Living Your Healthiest Life with
Autoimmune Arthritis


Most people are diagnosed with Autoimmune Arthritis either as a child or before the age of 40, because it is caused by a faulty immune system NOT injury or wear and tear.  It is not a degenerative, localized condition that is aggravated with movement.  Rather, it's systemic (involves the whole body, including joints, connective tissues and possibly organs).  Because it's systemic, it is paired with massive flares of fatigue (even at rest) and a host of other complications.  
Regardless of what age you are when a diagnosis of Autoimmune Arthritis occurs, one thing does not change; whatever level of fitness you were currently maintaining must be altered.  If at a younger age, this often involves mental struggles with fitting in, being involved in team sports, dancing, or other activities.  It can truly be life altering.
At IAAM, regardless if you are newly transitioning, maintaining equilibrium or searching for a new method of wellness, we will become your resource to make that happen! *

*Any information presented on this site is intended to inform and provide ideas to assist you to discover the best wellness solution for your Autoimmune Arthritis.  It is not intended to be medical advice.  You should discuss any nutrition or fitness regime with your doctor prior to beginning a new agenda.

                                           



Nutrition is important for all people, but especially those who have autoimmune arthritis.  IAAM will provide you information from cooking and kitchen tips to recipes that provide anti-inflammatory agents to those recommended when you just are not feeling well enough to prepare a large meal.  This will also provide cooking tips, nutrition information and introduce you to a variety of experts in the field.

Each person is affected differently by autoimmune arthritis and therefore each person should choose the best treatment option for their individual situation.  Since we represent the world of autoimmune arthritis, we aim to become your resource for all the options on the market today!

Meet Melinda
IAAM's Kitchen Expert for those with Autoimmune Arthritis

We are proud to introduce you to Movement Leader and fellow autoimmune arthritis sufferer, Melinda Winner.  Melinda has written two books, won over 50 national recipe contests, cooked off on the food network, and has become a public speaker and advocate for arthritis.  Her book, Cooking with Arthritis, is a refreshing and realistic approach to cooking when you have to deal with mobility limitations.  It addresses the challenges of manipulating your kitchen, tools, and even other people in order to avoid any permanent damage that could occur from injury or misuse.  But if you love to cook and are physically impaired, you do not have to compromise your recipes!  Just learn to manipulate your surroundings.  Join us every month to learn a new tip from Melinda as to better utilize your kitchen!







Melinda's August 2011 Tip- Don't Settle for Less Because You Think You Can't Do It!  Where There's a Will, There's a Way...


Love potato wedges, or fries? Can't fathom the idea of making them from scratch, to ensure a healthier, and let's face it, a more fresh outcome?  Don't let your disease hold you back...if you love homemade french fries but your hands are too painful to peel and slice potatoes turn to the trusty old apple corer. This also works for squash, cucumbers and so much more!




Don't strain your fingers or wrists by slicing up potatoes, substitute body parts that are stable and won't affect your joints!  Cut the potato in half using your forearms and the weight of your body. Place the tip of the knife on the cutting board, the potato under the middle of the blade. Hold the handle of the knife in one hand and place your forearm on the backside of the blade, using the weight of your body push the knife through.  Example is shown using a cabbage so you can see that this cutting technique can be used for all types of foods!



Once it is cut place the potato (or any other food) flat side down, place the apple corer on the other end of the food item. Turn one handle of the corer towards your body and the other away from you place your forarms on the handle and using the weight of your body push through.. There you have it!  Potato wedges, or wedges of other favorite foods!      

 

Potatoes are not the best choice of foods if you are watching your inflammation, but let's face it, we all manage our disease in our own ways, and for some of us, that involves a french fry now and again!  Remember though, your diet is important to maintaining good health, so always try to include a variety of anti-inflammatory agents in your meals as well.  For example, try sweet potato fries as a substitute!  Sweet potatoes are a good source of betacarotene, manganese, vitamin B6 and C as well as dietary fiber.  These nutrients, working together, are strong antioxidants that can assist in keeping your inflammation down. 


                                         

 

 AUTOIMMUNE ARTHRITIS, BASIC NUTRITION 101

Written by Marie- IAAM Volunteer, Personal Trainer, Nutrition Advocate, and Autoimmune Arthritis Sufferer

 The following information is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor.  As with any fitness, diet, and nutritional information, you should always consult your doctor before trying something new.  With your doctor’s consent, the following information can serve as a supplement to your current treatment plan.  

For many, being diagnosed with an auto-immune arthritis disease is a scary time.  If you are experiencing a lot of inflammation, it can make you feel ill and physically unable to perform life at the speed you once travelled at.  Moreover, it can take quite some time before a doctor makes a final diagnosis leaving you feeling helpless for a while.  Ironically, along with the fear of being diagnosed with an auto-immune arthritis disease can come some relief; relief in not feeling like a medical mystery anymore.  Sound familiar to anyone? 

A diagnosis from your doctor brings an opportunity for you to be pro-active, gain knowledge, and partner with your doctor in managing your disease. 


TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE FOOD YOU EAT
Start managing your disease by taking a good look at the food that is in your refrigerator and the food you eat on the go.  Most people, regardless of having a chronic disease, have room for improvement.

CAUTION! PROCESSED FOODS
The average American diet includes far too many foods rich in omega-6 fatty acids, found in processed and fast foods.  If you’re currently eating a lot of processed foods, this is just adding fuel to the fire.  Processed foods like cakes, white rice, white bread, pasta,  fast foods , hot dogs, and microwavable foods cause inflammation in the body. 

Eating a diet high in omega-6 fatty acids has been linked to increasing levels of cytokines -- proteins released from cells that trigger inflammation.  Eating too much of this type of food will cause your immune system to work overtime and trigger your body’s inflammation response. 

Be a warrior and combat inflammation by eating a more wholesome diet!

WHAT IS AN ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DIET?
Although there is still a lot of information being gathered on the direct effect of diet on auto-immune arthritis and inflammation an anti-inflammatory diet is great for improving just about anyone’s overall health.  It can reduce risk of heart disease, keep existing cardiac problems in check, reduce blood triglycerides and blood pressure, and help reduce inflammation around stiff arthritic joints.   

There are a lot of anti-inflammatory diets under different names, but they all are based around the same general idea, that out-of-control inflammation in the body leads to ill health, and that eating to avoid or reduce inflammation promotes better health and can help guard you against disease progression.

 

Start by buying foods that are as close to the natural state as you can get. Keep the foods that you eat fresh and simple.   

• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.  You can't go wrong by adding dark, leafy greens to your diet.  Juicing your veggies can also be a lot of fun and can add variation to how you consume your complex carbohydrates.    
• Minimize saturated and trans fats. 
• Eat a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish or fish oil supplements and walnuts.  
• Cut out the unhealthy carbs; reduce your intake of refined carbohydrates (simple carbohydrates) such as pasta and white rice.  Replace white rice with brown rice. 
• Avoid refined foods and proceeds foods.  Refined flour, sugar and foods high on the glycemic index exacerbase inflammatory conditions.  These foods elevate insulin and glucose levels, which raise levels of pro-inflammatory messengers. 
• Eat plenty of whole grains.
• Eat lean protein sources such as chicken; try to cut back on red meat and full-fat dairy foods. 
•  Add some spice! Paprika, garlic, ginger, red chili pepper, cayenne pepper,  curry, and other spices can have an anti-inflammatory effect.  Turmeric, oregano, rosemary, ginger and green tea contain bioflavonoids and polyphenols that reduce inflammation and limit free radical production.

Be patient, don’t look for an immediate change in the way you feel.  Unlike some anti-inflammatory drugs, which can take affect within a day, the effects of your diet will not be immediate.  Most likely, you will not feel a difference for a couple of weeks.  


TRACK YOUR PROGRESS

Tracking your progress can be very satisfying.  Start a food diary and write down the foods that you consume on a daily basis.  Many believe that certain foods trigger inflammation; you may want to scale how you feel from day to day so that you can make a relationship between foods that you ate and the way you felt after you consumed them.  Measure your success by the amount of fresh foods you now consume, the number of home cooked meals you’ve prepared, and if you notice an increase in your energy level. Given the fact that an anti-inflammatory diet is high in fiber and lower in fat, you may even notice some weight loss.  Be creative and learn new recipes!

 

    
*While certain foods can lower inflammation and cause, in some patients, a lesser degree of pain, you should not stop any medical treatment without first discussing it with your rheumatologist. While some degenerative and inflammatory arthritis conditions can greatly benefit from nutrition and exercise, because of its systemic and progressive make up, you should make sure you are fully educated on your disease and the likelihood of disability resulting from improper treatment.  Each Autoimmune Arthritis sufferer is different-from mild to severe cases physically to the way our personal chemistry reacts to treatments.  It is important that if you suffer from Autoimmune Arthritis that you understand there is no known cure, even though it can go into remission.