Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the common bone and joint diseases along with gout and osteoarthritis, it is an autoimmune and chronic disease. According to the latest statistics, there are about 70-80% of patients are women, of which people over 30 years old account for 60-70%. The disease causes joints to be eroded, destroyed, and gradually lose mobility. Most people usually start quite quietly, then gradually increase over time. If rheumatoid arthritis is not detected, timely treatment will lead to dangerous complications. Mild, limited movement, severe pain and heavier will cause deformed joints, muscle atrophy, and can not walk.

1. What is Rheumatoid arthritis?

✅ Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder that can greatly affect your joints. In some patients, this can damage many body systems including the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, and blood vessels …. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks your body’s tissues. Unlike normal osteoarthritis damage, rheumatoid arthritis affects the joints of your joints resulting in painful swelling, bone wear, and joint deformation. The proportion of joints that can inflame: 90% of the wrist joint, 70% of the ankle joint, 60% of the elbow joint, 80% of the knuckles, 70% of the hand joints, 90% of the knee joints, 60% of the knuckles foot. The joints are less inflamed: spine, hip, shoulder …

Because autoimmune factors are involved in the inflammatory process, which makes the disease difficult to control, you not only treat the symptoms but also have to treat the cause. Make sure you are using a regimen for treating rheumatoid arthritis.

2. Symptoms Rheumatoid arthritis

✅ Apart from the typical symptoms of arthritis, you can refer to HERE. Rheumatoid arthritis tends to grow symmetrically so often causes painful symptoms in the same place and both sides of your body. The main signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are:

• Swollen joint pain, hot joints.
• Stiffness, especially in the morning and after activity.
• Fatigue, fever, and loss of appetite.

✅ Rheumatoid arthritis can cause a number of symptoms that affect other organs such as the eyes, heart, salivary glands, bone marrow, skin, lungs, kidneys, nerve tissue, blood vessels, etc. Because it’s best for patients to see a doctor immediately if they experience uncomfortable aches and pains in the joints.

👨‍⚕️ You need to take special scientific tests if you want to accurate precision diagnosis – this is an advice

3. Does this disease have a cause?

✅ The main cause of rheumatoid arthritis is the attack of the immune system on the membrane surrounding your joints. It gradually destroys cartilage and bone in joints, ligaments holding joints also dilate and weaken. Why does my immune system do that? A number of factors can lead to immune disorders, the onset of rheumatoid arthritis, or an increased risk of the disease:

• Genetic factors: Family members with members of rheumatoid arthritis are also at high risk for the disease.
• Immune system: Up to 70% of people who have the disease have a weak immune system.
• Women are 2-3 times more likely to get rheumatoid arthritis than men.
• Middle-aged people are at higher risk than younger people.
• Smoking cigarettes increases the risk of disease.
• Overweight and obesity.

4. Complications of Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Osteoporosis: the side effects of some medications used to treat rheumatoid arthritis can put you at a higher risk for osteoporosis.
• Joint deformity: Prolonged inflammation will cause deformity like normal osteoarthritis diseases.
• Infection: Drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis can weaken the immune system leading to an increased risk of infection.
• Cardiovascular disease: People with rheumatoid arthritis are at high risk for sclerosis and blockage of the arteries, inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart.
• Lung disease: increased risk of inflammation of the lung tissues, causing shortness of breath.

Because of these dangerous complications, I ask you to have specific tests to know the exact your status, you must follow the basic treatment before going to other support methods. Although I have introduced some quite effective methods for arthritis but for this disease, I just say they are supportive methods.

5. Diet for people with rheumatoid arthritis

5.1 Good food for rheumatoid arthritis

Experts said that besides the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis according to the doctor’s schedule, patients need to pay special attention to their daily diet. Because this is one of the determinants of effective disease control. The principle here is that you should use foods containing beneficial active ingredients that will help prevent inflammation and reduce pain and swelling. At the same time promote the speed of healing of injuries in joints.

✅ Green vegetables: Green vegetables are a healthy food group for every diet. Eat plenty of green vegetables that are good for bone and joint health, prevent further disease symptoms. They provide a range of essential nutrients for the body. Not to mention as vitamins A, C, K have the effect of protecting cells in the body from damage. In addition, the natural compound sulforaphane also has the ability to slow down the process of joint damage and prevent joint cartilage inflammation. Some vegetables to eat like broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, spinach …
✅ Fatty fish: Osteoarthritis experts say that fatty fish is one of the perfect choices that should be included in the diet of people with rheumatoid arthritis. Because this food group contains abundant Omega-3 content with a very good anti-inflammatory. In addition, fatty fish also contains a large amount of vitamin D extremely useful for the body. Many studies have shown that the deficiency of this vitamin is the cause of symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis triggered more often. Besides, maintaining sufficient vitamin D content that the body needs is also helpful for the absorption of calcium. Since then ensure health for the skeletal system. Some types of fatty fish high in Omega-3 and vitamin D include sardines, salmon, mackerel, tuna …
✅ Spices: This is not only a food group that enhances the flavor of a dish but also aids in the management of rheumatoid arthritis. Their main effect is the inhibition of inflammatory agents.

• Ginger: Abundant terpenoid content with phytoestrogenic activity brings relatively strong anti-inflammatory ability.
• Garlic: Contains a sulfur compound that stimulates the immune system. Thereby inhibiting and preventing the inflammatory response progresses seriously.
• Turmeric: A rich source of Curcumin. This is an active ingredient with strong antioxidant properties. Thanks to that, it has the ability to inhibit the cartilage destruction agent. At the same time reduce the symptoms of painful swelling.
• Onions: Contains high levels of quercetin. This is a flavonoid that has the ability to inhibit inflammatory agents.

✅ Berries are a food group that provides the body with a large number of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. These are also the components that work well with the inhibition of inflammatory reactions in the body. In particular, Anthocyanins and flavonoids in berries are ingredients that have been reported by many studies to reduce natural inflammation effectively. In addition, the abundant rutin and quercetin in berries have numerous health benefits, which prevent some inflammatory reactions caused by rheumatoid arthritis. Berries should be added as strawberries, blueberries, grapes, raspberries, acne, plums, cherries …
✅ Some types of nuts: This is a good source of monounsaturated fat, which is very helpful for health. High Omega-3 content in many nuts has a very good anti-inflammatory effect. Therefore, they are classified as foods that people with rheumatoid arthritis should eat. Walnuts, almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, pistachios … are nuts that patients can add to the diet.

5.2 Bad food for rheumatoid arthritis

In addition to foods that are good for people with rheumatoid arthritis, there are still some foods that make the inflammatory responses in the body stronger. This makes your condition worse and more persistent.

✅ Red meat is a good source of protein for the body. However, it contains an excessive amount of saturated fat. This is also the component that makes inflammation caused by rheumatoid arthritis worse. In addition, high-fat content also makes patients face the risk of being overweight and obese. This will also cause a lot of pressure on the skeletal system and interfere with the treatment process.
✅ Processed food is preferred by many people, especially those who are busy because it is very convenient. However, this is a food group that contains a lot of sugar, salt, and saturated fats. For patients with rheumatoid arthritis, consuming processed foods can worsen inflammation. At the same time, it also causes frequent pain triggered in intense.
✅ Alcohol and alcoholic beverages: Frequent consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages is the reason for the more severe trigger of the inflammatory response. Increasing the level of inflammatory response means that symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis will be more severe. Therefore, patients should pay attention to abstain from alcohol as well as alcoholic beverages.
✅ Foods high in phosphorus: Phosphorus is an essential mineral for the body, but if it is excess, it can cause calcium to drop. This is detrimental to the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in particular and other musculoskeletal conditions in general. Some foods that are too high in phosphorus include:

• Carbonated drinks
• Bread and whole grains
• Cattle meat, especially red meat
• Dried fruits

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