Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...
For those who are new here, I am one of the group of RA patients whom has found relief and control solely through dietary means. My disease was confirmed long ago through xrays showing the distinctive joint erosion that can only be caused by RA. So my diagnosis has never been in doubt. I kept it under reasonable control via the Antibiotic Protocal therapy created by Dr. Brown. The same treatment that has kept my mother (advanced stage RA. Google that and the pictures may be of her hands) in remission for 20+ years.
I haven't had full control with that treatment (usually when I tried generic meds), and have had some very severe flares. One of which made me bedridden and took 3 years recovery. So I've experienced some of the worst of this disease.
Last January I started the Paleo diet to simply lose weight. Within three weeks I experienced two wonderful and unexpected side effects: 1. My RA was GONE! I mean I was totally normal again! 2. My IBS also disappeared. This total remission lasted for a blessed 7 months and I reached my clothing size goal. Then I started reintroducing foods and soon discovered that food was the culprit behind 90% of my RA. (I never say 100% since I don't think anything is 100%)
So, as a science teacher, the scientist in me wanted some medical correlation. I decided to find an Allergist and get food allergy testing. That testing occurred this morning. To be honest, this Allergist thinks food caused RA is ridiculous, but the food causing IBS is apparently common. I've never had hives from foods or any other standard food allergy reactions.
The results are (drum roll please....) The four foods that I had previously identified as causing severe 48 hour flares - all had allergic responses to skin test that were so strong she had to stop those tests just halfway through. The foods that I had identified as mild flare inducers - reacted as well, but less so.
Though the Allergist had never heard of food allergies causing RA joint symptoms, because of the strength of the positives and the fact that my only inflammatory reaction occurred in my joints - she wrote down the only diagnoses that made sense. "Allergy Induced Autoimmune flare"
She also saved my New Year's Eve. There was a fifth very strong positive test. It was to barley. Something I don't normally eat and only consume in significant quantities on special occasions. Yep, we are talking beer. And I'm not going to risk a major flare by enjoying it tonight. Thanks Doc!
For those of you whom are intrigued and wish to do more research on using diet for control, Here are some interesting peer-reviewed research on dietary control of RA.
Probiotic research:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24355439
Elemental diet vs 15 mg daily prednisone treatment:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17308218
Vegan diet and rheumatoid
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11600749
Low fat vegan diet and rheumatoid
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11890437
Double blind study of Omega 3 and rheumatoid
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12548439
fasting and a one year vegan diet and rheumatoid
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1681264
Here's to a happy New Year!
I haven't had full control with that treatment (usually when I tried generic meds), and have had some very severe flares. One of which made me bedridden and took 3 years recovery. So I've experienced some of the worst of this disease.
Last January I started the Paleo diet to simply lose weight. Within three weeks I experienced two wonderful and unexpected side effects: 1. My RA was GONE! I mean I was totally normal again! 2. My IBS also disappeared. This total remission lasted for a blessed 7 months and I reached my clothing size goal. Then I started reintroducing foods and soon discovered that food was the culprit behind 90% of my RA. (I never say 100% since I don't think anything is 100%)
So, as a science teacher, the scientist in me wanted some medical correlation. I decided to find an Allergist and get food allergy testing. That testing occurred this morning. To be honest, this Allergist thinks food caused RA is ridiculous, but the food causing IBS is apparently common. I've never had hives from foods or any other standard food allergy reactions.
The results are (drum roll please....) The four foods that I had previously identified as causing severe 48 hour flares - all had allergic responses to skin test that were so strong she had to stop those tests just halfway through. The foods that I had identified as mild flare inducers - reacted as well, but less so.
Though the Allergist had never heard of food allergies causing RA joint symptoms, because of the strength of the positives and the fact that my only inflammatory reaction occurred in my joints - she wrote down the only diagnoses that made sense. "Allergy Induced Autoimmune flare"
She also saved my New Year's Eve. There was a fifth very strong positive test. It was to barley. Something I don't normally eat and only consume in significant quantities on special occasions. Yep, we are talking beer. And I'm not going to risk a major flare by enjoying it tonight. Thanks Doc!
For those of you whom are intrigued and wish to do more research on using diet for control, Here are some interesting peer-reviewed research on dietary control of RA.
Probiotic research:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24355439
Elemental diet vs 15 mg daily prednisone treatment:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17308218
Vegan diet and rheumatoid
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11600749
Low fat vegan diet and rheumatoid
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11890437
Double blind study of Omega 3 and rheumatoid
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12548439
fasting and a one year vegan diet and rheumatoid
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1681264
Here's to a happy New Year!
Happy New Year
most of these studies are pretty small, even though the methods are very good. i would say most of these studies are great pilot studies, but larger studies need to be done for me to completely buy into it.
elimination diets have always been of interest to me because i cannot lose weight. i've tried every diet (except nurtisystem/jenny craig because all those are are portion control and i can do that at home) and tried eliminating so many different groups of food. i tried eliminating some stuff when my pain started with no results.
i definitely like the studies on probiotics and omega 3. the idea that our immune system is in our gut is interesting to me but i do not believe my gut is the be all, end all of my immune system. there are many other important factors. i started taking 13 million probiotic capsules a couple of months ago and re-added omega 3s into my regimen after finding similar studies. i'm using flaxseed derived omegas though - i wonder if that makes a difference.
my main concern with those who say diet 'cured' their RA is that even without symptoms, damage can still occur. i think it's very likely that certain foods can contribute to a flare, though - we see that every day. i ate asparagus with hollandaise sauce when i was a child and had a ridiculous allergic reaction. my sis-in-law touches strawberries and her throat starts to close - it makes perfect sense that you eating something with barley could cause swelling somewhere. you already have RA - why not have that swelling in your joints? :)
i also read a bit about dr. brown's work. it's very interesting, but it also seems as if many other factors can affect whether the treatment works. things like time since disease onset, severity of symptoms, family history and how strong the immune system already is. it's an interesting idea, but it seems as if it may only work for a percentage of patients...
which makes sense. and reiterates some of what i've learned here and at kelly's RA warrior site - RA is different for each of us because we are each different.
I applaud your eating plan and I am happy that your opinion for your treatment has set well with impacting the day to day of your life. good for you! Keep on trucking!
i've been a vegan for three years now list dear RA group. It has been informational, fun, taxing at times, lonely at times, refreshing, and freakin' down right time consuming (cook cook cook chop chop chop pack coolers, bags, backpacks since I am never eating your food and truly do not like eating out).
it helps about 10 percent towards the combined took kit that I use for my managing RA. Maybe 15 percent :)
i would not remove it since it is part of my life and outlook now. I can't in good conscience preach to you all or tell you more than this is my opinion.
For my personal outcome I have low blood pressure without medication, low cholesterol without medication. You can not find salt or animal in my house and if you come within a mile of this house with anything resembling tobacco, I will know and sorry but you are banished. salt and tobacco are not in my repertoire. Fish is an animal and I don't eat it. please don't bring it to my home if you love me :)
I had allergy testing as a kid and it did not bear any real resemblance to the restrictions put on me after, I think that affected my outlook on allergy testing.
the paleo diet would make me just naturally sick within a week.
on the other hand the gurus of my hobby, veganism, like macdougall, ornish, and all the plant powered doctors bore me to tears. talk about brow beating! any eating plan that keeps your body mass index down and your cholesterol happy and your blood pressure keen might be good I would humbly submit. but that's a free opinion only and you didn't have to buy it or submit your debit card :)
there is no one way, Paleo, like all diets, is about making money like all diet dictates. buy my book. eat this way, buy this set of instructional videos. read my blog! be with me! i am the way the truth and the light of eating! what an industry. how much is the diet industry worth and how boring it is to just tell people to cook and not eat processed foods? how much more scientific to inject their skin with Kale and sell tests, sell books, sell videos, sell membership, sell blogs, sell fear, sell proselytizing,
hugs
Ros
Like you, I was allergy tested recently and have gone on an elimination diet.
My results have been amazing. I am basically off of my pain meds that I was taking every 4 hours or so throughout the day.
I am not 100% better, but it is huge.
The doc also did blood work that I have never had done and found that I have 2 dormant strains of pneumonia. I am on an antibiotic treatment for at least 2 months and maybe that is helping also.
My biggest contributor to joint pain is mold. I started wheezing within 3 minutes of the test starting and everything started to hurt within 30 minutes of the test.
I never thought I would be a believer, but it has opened my eyes to other causes of the pain that I was in.
Good Health and Happiness to all in 2014.
Hugs,
Kim
I expected a worse flare from the round of food tests. Was pleasantly surprised by none, though my IBS slightly flared.
Here's to keeping our symptoms below 'mild RA' level this new year:)
It makes a lot of sense.
It also makes a lot of sense that everyone is different and we well all react differently to different diets. I think the important think is to eat clean (because I think we can all agree that synthetic food and sugar is bad.)and find what works for you.
That's my quest for the new year. We'll hope the optimism holds up.