program you should consult your doctor/physical therapist first so that he/she can advice you on the best exercises that can be helpful.

Supplements can also be effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis. Some of these supplements include:

i. Glucosamine – Glucosamine helps in reducing pain and inflammation in the joints.
ii. Chondroitin sulfate – Chondroitin sulfate helps in boosting the formation of new cartilage while also slowing down the breakdown of old ones.
iii. Curcuma longa – This is also known as turmeric and helps in relieving swelling of the joints.
iv. Harpagophylum procumbens – This is also known as Devil’s Claw. This supplement is known for reducing pain and joint swelling.
v. Methylsulfonlymethane – This compound is usually found in fruits, grains and vegetables
vi. Garlic – This is also known as Allium salivum is one of the ingredients that is used in making several kinds of arthritis medicine.
vii. Trigonella foerum-graecum – This compound is commonly found in seeds. The seeds are usually soaked then chewed in the morning. It is helpful in reducing body and muscular pain.