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Diet
and Your Arthritis
excerpted from the Arthritis Foundation brochure "Diet
and Your Arthritis"
Unproven
Diet Claims
Today,
there are many claims that special diets, foods or supplements can cause or cure
arthritis. Many of these claims generate a lot of publicity. The idea that there
are simple answers to complicated autoimmune diseases is very appealing.
Unfortunately, most claims for cure-all diets or nutritional supplements have
not been scientifically tested to determine if they work and if they are safe.
The scientific studies associated with these claims are often incomplete and may
be harmful instead of beneficial.
Some
diets and supplements promoted as arthritis cures are outright frauds; others
simply havent been sufficiently tested. Some of the specific diets that are
known to have harmful side effects include those that rely on large doses of
alfalfa, copper salts or zinc, or the so-called immune power diet or the
low-calorie/low-fat/low-protein diet.
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Questions
About Diet Claims
When
you hear diet claims in the treatment of arthritis, ask the following
questions:
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Does
the diet eliminate any complete group of foods from the Food Guide
Pyramid?
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Does
the diet stress only a few foods or eliminate others?
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Does
following the diet have any potentially harmful effects?
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Does the diet have only personal testimonies, rather than scientific
evidence, to support it?
If
you can answer yes to any of these questions, it is probably an unproven
diet.
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Trying
a Change in Diet
You
should be suspicious of any diet that claims to treat or cure arthritis. If such
a diet existed, you can be sure your doctor would know about it and recommend
the diet to you.
Still,
many people believe their arthritis is linked to what they eat, and they are
tempted to try various kinds of diets and supplements. If you think something in
your diet makes your arthritis better or worse, talk to your doctor and a
dietitian. Continue your regular medical care for arthritis even if you decide
to try a diet change.
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