It was perhaps around 1500 BC that the medical Papyrus also known as Ebers Papyrus first recorded what is today known as rheumatoid arthritis. Today this autoimmune disease affects around 1.3 million Americans. It is also classified as one of the most aggressive forms of joint disease due to its dilapidating nature.
Due to it being an autoimmune disease, whereby the antibodies seemingly attack healthy tissue, it presents within it a dilemma. The problem lies in the fact that there are no known triggers, which can explain why the body reacts in this way. Medical research continues to be baffled, but subcategories of the overall disease are being addressed, namely, inflammation and pain.
However, even while the statistics may appear dire, there are ways that it can be managed to ensure a better quality of life for the sufferer. Food plays an essential role, along with medicines to alleviate the inflammation and aggressive pain associated with it.
Here are 15 foods to include in your diet to assist with your rheumatoid arthritis to assist in living a better life with this condition.
1. Blueberries
Fruit typical of the bushy undergrowth, the blueberry (Vaccinium Myrtillus) has ancient traditions and is used to treat various diseases. According to recent research conducted in the US, these small berries, are equipped with a huge amount of antioxidants, thus able to relieve inflammation, including rheumatoid arthritis and skin inflammation.
This delicious fruit, in addition to being a painkiller and preventing cardiovascular disease, can protect against tumors and is even able to delay the natural aging process. So they have a dual purpose, as, on the one hand, they represent a source of food, on the other hand, they are used as a medicine. In fact, it contains natural sugars and many acids, in particular, citric acid, which protects cells, but also oxalic acid.
But that’s not all, blueberry is particularly rich in folic acid, a very important vitamin for the many different functions it performs. The anthocyanins found in blueberries, present in large quantities, strengthen the connective tissue that supports the blood vessels and improve their elasticity and tone.
