- Always have a “This is what I’ll do if there’s nothing to eat” plan on the ready. When using food to treat RA, it is imperative that we do not cheat. I can’t say this more plainly… we just can’t cheat. We MUST keep our dietary choices within the realm of SAFE at ALL COSTS. We cannot afford to take even one single bite of a triggering food. Therefore, when we find ourselves outside the safety of our own homes at mealtime, we must have a backup plan in place and ready to go. We know, that the worst thing that could happen to us would be arriving at a restaurant with an empty, growling, desperate belly expecting to be able to find something safe (non-triggering to our RA symptoms) just to realize that this place isn’t what we thought it was, it doesn’t serve the type of food we were expecting, it feels like this is going wreak havoc on our systems, and now we are hungry, defeated, sad, and ready to just cheat our diet to satisfy our bellies. This plan looks different for different people and different situations. For me, sometimes this means eating a small meal before I go in case there’s nothing on the menu, so I can breeze through dinner and eat more when I get home. It could also mean throwing a bag of baby carrots or a couple of LaraBars in my purse so that I’m not left starving. It might even mean ordering something ‘abnormal’ that’s not on the menu… like two plain, washed cucumbers or a plain white potato with a side salad. Whatever it takes, we must just do. If we order plain steamed broccoli and, unfortunately, it comes out with butter on it, we don’t eat it. If we order a salad with no cheese, but there are a few pieces of cheese mixed in, we know it’s not safe for us, and we don’t eat it. If we realize that everything served at this restaurant came off of a Schwan’s truck, we don’t eat it. These situations will arise. Expect them, handle them with grace and kindness. Do not compromise your diet, it isn’t worth it!
- Move in more ways more often. Movement and exercise are incredible for pushing down symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Not only does it increase blood flow, oxygen, and nutrients to the joints, but it also drives out pain and inflammation and prolongs periods of decreased stiffness. I always recommend at least 30 minutes of dedicated time for exercise every day, but this tip is more about deleting sedentary blocks of time from our daily lives by integrating more movement in regular activities. This could look like doing ten squats every time we take a bathroom break. It might mean getting up and walking for five minutes every hour at work. It could mean getting in the pool and playing with the kids instead of just laying out, or even keeping some dumbbells in the living room to get in some sets during the evening hours. The more we move, the better we are, and the better we feel.
- Elongate the period between tonight’s last bite and tomorrow’s first bite. I know this sounds a lot like intermittent fasting, and that’s because it is a lot like intermittent fasting. Fasting is hands down one of our sharpest blades when it comes to cutting inflammation and painful RA symptoms. An empty stomach is our friend. We can do this by not snacking on anything after our evening meal and opting for green tea in the morning instead of breakfast. No food equals no triggers. Enjoy the quiet that comes to our bodies when we keep them emptier longer. However, we must make sure that our eating hours are effective at getting us the nutritional and caloric intake we need to stay nourished and healthy.
- Greener + Crunchier = Better. When we do eat, we should incorporate as many greens and crunchy vegetables as possible. Greens especially, are powerhouses of health and vitality. I believe leafy greens are the most nutrient rich foods on this planet, and in my humble opinion they cannot be over-consumed. Put greens and crunchy vegetables under everything else you eat! When we make them the base layer of our plates, we do ourselves and incredible favor. They are full of natural enzymes that will help our bodies digest the other foods on our plates, and they will bring integrity to our cells and our entire bodies.
- Put probiotics on your plate every day. Probiotics are the friendly gut bacteria that heal our guts and our immune systems. Most people with RA have compromised cultures of good probiotics in our guts, therefore regular consumption of foods naturally rich in probiotics is one of the best tips we can put into practice when using food to treat symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. My favorite ways to incorporate more probiotic rich foods into my diet are with naturally fermented sauerkraut, and fermented pickles. My favorite brand is the Bubbies brand that I buy at Natural Grocers. It is important that these products come from the refrigerated section of the health food store, and that you continue to refrigerate them after bringing them home.
- Don’t get dehydrated. As a community, those of us with rheumatoid arthritis are more dehydrated than healthier populations. We must force ourselves to drink water, and drink it often. Drink it when we get up, and before we go to bed. Keep a water bottle in the car, and sip on it when we drive. Have a drink with meals. Have water with us when we workout. We need to learn to sip throughout the day. We already know this tip. I said it anyway, because it is important!
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August 23, 2023
