Jessica,
I am getting ready to do the Wheat Belly Diet. There is a lot of evidence out the that wheat products can aggravate autoimmune diseases like ours. I have read the book and he makes a lot of sense. I have also seen several videos from other people also talking about eating raw food vegan diets as a way to get into remission. I'm not crazy about the whole raw food vegan thing but I will try giving up the wheat and see if it helps.

I have tried changing my diet. For me, there was no difference in how I felt. I do eat organic as much as possible.

I gave up smoking almost 10 years ago. I had a hysterectomy in 1994. I think those contributed to a weight gain. And I am over 60.

I was diagnosed in June, 2012 with RA. I have not noticed any gain from either Methotrexate, or Humira. I am on my 6th biologic, I don't think I have gain any weight from any of those.

certain foods make my attitude worse. therefore I eat mostly whole foods because I have a better attitude on original foods.

eat whatever feeds your soul.

i have no correlation to report to any regime.

i happen to be vegan.

i can not afford to buy organic all the time. i do only what my wallet allows which aint much on nine billion parent plus loans.

i think non gmo is cool because I like the butterfly on the package or whatever the moniker is.

eating dairy makes me crabby, so no dairy. i am not so sure it makes me swell in my joints at all. but it does not agree with me in some way that I can't quantify so no dairy for me. i happen to adore plant milk and have shitloads of it in every possible form in the house. the new favorite is unsweetened flax milk (karma makes it) and it has little flavor which means I can manipulate it in recipes.

i think humans like babies and toddlers should drink human milk. with me there is an emotional connection to everything I stuff in my face.

you'll find your connection. do whatever feels right and not what is in any book creed screed or pay-formercial.

my rheumatologist told me that my food regime would have no affect on my RA. she was right. it did not. it happens to have a second hand affect on my general health and a direct affect on my attitude.

i would post a kale recipe on here right now but I would probably get put in the DS RA stockade so I am going to pass

depot

@depotblue I love kale, post away!

I noticed no weight gain with methotrexate.

I eat a very healthy diet. Lots of fruits and vegetables, lean protein, etc. I have noticed no change in my RA due to my diet.

What I've gathered over time is some people have used elimination diets and discovered food allergies which of course improves overall health, or have corrected poor eating habits which has resulted in improvement. I have always had a healthy diet. At the time this disease came to fruition I was on a mainly protein/low carb/calorie restricted diet for weight loss. I also had major back surgery and blamed that for jolting the RA into action. In the last year I tried twice going back on the restricted diet and both times my RA symptoms worsened, so I have to wonder if both were a problem. For me so much diet restriction backfired. I keep processed/frozen food to a minimum because the sodium increases my symptoms & also triggers migraines.
Mostly I've learned everyone is different and we have all had to find out what works for us.

My rheumy told me I could eat whatever I wanted to and it would not make any difference. I did go without dairy for quite a while and I did not feel any different. I do have the weight gain and I am on Orencia. Not sure if that is the problem or not. Good luck to you!

I ate gluten free for about 2 years. I didn't notice a difference really. The exhaustion was a little better but the pain was getting worse.

I did not find relief until I got on the Dmards.

But I will say that eating well, walking, doing yoga, and staying away from sugar makes me feel better all around. And eating well is good for anyone. It's just not a cure (I personally do not believe).

Eating well and staying on a good diet is going to serve you well. I no longer eat much dairy and stay away from milk bc it tears up my stomach. I dont' know ....

You might experiment and see what happens.

if i have even the smallest amount of nightshade food, say the amount of paprika (red pepper derivative) within a couple of hours at least one joint begins to stiffen, crack, swell and hurt. this could be just my body but i have tried over and over to disprove this but it happens every time. dairy does bother slightly if I am not careful of the fat content. as stated previously, experiment but first you need to learn how your own body works as in the timing it takes for different foods to pass completely through your body. not a doctor or biologist but it occurs to me that different foods are adsorbed at different places in the digestive process (stomach, small intestines).

One thing i thing all will agree with is to hydrate yourself extremely well. good luck!

OK nessay

i sent this to coaltrain so I will post it to the group also (I can hear it already)

between the lemon and the coconut milk you'll never know you are eating kale....

:)
Grilled Coconut Kale
New York Times 2010


3 bunches kale

3 13.5-ounce cans coconut milk go lite

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cayenne

1 teaspoon mild paprika

cup freshly squeezed lemon juice must be fresh

Wash the kale thoroughly and cut out the stalks. Cut the wide leaves into strips the width of the small leaves.

In a large pot set over a low flame, heat the coconut milk until it is thoroughly mixed and just lukewarm. Transfer to a large, nonreactive bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Stir in the kale, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Preheat a grill or a cast-iron grill pan over high heat. Remove the kale from the refrigerator and stir to make sure the leaves are well covered in marinade. Using metal tongs, place the kale on the grill in a single layer. Cook for 45 to 60 seconds, or until the leaves are sizzling, then turn over and grill the other side for another 45 to 60 seconds, or until the leaves have visibly softened. Serve immediately.

Serves 6.

Adapted from Vijs Restaurant, Vancouver, British Columbia (go canada....helen)

depot

No correlation for me. How do I know this? I have had long remissions of two to four or five years at a time. While in remission, I ate the same foods, with no flare-ups.

Same with stress for me. No correlation. I have had some of the worst stress of my life and sailed through a long remission.

The only thing I have found that sets RA has been be a physical stressor, something physically difficult or taxing on my joints.