Joint Resolution - role food can play in treating rheumatoid arthritis; includes related article on foods that combat arthritic pain

Vegetarian Times, May, 1999 by Laurel Kallenbach

Jean Magnuson credits her success to having systematically eliminated certain foods from her diet to pinpoint which ones were troublesome. In the process she discovered that she was sensitive to wheat, dairy products and eggs and stopped eating these, as well as foods from the "nightshade" family tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant and peppers--which are believed to contribute to inflammation and inhibit joint repair. In addition, she converted to an all-organic diet free of sugars, dyes and preservatives and drank lots of purified water to flush out toxins. "Changing my diet was hard," she admits. "Once, when I realized I couldn't eat bagels or ice cream anymore, I cried at the supermarket."

"A healthy vegetarian diet also helps fight arthritis progression because it is naturally low in arachidonic acid from animal fats, which exacerbate inflammation," explains Loes. "Oils like walnut, flaxseed, primrose, borage and grapeseed can actually decrease pain and swelling. And stock up on B complex vitamins, which are often lacking in people with arthritis." Maintaining strong bones is another part of the equation. In fact, many people with arthritic diseases have severe calcium deficiencies, says Aesoph. If your body needs calcium but doesn't get enough through your diet, it leaches the mineral from your skeleton. Worse yet, the calcium may then be deposited in arthritic joints. To prevent this, eat foods such as dark green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits and whole grains that are high in bone-building calcium and its partner needed for proper absorption, magnesium. Vitamin D, also required for the body to utilize calcium, is manufactured in the body when you get a brief dose of sunshine. (Ten minutes a day, without sunscreen, is plenty.)

Some botanicals may boost your healing capability as well. "Bromelain and papain enzymes [from pineapple and papaya, respectively] are potent anti-inflammatory agents that may reduce joint swelling in cases where long-term use of steroids has not," adds Loes. He also recommends ginger and turmeric (Curcuma longa), two additional inflammation fighters available as culinary spices or in capsules. Check with your natural health practitioner to see how these supplements might fit into your health regimen.

AVOID THE DALLY GRIND

Most people take their joints for granted--until pain, stiffness, creaking or enlargement raise the warning flag of osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis and one typically associated with aging. While more than 80 percent of people over 55 do have the disease, so do two out of every three people 35 and older. Osteoarthritis is diagnosed by X-ray, which can reveal narrowed joint spaces, cartilage Erosion, bone spurs and even a bony overgrowth surrounding joints that restricts motion and triggers pain. There are two types of this condition. There's primary osteoarthritis, which normally appears in one's 50s or 60s, when the body is less able to repair cartilage damaged by normal wear and tear. Secondary osteoarthritis is often the result of an injury or structural imbalances in the body that overstress joints.