RA and Nutrition

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Hello All,

Please forgive me if this subject is already covered. I have only just joined this site and forum. If there is an alphabetic list or index to Forum topics, of course I shall use it. I am not a medic. But, I am a highly qualified engineer and scientific.

Fortunately, I do not suffer from RA, myself but I am here on behalf of my wife, who is a non-computer person. I do the research for her.

We are both for "natural" healing, where that is possible, and so was our previous doctor, in particular. Since most drugs started with extracts from plants, I think that it makes a whole lot of scientific sense to look to plants to see if an improvement, or even a cure, lies there. After all, it is likely that Mother Nature is far better at synthesising the often very complex molecules she needs than manufacturing companies, however large. It is often greed and arrogance for anyone to think otherwise. So there you have a bit of me. I have nailed my colours  the mast ! My wife is the patient, not me, but we are both in total agreement on what I have just said.

Sadly, my wife is not very good at taking any medicines. She just does not remember. But here are some items that may be of interest to some of you.

Margaret Hills is an author who, as a 23 year old trainee nurse, was struck down with RA. She was determined to try to find a "natural" way of treating herself. Either from her book(s), or from elsewhere, I found that bathing in epsom salt solution  was recommended, also taking pure, organic, blackstrap molasses was better than sugar. Molasses contains all the goodness that is refined out of the sugar.

I am now, through a group called Trimdown, going to look at special mushroom formulations that are rich in Beta Glucans. I shall report back on how my wife does.

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Hi. This is really interesting. I hv the same belief and wuld be so grateful if u keep posting on this. Will follow ur posts.

Thanks

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Hi John, I too share your beliefs! I am in the US and have a regular medical doc and an naturopath and an acupuncturist. I was just dx-Ed but realize all my seemingly unrelated illness and injuries(and there were many) were RA over the last 5 years. But at least I know now. And yes, drug companies have a vested interest in keeping people sick... Helping just enough to create life long need for their drugs. Also, in the US you can't patent plants or plant combinations (which is really how it should be) but that keeps plant-based remedies on the fringe here, not supported or studied. By mainstream medicine. Patents are who drug companies make the most money (for anyone reading who might not understand how that works). They create a unique chemical com bound, run their own clinical trials, get blessed by the food and drug administration (us govt) and then sold at very high prices. They can't do that with neutracueticals so they "poo poo" them getting doctors to warn that the naturals have not been FDA approved and may not work and may cause harm. Off course, read the thousands and thousands of reviews online for something like plant based progesterone cream for menopause and you find out how beneficial t has been for women who wanted something other than big pharma's cancer-causing HRT, and low and behold, 10-15 years later, docs have stopped "poo pooing" and started suggesting it. It's pathetic. Money rules the world-at least the modern one. I digress. Anyway, my naturopath also happens to have RA. She believes it can be actually cured by diet, supplements and the new biologic drugs that retrain the immune system, like Humira. Before she became a naturopathic doctor, she was in the pharmaceutical industry. Their underhanded and deceptive practices are what inspired her to do what she does now. She tried all the first-line drugs, such as methotrexate and pacquinile, because her insurance company wouldn't approve her for biologics without trying MX first. After it made her so sick and had no beneficial effects on her RA, they finally approved her for Humira. That was 15 years ago (maybe less) and use only uses it once every six weeeks. She believes this drug is a cure and that her immune system has been retrained. She also prescribed very low dose steroid until Humira kicks in (a few weeks), folic acid, probiotics (because much of our immune system functioning happens in the "gut&quot, fish oil and everyone should get their vitamin d, cholesterol, blood sugar and female hormones checked often because this disease is systemic and getting all systems in balance is important. And, of course, those last things can largely be controlled with diet. Not diet-ING per se but by consuming certain foods and not others. 

when I found out I have RA, I also found out I am diebetic, in menopause, have high cholesterol, have hypothyroidism, and a vitamin d deficiency! And I was FINE (with those level 2-3 years ago. I am 48. Overweight but not obese (and losing weight now, of course!) and my CRP was 8.9, anti-CCP 218.

love and light to you and your wife.. Please tell us what you discover! Do you have any opinions about canaboids? (Pure, not with THC)?

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sorry for all the typos... IPad! 

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Clarification... My doc used Humiera as prescribed (I think twice per day) initially and is NOW weaned back to using it once per every six weeeks.  And has been "in remission" for many years.

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I tried alternatives for the first 9 months of my disease – just about everything, including diet.

Then I surrendered to the pharmaceutical way.

My hands were changing shape before my eyes and I was in so much pain.

Try everything but remember the joint damage can't be reversed, so if it's not working, don't leave it too long.

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Hi All, I hope my reply was not/will not be misunderstood.  I am in FAVOR of medicine.  I just think - for me - doing everything else that is organic helps too -- even if it doesn't help the disease, it might help support one's mind, other body systems and overall sense of being "OK".  As for which medicines, I heard and read a lot about biologic vs. the DMARDs with biologic being best but expensive... That said, I don't know ANTHING first hand.  I was just diagnosed.  All respect to those who are making it through every day no matter HOW you do!

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Without doubt eating well and intelligently is vital at all times, especially when you are sick.  And losing weight when you have RA is also of great help because it makes for less strain on the joints.

A healthy diet will always make a difference, and huge amounts of greens and fish oil (and oily fish) and no junk food will support your system against the ravages of the illness and those of the drugs.

It's just that there are no sure cures for RA and although alternatives can alleviate some of the symptoms, nothing, not even the dread pharmaceuticals, can actually cure it.

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As a scientist you may be interested in 'Win the War Within' written by Floyd H Chilton PhD with Laura Tucker - ISBN-13 978-59486-317-2 or ISBN-10 1-59486-317-2.  It was recommended to me via a similar site to this.  The book starts off technical but looks at an eating plan to avoid sugars that claims to be clinically proven to fight inflammation and help chronic disease.  I found it worked in a couple of weeks for me and has made a huge difference to my symptoms.  I am on a high dose of methatrexate and was keen to manage my pain. I have lapses but on the whole it is worth a punt with Amazon to buy it as mine was very cheap.

Hope this helps.

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Keep in mind that RA is a disease John.

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Google the science of low carb high fat eating.  I follow experts, Dr. Eric Westman, Duke University, Jeff Volek, and Steven Phinney.  The way I got started was watching and listening to the science of this no sugar/no starch/no grain way of eating.

To be quite honest, it works for me.  I am not longer having joint pain.  My blood pressure is down, weight is down, I don't have any hunger or cravings and it helps with any anxiety or depression.  Sugar inflames the body and arteries.  To eat good proteins/fats, good veggies, and limited fruit is an excellent way to reduce body inflammation.  I can now for the first time in years walk anywhere I want in a dept. store without the aid of a motorized wheelchair.  Others are claiming the same and some have come off insulin and BP meds.  The naysayers and even the old "low fat" diets we are told to eat 40 years ago have been proven wrong in clinical studies.  Fat doesn't cause heart disease, sugar does, as well as obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heartburn, and yes, arthritis pain.  Hope this helps.  I realize not everyone is on board with this way of eating.  The ones I named above can explain this on their many videos on youtube.

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This is really useful. In the UK we are encouraged to eat 5 a day of fruit and vegetables. How much fruit are you eating daily and do you avoid all starches such as rice and millet etc?

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In response to Nadine's questions to John:

I have been grain-free/low-sugar for the past year and am very nearly symptom free after a terrible time previously with severe joint pain and fatigue. 

I've been told to limit fruit to 2 pieces per day and eliminate all grains including millet/quinoa/rice but expecially any gluten. Recently my nutrionist has said I can eat rice occasionally but only about once every few weeks, for example when I'm eating out and want a treat.