Pain, away! - scoop: health fitness nutrition diet supplements personal care environment - rheumatoid arthritis sufferers - vegetarian diet and exercise helpful - Brief Article

Rheumatoid arthritis sufferers may achieve pain relief by building muscle and adopting a vegetarian diet, according to the 2002 book Strong Women and Men Beat Arthritis. Co-author Miriam E. Nelson, director of the Center for Physical Activity and Nutrition at Tufts University, put arthritis sufferers through a 16-week strength-training program and found their physical function improved by 44 percent.

In addition to building muscle mass, Nelson says diet can mitigate arthritis symptoms. Her prescribed anti-arthritis diet includes foods such as flaxseeds and walnuts, which contain omega-3 fatty acids--natural anti-inflammatory agents. She also recommends eating five to seven servings of fruits and vegetables each day and avoiding the oils in processed foods, which can inflame the joints.

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