Lifestyle is Key in Preventing Damage from Rheumatoid Arthritis
An estimated 1.3 million Americans are afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and women are more than twice as likely as men to have the disease. RA is characterized by inflammation in the lining of the joints, which can lead to joint damage, chronic pain, and disability.
“RA is an autoimmune disease, which means the arthritis results from your immune system attacking your body’s tissues,” says Vivian Bykerk, BSc, MD, FRCPC, a rheumatologist at the Weill Cornell-affiliated Inflammatory Arthritis Center at the Hospital for Special Surgery. “It is crucial that people be effectively treated to keep it under control, as poorly con-trolled RA is associated with other diseases.”
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Follow these dietary guidelines:
➤ Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
➤ Choose whole grains rather than refined grains (e.g., white bread).
➤ Get protein from fish, skinless poultry, beans, nuts, and seeds.
➤ Limit foods high in saturated fat processed meat, fatty cuts of beef and pork, butter, full-fat dairy products).
➤ Avoid processed foods, which are often high in fat, sugar, and salt, and low in valuable nutrients.
RA symptoms
The inflammation from RA causes pain, redness, swelling, and impaired function in your joints. The wrists, fingers, and feet are the most common targets, and it often strikes both sides of the body at the same time. RA also can attack the skin, eyes, lungs, and nerves. Other symptoms include fatigue, loss of appetite, low-grade fever, and stiffness, especially in the morning and after long peri-ods of sitting. Symptoms can develop over several years or appear suddenly. They can occur for short periods or last days or even months.
What causes RA is unknown, although genetic factors are believed to play a major role. There is no cure for RA, but medications, such as methotrexate (Rheumatrex), hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), and sulfasalazine (Azulfidine) are used to help ease symptoms and slow the dis-ease’s progression.
Other conditions linked with RA
People with RA also face other health risks, such as blood clots in the legs and lungs, according to a study in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (August 2013). RA sufferers also are more likely to have high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease, and are more prone to fractures. This is why lifestyle strategies are crucial; they not only aid in RA management but also help prevent related health issues.
Sleep and diet are important
One of your most powerful weapons to fight RA is adequate sleep. “The more rundown you are, the more active your RA,” says Linda Russell, MD, a rheumatologist at Weill Cornell. “Odds are you are not sleeping enough—listen to your body for what is the right number of hours for you.” Eight hours of sleep is ideal for some, but not all.
Diet also plays a factor. Although no specific dietary pattern has been shown to have a direct effect on RA, says Dr. Russell, maintaining a healthy diet can reduce inflammation that feeds RA flare-ups (see What You Can Do). Another recommended dietary strategy is to avoid sugar-sweetened drinks. An analysis of almost 240,000 women found that those who drank an average of one or more sugary soft drinks per day had a 71 percent increased risk of developing RA than those who either drank none, or less than one, per month.
Fish oil supplements rich in omega-3 fatty acids also may help: Researchers in Australia found that combining 5.5 grams of fish oil daily with traditional RA medication resulted in a higher remission rate compared with those who took only the medication. (Check with your doctor before taking any kind of supplement.) Foods that contain omega-3s include cold-water, fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, trout, and sardines.
Get moving to reduce pain
Exercising can be difficult for RA patients, but low-impact activities, like a brisk walk, warm-water aerobics, and yoga, can help reduce stiffness and stress related to RA while protecting your joints, says Dr. Russell. In fact, a 2010 study found that six weeks of Iyengar yoga, a style known for its use of helpful props and emphasis on alignment in poses, helped to reduce pain and increase vitality among people with RA.
Finally, you may want to explore complementary options like acupuncture, which has been shown to calm inflammation and discomfort.
The Arthritis Self Management Program (ASMP) was designed to help people with rheumatic diseases. To get information about free online ASMP workshops, visit www.arthritistoday.org/arthritis-self-management-program/.
The post Lifestyle is Key in Preventing Damage from Rheumatoid Arthritis appeared first on University Health News.
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