“Although we could not confirm our original hypothesis, we were surprised by the large influence of sodium intake on smoking as a risk factor,” Björn Sundström, lead study author, told Reuters Health via email.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that can cause severe pain, stiffness, swelling and loss of function in the joints. Usually, the pain happens symmetrically on both sides of the body. Studies have found that African Americans with rheumatoid arthritis are also likely to be current smokers.
Certain foods have been known to increase inflammation in the body and trust and believe that foods high in sodium are part of this list. In addition to giving up smoking, it would also be wise to watch your intake of these high salt foods:
- Canned and packaged foods
- Cheese
- Fast food
- Cured meat and fish
- Salty chips and pretzels
- Table salt
What should you eat instead? It should come as no surprise: fruits and vegetables. A diet high in fruits and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, said Sundstrom.
The Painful Link Between Smoking & Salty Foods was originally published on blackdoctor.org
