Unfortunately, this doesn't work for most of us. I've been on every single RA med there is, except Humira and Remicade, because my liver is too sensitive. Strong meds work for me.

I stopped drinking alcohol 18 years before I got RA, that is 38 years ago. I am gluten free, and I have been organically growing my own vegetables since 1973. I have been a vegetarian for 45 years. I exercise, although things have gotten so bad, it is getting almost impossible to do. I do keep up with the daily stretches.

It sounds like you have a mild case of RA. Lucky for you! I do object to people posting certain diet or yoga can make you better. For one thing, there is Placebo Effect. I do hope you still get blood work done regularly. Second, it is vital people get on good meds from the beginning to make the disease less severe. That didn't happen to me, because I was sero-negative 21 years ago. I kept eating my healthy diet, and lots of stretches and walks, till I was so bad, I couldn't get out of bed. Nope, diet doesnt' help me at all.

Meds have side effects, for sure. But, the consequences of not being on good meds, is watching your joints fall apart, and being attacked in various organs, like skin, lungs and kidneys. And heart! Almost forgot that one.

I believe you are playing with fire. Or, you basically don't have RA. I hope it is the latter.

I joined this group for a support system. Not to debate whether or not I have RA.

I agree with Marlene, I have a strict diet and exercise regime too and yet still need meds and experience daily pain.
You may be in remission or something but it's unfair to say that you came here for support when your post is all about how you are cured and don't need support.

I’m really glad that what your doing is working so well for you. A coworker of my daughters also had great success with her RA. She was bedridden at first tried the different meds and and finally came off the meds and eats better and works out. She has occasional pain. I haven’t been that lucky and as you can tell a lot of other people haven’t also. Just wondering how long have you been medication free?

Like I said, if I’m STRICT on my diet and yoga.
Right now, today, I’m hurting. I’m on day 2 back to my strict ways. Otherwise it’s not wise of me to be off meds. This strict way of life is very hard but worth the outcome it gives me. I’ve been off meds for about 2 years. I have ups and downs. It all depends on me and how strict I’m being. I never suggested for anyone to get off meds.. I was excited to share my research in hopes that it could help others. Even if you tried it along side your meds.
I came on here because living with chronic pain can feel isolating.. and this is the place I thought surely I didn’t have to explain my RA to anyone. So maybe it can help someone by researching “inflammatory diet” along with yoga. And I hope it helps even just one. But this is far from supportive for me so ✌

I’m sorry you didn’t feel support like I said I know my daughters friend was lucky with her RA and was able to get off her meds. I didn’t feel like you were telling anyone to stop taking meds. You were just excited that what you found was working for you and wanted to share it. This is a messed up disease and it plays out differently for each person. I hope you have continued success with it.

Thank you Lonie2... I appreciate your reply. And yes a very messed up disease!!!

it's ok to post if you are going natural - and to tell us what you are doing and why. I don't mind. I have a best friend with RA that is off meds after 10 years of remicaide and then simponi. . An infection in her gut and major hospitalization while on Simponi last year led her to a hiatus which led her to a whole host of new (exciting for her boring for me as in been there done that) naturopathic stuff effective this year.

My goal as her long term friend is to support her as her friend, not tell her what to do. So I don't mind extending that to you. You two might like having a phone call since she has been at this new method of her's since around November 20th. She has ankolosying also (spelling sorry) and a cartonload of ulnar deviations. Her walking has improved and her blood work is good.

It's a lifetime disease. How you are handling it today or she is also, might not be how you are handling it in 10 years. But there is nothing wrong with supporting you on either way station of your life.

depot

Just yesterday, I saw the tail end of an interview with chef Seamus Mullen, who was diagnosed with RA years ago. (I remember reading about him and his major RA flare when he competing on The Next Iron Chef.) He radically changed his diet, and I think he said he's off all meds and his RA markers have been negative for the past 6 years.

I just started to research him, and it appears he's doing his own version of a paleo diet. He emphasizes that although it worked for his RA, it won't necessarily work for everyone. But that's the way it is for all RA treatments, isn't it?

Wishing you continued success.

Depot sorry to see xeljanz is giving you problems. The doc is going to try that next for me sometime in August. The allergic reaction to humira is now gone after 2months and rounds of steroids. DebRAinoc I saw an article on Seamus Mullen in an RA magazine a couple months ago in the doctors office. I try to eat somewhat healthy but I love Italian hoagies, cheesesteaks, wings, pizza well you get the idea. Maybe there is something to changing diet. Not that it will cure it but help treat it. Happy heart maybe you can post what you eat in a normal day. Plaquinel, Arava, 5 mg prednisone and a lot of curse words is only helping so much!

Haha yes prednisone is a curse word!! What a love hate relationship it is. I started the diet with the “21 Day Fix” it’s based off a Mediterranean diet. It helped me learn from basics how to eat right, watch portions, and meal prep. The book “The Autoimmune Solution. By Amy Meyers MD” is another good place to start. But I also added gluten free to the diet. And I watch portions less. So it’s more of an anti-inflammatory diet instead of concentrating on weight loss. Most importantly I stay away from processed food and eat natural foods.
Breakfast: gluten free oatmeal with coconut milk and brown sugar. With 2 scrambled eggs cooked with almond milk unsweetened. (I also stay away from dairy). Some days I make veggie omelette. Then morning snack is yogurt with probiotics. My new fav is yoplait French style.. comes in these glass jars.. sooo yummy.
Lunch: left over from dinner I make family night before.
Late snack is usually berries and apple with PB. Or sweet peppers dipped in hummus.
Tenderloin already seasoned. With sweet potatoes. I use olive oil. And coconut oil as butter replacement. Flank steak with asparagus and red potatoes. Salmon. Tequila lime tacos with corn tortillas.
These are just a few. I also take tumeric(has to be with pepper included) and ginger. And I have to drink plenty of H2O.

This diet doesn’t work as good with my daily yoga.

*without daily yoga

@Lonie - thanks for the kind words and support. I don't want to high jack your thread topic Happy Heart so I'll probably post something about the continued insert profanity challenge of rebounding from the 2 and 1/2 months of xeljanz regular and extended release which caused gastro issues that are being diagnosed and not healed. I'm with a gastro specialist now at a teaching hospital and having more tests next week. my stomach was always healthy and hardy before.

@happy heart - enjoyed reading your diet. interesting comment about the chef. I did better with vegan. but same concepts. single foods unprocessed. the best bud is doing veganism also. I was a vegan for 6 and 1/2 years and started with neil barnard's free program online 21 day jumpstart. I love that it is free. Less hype marketing wise.

oh about the pred - that aint natural - that's a drug. a and a powerful one. a long time ago we had a natural subset on here and one of them used to pontificate about her no med status she just self medicated with pred and that made me smile. That is a powerful drug and I think for a lot of folks they rather be pred refusers and take a biologic.

We are all so different. Many approaches for all. May we all learn from each other.

Depot

And don't forget how kale can make you fly (remember?)

Yeah prednisone is straight from Satan himself... works but the side effects aren’t worth it. Same as the Enbrel.

I don’t think I could without meat!!! But I’ll keep it in mind for when I need to tweak my diet for more affect. And ewww I can’t do kale lol.