Is There A Specific Rheumatoid Arthritis Diet You Should Follow?

This is a very controversial question. There is absolutely no scientific proof that diet has anything to do with rheumatoid arthritis but there are many who will deny this statement vehemently. Let us therefore answer this question in sequence. 

What causes rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by the immune system of a person attacking the cartilage that covers the bone of any joint. This happens because antibodies that the body produces as a response to certain illnesses think that the cartilage is disease causing because the infectious organism's biology closely resembles that of the cartilage of the joints. That is why rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease and once it sets in can and will spread to other joints too. The unfortunate thing is that the organism that triggers this response has not been identified as yet by science, and therefore it is very difficult to cure it. 

Is there any way to prevent it?

This brings us to the first question on whether diet has anything to do with either preventing or even curing the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. As of now research has showed several correlations between lifestyle and arthritis, but nothing directly connecting diet and rheumatoid arthritis. 

Exercise is considered to be the best form of prevention as it ensures that the muscles that hold the joint together remain strong. It also increases the pain threshold and serves to minimize the pain associated with it. 

When it comes to rheumatoid arthritis diet, there is not much that can be said. There is no proof either way and ultimately it is what the sufferer feels. There are a number of websites that give out rheumatoid arthritis diets, but a glance through all of them show that it comes down to two things, reduce fat in the diet, and exercise more. Everything else always comes with the disclaimer that only some people have found it useful. 

For example some arthritis sufferers say that they have found relief when they consume fish oils. There is nothing wrong with this, and is actually beneficial to overall health. Others say that cutting out hot spices like chillies and pepper has reduced the symptoms while others say that they use the same chillies as hot compresses to massage the joint.

If you want to try cutting something off from the food, it is better to check with a dietitian because if that particular food is essential to the body, you may need to take supplements. There is however no harm in trying, as the very fact that you may “feel” better is sufficient motivation, whether the problem reduces in reality or not.

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