Nutrition
Dietary management of rheumatoid arthritis
Green-cabbage
In this new chapter, we will be discussing how we can manage rheumatoid arthritis with our diet.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease of the joints. Autoimmune means that the body’s disease fighting system attacks the person’s own body cells.
The main cause is unknown. Rogue molecules cause the cartilage to break down, and the result is throbbing, warm, stiff, and swollen joints. Over time, it even exceeds the joints and damage the bones.
Rheumatoid arthritis is more common in women and has several features that makes it different from other kinds of arthritis. For example, a person with rheumatoid arthritis may feel tired, have occasional fevers, and generally not feel well. And unlike osteoarthritis, pain and stiffness is worse in the morning while pain and swelling of osteoarthritis is worse in the evening.
Management is mostly pain medications and immunosuppressant but the role of diet cannot be over looked.
Foods to include
Anthocyanin rich foods such as; red grapes, cranberries, cherries and cabbage.
Copper rich foods such as; crab, mushroom, spinach, and beans.
Omega-3 fatty acid rich foods such as; salmon, flaxseed, anchovies, and sardines.
Vitamin E rich foods such as; almonds, avocado, red bell peppers, and peanut butter.
Foods to avoid
Red meat such as; beef, mutton, and chevon.
Gluten containing products such as; wheat.
Refined carbohydrates and processed foods such as; pastries, certain cereals, and white rice.
Lifestyle modification
Modifying our lifestyle from a predominantly sedentary lifestyle to incorporating exercises like going for walks, jogging, and riding bicycles, as well as avoiding late-night high-calorie meals, excessive alcohol intake, and cigarette smoking will serve to prolong our healthy life and prevent rheumatoid arthritis from being our burden.
In conclusion, rheumatoid arthritis can be difficult to cope with psychologically, due to its autoimmune nature. But let us always remain steadfast with the simple ways of managing it; a balanced diet rich in anti-inflammatory nutrients, alongside regular exercise and healthy lifestyle choices, will help manage symptoms and reduce the impact of rheumatoid arthritis.
The writer Dr Bernice Korkor Asare is the CEO of Holistic Health Consult
“Your diet your health, your health your wealth”
E-mail: holistichealthconsultgh@gmail.com
Nutrition
Kaaweku
Kaaweku
Kwaaweku is a staple food for royals in Ada. The name ‘Kaaweku’ is derived from two syllables – Kaawe which means crab in the Ada language and ‘Ku’ which is taken from ‘banku’ because of its preparation which is similar to that of banku.
In other languages, this food made from roasted corn flour and palm nut soup has different names with the most common being ‘Apapransa’ as it is called by the Akans. In the Ewe language, it is called, Dzemkpl3, and in Ga, it is called ‘Akplijii’.
Ingredients
-1kilogram of palm nut extract
-2 large onions
-4 large peppers
– 3 large tomatoes
-Two tablespoonfuls of grinded ginger
-Two tablespoonfuls of garlic
– Half cup of roasted corn flour
– Fish/meat
-Momone
-Two tablespoonfuls of powdered shrimps
-Smoked salmon
-3 large crabs
Three tablespoonfuls of salt
Preparation
-Prepare the meat or fish to be used
-Season with your choice of seasonings, add blended onions, garlic, ginger if preferred
-Add salt to taste
-Allow fish/meat to steam for about 5-10 minutes
-Blend tomatoes and pepper
-Add to the steamed meat or fish
-Dilute palm nut extract with warm water and put on fire to boil.
– Dilute and melt the palm extract in warm water.
– Strain the palm nut extract to meat.
-Add crab after 5 minutes
-Allow soup to boil/ cook for 15- 25minutes (Normally ready when the palm oil separates to the top. Also, taste to see if the fresh taste of the palm is completely gone).
When Palm nut soup is ready, proceed to Kaaweku preparation
-Scoop about eight ladles into a separate saucepan
-Add about 9-10 tablespoonful of the cornmeal gradually and a spoonful at a time, stirring the mixture at the same time and continuously till desired pasty texture as achieved and all lumps are completely dissolved.
-Add a scoop of soup and allow to steam for a couple of minutes.
– Serve into your bowl, garnishing with the crab on top, and enjoy. Soure: Ghanafoods.com
Nutrition
Tuo Zaafi
Tuo Zaafi
Ingredients
● Ayoyo leaves
● Saltpetre (Potassium nitrate)
● 3 tablespoonfuls of powdered fish
● Half cup of powdered okro
● Dawadawa
● Pepper
● Two large onions
● Two tablespoonfuls of fish seasoning
● Three tablespoonfuls of all-purpose
spices
●One kilogram of meat (Beef)
● Palm oil
● 3 large tomatoes
● Two large salmon
● Herrings
● One cup of cassava flour
● Two cups of corn flour
Preparation
-Chop the ayoyo leaves into smaller sizes.
-Boil water, add chopped onion, powdered
fish, powdered okro and dawadawa
-After five minutes, add ayoyo leaves and
saltpeter.
-Don’t cover, stir continuously until ingredients become soft.
-Add salt and seasoning. Allow to simmer for three minutes and soup is ready.
-Cut meat into desirable sizes. Wash and put meat in big saucepan over moderate heat.
-Blend onion, ginger, garlic and add to meat.
-Add salt and seasoning and cover meat to steam for five- 10 minutes.
-Heat pan over medium high heat until hot and then add olive oil.
-Add the chicken.
-Fry until browned and flip.
-Add chopped onion and garlic and sauce until tender and start to turn brown.
-Add grinded pepper, tomato puree and stir intermittently.
-Wash salmon, herrings and add to stew.
-After 6-10 minutes, add spices and allow to cook.
-Taste for salt and add some chopped onions.
-Finally add fried meat and allow to simmer for three minutes.
-Fetch some corn flour and add cold water. Mix thoroughly to form a solution.
-Boil enough water and add corn flour to cook for five-10 minutes.
-Fetch some of the solution into a separate bowl.
-Mix dry corn dough and cassava dough and add mixture bit by bit to the boiling corn dough and stir thoroughly to prevent any lumps.
-Add the corn dough solution you fetched aside to the Tuo Zaafi to make it soft and stir.
-After 15-20 minutes of stirring the Tuo Zaafi, you turn off the heat.
-Serve Tuo Zaafi with stew and soup.
