Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsStop SmokingLimit AlcoholMinimize Bone LossImprove Oral HealthIncrease Fish IntakeMaintain a Healthy WeightTry to Prevent InfectionsStay ActiveReduce Pollutant ExposureConsider Breastfeeding If PossibleTake Early Action

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Stop Smoking

Limit Alcohol

Minimize Bone Loss

Improve Oral Health

Increase Fish Intake

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Try to Prevent Infections

Stay Active

Reduce Pollutant Exposure

Consider Breastfeeding If Possible

Take Early Action

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune condition in which the body attacks its own cells, causing pain and inflammation. While there is no known way to preventrheumatoid arthritisaltogether, certain behaviors may help delay disease onset and minimize its impact on your quality of life.

While RA can affect a number of tissues and organs, including the heart, itprimarily targets joints. The specific cause of RA has not been identified, but a number of risk factors may play a role.

Risk factorsinclude advancing age (with the highest risk for people in their 50s) and genetics. People born female are two to three times more likely to have RA, with those who have never given birth at a higher risk. Smoking (including exposure while in utero or to secondhand smoke early in life), oral hygiene, exposure to toxins, infections, andobesityare also among risk factors linked to RA, some of which can be minimized.

An illustration with tips to reduce your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis

Smoking and exposure to cigarette smoke is a major risk factor for RA. One study found that the risk of developing RA was approximately twice as high for smokers as it was for nonsmokers.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers a number of resources that can help if you want to quit smoking. These include live quit lines, medications, text messages, a free smartphone app, support groups, and help with making a quit plan.

To make a quit plan:

Some studies have found a protective effect among people who consume low to moderate levels of alcohol.In fact, long-term moderate alcohol consumption has been linked to lower RA risk in women.It is thought that moderate alcohol consumption, say less than a glass of wine or beer a day, may have certain anti-inflammatory benefits.

When you have RA, the main concern with alcohol is its potential interaction with medications you may be taking for treatment of the condition. Some medications used to treat RA, likemethotrexate, can be damaging to the liver. Alcohol use, which can also hurt the liver, may increase that risk.

Talk to your healthcare provider about how much alcohol you can consume and be sure to find out whether any medications you are taking completely contraindicate drinking alcohol.

Inflammation may contribute to the development of RA. To help prevent inflammation, keep your teeth and gums in good shape (to minimize the bad bacteria), and see your dentist regularly to prevent chronic oral health problems or infections.

A 2016 study at Johns Hopkins University found that some types of bacteria that cause gum disease, such asAggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans,release a toxin that triggers specific types of antibody production.

Fish is rich in a number of nutrients, particularly omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins A and D. Eating fish regularly is a good idea for anyone, butfish oilhas been shown to be especially helpful for people with inflammatory diseases and various types of arthritis, including RA.

Research suggests that eating fish several times each week may be protective against RA.

A healthy diet can be beneficial when it comes to preventing RA. Obesity has been linked to the condition, and maintaining a healthy weight may reduce your risk of RA.Additionally, a number of vitamins and minerals—like vitamin D and calcium—can help keep RA and osteoporosis from progressing.

There is also some evidence thatanti-inflammatory dietscan help fight RA and other inflammatory diseases. These diets typically rely on elements of vegetarian, gluten-free, and Mediterranean diets. A 2022 review notes that dietary fiber can help improve the thegut microbiomein RA patients and reduce joint pain.Conversely, it is noted that foods like red and processed meat, sugar, and dairy products can upset the balance of the microbiome and contribute to inflammation.

While these diets don’t have a significant effect on disease development or progression, eating or avoiding certain foods seems to help some patients with RA when combined with other therapies.

Key aspects of these diets include:

Superfoods for an anti-inflammatory diet include:

Foods best avoided or limited include:

People with RA are often at an increased risk for infections due to a weakened immune system or immunosuppressive drugs used to fight inflammation. People with RA should maintain good hygiene (including good oral health to prevent bad bacteria from causing inflammation) and talk to their medical provider about which vaccines they should get and when.

It is also thought that certain viral infections, likeEpstein-Barr virus, and the body’s immune response are associated with a higher risk of RA.

Regular exercise—even low-impact exercise—can help with chronic disease prevention and reduces stress that can contribute to RA flares.Exercise improves bone health, heart health, mental health, and more.

All types of exercise—aerobic, resistance training, stretching, and balance exercises—can also be protective against diseases like RA and may help slow progression and relieve symptoms of the disease.Yoga, in particular, can reduce pain, inflammation, and stress, and improve mental health, balance, and strength.

Some of the best examples of exercises for people with RA include:

When you have RA, it’s important to listen to your body. Be mindful of pain, and don’t push yourself to discomfort. It is also important to develop an exercise routine (often with the help of a physical therapist) that takes both symptoms and disease progression into account.

The right equipment, like supportive shoes, can help you stay safe and get the greatest benefit from your efforts.

Reduce Exposure to Environmental Pollutants

Environmental pollutants like chemicals used in cleaning and manufacturing have been shown to trigger a host of health problems—especially in people with certain genes.

There is a high association between RA and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II genes.The HLA gene has been tied to the development of RA, and studies have found that pollutants like dioxins and cigarette smoke are associated with disease development in people with this gene. New medications are being investigated to block these actions, but avoidance of harmful chemicals is best when possible.

These harmful chemicals include second-hand smoke, asbestos, silica dust, and pesticides.A 2021 study showed that exposure to high levels of air pollutants, which produce dioxins, was linked to RA severity and risk of experiencing a flare (in which symptoms suddenly appear or worsen) of the disease.

A 2015 metaanalysis indicated that breastfeeding for any length of time was moderately linked to a decreased risk of RA, with one study suggesting that women who breastfed were half as likely to develop RA.

One study did, though, indicate that in patients with early RA, breastfeeding did increase its risk.It should also be noted that patients with RA often experience flares in the postpartum period and should discuss if medications used to treat symptoms are safe to use while breastfeeding.

RA is a chronic, progressive disease that can lead to disabling joint damage. Early symptoms can include morning stiffness that resolves in about an hour.

If you think you have RA or are at risk of developing the condition, talk with your healthcare provider.Early diagnosisand immediate and aggressive treatment with medications that help stop inflammation is key to preventing severe joint damage or damage to other organs.

RA Treatment: Window of OpportunityGetting an accurate diagnosis and treatment early in the course of the disease is the key to fighting RA. The worst joint damage comes about two years into the disease, and you will have the best outcome if your diagnosis and treatment begin within six months of your first symptoms.However, it is never too late to incorporate strategies like exercise and a healthy diet to prevent the progression of symptoms.

RA Treatment: Window of Opportunity

Getting an accurate diagnosis and treatment early in the course of the disease is the key to fighting RA. The worst joint damage comes about two years into the disease, and you will have the best outcome if your diagnosis and treatment begin within six months of your first symptoms.However, it is never too late to incorporate strategies like exercise and a healthy diet to prevent the progression of symptoms.

Summary

It’s not possible to prevent rheumatoid arthritis entirely, but a number of lifestyle factors that contribute to the risk of developing RA can be modified. Smoking, for example, is believed to be implicated in 20% of all RA cases.

Choosing a healthier diet and higher levels of physical activity are some of the changes you can make to limit RA symptoms or slow the disease progression.

Talk to your healthcare provider about your RA concerns or any symptoms you experience. The sooner you take preventive steps or begin any necessary treatment, the better your chances of limiting RA and its impact.

30 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Chang K, Yang SM, Kim SH, Han KH, Park SJ, Shin JI.Smoking and rheumatoid arthritis.Int J Mol Sci. 2014 Dec 3;15(12):22279-95. doi: 10.3390/ijms151222279Center for Disease Control and Prevention.How to quit smoking.Schäfer C, Keyßer G.Lifestyle factors and their influence on rheumatoid arthritis: A narrative review.J Clin Med. 2022 Dec 2;11(23):7179. doi:10.3390/jcm11237179.Lu B, Solomon DH, Costenbader KH, Karlson EW.Alcohol consumption and risk of incident rheumatoid arthritis in women: a prospective study.Arthritis Rheumatol. 2014;66(8):1998-2005. doi:10.1002/art.38634Arthritis Foundation.Alcohol and arthritis.NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center.What people with rheumatoid arthritis need to know about osteoporosis.Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation.Treatment for osteoporosis.John Hopkins Rheumatology.Gum disease linked to rheumatoid arthritis.Konig MF, Abusleme L, Reinholdt J, Palmer RJ, Teles RP, Sampson K, Rosen A, Nigrovic PA, Sokolove J, Giles JT, Moutsopoulos NM, Andrade F.Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans-induced hypercitrullination links periodontal infection to autoimmunity in rheumatoid arthritis.Sci Transl Med. 2016 Dec 14;8(369):369ra176. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaj1921Tedeschi SK, Bathon JM, Giles JT, Lin TC, Yoshida K, Solomon DH.Relationship Between Fish Consumption and Disease Activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2018 Mar;70(3):327-332. doi: 10.1002/acr.23295Ohno T, Aune D, Heath AK.Adiposity and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.Sci Rep. 2020;10(1):16006. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-71676-6Meena N, Singh Chawla SP, Garg R, Batta A, Kaur S.Assessment of vitamin D in rheumatoid arthritis and its correlation with disease activity.J Nat Sci Biol Med. 2018;9(1):54-58. doi:10.4103/jnsbm.JNSBM_128_17Zhao T, Wei Y, Zhu Y, et al.Gut microbiota and rheumatoid arthritis: From pathogenesis to novel therapeutic opportunities.Front Immunol. 2022;13:1007165. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2022.1007165Arthritis Foundation.11 risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis and what you can do about them.Vadell AKE, Bärebring L, Hulander E, Gjertsson I, Lindqvist HM, Winkvist A.Anti-inflammatory diet in rheumatoid arthritis (ADIRA)-a randomized, controlled crossover trial indicating effects on disease activity.Am J Clin Nutr. 2020 Jun 1;111(6):1203-1213. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqaa019Harvard Medical School.Foods that fight inflammation.Hospital for Special Surgery.Reducing risk of infection in people with rheumatoid arthritis.Houen G, Trier NH.Epstein-Barr virus and systemic autoimmune diseases.Front Immunol. 2021;11:587380. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2020.587380Arthritis Foundation.How stress affects arthritis.Harvard Medical School.Exercise can ease rheumatoid arthritis pain.Arthritis Foundation.Yoga benefits for arthritis.Arthritis Foundation.Best exercises for rheumatoid arthritis.University of Michigan.How environmental pollutants and genetics work together in rheumatoid arthritis.Adami G, Viapiana O, Rossini M, et al.Association between environmental air pollution and rheumatoid arthritis flares.Rheumatology (Oxford). 2021;60(10):4591-4597. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/keab049Chen H, Wang J, Zhou W, Yin H, Wang M.Breastfeeding and risk of rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review and metaanalysis.J Rheumatol. 2015;42(9):1563-1569. doi:10.3899/jrheum.150195Adab P, Jiang CQ, Rankin E, et al.Breastfeeding practice, oral contraceptive use and risk of rheumatoid arthritis among Chinese women: the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study.Rheumatology. 2014;53(5):860-866. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/ket456Mouyis M.Postnatal care of woman with rheumatic diseases.Adv Ther. 2020;37(9):3723-3731. doi:10.1007/s12325-020-01448-1Arthritis Foundation.Rheumatoid arthritis and pregnancy.Hospital for Special Surgery.Study: Timely, effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis reduces disability two years out.

30 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Chang K, Yang SM, Kim SH, Han KH, Park SJ, Shin JI.Smoking and rheumatoid arthritis.Int J Mol Sci. 2014 Dec 3;15(12):22279-95. doi: 10.3390/ijms151222279Center for Disease Control and Prevention.How to quit smoking.Schäfer C, Keyßer G.Lifestyle factors and their influence on rheumatoid arthritis: A narrative review.J Clin Med. 2022 Dec 2;11(23):7179. doi:10.3390/jcm11237179.Lu B, Solomon DH, Costenbader KH, Karlson EW.Alcohol consumption and risk of incident rheumatoid arthritis in women: a prospective study.Arthritis Rheumatol. 2014;66(8):1998-2005. doi:10.1002/art.38634Arthritis Foundation.Alcohol and arthritis.NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center.What people with rheumatoid arthritis need to know about osteoporosis.Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation.Treatment for osteoporosis.John Hopkins Rheumatology.Gum disease linked to rheumatoid arthritis.Konig MF, Abusleme L, Reinholdt J, Palmer RJ, Teles RP, Sampson K, Rosen A, Nigrovic PA, Sokolove J, Giles JT, Moutsopoulos NM, Andrade F.Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans-induced hypercitrullination links periodontal infection to autoimmunity in rheumatoid arthritis.Sci Transl Med. 2016 Dec 14;8(369):369ra176. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaj1921Tedeschi SK, Bathon JM, Giles JT, Lin TC, Yoshida K, Solomon DH.Relationship Between Fish Consumption and Disease Activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2018 Mar;70(3):327-332. doi: 10.1002/acr.23295Ohno T, Aune D, Heath AK.Adiposity and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.Sci Rep. 2020;10(1):16006. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-71676-6Meena N, Singh Chawla SP, Garg R, Batta A, Kaur S.Assessment of vitamin D in rheumatoid arthritis and its correlation with disease activity.J Nat Sci Biol Med. 2018;9(1):54-58. doi:10.4103/jnsbm.JNSBM_128_17Zhao T, Wei Y, Zhu Y, et al.Gut microbiota and rheumatoid arthritis: From pathogenesis to novel therapeutic opportunities.Front Immunol. 2022;13:1007165. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2022.1007165Arthritis Foundation.11 risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis and what you can do about them.Vadell AKE, Bärebring L, Hulander E, Gjertsson I, Lindqvist HM, Winkvist A.Anti-inflammatory diet in rheumatoid arthritis (ADIRA)-a randomized, controlled crossover trial indicating effects on disease activity.Am J Clin Nutr. 2020 Jun 1;111(6):1203-1213. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqaa019Harvard Medical School.Foods that fight inflammation.Hospital for Special Surgery.Reducing risk of infection in people with rheumatoid arthritis.Houen G, Trier NH.Epstein-Barr virus and systemic autoimmune diseases.Front Immunol. 2021;11:587380. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2020.587380Arthritis Foundation.How stress affects arthritis.Harvard Medical School.Exercise can ease rheumatoid arthritis pain.Arthritis Foundation.Yoga benefits for arthritis.Arthritis Foundation.Best exercises for rheumatoid arthritis.University of Michigan.How environmental pollutants and genetics work together in rheumatoid arthritis.Adami G, Viapiana O, Rossini M, et al.Association between environmental air pollution and rheumatoid arthritis flares.Rheumatology (Oxford). 2021;60(10):4591-4597. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/keab049Chen H, Wang J, Zhou W, Yin H, Wang M.Breastfeeding and risk of rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review and metaanalysis.J Rheumatol. 2015;42(9):1563-1569. doi:10.3899/jrheum.150195Adab P, Jiang CQ, Rankin E, et al.Breastfeeding practice, oral contraceptive use and risk of rheumatoid arthritis among Chinese women: the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study.Rheumatology. 2014;53(5):860-866. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/ket456Mouyis M.Postnatal care of woman with rheumatic diseases.Adv Ther. 2020;37(9):3723-3731. doi:10.1007/s12325-020-01448-1Arthritis Foundation.Rheumatoid arthritis and pregnancy.Hospital for Special Surgery.Study: Timely, effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis reduces disability two years out.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Chang K, Yang SM, Kim SH, Han KH, Park SJ, Shin JI.Smoking and rheumatoid arthritis.Int J Mol Sci. 2014 Dec 3;15(12):22279-95. doi: 10.3390/ijms151222279Center for Disease Control and Prevention.How to quit smoking.Schäfer C, Keyßer G.Lifestyle factors and their influence on rheumatoid arthritis: A narrative review.J Clin Med. 2022 Dec 2;11(23):7179. doi:10.3390/jcm11237179.Lu B, Solomon DH, Costenbader KH, Karlson EW.Alcohol consumption and risk of incident rheumatoid arthritis in women: a prospective study.Arthritis Rheumatol. 2014;66(8):1998-2005. doi:10.1002/art.38634Arthritis Foundation.Alcohol and arthritis.NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center.What people with rheumatoid arthritis need to know about osteoporosis.Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation.Treatment for osteoporosis.John Hopkins Rheumatology.Gum disease linked to rheumatoid arthritis.Konig MF, Abusleme L, Reinholdt J, Palmer RJ, Teles RP, Sampson K, Rosen A, Nigrovic PA, Sokolove J, Giles JT, Moutsopoulos NM, Andrade F.Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans-induced hypercitrullination links periodontal infection to autoimmunity in rheumatoid arthritis.Sci Transl Med. 2016 Dec 14;8(369):369ra176. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaj1921Tedeschi SK, Bathon JM, Giles JT, Lin TC, Yoshida K, Solomon DH.Relationship Between Fish Consumption and Disease Activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2018 Mar;70(3):327-332. doi: 10.1002/acr.23295Ohno T, Aune D, Heath AK.Adiposity and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.Sci Rep. 2020;10(1):16006. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-71676-6Meena N, Singh Chawla SP, Garg R, Batta A, Kaur S.Assessment of vitamin D in rheumatoid arthritis and its correlation with disease activity.J Nat Sci Biol Med. 2018;9(1):54-58. doi:10.4103/jnsbm.JNSBM_128_17Zhao T, Wei Y, Zhu Y, et al.Gut microbiota and rheumatoid arthritis: From pathogenesis to novel therapeutic opportunities.Front Immunol. 2022;13:1007165. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2022.1007165Arthritis Foundation.11 risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis and what you can do about them.Vadell AKE, Bärebring L, Hulander E, Gjertsson I, Lindqvist HM, Winkvist A.Anti-inflammatory diet in rheumatoid arthritis (ADIRA)-a randomized, controlled crossover trial indicating effects on disease activity.Am J Clin Nutr. 2020 Jun 1;111(6):1203-1213. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqaa019Harvard Medical School.Foods that fight inflammation.Hospital for Special Surgery.Reducing risk of infection in people with rheumatoid arthritis.Houen G, Trier NH.Epstein-Barr virus and systemic autoimmune diseases.Front Immunol. 2021;11:587380. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2020.587380Arthritis Foundation.How stress affects arthritis.Harvard Medical School.Exercise can ease rheumatoid arthritis pain.Arthritis Foundation.Yoga benefits for arthritis.Arthritis Foundation.Best exercises for rheumatoid arthritis.University of Michigan.How environmental pollutants and genetics work together in rheumatoid arthritis.Adami G, Viapiana O, Rossini M, et al.Association between environmental air pollution and rheumatoid arthritis flares.Rheumatology (Oxford). 2021;60(10):4591-4597. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/keab049Chen H, Wang J, Zhou W, Yin H, Wang M.Breastfeeding and risk of rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review and metaanalysis.J Rheumatol. 2015;42(9):1563-1569. doi:10.3899/jrheum.150195Adab P, Jiang CQ, Rankin E, et al.Breastfeeding practice, oral contraceptive use and risk of rheumatoid arthritis among Chinese women: the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study.Rheumatology. 2014;53(5):860-866. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/ket456Mouyis M.Postnatal care of woman with rheumatic diseases.Adv Ther. 2020;37(9):3723-3731. doi:10.1007/s12325-020-01448-1Arthritis Foundation.Rheumatoid arthritis and pregnancy.Hospital for Special Surgery.Study: Timely, effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis reduces disability two years out.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Chang K, Yang SM, Kim SH, Han KH, Park SJ, Shin JI.Smoking and rheumatoid arthritis.Int J Mol Sci. 2014 Dec 3;15(12):22279-95. doi: 10.3390/ijms151222279

Center for Disease Control and Prevention.How to quit smoking.

Schäfer C, Keyßer G.Lifestyle factors and their influence on rheumatoid arthritis: A narrative review.J Clin Med. 2022 Dec 2;11(23):7179. doi:10.3390/jcm11237179.

Lu B, Solomon DH, Costenbader KH, Karlson EW.Alcohol consumption and risk of incident rheumatoid arthritis in women: a prospective study.Arthritis Rheumatol. 2014;66(8):1998-2005. doi:10.1002/art.38634

Arthritis Foundation.Alcohol and arthritis.

NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center.What people with rheumatoid arthritis need to know about osteoporosis.

Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation.Treatment for osteoporosis.

John Hopkins Rheumatology.Gum disease linked to rheumatoid arthritis.

Konig MF, Abusleme L, Reinholdt J, Palmer RJ, Teles RP, Sampson K, Rosen A, Nigrovic PA, Sokolove J, Giles JT, Moutsopoulos NM, Andrade F.Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans-induced hypercitrullination links periodontal infection to autoimmunity in rheumatoid arthritis.Sci Transl Med. 2016 Dec 14;8(369):369ra176. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaj1921

Tedeschi SK, Bathon JM, Giles JT, Lin TC, Yoshida K, Solomon DH.Relationship Between Fish Consumption and Disease Activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2018 Mar;70(3):327-332. doi: 10.1002/acr.23295

Ohno T, Aune D, Heath AK.Adiposity and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.Sci Rep. 2020;10(1):16006. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-71676-6

Meena N, Singh Chawla SP, Garg R, Batta A, Kaur S.Assessment of vitamin D in rheumatoid arthritis and its correlation with disease activity.J Nat Sci Biol Med. 2018;9(1):54-58. doi:10.4103/jnsbm.JNSBM_128_17

Zhao T, Wei Y, Zhu Y, et al.Gut microbiota and rheumatoid arthritis: From pathogenesis to novel therapeutic opportunities.Front Immunol. 2022;13:1007165. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2022.1007165

Arthritis Foundation.11 risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis and what you can do about them.

Vadell AKE, Bärebring L, Hulander E, Gjertsson I, Lindqvist HM, Winkvist A.Anti-inflammatory diet in rheumatoid arthritis (ADIRA)-a randomized, controlled crossover trial indicating effects on disease activity.Am J Clin Nutr. 2020 Jun 1;111(6):1203-1213. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqaa019

Harvard Medical School.Foods that fight inflammation.

Hospital for Special Surgery.Reducing risk of infection in people with rheumatoid arthritis.

Houen G, Trier NH.Epstein-Barr virus and systemic autoimmune diseases.Front Immunol. 2021;11:587380. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2020.587380

Arthritis Foundation.How stress affects arthritis.

Harvard Medical School.Exercise can ease rheumatoid arthritis pain.

Arthritis Foundation.Yoga benefits for arthritis.

Arthritis Foundation.Best exercises for rheumatoid arthritis.

University of Michigan.How environmental pollutants and genetics work together in rheumatoid arthritis.

Adami G, Viapiana O, Rossini M, et al.Association between environmental air pollution and rheumatoid arthritis flares.Rheumatology (Oxford). 2021;60(10):4591-4597. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/keab049

Chen H, Wang J, Zhou W, Yin H, Wang M.Breastfeeding and risk of rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review and metaanalysis.J Rheumatol. 2015;42(9):1563-1569. doi:10.3899/jrheum.150195

Adab P, Jiang CQ, Rankin E, et al.Breastfeeding practice, oral contraceptive use and risk of rheumatoid arthritis among Chinese women: the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study.Rheumatology. 2014;53(5):860-866. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/ket456

Mouyis M.Postnatal care of woman with rheumatic diseases.Adv Ther. 2020;37(9):3723-3731. doi:10.1007/s12325-020-01448-1

Arthritis Foundation.Rheumatoid arthritis and pregnancy.

Hospital for Special Surgery.Study: Timely, effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis reduces disability two years out.

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