Do You Suffer from Arthritis? Food Allergies May Be to Blame.

If you have joint pain due to rheumatoid arthritis, relief may
be closer than you think.

Many people see rheumatoid arthritis as a disease of aging,
while others believe it "runs in the family". But often,
arthritis symptoms can flare as a result of food allergies.

Nightshades in particular are well known to cause flare-ups of
arthritis pain. Potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, peppers and
eggplants are among the foods that can trigger an allergic
reaction causing joint pain and swelling. Luckily, there's an
easy way to find out if this family of plant foods is
problematic for you.

If you have arthritis pain, finding out whether your symptoms
are due to food allergies is a simple process. First, avoid all
nightshades for several days--at least four. Then, add one
particular food item--potatoes, for instance--back into your
diet. Eat a portion daily for several days and note any
symptoms. Then eliminate all nightshades for another few days,
and test another of the foods.

You may be surprised by the results. You may find that you can
tolerate one particular food for several days before developing
symptoms, while another food will cause symptoms almost
immediately. Once you've analyzed the results, you can plan to
either avoid certain foods completely or control the portions
and frequency of these foods in your diet.

If you are taking prescription medication for your arthritis, be
sure you discuss your results with your
physician before stopping any meds; they may have positive
results beyond pain relief, and stopping them cold may have a
negative effect. Also, be sure to monitor your condition with
your physician, even if you manage to control the symptoms with
diet. Arthritis is a complex auto-immune disease, and bears
watching, whether you're symptom-free or not.

About the author:
Aldene Fredenburg is a freelance writer living in southwestern
New Hampshire. She has written numerous articles for local and
regional newspapers and for a number of Internet websites,
including Tips and Topics.

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