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Rheumatoid arthritis ran in my mother's family (I don't think I have it, hope not). In some cases it can be related to the foods you eat, namely the foods in the nightshade family. I also had an uncle who got RA and I remember him telling me it went away once he eliminated all citrus products from his diet. That was the first time I had heard of a food connection.
For my mother, hers went away if she eliminated the nightshade family (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant--all related) but she decided she'd rather put up with the RA than stop eating potatoes and tomatoes. It's sort of like having a food allergy or intolerance. Many times that's what's causing the inflammation.
I don't know if doctors tell people about that aspect of it but it sure sounds a lot better than taking anti-inflammatory drugs.
Doctors don't tell people about this myth because it isn't true..
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder, it is nothing "like having a food allergy or intolerance". It's not what people eat thats causing the inflammation.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder, it is nothing "like having a food allergy or intolerance". It's not what people eat thats causing the inflammation.
You are absolutely right. If I could eat certain foods to 'cure' my RA, I certainly would have done that by now!
There needs to be more awareness of RA and other auto-immune disorders. It just isn't your grandmothers artheritis and you can't go buy a tube of aspercreme and be done with it.
You are absolutely right. If I could eat certain foods to 'cure' my RA, I certainly would have done that by now!
There needs to be more awareness of RA and other auto-immune disorders. It just isn't your grandmothers artheritis and you can't go buy a tube of aspercreme and be done with it.
Ain't that the truth. Some people may notice that some foods aggravate their symptoms, but food allergy/intolerance does not cause RA. Or OA, for that matter. I notice that if I eat too much grain, my symptoms are exacerbated, but we have a family history of wheat intolerance.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder, it is nothing "like having a food allergy or intolerance". It's not what people eat thats causing the inflammation.
Well, I disagree. I've seen too many cases of it being caused by a food. I'm not saying that's the cause in all cases but in some cases it is. Why would my uncle have lied? My mother was his sister and she too, got RA, and she too got rid of it be avoiding certain foods. It was her choice to add those foods back in and her choice to suffer from RA in her hands for the rest of her life.
Sometimes I think the pharmaceutical companies would rather sell drugs than listen to what real people have to say. There isn't any "magic" food that you can eat to make it go away but there do seem to be certain foods that aggravate it.
Also--your first article says that foods can affect RA, the second article is much ado about nothing--raisins soaked in what? nonsense article, the third article isn't even about RA, it's mostly about Osteoarthritis which is the wear and tear type. We were discussing RA, the inflammatory type.
Last edited by in_newengland; 06-01-2013 at 09:08 PM..
Originally Posted by in_newengland;29831736[COLOR=red
Well, I disagree. I've seen too many cases of it being caused by a food. I'm not saying that's t]he caus[/color]e in all cases but in some cases it is. Why would my uncle have lied? My mother was his sister and she too, got RA, and she too got rid of it be avoiding certain foods. It was her choice to add those foods back in and her choice to suffer from RA in her hands for the rest of her life.
Sometimes I think the pharmaceutical companies would rather sell drugs than listen to what real people have to say. There isn't any "magic" food that you can eat to make it go away but there do seem to be certain foods that aggravate it.
Also--your first article says that foods can affect RA, the second article is much ado about nothing--raisins soaked in what? nonsense article, the third article isn't even about RA, it's mostly about Osteoarthritis which is the wear and tear type. We were discussing RA, the inflammatory type.
Such statements make it easy for others to "blame the victim". I have RA, and have felt there was sometimes a cooreattion between symptoms and various foods. However, I have since realized there was no real connection other than coincidence. Many years ago I was told by a "nutrition expert" to go all vegan, the diet was so restrictive I barely had anything I could eat! Well, symptoms seemed to abate, but then came back, regardless. I did not "choose" to suffer from RA by deliberately eating foods I knew would affect me. I simply could not see any benefit from restricting my diet in such a manner.
Do realize that dietary restrictions affect one in many ways other than nutritional. Special diets can be very expensive, and socially restrictive as well. There should be hard evidence to back up such regimens before steering a person to such.
I find it easy for people to chase after someone with RA, give them unfounded advice, then, if they don't follow the advice, they are blamed---well, guess you just don't want to help yourself! Quite the opposite, a person suffering a debilitating disease would do just about anything to get relief!
Well, I disagree. I've seen too many cases of it being caused by a food. I'm not saying that's t]he cause
Hmmm... you've seen too many cases....so, are you an MD? Preferably a rheumatologist? See, this is why the name of the condition needs to be changed. I've found the more advice one gives, the less they really know about the condition. Can you define RA? Can you explain the difference between osteoarthritis and RA? In short, do you have any real idea what you're talking about?
Calling the disease rheumatoid ARTHRITIS puts it in the category of "arthritis". Everyone thinks they're an expert on "arthritis". The best explanation is, arthritis is one symptom of rheumatoid disease, its not the whole disease. Do you know RA can even affect the vocal chords? Its misunderstanding and ignorance that leads to such attitudes, which can stand between a true RA sufferer and effective treatment.
Well, I disagree. I've seen too many cases of it being caused by a food. I'm not saying that's the cause in all cases but in some cases it is. Why would my uncle have lied? My mother was his sister and she too, got RA, and she too got rid of it be avoiding certain foods. It was her choice to add those foods back in and her choice to suffer from RA in her hands for the rest of her life.
Sometimes I think the pharmaceutical companies would rather sell drugs than listen to what real people have to say. There isn't any "magic" food that you can eat to make it go away but there do seem to be certain foods that aggravate it.
Also--your first article says that foods can affect RA, the second article is much ado about nothing--raisins soaked in what? nonsense article, the third article isn't even about RA, it's mostly about Osteoarthritis which is the wear and tear type. We were discussing RA, the inflammatory type.
No idea why your uncle would have lied, what does that have to do with anything?
RA IS NOT caused by food, plain and simple...
By the way ALL arthritis is inflammatory...by definition arthritis is inflammation of a joint, whether we are talking RA or OA it is still INFLAMMATION.
The difference between RA and OA is that RA is an autoimmune disorder and THAT is not caused by what you eat....
As for the links....they specifically deal with the MYTH of nightshade vegetables that was raised... and it is still a MYTH
I have an auto immune disease myself so I know what it's like and I have many food allergies so I know exactly what it's like to live on a restricted diet. I also have fibromyalgia which was caused by a virus and have actually had people tell me I need to exercise! As if that would help. As if I am ABLE to exercise. So I understand how it is to be mis-understood and blamed for not getting better. If only it were that easy.
Nope, I'm not a medical person at all. I simply said that I've seen many cases of a person with RA getting relief by cutting certain foods out of their diets. My own uncle would have had no reason to lie about ridding himself of RA by cutting citrus fruits out and my mother, well we all saw her hands go back to normal and then get swollen up again when she went off and back on potatoes. I've known quite a few people with RA who did get some relief from change of diet but of course it won't work for everyone. Nobody ever said that.
You can call things myths just because there's no scientific study that's proven it yet but in some cases, people have been helped. Many if not most people will not be helped but I do think a change of diet can help some people.
Such statements make it easy for others to "blame the victim". I have RA, and have felt there was sometimes a cooreattion between symptoms and various foods. However, I have since realized there was no real connection other than coincidence. Many years ago I was told by a "nutrition expert" to go all vegan, the diet was so restrictive I barely had anything I could eat! Well, symptoms seemed to abate, but then came back, regardless. I did not "choose" to suffer from RA by deliberately eating foods I knew would affect me. I simply could not see any benefit from restricting my diet in such a manner.
I was talking about my own mother. SHE had RA and SHE found that if she avoided certain foods, the RA in her hands went away. SHE was a great cook and SHE chose to cook and eat what she wanted and to put up with the RA.I wasn't even taking about anyone else, just my own mother.
I don't know why any doctor would tell you or anyone to go on a vegan diet--I barely know what it is besides vegetarian and more. I think vegans are morally opposed to eating foods that come from animals more than being concerned with health--but as I said, I would never eat that way and know little about it. I never said that you in particular CHOSE to get RA anymore than I CHOSE to get fibromyalgia. I'm sorry if you took it that way and I hope you can get some relief somehow. Living in pain is (well, I think the word might be unprintable but you know what I mean.) It affects every aspect of your life.
I really don't think that doctors know the cause of RA or FM. I am sure that certain foods may exacerbate the symptoms of almost any illness, and not eating those foods would be better.
RA is not just 'arthritis' it effects not only your joints but organs as well.
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