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NUTRISPEAK by Vesanto Melina
Stiffness, arthritis and aching joints. What do these have to do with diet? The causes of various forms of arthritis are complex and sometimes little understood. Yet, recent research indicates that certain foods can significantly affect arthritic symptoms for some people. For example:
• For some individuals with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis or fibromyalgia, avoiding certain foods reduces symptoms.
•Ensuring adequate amounts of essential nutrients (omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D and vita-min B12) improves overall health
and may alleviate symptoms.
•Weight management can reduce the
burden on the joints of those with
osteoarthritis and gouty arthritis.
While researching our recent Food Allergy Survival Guide (Melina, Stepaniak and Davis, Healthy Living Publications), I was intrigued to find that for a number of conditions: arthritis, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression and headaches – the potential roles played by food sensitivities and diet are often neglected for a number of reasons:
1) With arthritis, for example, the forms and causes vary from one person to another and can involve multiple origins.
2) Food intolerance reactions often occur hours after the food is eaten, by which time numerous foods and beverages have been consumed, making trigger foods difficult to track.
3) The degree of reaction is affected by other lifestyle factors: medications, intestinal infections, general health, exercise and the amount consumed of an offending food.
4) Entirely different foods trigger different reactions in people. In a group with similar arthritic symptoms, some are adversely affected by dairy products; for others, the culprits are meat, wheat, citrus fruits or plants in the nightshade group. Some find that their condition improves with an increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Others are unaffected by dietary modifications. Thus, no single change helps everyone with arthritis.
An early report on diet and arthritis appeared in the British Medical Journal in 1981 after a woman’s symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis disappeared when she entirely avoided corn. In recent decades, Scandinavians have taken the lead in exploring this field:
•In Norway, 53 people with rheuma-
toid arthritis were divided into two
groups. Over four months, half of the
group followed a nutritious diet free of
animal products – meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy, products – gluten (wheat protein), citrus fruit, sugar, caffeine and alcohol. The others remained on their regular diet and consumed all of the aforementioned items. About half of those on the experimental diet showed significant improvement and a reduction of symptoms, compared with improvement in only two of the people, who followed their regular diet. Next, those whose symptoms had improved with dietary change gradually challenged themselves to determine their individual trigger foods.
•Swedish scientists found that a
vegan (no animal products) and
gluten-free diet improved the signs
and symptoms of rheumatoid arthri-tis for 40 percent of participants.
•For some, a vegan diet containing plenty of raw foods has proven to
reduce symptoms of fibromyalgia.
•Joint pain is linked with con-sumption of meat, dairy products, chocolate and nightshade vegetables for certain individuals.
•Avoiding obesity and excess alcohol can reduce the risk of gouty arthritis.
•An optimal intake of omega-3 fatty acids (found in flaxseed oil or walnuts) may have beneficial effects for inflam-matory disorders, such as arthritis. Borage oil or evening primrose oil (not to be used during pregnancy) may also have anti-inflammatory effects.
•Ginger has a long tradition of use in China, India and Tibet in the treat-ment of osteoarthritis and rheuma-toid arthritis; recent research lends support. Furthermore, freshly grated ginger can certainly pep up a stir-fry!
•Finnish researchers are investigating the use of probiotics (beneficial intestinal bacteria) to reduce symp-toms and improve quality of life for some with juvenile chronic arthritis or mild rheumatoid arthritis.
Tracking down one’s possible food culprits is time-consuming and involves awareness and detective work. Diet revision should be viewed as an experiment, not as a guaranteed cure, and further research will be welcomed. Yet for some, the improvement in quality of life is superb.
Vesanto Melina, MS, RD, is co-author of seven food and nutrition classics. The Food Allergy Survival Guide includes valuable information on diet and various conditions, guidelines for discovering your own food sensitivities, meeting nutrient requirements at all ages despite food sensitivities, plus outstanding recipes that are free of all of the top allergens.www.nutrispeak.com/. and www.foodallergysurvivalguide.com/. vesanto@nutrispeak.com or 604-882-6782. |
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