Presidential leadership headline

According to Dr. Michael Thun, head of the epidemiology research group of the American Cancer Society, ‘the concept of a healthy diet continues to be the recommendation for overall health, but the painful process of clarifying which ingredients in food do what will take us decades to sort out.’

The idea that diet and nutrition can prevent arthritis symptoms stems from published studies suggesting that low-fat, high-fiber diets rich in fruits and vegetables and whole grain food reduce the relative risk of developing life-threatening illnesses such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and even some types of cancer. Why certain foods should alter the potential for progression of these disorders is still very much a mystery and in the case of cancers such as colorectal cancer and arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis, the very cause or cause of the diseases remains unknown. So for individuals with a family history of arthritis and related disorders, defining a wholesome diet that supports nutritional requirements is a common sense approach to daily living and fitness.

What if any evidence exists to suggest that foods alter the course of arthritis? The Primer on Rheumatic Diseases published by The Arthritis Foundation discusses, “foods, diet and nutritional supplements” in the chapter, entitled, “Questionable Remedies.”

This chapter, authored by the rheumatologist, Dr. Richard Panush, presents the status of “diet and arthritis” in a balanced fashion, because first and foremost, the available scientific data indicates that “recent, careful, placebo-controlled double-blind studies confirmed that, for selective patients, inflammatory arthritis may be associated with foods.”

Thus, it is quite possible that some patients develop arthritis in response to foods which contain proteins which when acting as antigens stimulate the bodies immune system resulting in the onset of inflammatory arthritis. However, it is also stated that, “there is virtually no evidence to suggest that anything other than a balanced diet supports the person with arthritis.”

Previous studies by Dr. Panush in 2001 revealed that diets purporting to show that “eliminating red meat, additives or preservatives, fruit, dairy products, herbs, spices and alcohol” alter arthritis symptoms receive no scientific support. However, since nutritional status is known to affect the quality of the immune response and components of inflammation pathways (especially those pathways involving eicosanoids, such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes, which alter immune reactivity), it follows that foods containing certain oils that might alter the synthesis of these mediators of inflammation might improve the symptoms of arthritis patients.

It must also be stated that arthritis patients receiving steroid therapy to control their inflammation must be particularly cognizant of diet since steroids have strong “anti-nutritional” effects, which must be compensated for by maintaining a healthy diet. Thus, steroids, which reduce inflammation, also reduce protein synthesis. Steroids also make it difficult for the body to absorb calcium and to metabolize Vitamin D. Calcium and Vitamin D are critical in the maintenance of normal bone metabolism. Arthritis patients receiving steroids are often advised to increase their intake of proteins such as contained in legumes, tofu, lean meat, poultry and fish; to increase their calcium intake to 1,000 mg daily (especially if their diet includes dairy products) or to as much as 2,000 mg daily, if dairy is omitted.

to be continued…