UWC Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Student Development and Support, Professor Matete Madiba, has turned her personal battle with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) into a powerful testament to the transformative potential of nutrition and lifestyle awareness. Image: Shelley Christians

As South Africa marks the end of Food Security Month, the University of the Western Cape (UWC) highlights an inspiring story that demonstrates how food can serve as nourishment and medicine.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Student Development and Support, Professor Matete Madiba, has turned her personal battle with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) into a powerful testament of the transformative potential of nutrition and lifestyle awareness. 

“I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis after experiencing severe pain in my big joints, my neck, shoulders, hips and knees. When you are diagnosed with a condition like RA, you are told it’s chronic and lifelong, and that the best medicine can do is manage your pain,” said Prof Madiba.

But her journey took a different turn when her family began researching the link between inflammation and diet. With their support, Prof Madiba transitioned to a 100% gluten-free diet, which later evolved into what she now refers to as her anti-inflammatory lifestyle. 

“It was not just about cutting out wheat, it was about reading food labels, learning about hidden ingredients, and finding foods that help rather than harm,” she said.

Her transformation was gradual but profound. By eliminating gluten and a group of vegetables known as nightshades - such as tomatoes, potatoes, and bell peppers - and increasing her intake of dark, fatty fish like salmon, she began to notice sustained relief.

“The oil from fresh salmon actually works as a natural painkiller against inflammation,” she explained.

In time, Prof Madiba uncovered an even deeper insight into her health: she had Hereditary Fructose Intolerance (HFI) - a rare condition that prevents the body from digesting fructose properly. “That discovery connected so many dots. Since childhood, I couldn’t tolerate fruit, but I never understood why. Now I know fructose was damaging my liver and worsening my inflammation,” she said.

Prof Madiba now lives a pain-free and medication-free life that leaves her full of gratitude. “I never want to relive the level of pain I once endured. Every pain-free day is a miracle. Whether I’m climbing stairs or wearing heels, I’m reminded of how far I’ve come. I am thankful to God,” she said.

As an academic, she is deeply aware of the need to bridge personal experience with scientific evidence. She said there is a growing recognition in medical circles that diet played a key role in reducing inflammation and managing auto-immune conditions.  However, she said, in South Africa, nutrition still received insufficient attention in conversations about health and chronic illness.

Her message this Food Security Month was clear: food education was a form of empowerment.

“We should do more to teach ourselves as people, and especially children, about how food choices affect long-term health. Good nutrition isn’t always about expensive superfoods. It’s about knowing what to exclude as much as what to include,” said Prof Madiba. 

She hopes to share her insights more widely, not only through a personal health memoir but also through a children’s book focused on food awareness and wellness. “My recovery has taught me that food is both a blessing and a responsibility,” said Prof Madiba. “We cannot talk about food security without also talking about food literacy because what we eat can either sustain or sabotage our wellbeing.”