The role of the Mediterranean diet in the control of rheumatoid arthritis - a review

Abstract

The role of diet and food in health is already well documented in the literature, both for the maintenance of this and for the control of symptoms of various pathologies. The Mediterranean diet, with high consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, oilseeds, fish and olive oil, foods with great potential in the modulation of degenerative oxidative processes of cellular structures, has been used to help control the symptoms of diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that presents chronic inflammation of joint structures and often prevents the wearer from maintaining their daily routine. In this review, it was verified that individuals with RA who adhered to a Mediterranean dietary pattern showed improvements in morning stiffness and pain, as well as a reduction in disease activity.