As a registered dietitian who has rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, Lona Sandon is well acquainted with claims that particular foods have the power to quell or to worsen arthritis pain. For instance, she says, “A patient will tell me her arthritis worsens if she eats sugar, or that she has less pain and stiffness if she takes a tablespoon or two of cider vinegar each day.” So what sparks these healing food myths and how do you distinguish the myths from the real science?
Sandon calls it an “emotional need to overtake the common sense of knowing how the body works.” But in just about all cases, the science doesn’t bear out.
“I would have loved to find something other than Enbrel to make me functional again,” says Sandon, 38, assistant professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. “That fine print on arthritis medications can be pretty scary – risk of lymphoma, risk of tuberculosis. It is very appealing to find something natural, but there’s no food in the world that can do what medicine can.”
So why do such myths persist? “If I tell it to you three times, then it must be true. And the more often you hear it, and the louder and more shrilly you hear it, the more believable it becomes,” says Richard Panush, MD, a professor in the division of rheumatology at the University of Southern California, in Los Angeles.
With that in mind, here are some foods that are commonly touted on the Internet, in books and elsewhere as capable of mitigating or exacerbating arthritis symptoms – and the truth behind the hype.
THE MYTH: A dozen gin-soaked raisins a day provide natural pain relief.
THE SCIENCE: Raisins are often treated with sulfur dioxide gas during processing to preserve their color – and sulfur has been explored for its role in joint health. Some 25 years ago, Russian researchers reported that a sulfur-containing compound called dimethyl sulfoxide helped lessen destructive joint changes in mice. Other research has explored whether a sulfur compound called methylsulfonylmethane helped with osteoarthritis (OA) pain.
The results were inconclusive at best, but such studies feed the belief (though never the proof) that sulfur in raisins has anti-inflammatory effects.
As for gin, juniper berries, which are used to make it, were prescribed in the Middle Ages for their own purported, but never proven, anti-inflammatory properties.
THE BOTTOM LINE: No scientific study has ever shown that gin-soaked raisins reduce arthritis pain or inflammation.
If there is no connection between RA and certain foods then this guy went to lot of trouble to write a book on it for nothing, very interesting case studies and some info about the drugs we take and how they are made
for example if you stop eating bread because
you suspect it causes you a problem, ie wheat allergy the pills you take are probably bound together with corn starch etc worth a read.
Based on my babbling on an on, can someone decifer my CRY FOR HELP?! I am a newbie to my condition and am no longer in denial that I must take it seriously. I'm beginning a detox fast in the morning to rid my body of toxins and junk, to create a clean slate. I don't want to be vegan but I do enjoy SOME vegan meals and will eat them. I CAN give up red meat....the jury is still out on dairy. I've read more RA sufferers gave it up, or should I too? I love oily fish i.e. salmon, tuna, and sardines. Oh, lastly, I do eat turkey (ground, lean, breast, etc.) and chicken. Fruits and veggies. I've also discovered the organic 'Earth Fare' and 'Whole Foods' store in my area. Thank you for your time in reading my mini-book
:-) I look forward to your help and advice. If it's not listed my e-mail addy is....each_1teach_1@yahoo.com
I am not into gin soaked raisins. I do believe our diets and care for our bodies is a sorting process of what compromises the immune system. Stress and foods are at the top of the list for me.
Pharmaceuticals have a place in treatement and therapy. Foods do too.
So, another person's experience with other products including foods can be valuable for me to know. Before we dismiss anecdotal information, let's remember that, despite all its advances, science does NOT yet completely understand the workings of the human body.
Rather than choose only one way to manage a painful disease, a wiser course of action would be to include an array of tools. In this case, being aware that certain foods may react with my body in a positive or negative way is simply one of many tools.
There have certainly been prescription medications that have proven useless for me. Why should food or another similar product be any more or less useful?
For me, hard-and-fast pronouncements by "experts" in any field are suspect. I must assume that the opinions quoted in this article are no more or less accurate than anyone else's.
It's too bad that simply publishing the article on this website may give its content a cache it doesn't deserve.
Everyone is different and reacts differently to things. I personally do not like to take prescription meds unless absolutely necessary as the side effects and process is hard on your body. Therefore, I'm a little skeptical of stats and research on websites heavily supported by the pharmaceutical industry. As you know research can be tilted to support the companies' end goal. Some research has convinced very smart people that we don't have global warming (research supported by oil companies) an we know that is completely wrong. Some research (although people are now educated enough not to believe) has said in the past that smoking does not cause lung cancer! Basically, you can make the stats come out however you want them.
I work in the business world and know that companies will do whatever it takes to support their revenues despite the harm to the consumer. Believe me the customer is not the most important thing, it's our investors and when there are conflicts interest the investor (profits) win ever time!The folks that claim (including me) there are benefits found from eating or limiting eating foods have no profit motive and I get no benefit except to give you the same power and knowledge that been successful for me. There is much less risks in a managing your health with diet than the medications doctor prescribed (they are also motivated by profits). Whether you want to try it or not is your choice. If you try and it works great, if you try and it doesnt help there is nothing lost, if you don't try it that's fine too. Whatever makes you happy!
Ultimately you know your body better than any other person. It's your body, your life so do what works for you. If the meds works for you and you are happy with your quality of life then by all means continue on!
My experience is that most folks in those classes pay too little attention to a proper diet. But they are no different than the majority of Americans when it comes to diet.
If people with arthritis could just make small modifications in their diet (and lose a bit of excess weight) and attend 3 AF water exercise classes a week they would experience significant improvement in their daily pain level. They would also discover that their daily functional ability is greatly enhanced. The social companionship they will experience in these classes will improve their outlook on life as well.
There is no need to explore special foods or tonics at the health food store to do this. Self treatments with foods or supplements that provide anecdotal relief allows folks to focus on quick results and defocus on long term results.
DMSO is commonly used in veterinary medicine as a liniment for horses, alone or in combination with other ingredients. In the latter case, often, the intended function of the DMSO is as a solvent, to carry the other ingredients across the skin. Also in horses, DMSO is used intravenously, again alone or in combination with other drugs. It is used alone for the treatment of increased intracranial pressure and/or cerebral edema in horses. It has shown toxicity in developing mice neurological studies, and some other studies. It can carry for example cyanide compounds (and possibly other organic poisons) through the skin and cause poisoning.
Because DMSO increases the rate of absorption of some compounds through organic tissues, including skin, it can be used as a drug delivery system. It is frequently compounded with anti-fungal medications, enabling them to penetrate not just skin but also toe and fingernails. It's not a good idea to ingest it, though alone, it's toxicity is not much, it's not intended for ingestion.
I have had RA for about 8 years now and through hard ways have come to the conclusion of that there is definitely a strong effect of diet and excercize on bettering or worsening arthritis of any type!! I ask all readers to have an open mind about the studies and herbs or natural foods recommended by other cultures and countries for your own benifit. Unfortunately we all live in a mass commercialized generation where personal good of humans has been replaced by use of chemicals for madly going after profits!!
Look up the sites oabout "Ayurveda" ; "Ayurvedic Home Remedies"
or "Ayurvedic treatment for Arthritis" I think it will help lot of people!! Ayurveda is a 6,000 + year old natural cure system that mainly uses spices such as Tumeric, Ginger, Cinnamon, Castor Oil etc to treat arthritis as well just about all other disease know to man. These natural products without or minimal side effects if used as told, and most of them infact are good for the body e. g. tumeric being anti inflamatory is also a natural blood purifier.
I can feel the sympathy and pain for all of us victims of this disease!1 Hope this helps!
Thank you
master t
I agree with you on the cortisone shots...however...did the Dr explain that the shots cause deterioration on the inside much faster than not taking the shots???? Its a win/lose situation.
sorry,
Brenda
I have been taking fresh ginger tea and exercising and massaging my knees in the morning and before bedtime.I also take Glucosamine tab daily.
My doctor said I do not need surgery or any other treatment.
I read somewhere that it is possible for the cartilage to rejuvenate thru diet, exercise/massage and glucosamine.
What do you think?
the scandinavian study did not use raw foods, just a vegan diet after a week of fasting, presumably juice, and the study found that there were responders and non-responders to the diet, and when the subjects returned to the ordinary, non-vegan diet, their symptoms returned.
in addition, there may be a connection with chronic lyme disease and some of the autoimmune diseases. thank you, judy march
I disagree with the article that dairy foods are safe. They are not. They contribute to a host of auto-immune diseases that do not exist in societies where dairy products are not consumed. The dairy industry wants you to believe that their product is safe, but it's not. You can find plenty of information online about it as well as cases of people who have gone off dairy and have had results similar to mine.
Most restaurants use way too much salt. I always know it the next morning with visible swelling of my wrists and fingers. Now I tell them I'm allergic to salt, and it works!
I've discovered that setting a goal really makes a difference in how I live my life. I can only walk a mile before it becomes too much, & am attempting to walk my laps @ the Y in under 1 minute (16 laps = 1 mile). I become so engrossed in what I'm doing that I completely forget my pain. Couple this w/ a really really good book & I can have a great day, almost pain free. Don't worry about tomorrow, instead live for the moment.
I am receiving Orencia with a 1/2 dose of Aquas(?) Medrol in it.I have also been on Methotrexate for almost 5 years. Is it possible to develop fat in the stomach from the steroid? I really seem to have thickened around the middle---or should I be more aware of what I eat and put into that stomach?
Thank you,
Diane Z.
being take all kind of medicine nothing seem to help i am in pain every day.i have got shots in my knees that give me a little relief. Iam at the point that nothing going to help.Doctors want me to lose weight,to have the knee replacing.
I think of meds as a short term solution, and diet and supplements as a long term solution.
i practice deep meditation w/ guided imagery daily, as often as I need it. It helps me to relax tight muscles, and can ease pain, and the depression or anxiety that can come w/ chronic illness.
A healthy diet and yoga has helped me quite a bit. I still have pain daily, but if I stick to the diet I feel better: no sugar! no red meat, eat mostly fruits and veggies, both raw and lovingly cooked. I sometimes eat chicken (no skin) or fish. limited carbs (whole grains). Fish oil is great, I think everyone should take it. I take flax oil most of the time, as I can take it as a liquid, 1 tbsp a day. I think most people do not get enough healthy oils (omega 3's, high lignan,).
Get a good nights sleep-esp important for lower inflammation level.
A big meal can actually raise inflammation levels.
I had severe headaches, often 8 days a mo or more, but when I started taking magnesium along w/ the calcium supplement, the headaches are much less frequent and much less severe.
Eat small meals, a big meal can actually raise inflammation levels.
Many medications seem to deplete the body of vital nutrients, esp Vit. B and C, & it is a good idea to supplement w/ a good multi, too.
Don't expect an overnight cure, it take time to rebalance the body, and calm the mind.
These have not been a cure for me, but if I get off the diet, my health goes downhill quickly.
I feel this article is at best narrow minded and pro-drug, sometimes what you eat does matter. By the way I did use the combination of honey and cider vinegar drink for a while and it did feel like I had less inflammation and less pain. Even if Ms. Sandon made the statement to me; "Well, it's all in your head that something like that would work". My response would be so what! My thoughts, my imagination, my mind counts!
I just read your article in Arthritis Today and could not believe you narrow minded belief. As someone who has monster RA (my doctor's description) for the past 13 years and who if not careful with what I eat can end up in the hospital because I blow up like a balloon. I am not speaking from something I read in a book but by terrible experience where I can not move due to all the inflammation and huge lumps coming out all over my body. My physician is no fool as you might suggest because he has been teaching for over 20 years at a top university here in Illinois, has practiced medicine for over 20 years and is head of research is a believer with what he has seen with me. My niece has a doctorate from John's Hopkins and wanted me to go there but they told her they wouldn't be able to help me because my case was so rare. SO PLEASE do not lump everyone together when we are not all square pegs but individuals with different reactions. Your article was very irresponsible in my opinion and can end up hurting a lot of people.
My doctor told me that for fibromyalgia at least, there does seem to be an association between pain and certain foods - the trouble is, they're different for everybody, so what relieves or intensifies my pain might be completely different for my relatives who also have FM. It's a matter of investigating for yourself what does and doesn't help.
Cider vinegar may not be helpful for arthritis, but it does reduce my blood sugar, so I'll continue to take and use it every day.
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