I left off last week with a discussion of the importance of omega 3 fatty acids in dealing with the effects of rheumatoid arthritis.

I will emphasize that the quality of these supplements which are found throughout the market today is extremely important. As I have emphasized over the years in my articles, quality and price are typically linked. There is no point in buying cheap supplements that have little or no beneficial effect. The quantity of essential fatty acids typically EPA or DHA found in these supplements will vary dramatically depending on the quality of the supplements.

I have patients routinely coming into my office saying that they are taking Omega-3 fatty acids. When I ask them to go home and check their supplements and write down how much EPA or DHA is found in them, they are relatively low, perhaps 180mg. The supplement I use in my office is the best I can find on the market. It is a liquid supplement which is flavored with lemon, and does not have a fishy flavor to it. This is an important point! Any Omega-3 fish oil supplement that you take that smells like fish is not good. Just like fresh fish that smells like fish, typically has begun to go bad. These supplements when heated or put through other techniques in processing may become rancid or become adversely affected by the processing and begin to break down. So, as a rule of thumb, if you open your bottle of fish oil supplements and they smell like fish, do not use them.

The other thing that is important to recognize is that fish oils should be purified in some way to assist in removing heavy metals such as mercury which the fish tend to bio-accumulate in the wild, along with such chemicals as PCBs. The supplement I use in my office is ultra-distilled and then infused with anti-oxidants. So not only are you getting the benefit of the Omega-3s which are, high quality, you are also receiving a relatively good dose of anti-oxidants in each dose you take. A teaspoon of our supplement contains 550 mg of DHA and 825mg of EPA.

Another vitamin which has been shown to be beneficial in handling rheumatoid arthritis is vitamin-D. Interestingly, vitamin-D is found in some of the same foods including salmon, tuna, shrimp, sunflower seeds, eggs and vitamin-D fortified milk products.

A study published in the January 2004 issue of Arthritis and Rheumatism used data drawn from 29,368 women who were followed over eleven years and ranged in age from 55 – 69 when this study began in 1986. The researchers found that women consuming the most naturally rich foods in vitamin-D had 27% lower risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. Those individuals consuming foods fortified with vitamin-D such as milk had a 34% lower risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.

Recent research has indicated that vitamin-D may not only be involved in calcium absorption, but also beneficial in maintaining normal immune function. As I mentioned earlier, the increased use of fruits and vegetables has also had beneficial affect in reducing the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. Steamed, baked, stir-fry, roasted, grilled, or even shish kabob vegetables can be colorful and flavorful as a part of a healthy diet. Fruits make sweet desserts, therefore, using fruits as snacks between meals or as a dessert can normally be healthy, but also potentially have the side benefit of reducing your risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Fruits and vegetables are anti-inflammatory and contain antioxidants like vitamin-C and vitamin-E as well as a significant amount of fiber which will assist in supporting the beneficial bacteria found in your bowel.

Mediterranean countries such as Greece, Italy, and Sicily have been found to have as much as a 75% lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis when compared to other countries. These countries have diets which are rich in fish, fruits, vegetables, spices and pure extra virgin olive oil. The fats found in olive oil produce a substance called prostacyclin. This is a very powerful anti-inflammatory substance. Researchers have found that rheumatoid arthritis patients who increase their intake of olive oil show dramatic reductions in their rheumatoid symptoms. By replacing pro-inflammatory fats found in oils such as corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, as well as margarine, with pure olive oil, this switches the body from a general inflammatory state to one of good health.

Next week I will discuss more foods and some nutritional supplements which are beneficial in treating rheumatoid arthritis.