If you have rheumatoid arthritis, you are familiar with the pain it causes in the joints. It is an autoimmune inflammatory disease that causes the immune system to mistakenly attack the organism, in an elective way, the synovial membrane that lines the joint capsule internally. The joints most involved are those of the fingers and wrists, but the neck, shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, ankles and feet may also be affected. Try to reduce discomfort by treating inflammation and managing pain. Use aloe vera, adopt an anti-inflammatory diet and make lifestyle changes to relieve the symptoms of this disease.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Using Aloe Vera to Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis
Step 1. Learn about the gel and juice made from the plant
The gel from the aloe vera leaves is traditionally used to treat wounds, burns, infections, joint pain and arthritis. You can apply it directly to the painful area or drink the juice to reduce inflammation. This plant is suitable for those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis because it is able to relieve pain thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties (i.e. its ability to relieve inflammatory processes) and accelerates the healing time of wounds. In addition, it is an excellent moisturizing and anti-aging agent that can be used safely.
- The gel is obtained from the central part of the leaves, also known as the "internal fillet". It contains a greater amount of complex sugars than juice and it is believed that the benefits offered by the plant derive from these substances.
- The juice is extracted from the outer leaves and also contains complex sugars.
Step 2. Extract the gel directly from the plant
If you have a mature aloe vera plant, cut a leaf using a sharp pair of scissors and peel the outside to extract the clear sap inside. Use your fingers to pull it out or break off the end of the leaf and press it to get the gel.
If you'd rather buy it, search the internet or go to a health food store. Buy only organic aloe vera, without additives or preservatives
Step 3. Apply the gel to the joints
At first, test a small patch of skin to rule out any allergic reactions. If you develop rashes or other skin problems, do not use it. If, on the other hand, there is no irritation, spread it on the most problematic areas. Apply it as you would any cream. It will temporarily relieve the pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis. If it doesn't irritate your skin, you can use it as often as you like to manage symptoms.
Most people do not experience side effects, but aloe vera can cause redness, burning, itching, and even short-lived rashes, although they are rare
Step 4. Learn about side effects and drug interactions
Aloe vera juice has been found to inhibit the immune response and thus relieve symptoms caused by rheumatoid arthritis. However, its consumption can cause cramps, diarrhea and intestinal gas. In these cases, stop taking. Since it is a substance capable of lowering blood sugar and interacting with antidiabetic drugs, it should not be consumed for more than 3 or 4 weeks. Additionally, it can interfere with the absorption of steroid creams and lower potassium levels. Always consult your doctor before combining medications and supplements, including topical or oral aloe vera-based ones.
- While no extensive research has been conducted regarding the effects of aloe vera, one study found that there is a correlation between the juice and colon cancer.
- The Center for Science in the Public Interest (a nonprofit food safety organization in the United States) does not recommend drinking the juice, but strongly recommends applying the gel locally.
Step 5. Drink the juice
Look for an organic product, without additives or preservatives. Start with a small amount, like 60-90ml once a day, to test your body's reaction. Then increase the frequency up to 3 times a day. It has a slightly bitter taste and will probably take some time for you to get used to it. If you want to improve the flavor, add a teaspoon of honey or mix it with a fruit juice.
Do not drink never the gel because it has laxative properties and could promote diarrhea.
Part 2 of 4: Changing Nutrition and Lifestyle
Step 1. Choose high quality foods
You should mainly consume organic foods as they do not contain pesticides or other chemicals, such as hormones and antibiotics, which can increase the risk of inflammation. Also, you should reduce the amount of industrially packaged and processed foods. By doing so, you will limit the intake of additives and preservatives, which in certain patients favor inflammatory processes. This way, you'll make sure you're getting complex carbohydrates and not simple ones, which tend to increase inflammation.
- Try to cook at home using foods that are not refined or added with preservatives, in order to guarantee you a decent supply of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.
- As a general rule, remember that white dishes (such as bread, rice and pasta) have undergone a refining process. So, opt for the whole versions of these foods.
Step 2. Increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables
About 2/3 of your diet should consist of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants, substances that can relieve inflammation. Opt for fresh foods if possible. You can also eat frozen products, but avoid vegetables dressed with creamy and fatty sauces. Also avoid heavily sweetened or canned fruit. Instead, opt for vividly colored vegetables and fruits with a high amount of antioxidants, including:
- Berries (blueberries and raspberries);
- Apples;
- Plums;
- Oranges
- Citrus fruits;
- Green leafy vegetables
- Pumpkins and courgettes;
- Peppers.
Step 3. Get more fiber
Fiber can help relieve inflammation. Aim to get at least 20-35g per day. Among the richest foods, consider whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, and seeds. Other great sources of these valuable nutrients are:
- Brown rice, bulgur, buckwheat, oats, millet, quinoa;
- Apples, pears, figs, dates, grapes, berries of all kinds;
- Green leafy vegetables (spinach, mustard, kale, chard, kale), carrots, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Chinese cabbage, beets
- Peas, lentils, all beans (red, black, white, from Lima);
- Pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds; nuts, including almonds, pecans, walnuts, and pistachios.
Step 4. Reduce your consumption of red meat
If you have to eat meat, make sure it is lean (preferably from grazing animals, as it guarantees a supply of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids) and, in the case of poultry, that it is skinned. Opt for meat from farms where hormones and antibiotics are not used; moreover, it eliminates the fat part. By limiting your consumption of these foods, you also reduce your intake of saturated fat. According to experts, in fact, they should not exceed 7% of the total daily calories.
- To avoid saturated fat, eliminate butter, margarine, and lard. Replace these substances with olive or canola oil.
- Experts also recommend avoiding all trans fats. Always read the nutritional tables and exclude from your diet all dishes that contain "partially hydrogenated fats". These are trans fats, although the label says "trans fat free" on the package.
Step 5. Add more fish to your diet
It is a food rich in noble proteins and contains a large amount of omega-3 fatty acids, healthy for the body because they help to attenuate the inflammatory processes in progress. High omega-3 fish include salmon, tuna, trout, sardines, and mackerel.
Don't forget to drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated
Step 6. Add spices and herbs that have anti-inflammatory properties to your dishes
Some reduce the pain associated with the inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis. You can find several in the form of supplements (garlic, turmeric / curcumin, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins C and E), but you must consult your doctor before taking them. It is always better to assimilate these precious nutrients through food rather than through food supplementation. Here are the ones you should consider:
- Garlic;
- Turmeric / curcumin;
- Basil;
- Origan;
- Cloves;
- Cinnamon;
- Ginger;
- Chili pepper.
Step 7. Practice moderate physical activity
In addition to strengthening muscles and bones, exercise is an ally of our overall health. You can get help from a physiotherapist to determine which type of exercise is best for your needs. Don't forget that physical activity means low impact exercise, such as aerobics, weight lifting, walking, hiking, tai chi, and yoga. All of these disciplines help to preserve the strength and flexibility of the body.
Find the right balance between rest and exercise. During the acute stages of the disease, it is more beneficial to take short breaks rather than long rests in bed
Step 8. Take disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)
They include anti-inflammatories. Sometimes, the doctor may prescribe specific antibodies against tumor necrosis factor. It is not yet clear how they affect rheumatoid arthritis, but they are often given together with anti-inflammatories. In other circumstances, new generation biologics based on genetically engineered human proteins are prescribed, in combination with anti-inflammatories. Alongside other medicines, anti-inflammatory and non-steroidal analgesics are also often recommended.
DMARDs, such as methotrexate, can cause severe liver damage and hypersensitivity. Side effects include fever, fatigue, cough and difficulty breathing
Part 3 of 4: Learning about Rheumatoid Arthritis
Step 1. Pay attention to the symptoms
Onset is characterized by pain and swelling of the joints, which are often hot to the touch. Many people with rheumatoid arthritis experience mild stiffness in addition to pain, but often complain of an acute disease when symptoms tend to worsen. Other patients, on the other hand, have chronic and constant symptoms over time. As the disease progresses, the joints and bones begin to damage until the patient comes to a loss of their function, although early treatment can keep these recurrences at bay. Other symptoms may include:
- Fatigue, muscle pain and stiffness on movement that lasts at least an hour after waking up or after a prolonged period of rest (as opposed to the pain and stiffness of osteoarthritis, which subside quickly).
- More common tendency to suffer from other diseases than those who do not have rheumatoid arthritis. These can be other autoimmune diseases (such as Sjögren's syndrome), vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels), anemia (lack of red blood cells that carry oxygen in the tissues) and lung diseases.
- Rheumatoid nodules, which affect up to 35% of patients. They occur in the form of subcutaneous swellings near the affected joints, usually near the elbows. They are usually not painful, they move under the skin layer and can be of various sizes, ranging from the size of a pea to that of a lemon.
Step 2. Know the risk factors
Although the cause is still unknown, it appears that rheumatoid arthritis is associated with genetic factors. It is more likely that it is a group of genes and not a single one that increases the risk of occurrence. Secondly, hormones and environmental factors are also considered to contribute to the development of this disease.
Rheumatoid arthritis can affect men and women of any ethnicity, although it is more common among women. The risk of occurrence in women is two to three times greater, often by the time they reach middle age
Step 3. Learn about the rheumatoid arthritis diagnostic process
It is possible to identify this disease by observing the signs and symptoms, knowing the clinical history, identifying cases in the family and even undergoing medical examinations. Once the diagnosis has been made, the doctor establishes a therapy whose main objective is to reduce pain by intervening on inflammation, as well as limiting damage to the joints. Typically, to diagnose the disease, the following are prescribed:
- Laboratory tests, including x-rays or other imaging tests of affected joints
- Blood tests, particularly to look for rheumatoid factor (RF) and other general tests. RF is able to detect rheumatoid arthritis, while generic tests can show an underlying inflammatory state.
- Diagnostic investigations to exclude other diseases that have symptoms similar to those of rheumatoid arthritis, such as infectious arthropathies - joint pain due to infections - systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), ankylosing spondylitis - which mainly affects the spine and joints more large - and fibromyalgia.
Part 4 of 4: When to See Your Doctor
Step 1. See your doctor as soon as you notice symptoms
If not managed with proper medical care, rheumatoid arthritis can lead to various health problems. If you have this suspicion, consult your doctor immediately so that he can make a certain diagnosis and prescribe adequate therapy.
- You should seek medical advice whenever you have persistent pain or swelling in your joints.
- The most serious complications resulting from lack of treatment include osteoporosis, infections, carpal tunnel syndrome, heart problems (such as atherosclerosis and atheroscelrosis) and lung disease.
Step 2. Develop a therapeutic path with your doctor and follow it faithfully
Once a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis is made, your doctor will tell you the safest and most effective way to manage it. It may also refer you to other specialists, such as rheumatologists or physiotherapists, who have experience in treating this disease. Do not hesitate to ask him for further clarification regarding the therapeutic instructions.
To manage rheumatoid arthritis, in addition to inviting you to make lifestyle changes, they may prescribe certain medications (such as DMARDs and anti-inflammatories), physiotherapy or ergotherapy, or recommend surgery (such as repair of the tendon injury or joint replacement with prosthesis)
Step 3. Get screened as often as recommended by your doctor
Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that can be managed, but there is currently no cure. Hence, you will have to periodically consult your doctor to make sure that the prescribed treatments are working and to rule out the development of further complications.
- Ask him how often you need to be screened. He may recommend a visit every 1-2 months.
- Studies show that therapies produce better results in patients who undergo checks more often (i.e. 7-11 times a year) than in those who neglect this aspect (less than 7 checks per year).
Step 4. Tell your doctor if you experience any new symptoms
Even if you are already treating rheumatoid arthritis, sometimes your health conditions can change or worsen unexpectedly. If this happens, see your doctor right away even if you don't have any checkups scheduled.
