Can Baking Soda Really Fight Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that affects the body’s joints. In Rheumatoid arthritis, when the immune system starts attacking the joints, it causes inflammation that further causes the tissues lining the inside of the joints to thicken. This is what causes the joint pains one experiences in rheumatoid arthritis. Being an autoimmune disorder, there is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis. Instead, one has to find a treatment plan that works best in managing Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and of course, manages the pain as well. New research now shows that baking soda can help fight rheumatoid arthritis. While baking soda is known for its many uses, now the treatment of Rheumatoid arthritis is also added to the many purposes baking soda can be used for. Let us see how it is possible to now fight rheumatoid arthritis with baking soda.

Everyone knows that baking soda has plenty of uses; ranging range from dental care to various household cleaning purposes. Baking soda is known to have many benefits and now a new purpose has been added to this ever-growing list of uses of baking soda-that of treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA). So how does baking soda help in fighting rheumatoid arthritis?

The premise for this lies in the fact that it is important for your health that the body’s proper pH levels remain balanced. If the body’s environment becomes too acidic or too alkaline, it can cause different types of health problems and also give rise to several negative physical symptoms.

Researchers from the Augusta University of Georgia now claim that baking soda helps alkalize an acidic environment inside the body. In fact, this is not a new concept. Over the years, many holistic and naturopathic doctors, health coaches, nutritionists, and dietitians have supported the concept that having an alkaline body environment is more beneficial than an acidic one. However, it is important to know that the extremes of any spectrum are not good. There has to be a balance between the acidic and alkaline environment of the body. Being too far on either end of the spectrum will prove to be harmful to your health.

This latest study was published in the Journal of Immunology and it concluded that drinking water which has baking soda mixed in it could potentially lower a person’s chances of getting diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and even lupus. According to the lead author of the study, Paul O’Connor, the study introduced baking soda to participants, which included both humans and rats. The study was conducted for two weeks during which the participants had baking soda and water solution. At the end of two weeks, scientists found that the immune cells of the participants seem to have changed functions and had begun focusing on reducing the inflammation in the body, instead of boosting it. The role of the baking soda here was that it naturally stimulated the anti-inflammatory response of the immune cells. Due to this, conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis would stand to benefit from the anti-inflammatory properties of baking soda.

How Does Baking Soda Work in Fighting Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Also known as sodium bicarbonate, consuming baking soda tells the body to tone down the autoimmune response and fight autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Baking soda also helps to strengthen the anti-inflammatory response of the body. The baking soda alerts the immune cells of a faulty immune system that the body is not under an actual attack. This is why the immune cells then shift focus from inflammatory and autoimmune actions to anti-inflammatory actions. This change of focus of the immune cells also drives down the immune response, preventing the immune system from attacking itself; and hence in this way, baking soda can help fight rheumatoid arthritis.

Conclusion

While more research is required on the topic, it is safe to assume that baking soda would be an easy, safe, effective and inexpensive solution to treat and control the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune conditions that cause inflammation. However, do not start taking baking soda without consulting your doctor. Always consult your doctor before you start any treatment regimen with baking soda.

Baking soda is already used to treat several conditions including acid reflux. Some research also suggests that baking soda could be a way to potentially prevent some forms of cancer as well. However, some more research will go a long way in making people understand the benefits of baking soda to treat RA.

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Can Baking Soda Really Fight Rheumatoid Arthritis?