One of the scariest things about being diagnosed with any medical condition, including arthritis, is that you wonder what this condition is going to take away from you. Many people find certain foods to be a joy that they won’t give up without a fight. But you don’t have to just eat unsweetened granola on a rheumatoid arthritis diet. But you do have to include a variety of foods and smaller portions.

Other Things You Need To Do

Look at your arthritis as a wake-up call to making your life better. Perhaps you haven’t been treating your body as well as you should. Although a rheumatoid arthritis diet all by itself won’t cure arthritis, it can lead to many other health benefits in your life, including having more energy, retaining flexibility and raising self-esteem.

Raising self-esteem on a rheumatoid arthritis diet? Can that really happen? It certainly can. Arthritis can make you feel helpless and hopeless, as if you are caught in the teeth of some huge invisible monster that you can’t control. But more and more clinical studies show that we can help improve our own lives through quitting smoking, exercising regularly, managing our stress without chemicals and through a rheumatoid arthritis diet. When you stick to a diet and you feel better, you realize that you still are in charge of many areas of your life.

Portion Control

There aren’t any definite food items to be completely eliminated from your rheumatoid arthritis diet. But if you eat only sweets and fatty foods, you need to cut down on them and substitute other foods that are more nutrition, help your body's circulation and help you to loose weight. This can also help with diabetes, high blood pressure and those of us with digestive problems.

You need to eat more fiber and drink more water in a rheumatoid arthritis diet. This not only helps gives you more energy, but also helps you to feel more full. If you choose to eat meat, the portion size of the meat should be no bigger or thicker than a pack of standard playing cards.

Supplements

Before you start taking any supplements or herbs to add to your osteoarthritis diet or rheumatoid arthritis diet, please talk it over first with your doctor. Any alternative treatment needs to be given the same respects as man-made drugs. Just because something is labeled "natural" doesn’t mean that there aren't any side effects or risks in taking them.