Getting enough nutrition when you have rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can be challenging. In addition, some foods may actually trigger the autoimmune response associated with RA. Eating a healthy diet with a variety of foods may help people with RA reduce their inflammatory responses, and can help avoid a common side effect: malnutrition.
RA and Weight Loss
Weight loss is often an issue for people who have suffered from rheumatoid arthritis for some time. A chronic inflammatory disorder, RA can affect a person's metabolism, increasing the rate at which she burns calories. Even with a healthy diet, a person with RA may burn more calories than she takes in, potentially causing unplanned weight loss. Another factor that complicates weight maintenance is the loss of appetite that not only accompanies the disease itself, but is also a common side effect of many arthritis medications.
RA and Malnutrition
In addition to weight loss, many people with RA are at a greater risk for malnutrition. They may miss out on important vitamins and minerals. Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center reports that one of the most common deficiencies seen in patients with RA is folic acid. While you can increase your intake of fortified foods, you may also need to take a supplement to make up for any missed nutrients. You may also want to take vitamin D and calcium supplements, as they can help prevent bone loss, which is common in people with RA and may lead to further complications like osteoporosis.
Inflammatory Foods and Elimination Diets
You may have heard about so-called anti-inflammatory diets, or elimination diets that are supposed to pinpoint trigger foods for people who have RA. While food allergies can cause inflammatory responses, different people may have different trigger foods, making it difficult to follow a single anti-inflammatory diet. If you think food may be a trigger, you can try an elimination diet. Arthritis Today recommends starting with a base of fresh fruits and vegetables, meat and fish. If, after a month, your symptoms have improved, you may have food triggers for your RA inflammation. Start re-introducing foods and monitor your symptoms, which can help identify triggers. However, be sure to discuss elimination diets first with your doctor to ensure you will not miss out on any important nutrients or cause other RA complications.
General Dietary Advice
There is no known diet that will improve everyone's RA symptoms. Each person is unique, with different dietary needs and challenges. While an elimination diet may work for some, for others, it may make little difference, and can leave them even more prone to nutritional deficiencies. Johns Hopkins offers this advice for their RA patients: eat a healthy diet with a variety of fresh foods, limit processed and sugary foods and take a multivitamin. In addition, review your diet with your doctor, who may offer additional advice.
