Does Intermittent Fasting Help With Arthritis?
You may have read online or heard from a friend that intermittent fasting—a way of eating based on time instead of calories—can help manage symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA is a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy joint tissue, causing joint pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of function. There’s no cure for the condition, and there certainly isn’t one eating plan that is prescribed to treat RA. But lately, there’s been buzz in the RA community about the potential benefits of dietary changes like intermittent fasting (IF).
Experts can’t say for sure whether IF can improve RA symptoms, but anecdotally, some people seem to benefit. “Fasting can be very effective for some people navigating chronic illness, and it can be detrimental to others,” says Jenna Volpe, a registered dietitian in private practice based in Austin, TX.
What Is Intermittent Fasting? During intermittent fasting, you consume your daily intake of food within a compressed window of time (often between six and 12 hours) and fast for the remainder of the day and night. Proponents believe giving the body an extended break from food supports its ability to rest and repair, while encouraging fat breakdown and helping with weight loss.
Excerpted from Health Central
