Can you do without rheumatism therapy by eating the right food?
When I diagnose a new rheumatic disease during a consultation, I have recently been asked more and more frequently whether a special diet can help people to recover without taking medication. For many rheumatological questions, information from our specialist society, the German Society for Rheumatology (DGRh), provides important information and guidance, so I took a look at their assessments on this question. As in so many areas of medicine, there are a large number of publications, but unfortunately the basic finding is that diet alone cannot cure the disease. So much for the bad news. The good news, however, is that a healthy and balanced diet does have an influence on disease activity and relapse frequency of rheumatic diseases.
Anti-inflammatory diet:
Various effects play a role here. Good and healthy nutrients, for example, inhibit pro-inflammatory effects and promote anti-inflammatory effects. Current research is also increasingly focusing on the intestinal microbiome, i.e. the entirety of the intestinal bacteria that are so essential for digestion. It is now assumed that an unhealthy diet impoverishes the diversity of the microbiome and this increases rheumatic disease activity, partly because the gut-associated immune system is weakened as a result. An indirect effect of a balanced diet for rheumatism patients with inflammatory joint diseases is also the possible resulting weight reduction, as the affected joints are then naturally subjected to less strain.
Why is an anti-inflammatory diet useful?
However, the main effect of a healthy diet for rheumatism patients is also the positive effect on cardiovascular concomitant diseases, i.e. diseases that increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Basically, the aim is to prevent the development of arteriosclerotic vascular changes caused by diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus or increased blood lipid levels. This also applies in principle to inflammatory rheumatic activity, as this also promotes the cascade of arteriosclerosis development. Patients with rheumatic diseases should therefore also undergo regular general preventive examinations of the cardiovascular system, for example ultrasound of the heart and neck.
But what is this mysterious "healthy" diet? First and foremost, the "Mediterranean diet". This is a diet originally practised in the Mediterranean region, but which has also been used in our latitudes for a long time and which we already intuitively know helps to keep us healthy. This means a diet as rich in vegetables and fiber as possible, which should be as low in meat as possible; the supportive consumption of nuts is helpful. Red meat should be avoided and fish and poultry should be eaten in moderation. Olive oil should primarily be used as a source of fat; dairy products are much discussed, but probably have a slight anti-inflammatory effect, unless there are intolerances. It is very important to avoid white sugar.
Turmeric is a food that is almost shrouded in legend. This spice from the ginger family is contained in curry spice mixtures and the colorant curcumin it contains gives them their classic yellow color. Curcumin plays an important role in traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine, as it promises relief from numerous health problems, especially digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome. However, it is also
