A Connection Between RA and Eating Better

By David Advent

2 min read

I've been trying to eat better. Yes, it has been hard, mostly due to the pandemic but also because I regularly experience cravings for carbs and sweets (that's a nice way to put it). I really just love anything sweet.

And being in a pandemic (which means working from home for me) makes it even more difficult. Normally, I would be able to walk to work and have some form of physical exercise that way in addition to my normal exercise.

Nevertheless, I have started to eat better, including not eating as many sweets, exercising more, and trying to cook more. The results have been surprising - both in what I have experienced and how it all circles back to having a chronic illness like rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Reducing my food intake

The first way I started eating better was by reducing the actual volume of food I was consuming. This included reducing portion sizes at meals and becoming aware of when I was actively consuming calories.

Eliminating late night snacks

This has led me to become more mindful that I eat a lot more at night — snacks and what have you. Even just eliminating those snacks significantly helped me lose weight and make better decisions about the type of food I was eating even if I was still eating some delicious cake and sweets every now and then.

It made me aware of how important being conscious of the food I am putting into my body is. It can have so many effects that don't just relate to feeling better; it can even be related to having rheumatoid arthritis symptoms.

Eating anti-inflammatory fruits and vegetables

What I've noticed lately, though, is that eating better has really helped alleviate some of my RA symptoms, including fatigue and flares, which is a much-needed relief. I'm not sure if there's a direct causation between eating better and RA symptoms, but I can attest from personal experience that I feel a lot better when I eat a lot better.

I've seen research before that does find a correlation between fresh foods (and other anti-inflammatory foods). This is because these foods reduce inflammation, which is a symptom that is obviously related to having RA.

A lot of the pain that we experience as people who suffer from RA is related to high levels of inflammation in the body. That's why I've also been focused on eating foods that are anti-inflammatory in nature, including blueberries, cruciferous vegetables, and more.

A chance to try new cuisines

In addition, I'm also working harder to find foods that are anti-inflammatory and trying to intersect those with trying new cuisines. I know that kimchi is touted as anti-inflammatory due to the pickling/fermenting process that goes into its creation.

Even though I'm not the biggest fan of fermented cabbage, I've learned that just being aware that there are foods like this out there helps me make better decisions and helps me explore new foods to eat and try.

Inflammation is the name of the game when it comes to both food and RA--who would have thought!

What's been your experience with consciously eating foods that are anti-inflammatory? Have you noticed a difference in your body and with RA?

This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The RheumatoidArthritis.net team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

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elirose Member
Thumbs up David. I keep thinking about how to put the fire out when in flares and I think of healthy foods . I am trying ,too. Love, elirose
Daniel Malito Moderator & Contributor
@mda1847 I have also recently taken up a diet- something I never though would help, and it's actually helping! I never though diets were a serious remedy until I forced myself to try one with almost no sugar and low carbs and low and behold - my RA seems to be reacting better after three months. I can't say for sure it's the diet but you can bet I'm not going to change a thing while something's working! Good stuff, keep on keepin' on, DPM
sonial1t6 Member
“walk to work” Amazing. You can walk, presumably more than a block, and then you also have the energy to get work done. So I guess this means the joints you use for mobility are not too affected by RA? You are blessed. At my local medical center, the doctors pre-COVID held lectures on ways to reduce inflammation through diet. A big one was avoid potatoes. Avoid sugars, including fructose. Avoid any foods you’re allergic or intolerant of, like cow’s/goat’s/sheep’s milk that has lactose or foods with gluten. For those able to tolerate dairy, yogurt and particularly Greek or Icelandic yogurt is an excellent source of pro-biotics. When I follow a modified keto diet, my blood markers are normal, akin to a healthy person. My pain and fatigue lessen, too. 
1. RHall Community Admin
 For those interested in RA and diet, also check out our editorial on the subject (<a href='https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/diet-and-nutrition' target='_blank'>https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/diet-and-nutrition</a>). It's amazing how one way of eating can create significant results for some and for others there isn't an impact. Many times it's the trial and error of finding the right one for you that particular person, though some research has definitely shown some approaches to eating are better than others! - Reggie (RheumatoidArthritis.net Team)