Posted in Category : Bone, Joint & Muscles Disorders | June 9, 2008

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease that causes interminable irritation and inflammation of the joints and the tissues surrounding it. Rheumatoid arthritis is also known to cause tenderness and swelling of the other organs of the body. Since this form of arthritis is autoimmune, it is defined by the characteristic that the progression of the disease occurs because the tissues in the body are mistakenly attacked by its own immune system. Rheumatic arthritis symptoms include a lack of appetite, fatigue, mild fever, muscle and joint aches coupled with stiffness and they appear and reappear sporadically. The stiffness of muscles and joints is usually most prominent in the mornings and after prolonged inactive periods.

Till date, no ideal rheumatoid arthritis diet has been designed. However, eating a balanced meal will certainly help in keeping patients healthy. The diet should have plenty of grain products, fruits and vegetables and should be preferably moderate in sugars. Patients are recommended to eat food preparations which are low in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. Alcohol consumption should also be moderate. Fish oil is known to have anti-inflammatory properties, so patients may try and include it in their diet.
Studies have shown the long-term effects of the dietary supplement called methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) as a relief against arthritis pain. However, it is still not clear if MSM is safe enough to be taken for prolonged periods.

A rheumatoid diet may be aided by glucosamine, which is sold as a nutritional supplement. This is a natural compound in your body that helps make your cartilage strong and rigid. Yucca root supplements have been considered as a likely treatment for the pain associated with arthritis. However not many studies have evaluated this claim. Mangosteen is a tropical fruit that is grown in the south eastern regions of Asia Mangosteen is available as a supplement, in the form of juice or capsule. Mangosteen is a rich source of antioxidants which help the body develop its own system of defense against diseases like heart problems and cancer. Mangosteen contains a distinctive type of a chemical known as xanthone. It is known to have effective anti-inflammatory consequences in the laboratory. A number of laboratory tests and animal studies imply that mangosteen has noteworthy anti-inflammatory properties. Regrettably, at this point in time, there have been no studies conducted on humans in order to determine whether the anti-inflammatory effects of this fruit will be helpful to people with arthritis or other inflammatory conditions.

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