Definition Rheumatoid Arthritis (known as Amavata in Ayurveda) is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints. It can also cause inflammation of the tissue around the joints, as well as in other organs in the body. Autoimmune diseases are illnesses that occur when the body's tissues are mistakenly attacked by their own immune system. Patients with autoimmune diseases have antibodies in their blood that target their own body tissues, where they can be associated with inflammation. Because it can affect multiple other organs of the body, Rheumatoid Arthritis is referred to as a systemic illness and is sometimes called rheumatoid disease.
Causes
Increased intake of indigestible, heavy and incompatible foods; having food at improper times; indigestion; intake of milk and milk products, especially yogurt; intake of meat of aquatic animals; lack of physical activity or doing exercise after having fatty foods are some of the common causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Symptoms
There is pain and stiffness in the body along with thirst, lethargy, heaviness in the body, indigestion, swelling, and sometimes lack of appetite. In acute stages, there is pain and stiffness in the joints of the hands, feet, wrists, ankles, and knees.
Ayurvedic View
Improper food habits and sedentary lifestyle can lead to impairment of digestive fire, formation of ama (toxin) and vitiation of Vata (air). When a person indulges in Vata-aggravating diet and lifestyle, then this aggravated Vata circulates ama in the channels of the body and deposits it in the joints, causing Amavata.
Ayurvedic treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis starts with pacification of Vata and elimination of toxins from the body. Herbal medicines are administered to improve the digestive fire and prevent further formation of ama. Panchakarma massage therapies are quite useful in subsiding pain in Arthritic patients.
Diet & Lifestyle Advice
Increase intake of barley flour, horse gram (a type of bean), split green gram, honey, celery seeds, cumin seeds, dried ginger root powder, garlic, bitter gourd and castor oil.
Avoid eating fish and milk together or milk and jaggery together.
Avoid incompatible, heavy, and oily foods.
Avoid an improper diet and lifestyle, such as waking up late in the night, suppressing natural urges of the body, and getting direct exposure to cold winds.
Some Home Remedies
Fasting is the best method to digest ama. It could be absolute fasting, i.e., having nothing until the ama is digested, or having a liquid or semi-solid diet, depending on the patient’s strength. This is to be followed by hot fomentation (application of moist heat) that can be done by having a bath with lukewarm water or a steam bath.
After fasting and fomentation, one should take herbal preparations to increase digestive fire. Mix powdered long pepper, black pepper, and dried ginger root in equal quantities. Take 1 teaspoon of the powder with lukewarm water twice a day.
Dry fomentation (application of dry heat) using sand is very helpful for reducing pain and swelling. Take a four-folded cloth, fill with hot sand, and make a bundle of it. Place the bundle on the painful joints.
