Rheumatoid Arthritis Diet Plan Recipes

There is no known cure for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), however, there are ways to help manage it. And one of those ways may be through diet...

Some studies suggest that certain foods may be able to reduce the inflammation and pain associated with RA.

And many sufferers have said that they have been able to pinpoint those foods that seem to trigger flare-ups in their condition.

In Rheumatoid Arthritis Diet Plan Recipes you will discover which foods to avoid and which foods to include in your diet plan, along with some sample recipes you may wish to consider.

First, before we go into the recipes for rheumatoid arthritis, please watch the following video to get some important background information on RA...

There have been some studies that 'suggest' there could be a link between diet and RA, but the problem is that the studies, thus far, have been too small to prove any direct causality.

The simple truth is that there just is not enough scientific evidence to prove conclusively that diet can affect rheumatoid arthritis either positively or negatively. As quoted in Oxford Journals / Rheumatology:

'More knowledge on the effects of dietary components upon immunological function is necessary if the potential use of dietary therapy as a tool in the treatment of RA is to be adequately assessed.'

What is not in dispute is that a healthy, well-balanced diet is essential for optimum health. And as RA is an autoimmune disease such a diet can only do good.

However, there are definitely sufferers who discover that their symptoms improve when they remove certain foods from their diet.

In the absence of any scientific evidence, we can only theorize why this might be so. One theory is that such people have an allergy or intolerance to some foods, which causes inflammation in the body and exacerbates their condition.

The best way to pinpoint foods that may be making your arthritis worse is by embarking on an elimination diet plan. This entails incrementally removing certain foods from your diet, all the while monitoring your condition.

The problem with this approach is that many of the foods you will exclude will contain important vitamins and minerals, etc., that your body needs. So that you will need to get those through other foods and perhaps supplements.

It's also known that RA sufferers tend to eat more saturated fat and less fibre than the average person. And they are oftentimes deficient in essential nutrients, vitamins, metals, etc.

So sufferers need to ensure that they get adequate levels of vitamins A, B6, C, D and E as well as calcium, iron, zinc and selenium, etc., when planning their diet.

This is why it is important to work together with your doctor and a certified nutritionist on your diet plan.

According to one recent study, between 30% and 40% of rheumatoid arthritis sufferers could benefit from avoiding certain foods that can cause inflammation in the body.

There is some knowledge out there on the types of foods that may cause inflammation, and which you may wish to leave out of your RA diet. These are foods such as:-

• red meat
• pork
• processed meats (sausages, pate, etc.)
• refined sugars (e.g. white, brown, castor, high fructose corn syrup, etc.)
• refined carbohydrates (e.g. white flour, refined grains, pasta, white rice, etc.)
• artificial sweeteners
• dairy products (milk, butter, cream, cheese, etc.)
• processed foods
• fried foods
• refined vegetable oils (e.g. soy, corn, sunflower, safflower, cottonseed, etc.)
• salt
• alcohol
• coffee

The types of foods to consider using in a suitable RA diet are those containing good amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, complex carbohydrates and lots of vegetables and fruit...

Research indicates that omega-3 fatty acids may help to reduce inflammation. Oily fish, walnuts, almonds, and flax-seed oil, etc., are excellent sources of omega-3. And, of course, you can get fish oil supplements too.

Other studies show that refined carbohydrates may cause inflammation. But the body needs carbs. for energy, so complex carbohydrates should be consumed instead. Typical are whole-grains, nuts, seeds, low fat yogurt, skimmed milk, and fruit and vegetables.

Vegetables and fruit also provide the necessary nutrients, antioxidants, fibre, vitamins, minerals, metals, etc. that the body absolutely needs for optimum health. You should eat, at the very least, 5 servings of fruit and vegetables every day.

The types of foods that cover the above are things like:-

• whole-grains
• nuts (almonds, Brazil nuts, walnuts, peanuts, hazelnuts)
• green leafy vegetables
• sun dried tomatoes
• tomato paste
• potatoes
• sweet potatoes
• yams
• squash
• oily fish (salmon, trout, tuna, mackerel, herring, sardines, anchovies)
• extra virgin olive oil
• flax-seed oil
• cod liver oil
• seeds (pumpkin, sesame, fennel, poppy, celery, coriander, caraway)
• lentils
• fruit
• berries
• dark grapes
• herbs (thyme, parsley, marjoram, mint, thyme , oregano, basil, turmeric)
• natural probiotics (natural yogurt, sour cream, buttermilk, sauerkraut, miso)
• green tea

Here are 4 delicious rheumatoid arthritis diet plan recipes for you to try:-

1. Sunshine Breakfast

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons rolled oats
• 1 oz chopped almonds
• 2 oz sultanas
• 1 sliced banana
• 1 teaspoon sunflower oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• skimmed milk

Directions:

Mix ingredients together and then add skimmed milk. Serves two.

2. Chicken Patrick

Ingredients:

• 1 cup diced cooked chicken
• 1/2 cup sauteed mushrooms
• 1/4 cup diced canned pimentos
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons sunflower margarine
• 3 tablespoons wholemeal flower
• 1 egg yolk
• sea salt
• black pepper

Directions:

1. Melt margarine in saucepan. Stir in wholemeal flour until blended.
2. Add chicken stock slowly and bring to boil. Add diced chicken, pimentos and mushrooms and reduce heat. Then add lightly beaten egg yolk.
3. Add cider vinegar and sea salt and ground black pepper to taste.
4. Serve on a bed of boiled rice. Serves two.

3. Stuffed Trout with Almonds

Ingredients:

• 4 medium-sized trout, cleaned and gutted
• 4 oz wholemeal breadcrumbs
• 3 oz sunflower margarine
• 2 oz raisins
• 2 oz flaked almonds
• 1 small peeled, finely chopped onion
• 1 dessertspoon cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• 2 sticks celery, chopped
• sea salt
• black pepper
• parsley for garnish

Directions:

1. Wash trout in cold water and wipe dry. Melt 1 oz margarine and saute onion until soft (not brown).
2. Place 1/2 oz flaked almonds, the celery, parsley, onions, raisins, breadcrumbs and cider vinegar in a bowl and mix through well. Season to taste with sea salt and ground black pepper.
3. Fill trout with the stuffing. Place trout on foil-covered oven-proof dish, dot the remaining margarine over the fish and sprinkle the rest of the flaked almonds over.
4. Cover with foil and place in a preheated oven, 180 deg C / 350 deg F / gas mark 4. Leave for 1 hour or until the flesh is tender.
5. Remove from oven and place on a serving dish and garnish with parsley. Serves two to four.
6. Serving suggestion: serve with boiled potatoes and green leafy vegetables.

4. Apple Crumble

Ingredients:

• 1 lb baking apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup Barbados sugar (also called Muscovado sugar)
• 1 1/2 cups self-raising wholemeal flour
• 1/3 cup sunflower margarine
• 1/3 cup Barbados sugar
• Pinch ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Place apples slices in pie a dish. Layer with sugar to taste.
2. Sift flour into a bowl. Rub in the margarine until crumbly (like breadcrumbs). Stir in the sugar and cinnamon.
3. Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the apples and sugar in the pie dish. Smooth over the top and press down lightly.
4. Place pie dish in preheated oven at 210 deg C / 425 deg F / gas mark 7.
5. Bake for 20 minutes then reduce the temperature to 190 deg C / 375 deg F / gas mark 5.
6. Bake for a further 45 minutes. Serves four.

• http://www.livingwithrheumatoidarthritis.com/Inflammatory-foods.html
• http://www.hopkinsarthritis.org/patient-corner/disease-management/rheumatoid-arthrtis-nutrition/
• http://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/guide/can-your-diet-help-relieve-rheumatoid-arthritis
• http://www.lifescript.com/health/centers/osteoarthritis/articles/fight_arthritis_10_foods_that_help_and_hurt.aspx
• http://www.livestrong.com/article/80072-foods-eat-rheumatoid-arthritis/
• http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Arthritis/Pages/Diet.aspx

The content of this Hub is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to be a substitute for proper medical diagnosis, treatment or advice, and you should not assume that it is. Always consult your health-care provider / physician / doctor before taking any medications, natural remedies, supplements, or making any major changes to your diet.