Because rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, pain is caused by inflammation through the body attacking itself. This means that due to dysfunction the immune system will start to attack and degenerate tissues in the joins, and sometimes organs can be affected too.
Although the actual cause of rheumatoid arthritis isn’t known yet, the disease still leaves sufferers plagued with inflammation of the body that causes issues such as cartilage loss, thickening of the synovial liquid that lubricates the joints and pain caused by friction of bones in the joints rubbing together.
Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis can include:
- Aches and pains
- Difficulty carrying out everyday movements
- Fatigue and low mood
- Loss of appetite
- Morning stiffness that makes it difficult to get out of bed
- Stiff joints after sitting down or standing for long periods
While rheumatoid arthritis is most common in the over-55s, anyone of any age can develop symptoms. If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms and suspect that you may be developing rheumatoid arthritis, you should check with your doctor.
Can rheumatoid arthritis be cured?
While current medical professionals believe that RA is a long-term health condition that cannot be cured, ongoing research and medical advancements are being made into discovering the root causes that may trigger this disease.
In some science-backed studies, there is a belief that the health of our digestive system is paramount to supporting the human immune system and preventing a lot of modern-day diseases.
While the jury is still out about how our gut health affects the rest of our body, recent studies have found that eating an anti-inflammatory diet and avoiding foods that are associates with allergies, leaky gut and yeast infections can be beneficial for those managing their rheumatoid arthritis conditions.
Eating a poor diet that is high in sugar, industrial seed oils and carbohydrates from grains has been linked with causing inflammation in the body, leading to leaky gut syndrome and candida infections.
Leaky gut syndrome is essentially having tiny holes in the intestines that allow candida, anti-nutrients and food particles to escape into the bloodstream, causing an immune response where the body attacks itself.
Combining an anti-inflammatory diet with medical treatments
By following a low-inflammation diet and avoiding food and drink that are known to cause inflammation, combined with effective medical treatment from your doctor for rheumatoid arthritis, you can give yourself the best option for lowering the inflammation that causes pain.
Adopting a strict low carbohydrate, low glycemic diet alongside modern medical treatment are showing fantastic results in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. However, clearing the body of fungal overgrowth from candida can take a year or more, but symptoms will improve greatly over time as the gut heals and your body no longer has to deal with processing inflammatory foods.
Dr Naveen Bhadauria is a specialist in rheumatoid arthritis and can provide you with a correct diagnosis for RA as well as prescribe the most appropriate treatment for your condition, including all the support you need for the management of your condition, such as diet and lifestyle changes to adopt.
Article by Dr. Naveen Bhadauria
