Arthritis cure? Painful symptoms of condition could be eased by following THIS diet

By Olivia Lerche

ARTHRITIS can be treated with anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen - and symptoms of the condition can often be eased if people eat foods with anti-inflammatory foods such as broccoli or kale. However, experts have also revealed one diet could be a successful treatment.
The condition is an umbrella term for different types of arthritis including osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis - an inflammatory disease which can affect multiple joints throughout the body.
Arthritis causes stiff, swollen and painful joints, which are hot to the touch, and even muscle pain.
It commonly affects the hands, feet, ankles, knees and hips.
However, other than taking anti inflammatory drugs eating certain types of food, such as fish, fruit and vegetables - experts have said going without food can also improve symptoms.
Lynne McTaggart, author of Arthritis - Drug free alternatives to prevent and reverse arthritis, said the power of fasting should not be underestimated.
She said: “Carrying out intermittent fasting is a final change to your diet that may offer a powerful way to mitigate arthritis symptoms.
“Fasting for just two days can kick-start the immune system - and might reverse auto immune conditions such as arthritis.
“Going without food for two to four days kills older and damaged immune cells, while generating new ones.
“At the beginning of a fast, white blood cells are killed off before a ‘regenerative switch’ is flipped, which alters the signalling pathways of stem cells responsible for the generation of blood and immune system cells.”
Experts at the University of Oslo found people with arthritis could benefit from a short fast, followed by changes in the diet.
In the two year study, experts found improvement in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who began to fast, and then adopted a vegetarian diet for a year.

Cutting out meat is also believed to be successful way of reducing painful symptoms in people living with arthritis.Lynne Mactaggart said: “A review of four studies looking at the effect of a brief fasting followed by at lease three months on a vegetarian diet showed a ‘statistically and clinically significant beneficial long-term effect.”
A study published in the Lancet, said: “Fasting is an effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, but most patients relapse on reintroduction of food.
“The effect of fasting followed by one year of a vegetarian diet was assessed in a randomised, single-blind controlled trial.”
The study looked at 27 patients who were told to fast and placed on gluten-free vegan diets for three and a half months.
After just four weeks patients said stiffness, grip strength, white blood cell count and pain had all significantly improved.

The benefits in the diet group were still present after one year, and evaluation of the whole course showed significant advantages for the diet group in all measured indices.
The experts said: “This dietary regimen seems to be a useful supplement to conventional medical treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.”
People can fast by consuming fruit or vegetable juices - but are warned not to go completely cold turkey.
Experts suggest people gradually reduce the amount of food they are eating and consult a GP if they intend to start a diet.

http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/732999/rheumatoid-arthritis-osteoarthritis-pain-treatment-symptoms-diet-food