Changing Diet Can Help Autoimmune Disease

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Changing Diet Can Help Autoimmune Disease

Tuesday December 26 7:11 AM ET

http://dailynews./h/nm/20001226/hl/diet_7.html

LAS VEGAS (Reuters Health) Getting rid of bread, cutting down on fats

and adding fish oil to your diet could help control diseases such as

rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or multiple sclerosis, where the body's

immune system fights its own tissues, researchers suggest.

These and other nutritional remedies have been reported as helping with

these autoimmune conditions, Dr. Shari Lieberman noted here at the

Eighth International Congress on Antiaging and Biomedical Technologies.

Lieberman, from the University of Bridgeport School of Human Nutrition

in Connecticut, presented a review of studies documenting the effects of

dietary changes and nutritional supplements on a variety of autoimmune

diseases.

" What makes New York bagels so good is that the grain has been

genetically modified to increase gluten. This makes for a chewy bagel,

but it also puts a tremendous amount of gluten into the system,''

Lieberman explained. Citing a study in which rheumatoid arthritis

patients improved on a glutenfree diet no wheat, rye, oats or barley.

Lieberman reported similar results in the patients she treats.

Very lowfat diets, with 20 grams a day or less of fat, have been found

to help people with lupus, multiple sclerosis, scleroderma and

rheumatoid arthritis, Lieberman said. In one 34 year study of multiple

sclerosis patients on such a diet, 95% survived and remained physically

active. Defaulting from the diet, even after 5 to 10 years adherence,

reactivated the symptoms, she said.

Fish oil is another super performer, Lieberman continued. It has been

found to be of clinical benefit in a variety of conditions, including

rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis and osteoarthritis.

``While dietary changes, such as eliminating gluten, get quick results

for rheumatoid arthritis patients, supplements may take 3 months or

more. As the inflammation is naturally decreased, patients can often

reduce their medications and, over time, some can let go of them

altogether,'' she explained.