Is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints. While inflammation of the tissue around the joints and inflammatory arthritis are characteristic features of rheumatoid arthritis, the disease can also cause inflammation and injury in other organs in the body. The disease usually begins gradually with fatigue, morning stiffness (lasting more than one hour), widespread muscle aches, loss of appetite, and weakness. Eventually, joint pain appears. When the joint is not used for a while, it can become warm, tender, and stiff. When the lining of the joint (synovium) becomes inflamed, it gives off more fluid and the joint becomes swollen. Joint pain is often felt on both sides of the body and may affect the wrist, knees, elbows, fingers, toes, ankle, or neck.

Ayurvedic concept

Rheumatoid Arthritis is known by the name Amavata in Ayurveda. The treatment is planned according to the stage of the disease. Vata, one of the 3 doshas in the human body is the most affected here, along with the formation of the endotoxin, Ama. To relieve the disease, we need to pacify Vata and remove ama from the system. Vata imbalance is the reason why your joint feels stiff and painful. A properly done oil massage and herbs that are sweet and hot in potency would help mitigate the localized Vata aggravation. 

Benefits

Diet 

 The food items must be included in the daily regimen

• Consume fresh vegetables. They will instil in the body with required nutrition. 
• The spices and natural herbs that have shown great benefits in the treatment of RA are fenugreek seeds, cumin, asafoetida, carom, and turmeric.
  
• The oils that can be used to cook the food can be mustard, linseed, sesame, or coconut.
  
• Cow’s ghee can also be used as it is the best remedy for treating RA. 
  
• For the snacks, roasted lotus seeds and pearl millet can be eaten as they are healthy. 
  
• The vegetables that must be included in the diet are bottle gourd, apple gourd, pointed gourd, bitter gourd, pumpkin, cabbage, mushroom, onion, beetroot, broccoli, zucchini, summer squash, ginger, garlic, ridged gourd, carrot, turnip, fenugreek, green amaranth, and Chenopodium album.
  
• The salad must be eaten regularly. Chop those cucumbers and tomatoes; you may also add the sprouts for healthy living. 
  
• Hot soups should also be included in the diet. Just make sure they aren’t spicy. 
  
• The drinks that can be included in the daily routine are Honey water, coconut water, and juices of the fresh fruits and vegetables that are mentioned.
  
• For the caffeine alternative, you may have herbal tea, Lemon, honey tea, or ginger tea.
• The dry fruits can be eaten. But before consuming them, soak them overnight and then have them because it is the right way!
  
• You can also have mint and coriander chutney. It is good for your health and is tasty too!
  
• The substitute for wheat is barley, pearl millet, finger millet, and porridge. Start using any of them instead of wheat.
• Pink salt and rock salt can be used instead of processed salt.
  
• The substitute for sugar is jaggery, rock sugar, or dates. Ditch the processed one. 
  
• If you are looking for a meal substitute, you can have Khichdi, Upma, Poha, semolina, and Idli.
  
• You should drink lukewarm water.
  
• Another tip for you is to fast weekly. One must fast for the whole day, and the only mode of consumption should be fresh juices of fruits, vegetables, and coconut water can also be consumed. 
  
• You can take almost every fruit.
  

The food items must not be included in the Daily regimen

• Processed food items, instant food, and ready-to-make mixtures must be avoided at all costs as they are synthetic food items that will only hinder the digestion process. Items like biscuits, rus, chips, namkeen must not be included in the meals or in the form of snacks.
• The oily foods, foods that are made with saturated fats are a big no! It again becomes heavy on the digestive system and is often left undigested. So avoid having oily food items. 
  
• Start having a vegetarian diet and get rid of the non-vegetarian diet. The plant-based diet is much easier on the digestive system than the animal-rich protein diet. 
  
• The pulses must be avoided until the condition is improved. Till then just stay away from having pulses. 
  
• You should not have wheat products if you are suffering from RA as the wheat will increase inflammation. The intake will only intensify the already existing conditions.
  
• You should not eat if you are not hungry as it will put a load on the digestive system. Also, when we eat unnecessarily, without hunger the food is not digested rather it rots inside. This undigested food is referred to as Mandarin.
  
• Similarly, drink only when you are thirsty. Excess of everything is bad, so limit the diet according to your bodily needs. 
  
• Another thing that must be kept in mind is if you are diagnosed with RA you must reduce your meal intake, i.e., do not eat more than 1-2 meals per day. Let the digestive system relax. 
  
• Do not eat heavy food articles, don’t strain the digestive organs, and consume a light diet that is easily digested by the system. 
  
• The cold food items must not be eaten as they are not fit for the patients and make the situation worse.
  
• The stale food is a BIG NO! Stop opening the refrigerator for the old food items. Do not cook extra and do not eat your favorite cheese chilly which was cooked the day before yesterday! Stale food must not be consumed. The dough every time must be kneaded fresh and eaten fresh!
  
• Dairy products and milk should be avoided. The proteins present in them turn out to cause inflammation in the body. Although it contains an enormous amount of nutrients, for patients who have been suffering from RA it is harmful. 
  
• Get rid of coffee! Cut out that addiction. The Coffee will help in the development of Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. So it should be avoided. Try healthy drinks instead. 
  
• Exclude processed sugar and salt from your meals. The excess of these substances will only help the RA symptoms to flare up. 
  
• Avoid sugarcane juice.
  
• Food articles that are made from all-purpose flour should also be avoided as they are heavy to digest and are unhealthy.
  
• Do not eat pickles. Let the taste buds relax. 
  
• Do not drink cold water and do not add ice cubes to the water. Cold water is not good for your rheumatoid arthritis. 
  
• The vegetables that are not good for the health and which make the situation worse are cauliflower, arum, potato, brinjal, ladyfinger, spinach, and bell peppers.
  
• The other food products that should not be included in the diet are cashews, peanuts, radishes, neutri, soybeans, and curd curry with rice.