Greek diet and RA........from Web MD

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Greek Diet Eases Rheumatoid Arthritis

Improves Physical Function, Vitality

Feb. 19, 2003 -- The so-called " Mediterranean diet, " already believed to help

prevent heart disease and some forms of cancer, may also reduce the pain and

swelling of joints stricken with rheumatoid arthritis -- although relief may

not begin for at least six weeks, suggests a new study.

Still, significant improvement was reported by most of the 26 arthritic

patients who followed the well-studied dietary regimen for three months. The

Mediterranean diet includes olive and canola oils as the primary dietary sources

of

fat -- along with plenty of fish, poultry, produce, and legumes, say Swedish

researchers. By comparison, no relief was reported by another group of 25

patients who followed a typical Western diet.

Their finding, published in the March issue of ls of Rheumatic Diseases,

is the latest to suggest arthritis relief may result from this eating plan,

which is typical on Crete and other Greek islands. Just over two years ago,

University of Buffalo researchers found that mice fed high doses of fish oil and

vitamin E -- abundant in the two oils studied by the Swedish investigators --

had reduced levels of a specific protein that causes joint swelling and pain.

And just a few months earlier, Greek investigators found that a similar

Mediterranean diet reduced the onset of rheumatoid arthritis by nearly

three-fold

compared with those who ate less olive oil and fewer fruits and vegetables.

And once again, it appears as though the ingredients in these key cooking

oils may be the key to relief. In addition to being good sources of

heart-healthy

fats, olive and canola oils are rich in oleic acid and vitamin E. Like

vitamin E, oleic acid has an anti-inflammatory effect and is thought to reduce

inflammatory protein levels.

The fish eaten by these study participants didn't have the same high levels

of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids found in cold-water fish such as salmon,

mackerel, and others associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and other

conditions. But the nutrients in these oils may have a similar anti-inflammatory

effect. And like produce, they're also good sources of other antioxidant

phytochemicals believed to reduce inflammation and inhibit tissue damage. The

other foods in the studied diet -- legumes, poultry, and cereals -- are low in

fat, which may further reduce inflammation.

Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the

joints -- and other parts of the body in more severe cases -- leading to

inflammation and pain that eventually erodes bone and soft tissue. It affects

more

than 2 million Americans, most of them women.

In this study, which lasted only three months, researchers studied people

with rheumatoid arthritis, average age 58, who had the disease for at least two

years. Those on the Mediterranean diet first began to experience relief after

six weeks (although their cholesterol levels dropped after three) and

improvement continued throughout the study. In addition to being provided with

meals,

those patients also received nutritional counseling on how to cook more

healthfully. They lost an average of seven pounds by study's end.

Meanwhile, those on a diet richer in dairy foods and red meat -- typical in

Sweden as well as the U.S. -- also received prepared meals, but no counseling.

They lost no weight and reported no measurable symptom relief. None of the

study participants in either group had previously followed the Mediterranean or

a

vegetarian-based diet.

" The results of this intervention program indicate that a Cretan

Mediterranean diet suppresses disease activity in patients who have stable and

modestly

active rheumatoid arthritis, " write the researchers. " Thus, by eating a

Mediterranean diet for three months, patients with RA can obtain better physical

function and increase their activity. In theory, even a minor effect that is

persistent and accumulates over time might be important. "