Rheumatoid Arthritis: Can Spinach Help Ease Pain?

A survey of people living with RA suggests this leafy green is a feel-good food. Here’s how it may help, and how to eat more.

How many servings of spinach have you had this week? You might consider eating a few more.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes pain, swelling, and joint stiffness, but medicine isn’t the only way to fight it. Much of the discomfort of RA stems from the same source — inflammation — which can be lessened by changes to your diet. According to a report published online in February 2017 in the journal Arthritis Care & Research, nearly a quarter of people with RA surveyed said that changing what they eat impacted the severity of their symptoms — both for worse and for better. Results of the 200-plus-person survey, which included more than 100 subjects on biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), suggest that eating sugar in the form of desserts and soda, for example, made people feel worse. But other foods — primarily produce, such as blueberries — had a beneficial effect. The vegetable that came out on the top? Spinach.

Antioxidant-Rich Foods Help Reduce Inflammation

“Researchers aren’t sure what the exact mechanism is, but they believe that foods high in antioxidants, like spinach, help reduce the systemic inflammation that can lead to RA pain,” says Neal Malik, MPH, RDN, doctor of public health and head of the master of science in nutrition for wellness program at Bastyr University in San Diego, California. “Compounds known as free radicals have the ability to destroy healthy cells, and antioxidants destroy those free radicals.”

Inflammation Leads to Painful Symptoms

Inflammation — a root cause of RA pain — is the release of certain hormones and compounds that trigger the body to have an immune response. “In the case of RA,” says Dr. Malik, “the immune system is becoming hyperactive. That hyperactivity is what is causing the body to become too sensitive and destroy its own healthy cells.”

Go Raw for Maximum Nutrients

At only a next-to-nothing 7 calories per cup, spinach contains 56 percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin A, and 181 percent of your vitamin K, an essential component for blood clotting and bone health. To max out the health benefits, eat it raw whenever possible. “The nutrients, such as folic acid, vitamin C, and vitamin K, found in spinach are sensitive to light or heat, so if you warm it up, you lose some of them,” says Malik. People who are not on blood-thinning medication can eat up to 3 cups a day.
3 Smart Ways to Eat More Spinach

Want to sneak spinach into your everyday meals? Here are some tasty ideas on how to make these healthy leaves a new staple of your feel-better diet:

- Spinach pairs well with most salad fixings, but try topping it with grilled chicken, tomatoes, olives, and feta for a Mediterranean-inspired meal.
- Juice your greens! Make flavorful spinach green juices by mixing it with mango, berries, orange juice, or pineapple juice. To make a beverage with a thicker consistency, add avocados, yogurt, soy milk, or a handful of nuts.
- Make a spinach yogurt dip. Mash two cloves garlic and a teaspoon of salt with a mortar and pestle. Add a tablespoon of lemon juice and a tablespoon of olive oil, and stir in the yogurt. Combine chopped spinach and herbs, such as dill or parsley, and stir in the yogurt and garlic mixture

Source: everydayhealth.com

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Do you eat spinach a lot? Are yyou willing try to eat it more often?

What other nutrients do you think can be helpful for RA patients?