Out of the unrelenting and chronic illnesses prevailing in the world, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most serious and progressive. If left untreated, the pain from RA can be unbearable and deterioration can occur rapidly. The distribution of people suffering from this illness consists mostly of the women in comparison to men and most commonly begins in the age bracket of 30 – 50 years, yet it can occur at any age.
Treatments for RA
People suffering from RA use medications and follow the recommendations of their specialist doctor, or Rheumatologist. However the effectiveness of these medications vary from person to person and patients who are already suffering would understand that the drugs and medication are only capable of masking the symptoms and are ineffective at treating the underlying cause.
Treatments for RA
People suffering from RA use medications and follow the recommendations of their specialist doctor, or Rheumatologist. However the effectiveness of these medications vary from person to person and patients who are already suffering would understand that the drugs and medication are only capable of masking the symptoms and are ineffective at treating the underlying cause.
Moreover, some of the more severe medications can have additional side effects if utilized for a long time by releasing damaging chemicals and toxins into the bloodstream. Other severe medical conditions include fatigue, heart burns, stomach ulcers, stroke or even gastro-intestinal bleeding.
Natural Remedies
On the other hand, those seeking a natural cure for rheumatoid arthritis will normally approach their journey towards wellness using an effective diet and relevant physical therapies. Physical therapies such as Bikram Yoga and other heated yoga classes have many positive testimonials on multiple websites. As for heat applied directly to the joints, there may be some relief by employing heating packs, electric blankets or hot packs for temporary relief from painful joints. However, this is normally cumbersome and incapable of addressing the severity of the inflammation for any long-term value.
It has been proved in the studies that people suffering from RA when consuming a 100% pure vegetarian diet showed considerable improvement within the period of 30 days. A diet for RA patients should also exclude dairy, caffeine, salt, refined sugar, alcohol, gluten and eggs. This leaves ample and nutritious foods such as root vegetables (pumpkins, sweet potatoes, potatoes) along with legumes (lentils, chic peas) and grains (rice, buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth) which can be tested into the diet by the patient and pain levels monitored carefully. Sometimes foods high in potassium can also be beneficial, such as centeloupe and orange juice. Orange juice may have the additional benefit of increasing stomach acid which is often low in people with RA, allowing undigested food to enter their digestive tract unchecked.
A switch to a vegetarian lifestyle may be challenging for many, but rarely will anything be as challenging as living with RA pain itself. So many people who have made the switch have seen the benefits for themselves and are now great advocates of a plant-based diet to RA to help keep the disease progression to a minimum.