- With Mayo Clinic rheumatologist
April Chang-Miller, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
April Chang-Miller, M.D.
April Chang-Miller, M.D.
Dr. April Chang-Miller is board certified in internal medicine and rheumatology and is a consultant in the Division of Rheumatology at Mayo Clinic in Arizona.
Dr. Chang-Miller's primary field is rheumatology with special interests in inflammatory joint diseases called seronegative spondyloarthropathies, such as ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis. She also cares for patients with rheumatoid arthritis and polymyalgia rheumatica.
The New York City native is a graduate of the Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Chang-Miller joined the Mayo Clinic staff in Rochester, Minn., in 1991, and in 2002 she relocated to Mayo Clinic in Arizona. She is a fellow in the American College of Rheumatology and has been on the board of directors of the Arthritis Foundation North Central Chapter.
Complications (2)
- Rheumatoid arthritis: Can it affect the eyes?
- Rheumatoid arthritis: Can it affect the lungs?
Treatments and drugs (4)
- Osteoporosis and long-term prednisone: What is the risk?
- Hip resurfacing: An alternative to conventional hip replacement?
- Arthritis pain medications: Do they raise blood pressure?
- see all in Treatments and drugs
Lifestyle and home remedies (4)
- Rheumatoid arthritis diet: Do certain foods reduce symptoms?
- Isometric exercises: Good for strength training?
- MSM for arthritis pain: Is it safe?
- see all in Lifestyle and home remedies
Alternative medicine (3)
- Mangosteen juice: Can it relieve arthritis pain?
- Do infrared saunas have any health benefits?
- Yucca: Can it relieve arthritis pain?
About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Question
Rheumatoid arthritis diet: Do certain foods reduce symptoms?
Can certain foods reduce rheumatoid arthritis symptoms?
Answer
from April Chang-Miller, M.D.
That's a million-dollar question. Despite years of study, no conclusive evidence exists to show that particular foods make rheumatoid arthritis symptoms flare up or decrease. Some research has shown a link between eating certain fish oils and reducing joint inflammation in people with rheumatoid arthritis, but more research is needed to assess this possible benefit.
It's smart to consider how your lifestyle might play a role in the ups and downs of rheumatoid arthritis. Being too heavy, for example, stresses your weight-bearing joints, increasing joint pain, stiffness and inflammation.
You can also stay away from any food that seems to make your symptoms worse. But don't exclude whole food groups or large numbers of foods without consulting a registered dietitian or your doctor.
Next questionIsometric exercises: Good for strength training?
- Goldberg RJ, et al. A meta-analysis of the analgesic effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation for inflammatory joint pain. Pain. 2007;129:210.
- Smedslund G, et al. Effectiveness and safety of dietary interventions for rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2010;110:727.
- Hagen KB, et al. Dietary interventions for rheumatoid arthritis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2009;CD006400. http://www2.cochrane.org/reviews. Accessed Oct. 31, 2011.
Find Mayo Clinic on