Managing Inflammatory Arthritis

We think that inflammatory arthritis is sometimes caused by immune responses to food proteins and encourage everyone with arthritis to give diet revision a try. Several diet revision studies have shown benefit for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. These studies support the more common and persistent claims in the community that diet revision has benefits. Carinini and Brostoff reviewed the concepts of and evidence for food-induced arthritis. They stated: "Despite an increasing interest in food allergy and the conviction of innumerable patients with joint disease that certain foods exacerbate their symptoms, relatively little scientific attention has been paid to this relationship. Abnormalities of the gastrointestinal tract are commonly found in rheumatic disease...Support for an intestinal origin of antigens comes from studies of patients whose joint symptoms have improved on the avoidance of certain foods antigens, and become worse on consuming them."

Many of our readers are arthritic sufferers or have loved ones who are suffering. Some are newly diagnosed and are beginning the search for information and guidance. Others have had arthritis for some time and are disappointed with treatments offered to them. Many have read both the orthodox literature and popular books or magazine articles with claims of arthritis cures.