Food, what’s good? what’s not? | Arthritis Information

Could we start a list of foods/drinks that are good? Bad?:(1) I don't eat the nightshade family of vegs, tomatoes, potatoes, bell peppers, egg plant. (2) Caffeine & sugar (3) Frozen foods with MSG (4) High sodium foods, canned, prepared, etc. 5 (I currently love Cherrios)

I've done A LOT of research into the diet connection and I've read about 25 books on the subject. Everyone's food intolerances or sensitivities are different apparently and the two best books I read on the subject were Conquering Arthritis by Barbara Allan and Diet and Arthritis by Gale Darlington who is actually a rheumatologist at a Hospital in the UK. Now the best thing to do in order to sort out what you have sensitivities to is called an Elimination Diet. What you do is restrict your diet to say 4 or 5 foods - you need to bee super strict - the commonest recommendation is cod, swede, parsnip and pears because these have a very low chance of causing allergy symptoms - so you keep a diary and you cut out all foods and supplements and eat just these foods for a week or so and see if your symptoms improve then if they do you introduce a new food every day or two and see if it causes symptoms, if it does, remove the food and test again in a few weeks, if you have symptoms again, remove the food permanently. I hope I'm allowed to mention the books, I have done so much research into trying to get rid of this disease it I know that the elimination diet is tough but it's worth it because you can loose heart otherwise if you have no structure to what you are doing. Incidentally, elimination diets are what qualified dietitians use to uncover allergies in their patients. Flint, What was your condition before and after you started the diet. What were the foods you found you had to eliminate? Also, Are you on any meds?
Thanks
Hi, I couldn't walk or wear shoes or tie my hair back. I am still in pain but at the moment MUCH better. I was on a trial of abatacept for 6 months over 18 months ago - I stopped the med nearly a year ago and so far I am on nothing - it didnt help me much to be honest - felt no difference. I have cut out gluten, dairy tomatoes , most red meat , ALL sugar - then I went to a clinic in England and done a thing called provocation neutralization therapy where you inject yourself with a tiny amount of the substance you are allergic to which helps to neutralize your reaction to it - I has worked so well for me with house dust mites - I couldn't even clear my laundry basket before without sneezing my head off and now I am fine. I have a long way to go - I am going to try NAET next - I have done diets to sort out candida too which I had and think I have gotten on top of - I do food combining and I looking into DR Mercola's metabolic typing which was VERY interesting. I do homeopathy - my son is at a dance class - his teacher used to have RA - really bad - I saw her she had to wear slippers to walk and she went to a homeopath and after a year it is gone so I am going there too. I might actually train as a homeopath - I am trying the approach that I imagine my body is a big bucket floating in the water and all the things that stress me (such as allergies, candida, constipation, poor bowel flora etc, stress, unhappiness hormones etc) are all stones in the bucket and I think one day there were just too many stones and the bucket sank (I got RA) so now I am trying to take a stone out at a time until the bucket floats again! (I know it sounds awful silly but it helps me cope!!) also, I didn't/don't have mild RA, I have RF pos high anti ccp and erosions after 2 months. also, I don't always think that you can get by without meds because this disease is just so frustrating - I'm sure I will have to go on something soon too, I can feel so in control one minute and then you have a flare and you don't know why. I have rosacea on my face and it gets worse when I cry and I had a fight with my husband last night because he's an idiot and I cried and woke up this morning with big red spots all over my forehead and cheeks and I felt just like giving up with it all but hey - onwards and upwards. Sometimes I would prefer an illness where you got sick and then you fought your way back to help, as opposed to one where you got sicker and sicker and the best you can do is to try and slow it down, sometimes for me the anticipation and fear are as bad as the RA - i feel like shouting to it - 'fine, bring it then, do everything your going to do to me over the years, do it right now then I'll deal with it, don't torture me and hang over me like a black cloud lurking around - but then other days I think - I'll beat you, I know I will. Swings and roundabouts as we say in the UK. Good and bad days I guess.

Dear Flint:

Swings and roundabouts! I like that. Sorry about your evening, stress just makes this all soooo much worse but everyone has stress! I haven't been able to use those mind controling techniques to control my stress, have you? I hope you can get a road map to better health it really helps to know you have a plan. I guess not everything you do works out perfectly. I take MTX (back on for 4 weeks), 3 X 5 prednisone and those treatments with Remicade (had 2 next on the 19th). I'm on prednisone and MTX waiting for Remicade to work (or not!?) ugh I hear they don't always and that it takes MoNths! I'm not hurting anymore like I was but the stiffness is making me crazy. Keep droping things and can't type well, getting dressed takes hours, but I am driving my car!! Oh what a treat that is ---the independence and all. I went to the Garage sales yesterday, such fun!!!!!Please try to take it one day at a time as you may be real surprised at the new meds they have now. These were only experimental when I got my RA! Now, everyone takes them! Good luck and don't look into the mirror until the redness passes. (I have that Moon Face from Prednisone and can't stand the way I look, but can't stop takeing it!) Take care,

I've heard too much protein isn't the best for this arthritis? Lots a veggies which aren't my favorite food. ?

Thanks for all the info Flint. My husband and I have all but stoped eating red meat. But that is all. We do eat tomatoes. I am Italian and wouldnt know how to cook without them. However, I am thinking that if my medications stop working or if they make me sick I am not going on different meds until I try to completely change my diet.
Sorry about your bad evening. Most of the time men are jerks right along with the doctors.

I do not need any medication (drugs) for 20years not even a single painkiller for my arthritis.

Before that, medication was my only savior that I could not go without it when there was a flare. I was embroidered in medication for more than 20 years.

I reverse arthritis with wild lingzhi, selective natural foods and good toilet habits. It is a fantastic find of wild lingzhi that can ease and fight the disease in a friendly manner without side effect. Then next, I learn to eat natural foods selectively and eat less or abstain from "bad" foods. I ensure I have good dialy toilet habits. The knowledge of eating correct foods is through years of own experience, awareness and learning from books.

All these require - belief (herbs and natural foods), determination to change lifestyle, discipline, systematic adaptation, persistence and open mind.

Result is proof of achievement!

I must actually agree with the toilet habits - not to be too icky but I have read and am living proof that constipation can exasperate symptoms - I watch my diet, I also found out I have low stomach acid so I take hydrochloric acid supplements and good digestive enzymes and also phsyillium husk to and non irritating fiber which really helps.

Well, they say to stay away from nightshades like potatos, tomatos, eggplant, but I did that for over 6 months with no change at all.

So, I don't know.

If you feel worse with some foods, then don't eat them. Let it be known, it takes 8hrs to 24hrs or longer for a reaction to occur, so you need to be off the foods for about two weeks before you add one to test.

It's hard with RA because the swelling can come and go inside a day itself. Sometimes i wake up perfect, by 2pm i am swollen, by 8pm i am not swollen. So for me it is hard to judge what works and what doesn't.

I tried fish oil, did nothing for me but upset my stomach.

I tried the food things some time ago. I never saw any change and still don't see a change based on what I eat. Some people do find they have food sensitivities. The only way to figure it out is to try and eliminate and then add things back in and see how you react

The food you eat has certain impact. Knowledge and own testing experience are key to sort out what are "good" and "bad" for you.

There are methods you can do like list down food you take daily, and mark down "bad" food that aggrevate the flare. It is a learning process to sort out you own daily diet that affects you!

You cannot see any change i.e. you have not identify which ones are "good" and "bad". For example taking diary products like chocolate, cheese, milk may likely affect the flare. Try taking them several times then you would be abe to know.

The methods of cooking and types of food I take may be different from you becasue of taste, culture and background. So to develope a systematic lifestyle need constant adjustments to suit your body.

hi kokako

it really interesting to know that its been so many years since you havent taken any meds for RA....

so yo are on a special diet i gather.....and weight managemnt as well?

There is no need to have special diet nor weight management.

As I mentioned wild lingzhi and other herbs to bring down arthritis and promote healthiness. Eat natural food selectively to promote healthy body.

My choice of selective natural food to my awareness, knowledge and belief are guided by the following:

1. I abstain from canned foods because most of them have preservatives;

2. Sweet fruits like bananas, dates, raisins, figs, prunes, and acidic fruits like pineapples, oranges, grapefruits, grapes are not my choice. Fruits like papayas, pears, apples, watermelons etc. are my favourites.

3. Starches - I abstain as much from coconuts products, dry beans, soy beans, dry peas, less potatoes, yams etc.

4. I take more greens like the Chinese "Choy Sum", brocolli, cellery etc. and fungus like black and silver. I like lotus roots.

5. Some proteins I abtain from or take very little are peanuts, cheese and other dairy products, avocados, nuts, beans, peas, soya beans etc.

6. I take little red meat and chicken. I like sea cucumbers, fish like groupa, threadfin, fish with scales are prefer.

7. I take wild lingzhi drink often and have cut friuts after meals.

Simple natural food, no need special diet and weight management.