Last Updated on January 17, 2021
Image by Angelo Esslinger from Pixabay
Rheumatoid arthritis (commonly abbreviated as RA) is an autoimmune disorder, which means that it is the immune system itself that mistakingly ends up attacking and damaging the body. In this case, it targets the lining of the membranes that surround the joints, sending an inflammatory response that damages healthy tissue. As a result, patients may start to develop the following symptoms: joint pain, loss of function, swelling, and stiffness.
This condition affects women disproportionately – about 75% of the more than 1.3 million Americans diagnosed with this disease are women. Unfortunately, it has no known cure. However, in recent years a series of rheumatoid arthritis treatments have been developed that provide patients with excellent relief of symptoms to allow them to perform their daily activities. For these treatments to be effective, it is essential to avoid a series of behaviors that may trigger joint pain and worsen the rheumatoid arthritis condition.
Here are 6 things all RA patients should avoid!
1. Smoking
The list of the harmful effects of tobacco is very extensive. Among highly dangerous disorders such as heart disease and various types of cancer, you can also find rheumatoid arthritis. Smokers are more prone to develop rheumatoid arthritis in the first place. It is a known risk factor and perhaps one of the most dangerous ones considering its other health implications. To make things worse, smoking can simultaneously aggravate joint pain and reduce the RA treatment’s effectiveness by increasing the levels of certain chemical markers in the body. Previous medical research also pointed out that RA patients who are also smokers usually have much more pain associated with arthritis than non-smokers. It’s never too late to quit smoking. If you’ve tried several times without success, talk to your doctor – he can help you out!
2. Eating much and having an unhealthy diet
Just like smoking, obesity is also a risk factor for many dangerous conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis. It is a serious problem in many developed countries, and both the medical and governmental communities have been working actively to fight it for many years. One of the best ways to avoid obesity is to eat a healthy diet in healthy amounts. If you do so, you will reduce the risk of developing RA. For those diagnosed with this condition, maintaining a healthy weight will significantly improve their quality of life and the RA treatment’s chance of success. In addition, some foods cause inflammation of joints– like sugary snacks, saturated fats, refined carbohydrates, and alcoholic beverages, so be careful with all that. On the other hand, food rich in omega-3 fatty acids may help you reduce inflammation and manage joint pain. There is enough scientific evidence to support the claim that omega-3 fatty acids improve rheumatoid arthritis, so it’s time to include salmon and other fatty fish in your diet!
