Eating 'clean' and the link between sugar and inflammation

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Hi everyone!

I got diagnosed in October last year (2014) at age 51 (and they say this is an 'older person's' disease!) Since then I've taken a really good look at my lifestyle and really, it's no wonder I got sick.

I've battled with my weight most of my life and I had a period where I really did drink too much (not any more). I even went to the drastic measure of getting a lap band in 2008 which, of course, only helped in the short term as I really didn't change my eating habits.

So, since the beginning of this year I've committed to change. I've been doing a LOT of reading/research into processed food and the amount of sugar that has been introduced into modern diets, which not surprisingly correlates with the extreme rise in obestity since the 1970s (think High fructose corn syrup hitting the US market in 1973). The literature indicates that there is a direct link between sugar intake and inflammation (as well as a lot of the other metabolic syndrome conditions, diabetes, heart disease, obestity, high blood pressure etc)

As a result I've cut out ALL crap - no processed food, no sugar, no 'pretend' fats and oils and managed to lose 5kg whilst on pred!

WOO HOO (currently on 10mg daily but symptoms are flaring again with the latest 2.5mg reduction)

Is anyone else eating 'clean'?

Have you noticed a difference in your health, particularly in regard to your PMR?

Flip (newbie!)

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Hi flip, I was 52 when I was diagnosed with PMR in December 2013 although I'd had symptoms from the September. 

I'm currently on a low carb, sort of 5:2 diet and I've lost 6 lbs to date. 

However, if you are experiencing a flare you need to up your pred dose to the last dose that your symptoms were controlled with. Stay on that dose for a good 6 weeks then reduce using the slow aperture shall reduction method of Eileen's.

all the best, christina 

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I am not as good as you with my diet but have managed to loose 4poundd in weight since the begining of February .Also my cholesterol has dropped from 7.4 to 6.4 in that time .Without medication so feel quit good about that . An osteopath friend said to eat a lot of things which are naturally red .Also lots of berries Have also started to eat sun flower seeds and porridge which are good for the cholesterol .

There is no way I could reduce my preds by 2.5 .Half a mg a time for me I'm afraid and even then I can get quite a lot of pain so go back up again . Four months I have been reducing pred from 15 to 11 .5 mg but because of a flare after getting carried away with gardening I have now gone back up to 12 mg for several day . May be worth asking for some 1mg tabs so that you can reduce slower Good luck Carol

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I am eating right (low fat/no additives - cut most sugar out too) and exercising 4 times a week (Walking & Aqua Zumba). The doctor told me NO ADDITIVES!  She was right. I do believe there is something about the food dyes, etc that contribute to the PMR.  Never drink because that is what I & the doctor think started my PMR. For some time, I have felt better since eating correctly  and losing weight. One thing, I believe, is that better eating habits and the weight lose seems to stave off the GCA. Not sure about the PMR improving all that much. It all boils down to the Prednisone to give comfort. Now, I am down to 10 mg Prednisone. On the 27th, I will start the slow reduction (sen below).  So hang in there and keep taking care of yourself. You are doing the best thing for YOU! I am proud of you because it is very hard to pass up on all the food goodies.

The following suggestion for reducing was posted by others (Eileen) & I am going to try it soon....

1 day new dose, 6 days old dose

1 day new dose, 5 days old dose

1 day new dose, 4 days old dose

1 day new dose, 3 days old dose

1 day new dose, 2 days old dose

1 day new dose, 1 day old dose

1 day old dose, 2 days new dose

1 day old dose, 3 days new dose

1 day old dose, 4 days new dose

1 day old dose, 5 days new dose

1 day old dose, 6 days new dose

They say -" By that stage if you feel OK go to new dose. I suppose, you might be OK starting and stopping at "1 day new, 4 days old" but I was terribly sensitive to steroid withdrawal pain so I err on the safe side. Once you get to the "everyday new dose" - if you feel OK you can start on the next reduction, no real need to spend a month at the new dose."

Good Luck

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I agree with you......sugar and carbs can cause inflammation, and I think I over induldged with sugared juices etc. lately......not watching the sugar gm which is listed with everything, I started to get a very painful flair.  Now I

have to start over again with tapering the prednisone.  Yo-yo-ing is not good.

I still live and learn ,,,,,,mainly I need to learn to say NO to desserts and other sweet goodies.

W00 HOO to you.  You are doing great!!!!!

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Certainly have felt much better since cutting alcohol and any sugar that is not naturally occuring in the food. I have been using Green Superfood vegetable powder for about two weeks which has greatly aided my insomnia. I get a good 7-8 hours sleep and if I forget to take it the most I get is 2 hours. Inflamation is very bad right now but have realised that the 'Super Moons' we get ocassionally affect me horribly...so it seems does red meat. I had two days of eating beef, although in small quantities this week and have had the worst flare up ever.I will definitely be cutting that out from now on. It does seem a case of learning by experience and mistakes with this PMR. I will keep on experimenting because overall apart from the odd setbacks I am feeling reasonably hopeful that I can beat this...or at least adjust enough in oredr to live a reasonable life.

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Hi Flip, welcome on board.  Like yourself I am a newbie, just diagnosed in November. It does my heart good that you have taken yourself in hand and wanting to change your eating habits.  

I am not a foodie, I do like cooking from scratch, when I am able.  I have been eating "clean" for quite a long time.  When I go off the rails and have a chocolate party, I do feel it and it effects me for about 2 days.

Good luck with your journey and keep us all informed.  Well done.  Regards Pat

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I also eat no sugar (one little pack of the sort you get in cafes on an English pancake on Pancake Day was plenty!), little fruit and loads of veg. Eggs, meat/fish and only olive oil and butter. I DO notice when I eat too much carbs of any sort and have lost 19kg in 2 years while still on pred.

I really do think there is something in diet - but I still drink wine...

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I think I forgot to say that for many people 2.5mg at a time is far too much at this level and  no wonder you feel you might be flaring. However, if the pain started immediately after your 2.5mg reduction it could just be steroid withdrawal and it could settle again. A basic rule for a reduction  is "never more than 10% of the current dose" and at this stage 2.5mg is about double that! 

Follow this link and in the 4th and 5th posts of the thread you will find a very slow reduction scheme together with its rationale. Use that and you are much less likely to have discomfort when reducing and will be able to identify your "lowest dose that manages the symptoms" far more accurately. Half a mg can make a big difference! This scheme and another like it are already under study by doctors - and a lot of patients on all 3 forums have used it or something similar successfully. I have got to 4mg when I never managed below 9mg before.

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Yes, red meat is not good .,....I experienced this myself.  I had beef last night  (corned beef because of St. Patrick's Day) with my family.  I was hurting more at night and into the morning.

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Hi Joey, Can I ask re. the Pred.-reducing schedule you outlined - When you say, for example,  " 1 day new dose, 3 days old dose" does that mean that for 3 days of that week you take NO pred. ?  Sorry if this is a totally daft question. And if it IS correct, would it not be really hard to have no Pred. ???   Thanks,

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Hi Juno, the pred reducing schedule that you refer to should not be visualised as weeks but as an ongoing daily schedule. Therefore interpret the schedule daily not weekly. Does that make sense? Regards, christina 

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So it's a kind of rolling schedule! Thanks a lot Christina, much appreciated.

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That's it! Couldn't have put it better myself! Good luck, I start my 9/8.5 reduction in a couple of weeks and I'm really nervous as that was the level I reached in December of last year and not following the plan I had a flare. I've been working my way down slowly since with no problems so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the next stage of my PMR recovery journey. Christina 

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Could you please tell me more about the green superfood vegetable powder?  Is that the right name so that I could google it?

im not sure where you live but I am in Canada but I may be able to find something similar here. I don't sleep well, I'm awake many times during the night, so I would like to check into the product you are using. 

What at time of day do you take it?

thank you 

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Hi, I'm presetly on 5mg. Pred. since Christmas( PMR diagnosed and 20mg. Pred.  started in July 2013 ) and Rheumatologist suggested the following starting in May - 

One month of 4mg. 2 days per week ( 5mg. for remaining days). Then

One month of 4mg. for 4 days per week ( 5mg for the other days. Then 

One month of 4mg. for 6 days per week. ( 5mg. for the last day). Then

One month of 4mg. for the 7days of the week.

This will take 4 months to reduce from 5mg. to 4mg. My own preference is to keep this schedule ( or yours?) BUT reduce by half a mg. of Pred instead of 1mg. Sorry this is so boring. Any views? Have you heard of this schedule? Or anyone else???

 

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I've definitely dropped too quickly - hitting the wall today. Blegh. The reduction program that Eileen has proposed looks really sensible and I'm going to show my Dr today when I see her (thanks Eileen!).

It's funny that beef/meat was mentioned because I'm losing all interest in eating it.

There's mixed opinions about wholegrains et. On the one hand people suggest getting rid of them completely while others say you need them - has anyone cut them out and then reintroduced them with any results to report?

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What do you consider to be 'too many carbs' and 'little fruit'?

mmmm, wine. love the stuff. lol

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What are the symptoms of steroid withdrawal and how long does is last (ie when will I know if it's withdrawal or the reduction is too quick?)

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david14272 posted to say there is an article on patient.info's facebook page about "15 healthy foods that are actually bad for you" which relates to this discussion. Thanks David.

(is there any way to link from post to post or tag someone?)