Rheumatoid arthritis is a common condition that affects millions of people around the world, but a vegan or vegetarian diet may reduce the symptoms. Rheumatoid arthritis can lead to serious deformities and can make it hard to function properly. A recent experiment suggests that replacing your diet with a plant-based one could help alleviate the pain.
Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by progressive joint destruction and persistent pain. It can be treated with a plant-based diet. In a 13-month study, participants were given a vegan diet and then switched to a diet that was egg-free.
After one month, the plant-based group experienced a significant improvement in their morning stiffness. They also saw a reduction in the number of hours they spent suffering from this condition. The pain levels also decreased significantly.
The participants also experienced a significant drop in their disability. They noted that their grip strength improved significantly and they were less prone to experiencing tender joints. They also experienced a reduction in their body weight.
Inflammatory Joint Disease
They also experienced a drop in their blood markers that were related to the inflammation. Inflammatory joint disease is an autoimmune condition that occurs when the body attacks the lining of the joint. It can be triggered by different factors such as stress and alcohol consumption. Rheumatoid arthritis is also known to attack the heart.
The mechanism by which this condition is triggered is known as friendly fire. Strep throat is a bacteria that can cause arthritis by producing a protein that looks similar to a protein found in the heart. When the body’s immune system attacks the bacteria, it causes the heart valves to attack. The resulting damage then triggers an autoimmune attack.
Women Are At Greater Risk
Treating strep throat early can prevent the bacteria from wreaking even more damage on the heart. Researchers believe that rheumatoid arthritis could also be triggered by an infection. It was discovered that women are more prone to developing this condition than men.
Women are also more prone to getting urinary tract infections than men. To investigate the link between these two conditions, the researchers looked into the urine samples of rheumatoid arthritis patients. They discovered that the bacteria Proteus mirabilis could trigger an immunological response.
The presence of this bacteria in the body can also lead to joint destruction. This issue could be prevented by removing these harmful organisms from the body. In addition, reducing the number of antibodies against the bacteria could help decrease the severity of the disease.
The source of urinary tract infections can be traced back to fecal flora. The bugs that live in one’s colon crawl up from the rectum and into the bladder. In an attempt to alter the gut flora, some studies have been conducted on people’s diets that are vegan. These studies, which were conducted over two decades ago, were carried out on people’s diets that were raw.
After one week, the researchers noted that the changes in the gut flora could be seen immediately. Those who followed the vegan diet experienced significant relief from their condition. However, half of the participants dropped out of the study due to how difficult it was to follow the diet. The other half of the patients were reportedly trying to feed their companions items such as fermented coconut juice and almonds.
Vegetarian and Vegan Diets Decreased Symptoms
Although the effects of vegan and vegetarian diets on rheumatoid arthritis were known, this study provided the first proof that these diets can also help decrease the number of antibodies against the bacteria Proteus mirabilis. After one week, the participants who followed the vegan diet had a significant drop in the number of anti-Proteus antibodies.
The researchers noted that the changes in the gut flora could be explained by the reduction in the number of antibodies against the bacteria. It’s also believed that the shift from an omnivorous lifestyle to a vegetarian diet could affect the composition of one’s urine. For instance, when people became vegetarian, their levels of lignans increased.
Until now, it was believed that lignans could protect people from getting cancer. However, their antimicrobial properties have now been discovered, which suggests that they could also help clear the Proteus from the body. This suggests that plant-based diets could be used as a new treatment strategy for rheumatoid arthritis.
Source: https://floridahealthnews.com
Mebely Connors is a retired health care professional. For the past 4 years, she has been working from home, writing for different publications. She specializes in health and nutrition-related articles.
Original Source: NEWSGRAB