Monday 26 February 2018

Why Your Diet Needs More Fibre

From belmarrahealth.com

We are told to eat a high-fibre diet as a means to prevent and relieve constipation and promote a healthy heart. But can a high-fibre diet relieve joint pain too?
Many Americans suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, an auto-immune disease that attacks the joints. Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include joint pain, swelling, inflammation, immobility, and stiffness.
Researchers suggest that eating high fibre foods, including fruits, vegetables, and nuts, can relieve rheumatoid arthritis symptoms.


The Arthritis Foundation explained, “Eating a high-fibre diet can yield many rewards. Fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and whole grains provide a boost of vitamins, minerals, protein, and healthy nutrients. They might also help lower markers of inflammation—a key factor in many forms of arthritis.”
Fibre-rich foods have been known to reduce c-reactive proteins in the blood, which are markers of rheumatoid arthritis.
The Arthritis Foundation suggests that fibre foods help feed healthy bacteria in the gut, and these bacteria releases substances aimed to reduce inflammation. Inflammation is the main trigger for symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. A 2009 study found eating fibre-rich foods alone could reduce c-reactive proteins by 25 to 54 percent.

High Fibre Foods

To start obtaining relief from your rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, here are the best foods with the highest fibre content.
  • Split peas
  • Lentils
  • Black beans
  • Lima beans
  • Artichokes
  • Peas
  • Broccoli
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Raspberries
  • Blackberries
  • Avocados
  • Pears
  • Bran flakes
  • Whole wheat pasta
  • Pearled Barley
  • Oatmeal
Incorporating more of these foods into your daily diet can help you experience reduced symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. But make sure you are staying well hydrated, as consuming too much fibre without enough water can lead to constipation.

https://www.belmarrahealth.com/diet-needs-fiber/

Sunday 4 February 2018

What You Eat for Breakfast May Help Combat Arthritis Pain

From healthline.com

Researchers say a bowl of muesli on most mornings could help ease rheumatoid arthritis symptoms

We have all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day — and this may be especially true for arthritis patients.
New research out of Germany suggests that eating a bowl of muesli every morning can make bones stronger and could possibly help prevent certain types of chronic inflammatory arthritis later in life.
The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, found that eating a diet rich in fibre can have a positive impact on chronic inflammatory joint diseases as well as musculoskeletal conditions, while also helping to build stronger bones.
Researchers said the molecules in gut bacteria, which aid our metabolism, can affect the entire immune system.
That could have an effect on inflammatory autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
The scientists concluded that eating a healthful, balanced diet that is rich in fibre and gut-friendly, anti-inflammatory options, could positively change the bacteria in the gut.
That, they said, could help quell inflammation and positively impact the immune system.
Muesli is an example of a food they suggested on this diet.
“We were able to show that a bacteria-friendly diet has an anti-inflammatory effect, as well as a positive effect on bone density,” said Dr. Mario Zaiss, the study’s lead researcher.
The authors of the study explained that bacteria are not always a negative organism. Some types of bacteria in our intestines are helpful in aiding digestion, providing energy, and having calming anti-inflammatory effects.
The bacteria can also help balance intestinal flora, which can protect against illness.
The German scientists also concluded that short-chain fatty acids that are produced in the gut can also be found inside joint fluid.
This led them to believe that these short-chain fatty acids may also have an important impact on joint function, and that a high concentration of these short-chain fatty acids in bone marrow could help to slow — or even prevent — bone erosion and degradation.
“Our findings offer a promising approach for developing innovative therapies for inflammatory joint diseases as well as for treating osteoporosis, which is often suffered by women after the menopause. We are not able to give any specific recommendations for a bacteria-friendly diet at the moment, but eating muesli every morning, as well as enough fruit and vegetables throughout the day, helps to maintain a rich variety of bacterial species,” said Zaiss.
Muesli is not the only food that can be beneficial for rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, but it may be worth a try for rheumatoid arthritis patients.
“I’ve always appreciated the idea of medicine as food. I am not sure what muesli is, but I have tried a higher-fiber diet including things like oatmeal,” said Natalie Scalise, an Ohio resident with rheumatoid arthritis.
“Our findings offer a promising approach for developing innovative therapies for inflammatory joint diseases as well as for treating osteoporosis,” said Zaiss.

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/breakfast-may-help-combat-arthritis-pain#3