Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes pain, swelling, stiffness and deformity of the joints. The disease is three times more prevalent in women than men, according to the website WrongDiagnosis.com, and is characterized by unpredictable flareups and remissions. Alternative and complementary medicine has much to offer for the management of this debilitating condition.
Fish Oil
A study published in the August, 2001 "Journal of Rheumatology" concluded that fish oil induced healthy changes in blood lipids, reducing cardiovascular risk in rheumatoid arthritis patients. The study reports a 72 percent rate of symptom remission for the fish oil group after the three-year period of the study, compared with 31 percent for the non-fish oil group.The authors predict that fish oils could even take the place of drug treatment for many rheumatoid arthritis patients.
Gamma-linolenic Acid
This omega-6 essential fatty acid comes from the seeds of plants such as borage, black currant and evening primrose. Gamma-linolenic acid combats inflammation in the body by promoting the production of non-inflammatory prostaglandins. In this way, the ratio of inflammatory to non-inflammatory chemicals is shifted to favor decreased inflammation, according to information on the FindArticles.com. As a caution, borage oil contains the highest concentration of gamma-linolenic acid, but it also contains small amounts of alkaloid compounds that are toxic to the liver.
Turmeric
Turmeric has been a traditional Indian medicine staple for its anti-inflammatory effects for centuries. Research published in the March, 2006 "Journal of Natural Products" found that isolated curcumin compounds, the active components of turmeric, were more successful at reducing inflammation than the whole herb. Three curcumin compounds were isolated and tested on streptococcal cell wall-induced rheumatoid arthritis--a common form of rheumatoid arthritis used in animal studies--before the onset of joint swelling.
Ginger
Excellent joint protective effects from ginger on rheumatoid arthritis were observed by researchers at the University of Arizona. Crude ginger extract, containing the plant's essential oils and other compounds, was similarly effective at reducing inflammation as the extract containing only gingerol compounds--the active inflammation-reducing component of ginger. The experiment, published in the March, 2009 "Journal of Natural Products," was conducted in animal models using streptococcal cell wall-induced rheumatoid arthritis, a common form of the disease used in experiments.
Elimination Diets
A variety of dietary modifications can help determine the type of foods that may be causing or exacerbating rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. Elimination diets are designed to remove a particular food or group of foods, such as wheat or dairy, which are known to be commonly associated with allergies or food sensitivities, says NutritionMD.org. Much of the immune tissue in the body, known as gut associated lymph tissue, is located around the intestinal tract and is activated when allergenic foods are eaten, this raising the inflammation levels and contributing to the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
References
- "Journal of Rheumatology"; Reduction of cardiovascular risk factors with longterm fish oil treatment in early rheumatoid arthritis;Cleland, LG, et al; August, 2006
- Find Articles: Evening primrose oil: to help treat inflammatory disorders - Herb Watch
- "Journal of Natural Products"; Turmeric extracts containing curcuminoids prevent experimental rheumatoid arthritis; Funk JL, Oyarzo JN, Frye JB, Chen G, Lantz RC, Jolad SD, Sólyom AM, Timmermann BN; March, 2006
- "Journal of Natural Products"; Zingiber officinale; Funk JL, et al; March, 200
- NutritionMD: Rheumatoid Arthritis: Nutritional Considerations
