Fasting for Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Promising Approach to Healing

Fasting for rheumatoid arthritis, coupled with a plant-based diet has shown to be a promising approach for healing rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and pain in the joints. While conventional medicine focuses on managing symptoms through medication, a growing body of evidence suggests that fasting followed by a plant-based diet may offer a more effective and long-lasting solution.

Alan Goldhamer, the founder of the TrueNorth Health Center in Santa Rosa, California, has fasted over 10,000 people for various health conditions, including autoimmune diseases like RA. He has observed that conditions linked to dietary excess often respond well to fasting followed by a health-promoting diet.

Addressing The Root Cause And Reducing Medication Dependency

Goldhamer describes a health-promoting diet as one that is low in salt, high in fiber, and free from animal products, including low fat, low protein, and low sugar. This approach aims to eliminate the underlying cause of lifestyle diseases, potentially reducing or eliminating the need for medication.

In contrast, conventional medicine primarily focuses on suppressing symptoms rather than addressing the root cause of the disease. Goldhamer argues that by following conventional medical advice, individuals may be resigned to a lifetime of illness.

Fasting For Rheumatoid Arthritis Shows Promising Long-Term Benefits

Preliminary data suggests that fasting may benefit a range of conditions, including metabolic diseases, pain syndromes, high blood pressure, chronic inflammatory diseases, allergic diseases, and psychosomatic disorders. However, the highest level of evidence for the benefits of fasting is seen in rheumatic diseases, particularly RA.

Nearly a century ago, diet treatment was not widely recognized by the medical profession as a viable approach to treating diseases like RA. However, a systematic review of controlled trials has since shown a statistically and clinically significant long-term benefit of fasting for RA.

Watch Fasting For Rheumatoid Arthritis

Non-Genetic Factors Play Significant Role

While RA has a genetic component, studies have shown that the chance of both identical twins developing the disease is less than 30%. This suggests that non-genetic factors play a significant role in the development of RA. Fasting has been compared to rebooting a computer’s hard drive, clearing out any corruption that may be causing the disease.

The evidence base for fasting and RA began with case reports, where individuals experienced significant pain and stiffness relief within a week of fasting followed by a plant-based diet. However, case reports are considered anecdotal evidence.

Long-Term Improvement In Inflammation And Symptoms Of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Controlled trials have shown objective measures of inflammation, such as lab tests, significantly decreasing after fasting and a subsequent meat- and egg-free diet.

In these trials, participants experienced a reduction in pain, morning stiffness, loss of grip strength, and the number of tender and swollen joints. Even a year after the trial, those who continued with the diet maintained these improvements.

However, if individuals returned to their previous diet, inflammation and symptoms returned, unless they followed a vegetarian diet.

The reason a vegetarian diet may be necessary after fasting is not yet fully understood. It could be due to changes in the gut microbiome or improvements in gut barrier function.

Fasting has been shown to decrease gut permeability in RA patients.

Fasting As A Promising Therapeutic Approach For Rheumatoid Arthritis

Another possible explanation is the impact of arachidonic acid, an inflammatory omega-6 fatty acid found in animal fats. Removing sources of arachidonic acid, such as eggs and chicken, has been shown to improve mood and may explain the impact of plant-based diets on inflammatory diseases like RA.

In conclusion, fasting followed by a plant-based diet shows promise as a therapeutic approach for individuals with RA. While fasting provides immediate relief from inflammation and pain, maintaining a plant-based diet appears to be necessary to prevent the recurrence of symptoms and inflammatory activity.

Fasting may serve as a tool to kick-start a radical change in eating habits, leading to long-term healing and improved quality of life for individuals with RA.