joint care, arthritis and diet

(I will answer because I have read about my condition being related to RA. I had a lot of Lupus symptoms too but that test thankfully came back negative.)

I have later stage Lyme and deal with arthritis/muscle/joint pains. (I am 26, healthy weight, very into sports and outdoors before Lyme). Most of mine is in my arms and espcially my hands. I have noticed that when I am not eating the foods I have been tested allergic/intolerant to my symptoms get very minimal. I have about 30 foods I avoid ( I had an Immunolabs bloodtest and I avoid nightshades because that is supposed to help the pain). I am working on being very strict right now and even cutting out all sugar (honey ect too) because of what I have been reading on WAPF and Mercola. (Mercola has some good info in RA, BTW). So my diet is basically coconut products, brown rice, meats/broth, my non-allergen vegetables and fruit, and nuts minus pecans. I eat a lot of grassfed beef. I will add large-ish amounts of water kefir to the list when I can find some grains!

I sit in the 103 degree hot tub 2 times perday and try for 15-20 minutes because I read that can help arthritis and help Lyme. I am on abx for up to a year right now to try and get it out. I am also on minerals and take about 1 T a day of CLO (I read about this helping in a few places). I would also lay out in the sun if I was allowed to (abx make my skin sensitive to burning). I also have my dh rub my arms and hands and would get massages if I could afford them. I make sure and sleep/rest enough so my immune system can work well. I try and get in a lot of coconut milk and oil because of the anti bacterial (Lyme is a bacterial infection) effects and I do seem to feel/look beter overall on it. I aim for walks around our rural property everyday. I am not at the point where I can really go for it physically but I am so much better than 6 months ago.

I hope this helps and that you can find a way that works for you! It is a great start to do traditional foods and an elimination diet.
Jen

I have had a psoriasis diagnosis for most of my life, and apparently because of that I'm very likely to develop psoriatic arthritis. Joint care was high on my list of why I'd started doing some of typically TN foods.

It has been my practice to make sure to get 'building material' in so that my bones and joints can be repaired as they get damaged in everyday movement. So things I lean toward are bone broths (that gel!), making sure I get enough greens and making sure all foods are digestible and nutrients available by soaking or fermenting those foods.

I also try to get kefir, coconut oil and CLO in regularly. I also get a lot of ACV, both in salads and in a drink of a cup of water and T each of ACV and honey.

I would do kombucha as well but I'm nursing and since I've never taken it before, I don't feel I should. I think the minerals in kombucha would surely help arthritis.

I like hearing what other folks are doing - some things sound familiar and others are new to me.

Newcastlemama - that Lyme disease sure knocks you out doesn't it? I've don't have it but have an acquaintance who does (did? that was a while ago)... Interesting that the hot tub works for you - my dad's arthritis gets so much worse if he gets overheated (esp. hot bath or hot tub). I notice temperature fluctuations when my joints are acting up (as though my body has too much heat or yang energy)... coincides with nightsweats I think... anyway. It just amazes me how we all have to find such different things and that there really isn't one "right" way to alleviate these problems.

Quietserena, I've been taking ACV as well, but mostly because it seems to help me absorb water better - drinking plain water I can still get dehydrated whereas water with ACV can even take away a dehydration-induced headache. I've sort of slipped (understatement) in my kombucha making (as in I don't even know if my scoby is still alive), but I'd add that to water too...

I'll take a look at the Mercola site again (been a while)...

I've been trying so hard to get good bone-broth material but our local co-op's supplier actually sends their beef neck and knuckle bones to asia. Grrr. I'm searching through our local WAPF yahoogroup to see if anyone has any other options but without a giant freezer I'm still having trouble. Fingers crossed that I can find something soon. I lucked out and found some lamb necks in the frozen section the other day and made a huge broth/soup which gelled up nicely and seemed to lessen my "craving" somewhat.

Food allergies. So much seems to be related to food allergies and sensitivities. That's so complicated especially when the allergen is something that's a "staple" in our narrowly-defined-modern-diet-mentality.

I've got a sourdough starter starting and have been making the no-knead long rise bread and hope to put the two together within the week. I suspect that wheat is a problem for me though not major at this point, but without being able to cut it out completely perhaps that's a decent option.

Speaking of food allergies, as a teenager I was an athlete and I consumed huge amounts of carbohydrates (breads and pancakes and rolls, cookies, and crackers) and always craved more. That was during the low-fat craze (80s) when my family pared meat down to chicken and turkey (and lean cuts at that)... now that I try to eat more TF I don't have that old craving. I don't even crave bread at all and having pretty much cut refined sugar out of my diet I can pass the deserts over in the break room right by.

I'll keep an eye on nightshades (we do periodically eat potatoes, and that'll be hard to manage when tomato season rolls around, bummer!).

Unfortunately I'm not able to focus solely on my dietary fact-finding, being a spouse and a mother... I'm sure you all understand