Anatomical Nourishment: 8 Essential Tips to Lowering Your Chances of Developing Rheumatoid Arthritis1/7/2024 Written By: Vivian Benjamin During the weekends, I went shopping in the city centre and an advertisement at a bus stop caught my eye. There was a picture of a young woman and words written: “I haven’t lived a day without pain since I was 12”. This advert was talking about arthritis and the pain they felt.
When I researched online about this particular advert I found a charity organisation that supports people suffering from all kinds of arthritis and read through several people’s stories. I felt sad reading that many young adults have recently been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, a disease that causes severe joint pains; which only develops after the age of 40 years old. This prompted me to investigate further the current prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis and I have decided to write about how you can reduce your chances of developing rheumatoid arthritis. What is Rheumatoid Arthritis? Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic autoimmune disease associated with chronic inflammation that damages the joints, cartilage and bones. This medical condition can affect both males and females, although it’s more common in women. Moreover, rheumatoid arthritis can occur to anyone at any age even children. Parents must be vigilant in observing any trauma or injury that affects their children from a younger age. At times, even without any trauma or injury, bone deformities can happen due to autoimmune diseases (the body’s immune system attacks the cell, tissue and organ mistakenly). Rheumatoid arthritis cannot be healed completely or reversed however; the symptoms can be managed through medications and lifestyle changes. Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis Despite the growing number of studies done on rheumatoid arthritis, the cause of this condition is still unknown. Nonetheless, it has been linked to genetic and environmental factors. There are several risk factors contributing to the rise in rheumatoid arthritis cases which include:
Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include:
Complications of Rheumatoid Arthritis There are several complications of rheumatoid arthritis if this condition is not managed properly or left untreated, which include:
8 Holistic Tips to Reduce Risks of Rheumatoid Arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis is a medical condition that has no cure however; modern medicine has created treatments to relieve the symptoms affecting the individual. According to a growing number of studies, around 40% of patients with this disease will have a disability affecting their daily life and develop complications that affect their overall health. You can help yourself by preventing this condition by applying 8 strategies to reduce the risk factors of rheumatoid arthritis. Let’s explore how you can use holistic approaches to help prevent this disease. 1. Diet Because rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory illness increasing a diet that consists of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory foods can help navigate this condition. Increase consumption of food with omega-3 fatty acids such as fish, flaxseed, chia seeds and walnuts. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with healthy vitamins and minerals needed for the body to function and to reduce oxidative stress. Medicinal plants including flowers, spices and herbs are also packed with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. So, add these wonderful foods to your daily diet. Examples of medicinal plants that can help prevent rheumatoid arthritis are hibiscus flower, turmeric spice, lotus flower, Holy Basil herb, clove spice, curry leaves and saffron spice. 2. Hydration Drinking plenty of water is important as water can help lubricate the joints. Therefore, staying hydrated all the time is essential. Check out my tips on how you can replenish your body with optimal hydration easily. 3. Stop smoking Burning tobacco generates numerous chemicals, including nicotine, tar and carbon monoxide. These chemicals induce inflammation thus; tobacco is one of the main causes of rheumatoid arthritis. 4. Healthy weight Obesity can increase the risk of inflammation hence; leading to rheumatoid arthritis. Maintaining a healthy weight is essential to maintain good physical and mental health. 5. Manage stress The hormones released when a person is negatively influenced by stress, raise the heart rate and blood pressure and affect the digestion process. Apart from that, unhealthy stress induces oxidative stress and increases inflammation. Managing stress positively can reduce inflammation to prevent rheumatoid arthritis. Check out my article on how you can holistically manage stress. 6. Exercise Generally, physical exercise is important to keep your body from failing health. Numerous studies have shown evidence that exercise is beneficial to the body. Not only that it is essential for physical health, but also mental health. However, many only perform aerobic exercises but fail to incorporate strengthening exercises. Strengthening exercise has the power to build muscle mass, muscle strength, and endurance. This form of exercise also has shown benefits to lower the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. The recommendations are to practice either 1 or 2 types of strengthening exercises for at least 30 to 60 minutes. Examples of strengthening exercises:
7. Vitamin D supplement According to various studies, a deficiency in Vitamin D has been shown to increase the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Supplementing yourself with Vitamin D is vital. Remember, both calcium and Vitamin D work together to ensure a healthy musculoskeletal system. Therefore, consuming calcium-rich food will not help bone health without optimal intake of Vitamin D. 8. Protect your joints Approximately 80% of office workers report musculoskeletal illness and the number is even higher for healthcare professionals as they tend not to protect their bone health while working. Protecting your joints and your body’s architecture is vital to reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Similarly, having a good posture helps protect your joints. Utilize tools or gadgets to help minimize the strains on your joints and remember to practice proper body mechanics. All in All There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis and this disease is associated with greater chances of mortality rate. Although with proper treatment, symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis can be managed and individuals can lead a good life, however; over time it can lead to complications and deformities. Nutrition Takes explores 8 holistic strategies you can apply to reduce your possibility of developing rheumatoid arthritis. Share in the comment section if this article helped you in any way. Alternatively, if you have different insights feel free to share too. References 1. https://www.arthritisaction.org.uk/ 2. https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/rheumatoid-arthritis 3. Chauhan K et al. (2023); Rheumatoid Arthritis; InStatPearls. 4. Andrei F.R et al. (2021); Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Overview; Cells; 10: 2857. 5. Hans U.S et al. (2020); The Etiology of Rheumatoid Arthritis; Journal of Autoimmunity; 110: 102400. 6. Axel F et al. (2022); Global Epidemiology of Rheumatoid Arthritis; Nature Reviews Rheumatology; 18: 591 – 602. 7. Elena N et al. (2023); Nutrition and its role in prevention and management of rheumatoid Arthritis; Autoimmunity Reviews; 22(7): 103333. 8. Annette H.M et al. (2023); Preventive interventions in individuals at risk for Rheumatoid Arthritis: State of the art and perspectives; Joint Bone Spine; 90(4): 105543.
2 Comments
Philo
2/7/2024 03:04:32 am
A very good and very useful article for everyone especially for all working people. Thanks for all the tips and will follow them regularly. Great job Vivian. In other words you are helping us to lead a healthy life. God bless. Also thanks for all your support and encouragement especially to our older communities. Take care.
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Vivian Benjamin
2/7/2024 07:15:53 am
Thank you, Philo for your comments. Yes, my mission in life is to help create awareness and share holistic knowledge and medicinal plants knowledge to everyone in this world. Hope you learned something new today, Take care.
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