How To Fight Against Rheumatoid Arthritis? Vitaclay's Anti-Inflammatory Recipes

Rheumatoid arthritis is a common inflammatory disease, which is a type of autoimmune disease. Autoimmune disease is a condition in which the immune system confuses the healthy body tissues as foreign, causing it to misfire and attack the body. Unlike osteoarthritis, which tends to appear in older people, Rheumatoid arthritis can start earlier during 30’s or sooner. This kind of inflammation causes redness, warmth, soreness, and stiffness in the joints and these symptoms usually affect both sides of the body. If a joint in one of your arms or legs is affected, the same effect may be felt in the other arm or leg too.

If you happen to have these symptoms, it is important to take note, even if they seem to disappear before reappearing. This will help your healthcare provider understand your condition and how to best manage and treat it. Although there is no permanent cure for rheumatoid arthritis, there are treatments that help in managing the symptoms to lessen discomfort and frustration. Treatments include medication, alternative or home remedies, specific types of exercise and change in diet.

Medications commonly used to slow the damage rheumatoid arthritis can cause to the body include disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) that work mainly in inhibiting the body’s immune system response to slow down the progression of symptoms, biologics, a new generation biologic DMARDs that provides a targeted response to inflammation instead of blocking the body’s entire immune system response, which may work for people who don’t respond to more traditional DMARDs and Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, a new subcategory of DMARDs that curbs certain immune responses which helps calm inflammation and cease damage to your joints when DMARDs and biologic DMARDs don’t work for certain people.

Alternative treatments include acupuncture, the use of very thin needles on certain points of the body and is said to work by balancing out or interrupting the flow of good and bad energy in the body, physical therapy for pain management and mobility and movement improvement, infrared heat therapy and LED light therapy that uses different types of light and heat to reduce inflammation in the body, and the most common, massages which naturally relieves the body’s muscles and joints.

Rest and relaxation would be the cheapest home remedy for people with rheumatoid arthritis. Of course, getting enough sleep is important for everyone. It will give your body enough time to rest, relax and help the body become energized to fight back. In instances when you don’t feel much pain, creams, gels, or lotions may be enough to manage the pain without taking any oral medications. You can also apply ice packs to inflamed joints to help ease swelling or numb pain and relax muscle spasms, or take a warm bath or hot shower to soothe tight, aching muscles, as well as putting a hot towel as a heating pad to relax tense muscles and relieve pain and stiffness.

Walking, the easiest, most convenient way to exercise may sound too simple, but it works a great help in loosening joints and reducing pain. Another recommended simple exercise is stretching the muscles of your arms, your back, your hips, the front and back of your thighs, and calves. For a heart-pumping exercise, you bike which is essential in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and complications people with rheumatoid arthritis are prone to. Other exercises include tai chi, yoga and strength training.

Let’s not forget your diet. Rheumatoid arthritis friendly diets require foods high in omega-3 fatty acids such as mackerel, herring, salmon and tuna, antioxidants from fruits, vegetables, nuts, and green teas, fibers also from fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains and beans, spices that helps reduce inflammation in the body and flavonoids from berries, green tea, grapes, broccoli, and soy. Other diets may include Mediterranean diet that comprise of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and olive oil, and paleo, a high in protein and low in carbohydrates diet that focuses mainly on meat, vegetables and fruits and avoids cultivated grains, sugars, dairy, and processed foods.

Foods that trigger inflammation are processed carbohydrates from white flour and white sugar, saturated and trans fats, found in fried foods, red meat, and dairy so it’s important to put these foods away if you want to mitigate the risks or symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis through a change in diet effectively.

Here are some recipes you can try with foods that can lessen the risk or symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

SPICY TURMERIC-LEMON CHICKEN & VEGGIES
https://vitaclaychef.com/blogs/recipes/clay-pot-spicy-turmeric-lemon-chicken-veggies