Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypes of Intermittent FastingBenefits for Psoriatic ArthritisRisksWho Should Not FastFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types of Intermittent Fasting
Benefits for Psoriatic Arthritis
Risks
Who Should Not Fast
Frequently Asked Questions
If you havepsoriatic arthritis(PsA), the food that’s recommended for you is the same that’s good for people with heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Many of these foods, like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and some fish, have anti-inflammatory properties that can help you manage your condition.
Foods that trigger psoriatic arthritis include saturated fats, sugar, alcohol, and simple carbohydrates. They can contribute to weight gain and potentially increase pressure on your joints. Keeping your weight at a healthy level is key to managing psoriatic arthritis.
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Intermittent fastingis an eating plan that switches between fasting and eating on a regular schedule. The idea is that while you are fasting, your body uses up its sugar supply and burns stored fat. This process is known as metabolic switching.
Fasting times vary, but you can select a schedule that works best for you. Fasting times include:
Longer periods without food, such as 24-, 36-, 48-, and 72-hour fasting periods, are not necessarily better for you and may be dangerous. Going too long without eating might actually encourage your body to start storing more fat in response to starvation.
Psoriasis Diet: Foods to Eat and Avoid
If you have psoriatic arthritis, you will benefit in losing weight if you are overweight. By managing your weight, you can reduce the risk of other medical conditions linked to PsA and can reduce the pressure placed on your joints.
Apart from losing weight, studies in both animals and humans show that intermittent fasting speeds up metabolism and influences the circadian rhythm, gut microbiota, and lifestyle habits. Research shows that intermittent fasting can optimize autophagy, the process through which the cells in our body are recycled and regenerate, and it may slow cellular aging.
Studies have further indicated that patients withrheumatoid arthritis(RA), another inflammatory form of arthritis, who engaged in fasting had a rapid immune response with reduced inflammation.However, when the fasting ended and food was reintroduced, inflammation returned and symptoms reappeared.
The safety and long-term effects of intermittent fasting are still unclear. You should discuss your plans with your doctor and a nutritionist to determine if intermittent fasting is suitable for your lifestyle. Intermittent fasting comes with the following risks:
Avoid fasting if you’re taking medications for diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Also, you should not fast if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. Children and the elderly should also avoid fasting.
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Summary
However, it is also linked to certain risks, including overeating after fasting, losing too much weight, and causing problems with medications you take for other conditions.
Psoriatic arthritis can be managed. Before you decide to make dramatic changes to your diet, like starting intermittent fasting, talk to your doctor and discuss the pros and cons first. When in doubt, speak to a nutritionist who specializes in psoriatic arthritis. A nutritionist can provide you with guidance on which foods may cause uncomfortable and painful flare-ups and which foods can help with your condition.
What foods trigger psoriatic arthritis?
Avoid processed meats that are high in saturated fat and sodium, alcohol, sugary drinks like soda, packaged snack foods, white bread, rice, candy, and fried foods.These foods can trigger inflammation and worsen symptoms of psoriatic arthritis.
What causes psoriatic arthritis flare-ups?
Apart from an unhealthy diet high in fat, sodium, sugar, and processed foods, skipping and stopping any prescribed medication for the condition can also lead to a flare-up, a time when symptoms increase. Physical stress (such as an infection or surgery) and emotional stress can also lead to flare-ups.
A sunburn can cause a skin flare-up. Injury-induced flare-ups, called the Koebner phenomenon,can affect your joints. The key to minimizing flare-ups is to manage stress, get adequate sleep, maintain a healthy weight, and exercise regularly.
6 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.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Intermittent Fasting: What is it, and how does it work?Venetsanopoulou AI, Voulgari PV, Drosos AA.Fasting mimicking diets: A literature review of their impact on inflammatory arthritis.Mediterr J Rheumatol. 2020 Mar 31;30(4):201-206. doi:10.31138/mjr.30.4.201Hall KD, Kahan S.Maintenance of Lost Weight and Long-Term Management of Obesity.Med Clin North Am. 2018 Jan;102(1):183-197. doi:10.1016/j.mcna.2017.08.012Adawi M, Damiani G, Bragazzi NL, et al.The Impact of Intermittent Fasting (Ramadan fasting) on Psoriatic Arthritis Disease Activity, Enthesitis, and Dactylitis: a Multicentre Study.Nutrients. 2019;11(3):601. DOI: 10.3390/nu11030601Rheumatoid Arthritis.Psoriatic Arthritis:Which Foods are Triggers and Which are Suppressants?October 27, 2018.Arthritis Foundation.Managing psoriatic arthritis flares.
6 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.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Intermittent Fasting: What is it, and how does it work?Venetsanopoulou AI, Voulgari PV, Drosos AA.Fasting mimicking diets: A literature review of their impact on inflammatory arthritis.Mediterr J Rheumatol. 2020 Mar 31;30(4):201-206. doi:10.31138/mjr.30.4.201Hall KD, Kahan S.Maintenance of Lost Weight and Long-Term Management of Obesity.Med Clin North Am. 2018 Jan;102(1):183-197. doi:10.1016/j.mcna.2017.08.012Adawi M, Damiani G, Bragazzi NL, et al.The Impact of Intermittent Fasting (Ramadan fasting) on Psoriatic Arthritis Disease Activity, Enthesitis, and Dactylitis: a Multicentre Study.Nutrients. 2019;11(3):601. DOI: 10.3390/nu11030601Rheumatoid Arthritis.Psoriatic Arthritis:Which Foods are Triggers and Which are Suppressants?October 27, 2018.Arthritis Foundation.Managing psoriatic arthritis flares.
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.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Intermittent Fasting: What is it, and how does it work?Venetsanopoulou AI, Voulgari PV, Drosos AA.Fasting mimicking diets: A literature review of their impact on inflammatory arthritis.Mediterr J Rheumatol. 2020 Mar 31;30(4):201-206. doi:10.31138/mjr.30.4.201Hall KD, Kahan S.Maintenance of Lost Weight and Long-Term Management of Obesity.Med Clin North Am. 2018 Jan;102(1):183-197. doi:10.1016/j.mcna.2017.08.012Adawi M, Damiani G, Bragazzi NL, et al.The Impact of Intermittent Fasting (Ramadan fasting) on Psoriatic Arthritis Disease Activity, Enthesitis, and Dactylitis: a Multicentre Study.Nutrients. 2019;11(3):601. DOI: 10.3390/nu11030601Rheumatoid Arthritis.Psoriatic Arthritis:Which Foods are Triggers and Which are Suppressants?October 27, 2018.Arthritis Foundation.Managing psoriatic arthritis flares.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Intermittent Fasting: What is it, and how does it work?
Venetsanopoulou AI, Voulgari PV, Drosos AA.Fasting mimicking diets: A literature review of their impact on inflammatory arthritis.Mediterr J Rheumatol. 2020 Mar 31;30(4):201-206. doi:10.31138/mjr.30.4.201
Hall KD, Kahan S.Maintenance of Lost Weight and Long-Term Management of Obesity.Med Clin North Am. 2018 Jan;102(1):183-197. doi:10.1016/j.mcna.2017.08.012
Adawi M, Damiani G, Bragazzi NL, et al.The Impact of Intermittent Fasting (Ramadan fasting) on Psoriatic Arthritis Disease Activity, Enthesitis, and Dactylitis: a Multicentre Study.Nutrients. 2019;11(3):601. DOI: 10.3390/nu11030601
Rheumatoid Arthritis.Psoriatic Arthritis:Which Foods are Triggers and Which are Suppressants?October 27, 2018.
Arthritis Foundation.Managing psoriatic arthritis flares.
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