Welcome to ACR on Air, the official podcast of the American College of Rheumatology, where Dr. Jonathan Hausmann hosts engaging conversations with leading rheumatology professionals. In today’s episode, guest Dr. Monica Guma is welcomed on to discuss how diet can impact rheumatic diseases. You do not want to miss this conversation about topics like the microbiome, supplements, anti-inflammatory diets, intermittent fasting and more.
Dr. Monica Guma is a rheumatologist and biomedical scientist at UC San Diego. She’s interested in finding biomarkers and therapeutic targets for inflammatory arthritis. Recently, she has been studying diet and how it can affect the molecules in the blood to have anti-inflammatory properties.
To kick off the conversation, Dr. Hausman asks Dr. Guma how she became interested in studying the role of diet among those with rheumatic diseases. She explains that many patients are looking for immediate factors they can control in treating their conditions, such as diet. Listen as she breaks down how modifying one’s diet impacts other inflammatory mediators.
In what ways can the things we eat modulate disease? It is clear now that the microbiome is a key factor in modulating disease. Dr. Guma breaks down this discovery and the supporting. She explains what exactly the microbiome is and its function within the body. The research is all about trying to find the right bacteria to metabolize in a healthier way to avoid triggering inflammation and disease.
Next, Dr. Guma suggests that the microbiome actually varies from person to person. Find out the different factors that play into this, and how she is able to find the right diet for the right person, which she says is her main goal. The evidence is there to suggest that the same diet will work for everyone.
The conversation then shifts to discussing the ITIS diet, designed by Dr. Guma, which promotes inflammation regulation in rheumatic conditions. She explains what the diet entails and how it was developed in partnership with patients. She also explains that it is not possible to get results by only changing a few minute things within the diet, but rather the entire diet has to initially change. The idea was to build a diet that patients easily follow and not feel restricted. Instead of focusing on a diet that is strictly ’good” or “bad”, Dr. Guma advocates for moderation.
The two rheumatologist went on to discuss the difference in eating vitamin-rich foods and taking supplements. Dr. Guma believes supplements are a great addition to a diet, but the best thing to do is to eat healthy foods that contain more than just one specific vitamin or mineral. Equally as important as the foods themselves are the way they are actually cooked. She recommends avoiding frying food and changing habits around how to prepare food.
Dr. Hausmann and Dr. Guma then discuss the best resources for anyone interested in learning more about adopting a healthier way of eating for rheumatic conditions. Dr. Guma gives a small look into her own diet and how parts of the ITIS diet were new even to her. She believes everyone should make the effort to make small changes in their diet for health and longevity. She talks about her observations on intermittent fasting and its effectiveness. Finally, Dr, Guma addresses whether there is any harm in following a specialized diet. It is her hope that patients and listeners will feel well equipped with research and information to make educated and intuitive choices surrounding their own diets.
Speaker Monica Guma, MD, PhD - Monica Guma, MD, PhD, is a rheumatologist who treats a variety of musculoskeletal diseases and autoimmune conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthritis.
Dr. Guma has been with the Department of Medicine at UC San Diego since 2013. She is also a biomedical scientist, with interest in finding new biomarkers and therapeutic targets for inflammatory arthritis. Her research focuses on the control of intracellular signaling by metabolic changes after cell activation.
Dr. Guma completed a fellowship in rheumatology at UC San Diego School of Medicine. She earned her medical degree from the University Autonomous of Barcelona, where she also completed her residency. Dr. Guma earned her PhD from Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona and her postdoctoral research training at UC San Diego.
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