HealthCentral discusses what patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) should know about trying an elimination diet (or a procedure used to identify foods that may be triggering symptom flares) according to Laura Gibofsky, MS, RD, CSP, CDN, clinical nutritionist at HSS and others.

Gibofsky explained when you cut a food out of your diet, you need to compensate for those nutrients you’ll be missing out on. “If someone comes to me saying, ‘I’ve removed certain foods, and now I’m eating lemon water and carrots,’ I say, ‘Well, we have a problem because that’s not going to meet your nutrition needs.’” Getting the proper nutrition to support overall health is important when you’re living with RA, she added, noting if you’re on certain medications, you may already be at risk for nutritional deficiencies. For instance, steroids can affect how the body uses the bone-building nutrients calcium and vitamin D. “So removing calcium from your diet without replacing it could put you at greater risk for weakened bones,” said Gibofsky, adding your dietitian can help you avoid nutritional deficiencies by advising you on what foods you’ll need to eat to replace the nutrients you’ll be cutting out.

Read the full article at Healthcentral.com.