Nutrition plays a vital role in managing any health condition, and bone diseases like rheumatoid arthritis are no exception. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that affects the lining of a person’s joints, leading to pain and swelling. In severe cases, it can even lead to bone erosion and joint deformity. This article lists four kinds of foods that rheumatoid arthritis patients must avoid for managing the symptoms and a few medication options.

Frozen meals
Sodium, or salt, is a preservative used to increase the shelf life of frozen foods. Excess sodium in the body can aggravate the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Moreover, doctors prescribe corticosteroids for managing the disease, and these medications may intensify salt retention further. Therefore, patients must avoid frozen meals and frozen meats as far as possible.

Aerated beverages
Sodas and other carbonated drinks contain high amounts of sugar or artificial sweeteners. These can quickly contribute to an increase in body fat percentage and decrease the bones’ strength. In addition, aerated beverages can interfere with the body’s calcium absorption, worsening the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and other bone conditions.

Gluten-based foods
Gluten is a protein primarily found in whole grains. Some people have gluten sensitivity or intolerance, which can result in inflammation in the body. And inflammation can further contribute to rheumatoid arthritis pain. The increased inflammation may also result in osteoporosis, a similar health condition that weakens the bones.

Processed foods
Monosodium glutamate, or MSG, is found in high quantities in processed foods and is responsible for increasing the amount of sodium and uric acid in the body. Excess uric acid lodges itself into the joints in the form of crystals, increasing inflammation and pain among rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Besides proper nutrition, medications play an essential role in the treatment and management of rheumatoid arthritis. Some medications prescribed by doctors for patients with severe pain include:

ACTEMRA®
ACTEMRA® contains tocilizumab, a medication used to treat moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis in adults. It is available in the form of injections and IV infusions and works by blocking an inflammation-causing compound called IL-6, found in high amounts in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

RITUXAN®
This rheumatoid arthritis medication contains rituximab that aims at depleting B cells in the body. B cells are important immune system cells. However, decreased number of these cells has been noted to improve rheumatoid arthritis. RITUXAN® helps exhaust the number of cells in the body for better management of the condition.