By Kelley Fitzpatrick, MS, President, NutriScience Solutions, Inc.
OlivinoLife Business Development Advisor
I was first diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) in 2016 at the age of 56. However, I had suffered from undiagnosed RA for the previous 30+ years. Although medication helps to control crippling pain, bone changes and inflammation, I also try very hard to manage these debilitating symptoms through diet, particularly the Mediterranean Diet (MDiet). Why? Because there is strong evidence to suggest that the MDiet may have positive effects on RA. Some of the potential benefits of the MDiet for people like me suffering from RA include [1]:
- Anti-Inflammatory Properties: The MDiet is rich in foods that have anti-inflammatory effects, such as fruits, vegetables, olive oil, nuts, and fatty fish. Chronic inflammation is a key factor in RA, and these anti-inflammatory components may help reduce inflammation in the body.
- Antioxidants: The MDiet is high in fruits and vegetables, which are loaded with antioxidants. These antioxidants help neutralize free radicals in the body, which can contribute to the inflammation and joint damage associated with RA.
- Monounsaturated Fats: Olive oil, a staple fat in the MDiet, is rich in monounsaturated fats. These healthy fats have been associated with anti-inflammatory effects and may contribute to joint health.
In a study published in 2023, following a MDiet and increasing physical activity showed positive effects in women with RA. Twenty women with the disease followed a MDiet plan and received guidance on being more physically active, while another 20 received generic advice based on national dietary guidelines. After 3 months, the group following the MDiet plan showed lower disease activity, improved dietary habits, increased physical activity, and positive changes in body weight and composition, blood glucose, and vitamin D levels compared to the control group [2].
A systematic review of four studies meeting a high-level of scientific rigour including over 90,000 patients with various levels of RA was published in 2018 [3]. This comprehensive assessment of RA subjects consuming a MDiet in comparison to control subjects that did not, concluded that the MDiet has beneficial effects. Those consuming a “typical” MDiet showed significant effects in reducing pain and improving physical function. Data from numerous publications support the role of the MDiet in alleviating symptoms associated with RA.
But…. life can throw us curveballs no matter how committed we are to dietary and life-style wellness! Recognizing that it is often difficult to adhere to healthy eating (especially when it a depressing minus 35 degrees C in the winter where I live!), dietary supplements such as Olivino can really make a difference! As OlivinoLife blog readers know, the new, improved Olivino Essential formula contains impressive levels of beneficial compounds found in MDiet foods:
- Lyc-O-Mato®. A superior, patented lycopene source from the pulp of ripe tomatoes and backed by more than a decade of clinical research. More importantly, Lyc-O-Mato® contains other beneficial tomato phytochemicals that work along with lycopene, including phytofluene, and phytoene, to add to its overall superior health benefits, including anti-inflammatory benefits [4].
- Resveratrol. A polyphenol rich in grape skins and red wine that shows anti- inflammatory effects [5].
- Olive Fruit Extract. The propriety Italian Olive fruit from the Coratina olives used in Olivino Essential contain critical, healthy compounds such as phenols, that provide anti-inflammatory properties [6]. Coratina olives contain the highest level of antioxidants of any variety.
Taking Olivino daily helps ensure that I am securing the beneficial bioactives that are the foundation of the MDiet – and its positive effects in RA! And in one convenient softgel!
[1] https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/foods-that-fight-inflammation
[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36771382/
[3] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00296-017-3912-1
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3850026/
[5] https://health.clevelandclinic.org/resveratrol-benefits/