**BEST** Diet for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RF+): Top 4 Triggers, Food to Avoid by Chanu Dasari MD

have you ever wondered why so few doctors and Specialists talk about what is the best diet for managing rheumatoid arthritis in this video I’m going to dive into the most effective dietary strategies for alleviating rheumatoid arthritis symptoms drawing on the perspective of a surgeon and gut microbiome specialist this is stuff you’re not going to hear from your typical rheumatologist over the past decade I’ve helped thousands of patients find relief from joint pain and inflammation with simple sustainable dietary changes if you’ve been struggling with chronic pain and stiffness of Ra the tips I’m about to share with you are a real game changer for you these aren’t temporary fixes they’re practical proven strategies to help you manage ra naturally so stick around you’re not going to want to miss [Music] this hi I’m Dr Tan odas a surgeon dedicated to reducing inflammation caused by gut microbiome imbalances My Method known as the Mind gut immunity approach has been refined over the past 12 years and we’ve learned many important lessons and have updated our strategies for the upcoming years in 2025 and 2026 our protocols have helped countless patients overcome autoimmune disease and digestive disorders and even on this channel you can see some of their Victory Stories We tackle complex conditions like rheumatoid arthritis without relying on medications and this may sound surprising but when you examine intestinal inflammation and autoimmune disease and joint pain through the lens of the gut microbiome it becomes clear that most inflammation is driven by gut health issues and if you’re curious about how our approach differs from all the others and want to hear more about our success stories check out the link in the description below or visit mgic clinic.com to schedule a discovery call with me I’ll provide you with some useful tips to help you get started also on the website you can find numerous success stories from real patients and additional free resources that you can apply to your very own life let’s dive in here’s a 2023 study on nutrition and its role in prevention and management of rheumatoid arthri here’s a 2021 study about the effect of anti-inflammatory diets on pain in rheumatoid arthritis patients here’s a 2022 study that looks at the role of intestinal disbiosis and nutrition in rheumatoid arthritis so I told you in this video we’re going to be diing into the ideal diet for managing rheumatoid arthritis whether you’re dealing with an ongoing joint pain stiffness or trying to prevent a flare up finding the right foods for ra can be challenging especially if you’re trying to reduce your dependence on medications like nads or dards over the years I’ve helped numerous patients significantly alleviate their ra symptoms and reduce inflammation naturally without relying solely on medication so what makes this approach different many rheumatologists might say that ra is a condition that you have to live with and manage the medications and occasional lifestyle changes but this often misses the deeper and underlying issues from my clinical experience and research I found that targeting gut health directly through a diet can be a powerful tool in managing ra of course we use supplements and probiotics as well in this video I’ll break down the most effective dietary strategies for managing rheumatoid arthritis and highlight some common mistakes to avoid and show you how to achieve long-term joint health first major point the role of phytonutrients there is a growing body of research that underscores the vital role vital nutrients play in reducing inflammation and managing ra symptoms effectively here’s a 2022 study about natural compounds used in ra treatment like flavonoids polyphenols alkaloids glycos Ides and Turpin and its action mechanism here’s another 2022 study on the role of polyphenols and their potential as rheumatoid arthritis treatment due to their antioxidant anti-inflammatory and imuno modulating properties and their ability to modulate key inflammatory Pathways and here’s a 2021 study that investigated the effect ofis antioxidants and food supplements in reducing oxidative stress in patients with rheumatoid arthritis there is extensive research highlighting the impact of phytonutrient on inflammation especially in conditions like rheumatoid arthritis so rather than diving deep into the science let’s focus on what truly matters for managing RA phytonutrients are potent plant-based compounds found in foods like fruits vegetables herbs and spices these include antioxidants flavonoids and other micronutrients that significantly help reduce inflammation and support long-term joint health when it comes to ra optimizing your intake of these phytonutrients can make a real difference in managing pain and reducing joint swelling phytonutrients are categorized into several key groups tpes phenols chlorophyll and prebiotics among others each group has unique properties that help your body combat inflammation and promote a healthy immune response unfortunately many individuals with RA are deficient in some of these essential compounds which then disrupts the delicate balance between the immune system and inflammation control the goal is to maximize and diversify your phytonutrient intake from everyday Foods and by doing this you equip your body with the tools that it needs to address the root causes of RA a diet low in phytonutrients leaves you more susceptible to chronic inflammation and flareups while a diet rich in these compounds can naturally help reduce inflammation I encourage you to incorporate phytonutrients at every meal think of every meal as an opportunity to support your joints reduce inflammation and nourish your body this approach is particularly important for those living with ra because the right foods can help balance your immune system which is crucial for managing your symptoms so the takeaway is clear phytonutrients play a vital role in regulating your body’s inflammation response giving a better chance of effectively managing rheumatoid arthritis and if your diet lacks these compounds it’s no surprise that your symptoms persist a balanced approach to nutrition that emphasizes phytonutrients is key to achieving long-term relief from ra my second point is related to nutritional needs and macronutrient counting in recent years intermittent fasting has become a popular trend for reducing inflammation but when when it comes to managing rheumatoid arthritis I’m here to tell you that fasting might not be the solution that it’s often made out to be in fact it could be causing more harm than good a 2024 study revealed a shocking statistic intermittent fasting increases the risk of cardiac death by 91% that’s a serious risk for simply skipping meals despite these risks many people with ra believe that fasting might improve Relief by reducing inflammation initially avoiding food might seem to alleviate symptoms as it temporarily limits the nutrients that feed inflammatory processes in the body like bacteria however over time the negative effects can begin to accumulate you can have unwanted weight loss muscle wasting thyroid dysfunction increased levels of stress hormones like cortisol from undereating you can have disrupted sleep patterns nutritional deficiencies you can have digestive problems like bloating and nausea and you can have persistent fatigue which even after you start eating might not go away when these problems develop eating becomes even more challenging you might even feel bloated gassy lethargic and low on energy after these meals and these symptoms can deter you from eating adequately in the future creating a vicious cycle that’s difficult to break especially if you’re underweight being underweight with a body mass index of 18 or lower can be particularly problematic and you can easily calculate your BMI using this BMI calculator on our Clinic’s website by entering your height and weight if your BMI is below 18 and you have rheumatoid arthritis you’re at serious risk I’ve treated patients with BMI as low as 13 which is very severe and when you have a low BMI and rheumatoid arthritis it means your body is in a catabolic State constantly breaking down proteins rather than building it up which prolongs inflammation and slows down recovery so what’s a better approach instead of skipping meals the key is to address the inflammation while maintaining a balanced nourished diet however many people give up on finding the right foods and end up eating too little or nothing at all which just exacerbates their condition when determining the ideal macronutrient balance for ra it’s essential to focus on fats carbohydrates and proteins to reduce inflammation I recommend aiming for about 50% of your daily calories coming from healthy fats with the remaining 50% divided equally among carbs and proteins this ratio is based on years of clinical experience with patients who’ve seen significant improvements now if you need to lose weight adjusting these ratios by reducing the carbs and fats while increasing protein may help conversely if you need to gain weight increase ing your total caloric intake and finding the right balance between carbs and fats is crucial for rheumatoid arthritis tracking these macronutrients for rheumatoid arthritis might seem challenging initially but it’s worth the effort by carefully balancing your diet you can improve your joint health reduce inflammation and enhance your overall well-being in the long run now when it comes to managing rheumatoid arthritis the balance of macronutrients the fats the carbs and the protein can significantly influence your gut microbiome which in turn turn affects your ability to control ra symptoms the bacteria and fungi in your gut they feed on sugars and starches and fiber all of which are carbohydrates and this is where it gets challenging you have bad bacterian fungus introduced to sugars carbs fiber which leads to inflammation simple sugars like glucose and fructose can feed harmful bacteria and fungi potentially triggering flare-ups and worsening ra symptoms you can have processed starches such as those found in refined flour which can also exacerbate this issue now on the flip side if you have complex or resistant starches they’ll promote growth of more beneficial bacteria fiber is also something that where a good bacteria when introduced to it will Thrive selectively and this might seem a bit dating right you’re kind of wondering why not just eliminate carbs entirely if there’s such a problem well there is a diet that does that and it’s called the carnivore diet and that’s where it comes into the conversation for rheumatoid arthritis the carnivore diet for rheumatoid arthritis is an all meat approach that eliminates all fiber and includes some electrolytes while it’s an extreme option some people use it successfully for short-term relief the foundation of the diet is meat from animals it also sometimes includes eggs and dairy the diet completely cuts out all carbs including fiber lactose starches and sugars unlike keto or low carb diets that might still include some carbohydrates the carnivore diet eliminates them entirely and if you follow the carnivore diet strictly you remove all Dairy and fiber creating a gut environment where harmful bacteria find it hard to survive you won’t have any of the sugars and the carbs and the fiber and this can be helpful during an rheumatoid arthritis flare up when inflammation’s at its peak however here’s the catch while the carnivore diet might seem like it offers short-term relief it’s not a sustainable long-term solution for everyone the original paleo diet which the carnivore diet sort of evolved from was more balanced featuring more plant-based foods with occasional meat and More in line with the phytonutrient diet I often recommend so while going on Carn or might help reduce inflammation during a flare it may not be the best strategy for long-term gut health and I’ve created an entire detail video on just this topic so if you’re curious make sure to check that one out there are other diets designed to eliminate specific carbohydrates to help manage rheumatoid symptoms like the specific carbohydrate diet SC aims to reduce inflammation by limiting certain carbohydrates that are difficult to digest and often ferment in the gut leading to bacterial overgrowth the SCD eliminates specific types of carbohydrates known as disaccharides and polysaccharides which are thought to contribute to bacterial overgrowth and fermentation in the gut while the S might help some people it often lacks the Precision needed for consistent results I typically recommend a phytonutrient rich approach for managing ra combined with targeted probiotics to directly address gut microbiome issues another diet frequently discussed for managing ra is the low FODMAP diet which limits specific fermentable carbohydrates that can trigger gut inflammation and discomfort here’s how it works fod Maps include fermentable oligosaccharides which are found in foods like wheat onions and garlic you can have disaccharides monosaccharides and polyols which are sugar alcohols there’s an elimination phase of this diet where all the high fod matat foods are removed for four to 6 weeks and then there’s a reintroduction phase where these foods are slowly reintroduced you might be wondering with so many diets restricting carbs and fiber what actually works for rheumatoid arthritis and gut health the problem with many of these diets is that they don’t address the root cause and that’s gut microbiome dysfunction at the core you have bacteria that process carbs leading to an overgrowth and then you get harmful byproducts this overgrowth is common in conditions like sibo and candida resulting in elevated histamine levels inflammatory cyto kindes and symptoms like fatigue leaky gut bloating brain fog and lethargy issues I’ve covered in my other videos while these diets tackle the carbohydrates sugar and fiber aspects they don’t address the fundamental problem which is long-term gut microbiome Health essentially they offer temporary fixes without solving the underlying problem so that brings me to my third point and that’s the ideal rheumatoid arthritis diet should be microbiome specific when it comes to managing rheumatoid arthritis simply avoiding certain foods doesn’t address the core issue gut microbiome dysfunction the only way to truly manage ra effectively is through a diet that targets the gut microbiome with specific phytonutrients and probiotic formulations designing an effective ra diet requires a strategic approach and a deep understanding of how the gut operates this is where the Mind gut immunity approach comes into play we start by recalibrating the gut microbiome using Precision probiotics and these are not your typical over-the-counter probiotics they’re clinically backed and specifically designed for gut related issues you don’t need High cfu numbers or counts multiple strains or even refriger ation what you need are four carefully selected strains that create a protective bofilm in the gut keeping harmful bacteria at Bay and then to support these beneficial colonies phytonutrients are essential and they’re predominantly found in plant-based Foods now an important point is certain proteins can also trigger immune responses leading to Joint inflammation for example some complex proteins might exacerbate ra symptoms so it’s wise to be cautious with them however it’s also easy to get too far with dietary restrictions consider a vegan or strictly plant-based diet where it’ll offer some of the benefits but maybe too extreme for others the vegan diet is a plant-based regimen that excludes all animal products including meat Dairy eggs and honey it emphasizes a variety of plant-based foods to meet nutritional needs the biggest issue with this diet is that many people don’t consume enough protein leading to protein calorie malnutrition a significant problem when you’re trying to heal inflammation particularly in the joints your body needs amino acids and protein should make up about 25% of your daily intake another Pitfall is relying too heavily on vegan or plant-based foods that are often processed and contain unhealthy additives like fake Meats fake cheeses and chemicals that can be counterproductive this approach often fails to deliver the desired result a more balanced and sustainable alternative could be the Mediterranean diet the Mediterranean diet is based on a traditional eating pattern of countries along the Mediterranean Sea and it emphasizes whole unprocessed foods like plant-based Foods healthy fats Le proteins one limitation of the Mediterranean diet is that it doesn’t offer a reliable way to track your phytonutrient intake additionally it’s crucial that 50% of your daily calories come from Omega fats which are vital for gut microbiome health and while the Mediterranean diet includes many beneficial Foods inconsistency in the nutrient tracking can lead to imbalances that hinder progress for my clients we take a more precise approach by focusing on phytonutrient Rich diets we carefully monitor the intakes of carbs fats and proteins and and micronutrients daily to ensure that the diet is fully supporting and optimizing the gut microbiome this level of targeting is essential for effectively managing ra symptoms and promoting long-term joint and overall health the fourth key concept for effectively managing rheumatoid arthritis is understanding and tracking your individual food sensitivities when you’re dealing with rheumatoid arthritis the right diet must consider your personal food triggers I’ve created a dedicated video on food sensitivity testing for rheumatoid arthritis where I discuss the most effective tests and how to interpret these results it’s crucial for any dietary plan to address your unique food aversions sensitivities and allergies the simplest and most effective way to track these triggers is by keeping a food diary and I know it might seem tedious but it’s a non-negotiable step for all of our clients one important thing to remember is that during an RA flare up almost every food might seem problematic but as your body begins to heal you may find that you can tolerate foods that were previously triggering this is why it’s ESS itial to regularly Monitor and update your food sensitivities they can change over time as your condition improves so the types of food sensitivities out there include the skin prick test which is your traditional allergy test you can have a serum IG test which also checks for allergies and that’s a blood test you can have a serum igg4 test these are like your Mosaic diagnostic tests which are more of a food sensitivity in rheumatoid arthritis and then you can see the serum MRT test this is also a blood test that’s newer and this Tex to see if you’re sensitive to different types of antigens and food I frequently review these test results with my rheumatoid arthritis clients helping them understand what these findings mean for their diet and overall health if you’re interested in a deeper dive into interpreting food sensitivity tests for ra I have a detailed video on that topic and in it I cover the different types of tests pros and cons and the best time to get tested for example it’s usually not ideal to test during a flare up due to the high likelihood of false positives testing when you’re in a more more stable condition provides a clear picture of what’s truly causing your sensitivities the last diet I’ll briefly mention is the autoimmune protocol while this diet is often suggested for managing autoimmune conditions like ra it isn’t specific enough in addressing individual food sensitivities or enhancing phytonutrient diversity both of which are crucial for managing ra effectively moreover it doesn’t adequately recalibrate the gut microbiome which plays a key role in managing ra symptoms the AIP diet aims to manage autoimmune diseases by reducing inflammation and promoting gut health it’s a stricter version of the paleo diet focusing on eliminating potential dietary triggers of inflammation and autoimmunity the diet generally progresses through several phases like an elimination phase where you remove all the foods causing inflammation or immune reaction and then there’s a reintroduction phase when you gradually reintroduced eliminated Foods one at a time to identify which foods may be triggers for symptoms think of this as like an Elimination Diet this helps personalize the diet for individual tolerances and then there’s a maintenance phase maintaining a diet that avoids potential triggers is very important similarly the low histamine diet is often mentioned for managing ra particularly due to its focus on reducing inflammation the idea behind this diet is to avoid foods high in histamine that release histamine in the body which can contribute to joint pain and inflammation however like the AIP diet the low histamine diet doesn’t adequately address the root causes of gut microbiome Health which is crucial for managing ra effectively additionally it’s not tailored to individual sensitivities which can vary greatly from from person to person and the key points of this diet include avoiding High histamine Foods so just a recap here are the principles of an ideal diet for rheumatoid arthritis it’s one that prioritizes phytonutrients meets macronutritional requirements is microbiome specific and takes into account food sensitivity at the mindget immunity Clinic we spend considerable time developing custom plans for each individual based on these principles we also provide coaching to ensure accountability and compliance which is why we achieve consistently great results compared to practices FOC Fus solely on medication we teach people how to manage their diet from home offering meal plans food guides recipes and grocery lists and this support ensures our clients are never lost and can manage their condition effectively from anywhere if you struggle with rheumatoid arthritis and have found certain foods that help or certain foods that worsen your symptoms comment below I would love to hear about your experiences all right that wraps up this session be sure to check out my other videos comparing different diets to the phyto diet and how they measure up if you found this video helpful please share it with others and don’t forget to like And subscribe for more content such as this this is Dr chanu D with the Mind immunity Clinic thanks for watching and I’ll see you next time [Music]