Ask the doctor.

I have rheumatoid arthritis (RA) nodules on my hands. Other than surgery, what do you recommend to reduce their size?

--Cindy B

To treat the condition, you have to modulate the immune system, encourage less inflammation, relieve pain and encourage normal joint growth. To do this, I recommend the following:

Take 2 grams per day of an omega-3 fatty acid. This will change inflammation mediators (prostaglandins) in your body from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory. Omega-3 is an essential fatty, acid that can he obtained from the diet or in supplement form.

Try to reduce your fat intake to 20 percent of total calories. Eliminate animal fat, cheese, cooking oils and any other foods that derive their calories from fat. Omega-3 oils and foods containing high amounts of essential fatty acids are fine.

Consider going on a vegetarian or vegan diet. There are studies that show that people who adopt a vegetarian diet see improvement in their RA symptoms within 4 weeks.

Have your thyroid checked for hypothyroidism, and also get tested for intestinal parasites (specifically amoebas), which can be a cause of RA in a small proportion of the RA population.