About This Column
Here you'll find advice on how to take a more comprehensive approach toward managing your rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Keep in mind, this column is intended to advise you on how to complement your treatment, not replace it. Please consult your doctor to determine what advice may be right for you.
Featured Article
Your RA and Your Diet
Jan 9, 2008
Can the right diet improve your RA symptoms? Despite years of scientific study, there is little evidence to support such a claim. But the right (or wrong) diet can certainly impact the way you live with RA. Generally speaking, it's important for you to eat a nutritious, balanced diet to help maintain your health. And as someone with RA, it's particularly important to pay attention to which types of food and drink have a positive or negative effect on the way you feel.
So what exactly is a nutritious, balanced diet for someone living with RA? The best way to answer that question is to talk with your rheumatologist, because the definition of a healthy diet can actually vary from person to person. For example, your rheumatologist may tell you to adjust your diet based on the medications you're taking. Perhaps your medication should not be mixed with alcohol. But again, what may be right for you, may not be right for others.
The US Department of Health and Human Services has some general guidelines that you can follow to help maintain a healthy diet. More information can be found on its Web site, but here's a list of key points:
Consume a variety of foods within and among the basic food groups while staying within energy needs
Control calorie intake to manage body weight
Be physically active every day
Increase daily intake of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and nonfat or low-fat milk and milk products
Choose fats wisely for good health
Choose carbohydrates wisely for good health
Choose and prepare foods with little salt
If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation
As I mentioned before, you must also pay particular attention to how specific types of food and drink affect you. The truth is, you can read all the dietary guidelines you want, but your intuition may be just as important in determining the right diet for you. Perhaps you've noticed, for example, that when you drink green tea, you tend to feel worse (or better). There's certainly no guideline that can tell you how much green tea you should be drinking. But take note of these little differences. Maybe green tea just doesn't agree with your RA and overall body chemistry, so your rheumatologist may recommend that you adjust your diet accordingly. Be sure to keep track of these details so that you can bring them up at your next appointment.
Remember, the key is to find the diet that's right for you. And the best way to do that is to stay informed about nutritional guidelines, listen to your body, and keep your rheumatologist involved.
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