Mediterranean Diet To Ease RA Pain JoAnn Guest

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Mediterranean Diet To Ease RA Pain JoAnn Guest

Jun 18, 2004 21:45 PDT

 

 

By Darin Ingels, ND

http://www.livingnaturally.com/corp/getpage.asp?

contentid=45 & articleID=4890

 

 

Healthnotes Newswire (June 19, 2003)—People suffering from

rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may experience decreased inflammation in

their joints, improved physical function, and increased vitality by

consuming a Mediterranean diet, according to a new study in Annals

of Rheumatic Diseases (2003;62:208–14).

 

The findings of the new study suggest that relatively minor dietary

changes can significantly improve the quality of life in individuals

with RA.

 

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic condition that affects more than

1% of all Americans and most often becomes symptomatic between the

ages of 25 and 50. Women are twice as likely as men to get this

disease.

 

Although the exact cause of RA is unknown, it is known that the

immune system attacks the body and causes destruction in connective

tissue, particularly in small joints such as the hands, feet,

ankles, wrists,and elbows. Symptoms include stiffness in the joints,

which is usually worse in the morning or after periods of

inactivity, physical deformities, and pain in the joints.

 

In the new study, 51 Swedish adults with RA of at least two years'

duration were randomly assigned to consume a Mediterranean diet or a

typical Western diet for three months.

 

The Mediterranean diet consists primarily of fish, fruit,vegetables,

cereals, and beans and contains considerably less red meat and dairy

products than do Western diets.

 

The main sources of fat in food preparation, baking, and salad

dressings are olive oil. A specific measurement of disease activity

based on joint swelling and tenderness, inflammation, and pain was

performed every three weeks.

Questionnaires about physical function and quality of life were

given at the same intervals.

 

Those consuming the Mediterranean diet had a statistically

significant 56% decrease in disease activity, based on reductions in

joint swelling,tenderness, and pain.

 

A modest improvement in physical functioning was also reported in

the Mediterranean diet group, as well as increased vitality and a

better sense of well-being compared with one year

earlier.

 

The majority of these benefits were not seen until after six weeks

of treatment. Individuals in the Mediterranean diet group had

a small, but significant decrease in weight of about seven pounds (3

kg) and a slight decrease in total cholesterol. No significant

change in

any measurement was observed in those consuming the standard diet.

 

Other nutritional supplements that have been shown to be effective

intreating RA include fish oil, borage oil, vitamin E, vitamin B5

(pantothenic acid), selenium, zinc, and green-lipped mussel. Herbal

extracts of boswellia and Devil's claw may also reduce the swelling

associated with RA.

 

Darin Ingels, ND, MT (ASCP), received his bachelor's degree from

Purdue University and his Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine from

Bastyr

University in Kenmore, WA.

 

Dr. Ingels is the author of The Natural Pharmacist: Lowering

Cholesterol

(Prima, 1999) and Natural Treatments for High Cholesterol (Prima,

2000).

 

 

He currently is in private practice at New England Family Health

Associates located in Southport, CT, where

he specializes in environmental medicine and allergies.

 

Dr. Ingels is a regular contributor to Healthnotes and Healthnotes

Newswire.

2003 Healthnotes, Inc.

 

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Arthritis Cure

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www.notmilk.com

 

 

A new study published in the February, 2003 issue of Annals

of Rheumatic Diseases confirms that those people eating a

diet high in fruits, vegetables, legumes, and certain

monounsaturated

oils known as the " Mediterranean diet " helps ease symptoms in people

with rheumatoid arthritis.

 

This study was performed on non-vegetarians living in

Sweden.

 

The authors obtained dramatic results by placing 26

subjects on a dairy-free diet for three months, while 25

people continued to eat a typical Swedish smorgasbord of

meat and dairy products.

 

According to Dr. Lars Skoldstam:

 

" The current results suggest that patients with rheumatoid

arthritis can obtain better physical function and increase

their vitality from eating a Mediterranean diet for three

months. "

 

The results of this current study come as no surprise.

 

In 1985, the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine

(volume 7 reported the case of an eight-year-old girl with

severe rheumatoid arthritis:

 

" ...juvenile rheumatoid arthritis was a milk allergy. After

avoiding dairy products, all pain was gone in three weeks. "

 

In 1991, the British journal Lancet (Volume 338) published

the results of a study in which the subjects ate a

vegetarian diet:

 

" Controlled trial of fasting and a one-year vegetarian diet

eased symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. "

 

The British Journal of Rheumatology (36;1, 1997) reported:

 

" ...43 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, those assigned to

a vegan diet...had improvement in rheumatoid arthritis

symptoms. "

 

Rheumatoid arthritis is a painful condition, and it is

*tragic8 that many physicians let their patients know that

there is no cure.

 

Ignorance is the most horrible of diseases, and keeps arthritis

sufferers from realizing simple relief from their pain:

 

a " NotMilk " diet.

 

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/