A Plant Based Diet Is Protective Against Rheumatoid Arthritis
A whole food plant-based diet is protective against rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease where the body attacks the lining of the joints. This results in joint stiffness, pain, and the deterioration of the joints.
Evidence points to one reason for the development of rheumatoid arthritis being the immune system’s reaction to the Proteus mirabilis bacteria. Proteus mirabilis bacteria are in the fecal flora which crawl up in to the bladder.
This bacteria is responsible for urinary tract infections, and appear a reason for the development of rheumatoid arthritis. Proteus mirabilis contains a protein that highly resembles a protein in the lining of joints.
When the body starts to have a lot of this bacteria it starts to ramp up it immune protection against the bacteria, and because its protein resembles the protein in the lining of joints, the immune system starts to attacks the joints also.
One method of intervention to treat rheumatoid arthritis would be to change the makeup of the gut and fecal flora, to reduce the amount of Proteus mirabilis in the body.
Studies have shown that switching to a plant-based diet significantly reduced the amount of the bacteria present in the gut flora. Putting people who suffered from rheumatoid arthritis on a plant-based diet significantly reduced their symptoms and improved their functioning.
