Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease in which the body'simmunesystem attacks the lining of the joints. Usually, the joints of the hands and feet are affected first. Joints will become swollen, stiff and painful. There is no cure for RA at present, so treatments aim to relieve pain and stiffness, and improve the ability to move.
To improve symptoms, some people have tried to change what they eat by following a wide variety of special diets. Some people will try to not eat anything for 7 to 10 days to see if it makes a difference. But usually people will try to limit or increase only certain foods. The most common diets tried are vegetarian or vegan, Mediterranean, 'elemental', or elimination diets. Vegan diets do not include meat, fish, eggs and milk products, while some vegetarian diets allow eggs and milk.
Mediterranean diets usually include a small a mount of meat, more fish, more fruits and vegetables and olive oil. Elemental diets are usually liquid diets that contain nutrients that are broken down to make digestion easier. Elimination diets are used to find foods that might be the cause of symptoms. People usually eliminate foods they think are causing symptoms, and then add in the foods one at a time and see which ones cause symptoms.
