Rheumatoid arthritis is an auto immune disorder affecting multiple joints resulting into pain, swelling, redness and rise in the local temperature of the joint. The precise cause of Rheumatoid arthritis is not known. However, the role of genetic factors mostly the histocompatibility antigens (HLA- DR 1, HLA- DR 4), the infective hypothesis (association with Proteus mirabilis, Epstein-Barr virus, CMV,

Mycoplasma, Rubella virus and Parvovirus are demonstrated), some environmental factors (harmful role of climatic changes along with urbanization) have been hypothesized.

As the signs and symptoms of it differs from one time to another, some researchers have thought the association of a number of foods we take that may adversely affect our symptoms.

Practically, there is no specific proof that any particular food has some effect over joint pain or inflammation; researches have highlighted that certain fish oils and oranges have a protective role against Rheumatoid arthritis by reducing joint inflammation. However, more study is needed for titration of the potential benefit.

The rule of thumb is that if it is seen that certain foods increase the pain and inflammation of the arthritis, it is always better to skip over from our diet, if it really helps. But it will be irrational if we exclude the whole group of the specific foods without obtaining an opinion from a doctor or a qualified dietician.

A double blind study was conducted comprising 23000 participants for eight years. They were maintaining the food cards to note the diet they were taking. The data came out that, 73 participants developed this and 146 control subjects (who were not suffering from the same).

After intensive analysis, researchers opined that people who developed Rheumatoid arthritis were eating less number of fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables in compared to those who did not produce the symptoms of Rheumatoid arthritis. The most important thing is to take a balanced diet and maintain an optimal weight in a patient suffering from it.

The aim is to reduce or possibly omit the gluten and casein from pursuing a healthy Rheumatoid arthritis diet.

The extra amount of weight increases the stress over the weight bearing joints by amplifying the joint load. Thus there is increase in the joint pain, inflammation and restricted mobility of the joint if any. It was also noticed that people who consumed less amount of Vitamin C were at three times greater risk of being a Rheumatoid arthritis patient than that of the people who consumed highest amount of Vitamin C.

The conclusion was that Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant, which fights against the triggering factors of this.

Vitamin C acts as a cofactor during collagen synthesis, the main structural protein forming the joint tissues and bones. It has a role to fight against infection and may act to control inflammation.

Another key factor for joint pain is increased weight. The extra weight put some additional load to the joints which are already weak, and it can not bear the same amount that it was used to. So, it is important that we must lose some weight. Diet has a tremendous role to reduce weight.

We have to eliminate the foods that give us blind calories. These include all the carbonated beverages, alcohol, and chocolate, junk foods, butter, Ghee (clarified butter) or any other food that is rich in saturated fatty acids.