| Say “No” to Inflammation | ||
| By Wu Yan-ping Translated by Tang Yau-yang Graphic by Lin Jia-sheng | ||
It’s not hard to do things at home to ease rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis. Keeping a regular schedule, exercising, staying cheerful, and seeing your doctor regularly can help boost your immune system and lower the impact of these diseases. Fatigue, fever, swollen joints, joint pain, or chronic lower back pain have sent many sufferers to see their doctors seeking relief, often in vain. Many are eventually diagnosed by doctors specializing in rheumatology with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Both RA and AS are diseases of chronic inflammation caused by problems with the immune system. In the past, many sufferers believed that their rheumatic disease, though not fatal, was incurable. As a result, they put off treatment year after year, until their pain became unbearable or their joints were badly deformed. That course of action is misguided. Treating RA and AS, both long-term afflictions, depends on more than pharmaceutics alone. Keeping regular hours and eating correctly are also important keys to managing the diseases. Eating plant-based foods, for example, is a very good way to fight inflammation. Plants can be anti-inflammatory Gao Yun-jun (高韻均), a nutritionist at the Taiwan Vegetarian Nutrition Society, pointed out that people in pursuit of gastronomic pleasure often unwittingly ingest many food additives and a lot of refined food. Diets with prolonged intake of saturated or trans fats, excessive omega-6 fatty acids, refined carbohydrates, sugar, MSG, and aspartame or other artificial sweeteners tend to induce inflammation. Even cigarettes and alcohol can make symptoms worse. Gao recommended that RA and AS sufferers eat anti-inflammatory foods, such as colorful vegetables and fruit, citrus, food rich in polyphenols (like turmeric, grapes, and green tea), oils rich in omega-3 fatty acids, nuts, plant-based proteins, whole grains, root vegetables, and spices. She recommends choosing whole foods that are seasonal and locally produced. “Medical literature has shown that plants possess beneficial properties that can reduce inflammation in joints, increase good gut bacteria, promote a balanced immune system, protect the cardiovascular system, and reduce the complications of arthritis,” said Dr. Liu Chin-hsiu (劉津秀) of the department of immunology and rheumatology at Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital. “Let food be your medicine, and medicine be your food,” Liu said, quoting Hippocrates (460–370 BCE). He uses the quote to urge sufferers of rheumatic diseases to cut back on inflammation-inducing foods to effectively reduce their chances of being further afflicted by arthritis. It may take some time to get accustomed to this change in diet, but the beneficial effects of anti-inflammatory food will surely emerge if one is willing to make the change. Keep moving, even if it hurts Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects joints in the limbs, and often symmetrically (on both sides equally), causing the joints to swell, ache, feel warm, and stiffen. Liu advises patients to relieve such symptoms not only by taking medicine and eating properly, but also by reducing stress, smiling, and slowing down. Referring to one medical study, the physician explained that mental stress affects the nervous and endocrine systems, which in turn affect the immune system. Therefore, positive thinking and stress reduction can help the immune system stay in balance. For RA and AS sufferers, exercise is also a very important tool in managing their disease. Liu Jian-ting (劉建庭), a physiatrist at Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, stressed that only medications and exercise together can help restore a patient’s physical functions. He reminded sufferers to go to bed early and exercise more. He said, “However painful you may feel, keep moving.” It is to the benefit of RA and AS sufferers that they heed these important pointers from experts—they will help reduce the risk of inflammation and lead to a healthier life.
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