@lonie - thank you. I appreciate it and you.

@happy heart - there's nothing better than the prospect of a new baby. I'll keep good thoughts for you.

@Depot Thank you!!! :)

My biggest objection to all these diets to control auto-immune diseases, cancer, etc, (besides they don't work) is there are NO studies to support them 

Someone mentioned the Plant Paradox. It was an easy research to debunk that nonsense. Here is what Colin Campbell concludes about this diet::

"What a shame that this type of unscientific nonsense creates so much unnecessary confusion, with deadly consequences. One could indeed have an interesting discussion about the health-effects of lectins, both good and bad, but this book does not provide it. Further, highly replicable and reliable scientific evidence now shows that a diet of whole plant-based foods, as part of a lifestyle of appropriate hydration, physical activity and outdoor activities maintains and restores health far more profoundly than our contemporary practices. We also know that this evidence challenges our existing system which is too much about commerce and too little about public health. To say that people are confused is an understatement and it is this confusion that invites scams like this book. Also, there are many who want to hear good things about their bad habits. We can only hope that this newly invented fad, based on such unethical and self-serving behavior, will pass quickly."

https://nutritionstudies.org/the-plant-paradox-by-steven-grundy-md-commentary/

This is the kind of rigourous research I need to convince me that something works. Not what the guy who wrote the book, with bad references everywhere if you read the link to the above article.

Joel Kahn, also reviews Gundry's book and says the following:

"Two strategies that work well in the media and for medical authors are to tell people what they want to hear and to scare them with data that seems to have firm scientific support and turns all existing knowledge upside down. That is exactly what is being done with a new and dangerous bestselling book written by a prominent cardiovascular surgeon with endorsements from some of the biggest names in media. The book subtitle “Hidden Dangers in Healthy Foods That Cause Disease and Weight Gain”

https://medium.com/@Kahn642/the-plant-paradox-and-the-oxygen-paradox-dont-hold-your-breath-for-health-14c146e0c414

There are more articles and videos debunking everything in that diet. And other diets are no different. Any time you go into extreme dieting, something is wrong. Even though I am a 45 year vegetarian, I eat from a wide variety of plant sources, and I do eat dairy and eggs. I have always eaten my veggies straight from my organic garden, like tonight's delicious stir fry, with the first of my snap beans.

When someone puts up a link to an actual rigourous scientific article on diet helping auto-immune diseases I will remain a skeptic. Testimonials are the lowest form of reviewing anything. Besides that long term studies or better yet, longitudinal studies are needed to verify any of this diet information. So, please put up some links to real. Scientific studies, that are not a popular book sold on Amazon. Thanks!

I’m not here to find reputable sources to prove to you or anyone else. It’s nonsense for you to say eating natural foods and to stay away from processed foods is a fad. It’s unfortunate for YOU that dieting doesn’t work... however I question whether or not how strict you are on no sweets and no processed foods. And whether or not you tried it along with light yoga. But to each there own. I’m here to offer an “amazon book” as an easy start for someone to learn basic healthy eating habits. And I hope that someone ..even just one.. can find relief from it. Not only for their RA but for overall health as well.

I have a highly inclusive diet - spinach and sometimes KFC. Everything in moderation. I like potato chips and I like sushi. I like squash and I love peach pie. I still have RA. But my quality of life is wonderful. So I hurt and I have deformities but I am free to try something wonderful to lift my spirits, which helps to tame inflammation.

Negative attitudes can gloom up a warm sunny summer day. But if you have happiness and you are well - walk on and don't get pulled into a storm-cloud of doubt and disbelief.

Fill yourself with happiness peace clean pure thoughts- especially if you mean to put a baby in there! The future is bright for you. Keep going.

Love the sentiment, linzsey!

Happyheart, as I already told you, I have been a vegetarian for 45 years. I never eat processed foods. I make everything from scratch, including grinding the organic grain I by. (Well, I am gluten free right now, so not doing much of that!)

I grow a huge garden, raised beds that are overplanted. I have eaten an extremely healthy diet for 45 years. It didn't stop me from getting RA,21 years ago, and it certainly hasn't put me into remission.

Got it! Eating a healthy diet is always good! We need vitamins and minerals, lots of water, and clean air. No processed foods. That is my diet, and it doesn't help my RA one bit as most people have said here.

This whole diet thing is a big scam. I am going to do a post on Placebo Effect and RA. Then maybe you will open your eyes, and also see where I am coming from.

Marlene...So has the pharmaceutical route been more effective for you?? Is your debate that I need to be on some sort of medication? Again... I personally tried multiple different medications and they did not work out for ME. I was constantly getting infections or losing my hair or fighting with my insurance company or unable to get pregnant safely or worried about my liver. If making certain life style changes helps my pain, energy level, insomnia, rashes, etc etc... then that is ME living MY best life. And that my dear.. is no scam! I'm truly sorry it couldn't help you. I do not encourage anyone to stop taking medications. However.. I do strongly encourage people to notice what they eat, what kind of activity or lack of activity they provide their body, and what kind of outlook they have. I had to let go of trying to do intense workouts and decided to love the body I'm in. Some have a diet and exercise with a goal to lose weight... I have a diet and exercise that makes my body feel happy. I'm just writing this post to share that with someone else it may help... and it's obviously not you. So kindly leave you negative vibes out of my day!

I have found the pharmaceutical route to be very effective, taking me from bed ridden, with my husband having to lift me out of bed onto my wheelchair, then push me to the toilet, lift me on the toilet, then reverse till I am back in bed. Then, he created all kinds of tools for me to eat with, because my elbows were so bent I could not drink or feed myself. I get massive flares in 100 joints when I am not on good meds. My life is less than worth living when I am not on good meds.

Eating well is important for everyone! I will not deny that. As a cure for RA, it is probably random chance, placebo effect or a natural remission, something I have never experienced without meds.

When I got on good meds, I got into cycling. I used to ride 35 km every second day, and lift 15 lb free weights. I did stretches every day. When the meds fail, I have been unable to get out of bed. Can you begin to understand the difference meds make in my life? I have severe RA, and meds are the only thing that help.

What I resent is people coming in here with a cure for RA, which is no cure at all! And demanding we all need to try it. Do you not think that over the last 20 years I haven't looked into every alternative possible? Do you think others have never tried various diets to try and reduce inflammation?

It is like you find this weird, random chance for yourself, and rather than just sharing your excitement that something seems to be working FOR YOU, instead you start demanding all us stupid folk need to be on your diet. Because obviously if it worked for you, it will work for us! And we are too stupid to have found the diet ourselves.

Well, even the meds don't all work for us. There are many families of RA, and they need different treatments. Hence, all the different kinds of biologics. Hence, perhaps this diet is working for you, at least temporarily. But it is the height of arrogance to presume you know more about my disease than my doctor and I do, and come in here trying to convert us to something with absolutely and utterly no scientific basis, because you are in remission.

I never once thought anyone was stupid for any route that works for them. But doctors don’t suggest diet and yoga.. I found that on my own. I came on here honestly just looking for a group of people that understood my RA life. I recently went off my diet and yoga because we moved. So I’m currently VERY flared up and miserable. I haven’t slept and go to my 12 hour shift just in agony. And no one understands except my mom, son, and fiancé. Then when I was reading posts from you guys.. someone had asked about a low carb diet.. so I decided to share my journey. I was excited to share my own personal research in hopes it could help others. Only reason I got pissed was a few people telling me that I must not have RA or it must be mild. What a slap in the face from my RA support group! I’m not here to offend anyone. I’m glad meds work for you... and I’m glad natural remedies work for me!

Side note... I finally slept through the night!!! Ready for a good day! :)

glad you slept. you have a full plate with working 12 hour shifts and having recently moved and in a flare? wow. what do you take for emergency agony anything?

depot

Nothing. I have Tramadol but if I take it... I really won't sleep. And when I fall off the wagon...takes couple weeks for my body to catch up. Ugh! Feel like a shot myself in the foot by not being strict. The only good part is that it motivates me to start being strict again so I don't hurt. Basically I just get home and do yoga, take hot shower, put on compression gloves, wrap feet in heating pad. I used to do medrol shot for emergency pain but I'm trying to just stay focused and wait out these couple weeks.

I was diagnosed with RA at age 30. I am now 66. I have fought this diseae for a long time. The is a strong genetic component. I have 3 family members with this horrible disease. They are in worse shape than I am We have all tried the natural route. Only to end up with joint damage. I eat very well and exercise I was on Enbrel for 20 years. No major side effects I retired and had to change to an infusion Simponi Aria . Medicare expense for Enbrel was $4000 a month Ridiculous. Xeljanz, Humara about the same so if you are on Medicare you have to go the infusion route. Losing hair like rain drops on Simponi. Has anyone experienced this? Will it subside?

Hey, your diet sounds a lot like my proprietary diet, called the Adriatic Pepper Push, designed to push the toxins from your body. So many people come up with these diets that they call Mediterranean, but you just can't switch seas like that and say its your own diet. If you go around giving free information, I'm going to lose a lot of potential sales, and I may have my lawyer follow up with you.

We don't do supplements. Just real food. No red meat allowed. This diet was foemulated on the Island of Hvar, where there are no animals with cloven hoofs. Small rodents are ok, though. And kale! Goodness gracious, that's a wonder food. How can you not do kale lol?

Most importantly is pepper, especially paprika. We say add enough pepper until you see the heat waves and your pores opening up. We drink lots of water, too (that's H2O, isn't it?) and tomatoes and potatoes and eggplants. Nightshades are the best food you can eat. Lots of cheese, too. We don't have cows or goats, but rabbit cheese is pretty tasty, and imported goat cheese and cow cheese works. Also, free-range turkeys are good. Basil and olives are hard to beat. We think fish 3 times a day works pretty well, but we substitute clams and and sea slugs and caviar, too.

I agree about olive oil, but not coconut oil. And why not try Greek yogurt? Mix a cup of plain greek non-fat yogust, add 1/2 cup onion, 1 tsp Cayenne, 1/2 tsp Cumin, smear on a pita, sprinkle with goat cheese, and broil until it's smoking. Good stuff.

I'm working on a new chapter on fermented foodds, starting with beer (nectar of the Gods).

I've heard yoga is good if you want to build a cushion on your hiney, so we have an active regime that combines cross-fit training and Tae Kwan Do.

I'll have my lawyer draw up an NDA, so we're not competing for the same folks.

Hey I'm glad you don't have RA. It's a nasty disease.

Hi Happy Heart
I'm very happy that you see the light at the end of the tunnel . I was diagnosed with RA earlier last year. After a couple month with Prenisone &Methotrexate, the side effects were so horrible then I quited all Pharmacy drugs and change my diet completely . I took herbal medicine from Vietnam. After 4 months, all the pain miraculously gone. Now I don't take any medicine at all and back to normal diet. Once a month, I do a liver flush. I can tell you now I'm stronger than before I got the stupid RA. You might look into it. Keep in mind, it's all in your liver and kidneys. You can read my story on this site which I posted last year. Good luck