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Any foods that help or hurt your RA?

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Rheumatoid Arthritis
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Posted 4/13/2011 4:18 AM (GMT 0)
Hi all,

Just wondering what you all felt about the impact of diet and RA. I'm not sure if it's in my head or not but is seems when I eat ALOT of sugar( which I do when I'm in a flare because I just want some kind of comfort!!!) it makes my pain feel worse.....
What about you guys?
Posted 4/13/2011 10:32 PM (GMT 0)
Tomato based products for me, especially the juices such as V8, tomato juice.  If I drink enough of either of those, I have terrible joint pain the next day.
Posted 4/14/2011 1:03 AM (GMT 0)
High sodium foods hurt me.
Posted 4/14/2011 1:55 AM (GMT 0)
yes they say sugar is bad also foods from the nightshade products (look up nightshade as i can't remember them ) but i know tomato is one,potatoes & eggplant another.
Posted 4/15/2011 11:43 AM (GMT 0)
I asked my rheumatologist about this and he said "everything in moderation".  I think i do find however, that sugar and processed foods irritates my joints (I have SI joint issues)
Posted 4/16/2011 2:12 PM (GMT 0)
Not saying you can't have any of these foods at all, but try to keep them to a minimum. I don't eat any thing on the list and I stay pretty much pain free. I'm a little sore if I cheat and eat something on the list, but only for a day or two..... depending on what all and how much I eat.
Foods to stay clear of are:

- sugar
- caffeine
- citrus
- salt (no excess salt. You can cook with it)
- red meat
- dairy products
- additives
- soft drinks
- corn
- flour
- tomatoes
- all starches (For AS)
Posted 4/16/2011 4:56 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Youllbefit, when you say all starches - are you being specific for actual starches, such as corn starch, potato starch, etc., or are you referring to overall carbs in general, which would include sugar, corn and flour?

Thanks  - Lucy

Posted 4/16/2011 6:28 PM (GMT 0)
Hello Lucy

With AS its all starches, corn, potato, flour, rice, etc... But depending on the person's body they may be able to handle a low starch intake and still be fine. Take me for instance; Potatoes and potato starch, corn and corn starch, flour (Gluten) and white rice will bother me if I have any of it, but quinoa, Gluten free flours, and brown rice Im able to have 1 serving a week without feeling any pain in my spine. But to be on the safe side I try to only eat "okay" starches once or twice a month.

With RA, I have one client that just stays away from gluten starches, and is okay with corn starch and potato starch. But she stays away from eating corn and potatoes.
Posted 4/16/2011 6:38 PM (GMT 0)
I'm in a process of writing a diet plan book for Arthritis and I'm hoping to be finished with it this summer.
Posted 4/17/2011 4:06 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the info.  The diet my rheumy gave me was very limited....no sugar, no dairy (other than homemade yogurt and maybe 1or 2 hard cheeses) and no carbs of any kind, really, including rice, corn, potatoes and most beans.  It basically came down to vegetables, (with some exclusions) a few fruits, and meat/poultry/fish.  I think eggs were okay.

I am trying to gear myself up to get on it long enough to determine if it will truly make me feel better.  Good luck with your book!  

Lucy 

Posted 4/17/2011 11:08 AM (GMT 0)
Egg whites are the best for us. Say you're having scrambled eggs, I would use one full egg then two egg white. Then throughout the day or even beore bed when I get hungry I'll snack on hard boiled egg whites. Egg white are a very lean protein source.
Posted 4/18/2011 12:51 PM (GMT 0)
Wow...the diet for arthritis / inflammation sure is limited.  I recently read a book on eating for arthritis and wondered "well what can I eat then?" as it seemed to elimate all gluten products, meat (unless grass fed...which is hard to find), dairy and even some veggies (e.g. tomatoes and sweet peppers)

Can I ask what you DO eat?  What is an example of a breakfast, lunch and dinner?

Post Edited (Lu2011) : 4/18/2011 8:35:20 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/18/2011 5:21 PM (GMT 0)
No foods affect me one way or the other. A good thing since I hate to be told I CAN'T have something. If I can't eat what I like in moderation- there is no point.
Posted 4/18/2011 5:27 PM (GMT 0)
Yes but instead of looking at it as limited, think of it more like changing a habit. Like people that enjoy smoking cigarettes. When they decide to quit it's not because they enjoy smoking, but because it's harmful to their body. So they made the choice to give up something they like to do.
Posted 4/18/2011 8:51 PM (GMT 0)
Changing enjoyable habits stink.
Posted 4/19/2011 2:16 AM (GMT 0)
I guess I'm not quite understading what you CAN have as it doesn't leave very much.
Posted 4/19/2011 2:25 AM (GMT 0)
My rheumy reckons diets don't work. I've tried the low acid diets which involve low sugar/starch/ deadlynightshades and honestly didn't notice much difference a all. I figure everything is worth a try, I guess it depends on what stage your RA is at.
I don't feel its worth it for me.
I just try not to over do it.
I do notice champagne can make me achy the next day but so can being on my feet all day or being too physical. Hoe do you pin it down to diet alone?
My rheumy swears by fish oil supplements too, she reckons they're a natural anti inflammatory. So try taking them instead of the diet and see if that works for you.
You need 2.3 grams a day. So alot of fish oil!
Goodluck, go see a naturopath if you really want to try a diet. They tried to help me but as I said I didn't really notice much difference and it was very anti social.
Always worth a try though, golitho
Posted 4/19/2011 3:18 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Lu - I think it's safe to say everyone is different, and foods affect us all a little bit differently, too.   You're right about the diet not leaving much, at least in relation to the assortment of choices we've become accustomed to.  

I think in terms of eating whole foods - there are a lot of vegies to eat, you can get creative with salads topped with chicken, beef or fish; and stir fries, and soups.  I hate the idea of no potatoes or rice, though -and when fresh corn on the cob is in season, that will take some reckoning as well.   Easy fixes for me would be eggs, tuna (I'm gluten free, so often wrap the tuna salad in a lettuce leaf or load a celery stick with it) and apple slices with cheddar cheese (which I think is one of the cheeses allowed).  For breakfast I eat homemade yogurt with applesauce - also homemade (with sugar....hmmmm and uh-oh.)  I haven't tried it yet, but one suggestion was using apples instead of potatoes with celery and carrots with a roast in a slow cooker, or for beef stew.   I like a ground beef patty with broccoli and carmelized onions. 

Does it sound like I'm trying to talk myself into it?  I may be.  But I'm tired of feeling like crud, too.  The comfort food, and pleasures of sugar and salt and starch are not something I give up lightly, for sure - but a bigger relief for me would be to feel better.  So - here goes with something I haven't tried yet - if I can do it long enough to feel it making a positive difference - it will be much easier to continue.  If it doesn't seem to help - well - I at least gave it a shot.  Losing a few pounds in the process would be a happy by-product.   Every once in awhile, less can be more.

That said - I may not be able to pull it off and in a week or so may make the news for breaking into a convenience store at 4 in the morning, not for cash, but for M&M's tongue

Lucy

Posted 4/19/2011 12:13 PM (GMT 0)
Lucy, thanks for explaining the foods.  I don't eat chicken of beef so am even more limited.  I'm the opposite and could go without potatoes and rice ok, but I do love good old sandwiches for lunch and cereal for breakfast.  And I find I'm still hungry if I don't eat carbs and usually have it for 2 or 3 meals.  I eat lots of veggies and fruit as I'm very healthy (and fish and tofu), but also have a major sweet tooth that I only gave up during my pregnancies.  I could probably do the diet for a day or two but would find it hard for any longer.

Posted 4/19/2011 3:31 PM (GMT 0)
Lu - no chicken or beef would be a much bigger challenge.  Sounds like you are well versed in healthy eating, though, and if you like tofu, that's a plus.  I have a major sweet tooth as well - it will be the toughest thing for me.   I've cut out sugar before (and felt much better) but it's been a long time.  One of my goals for trying this diet is to try and figure out what exactly my food triggers are.  Hopefully when intentionally re-introducing foods and paying attention, I'll be able to figure out the things that aggravate my body and just remove or cut way down on those.  (And here's hoping it won't be the LONG list!)
Posted 4/19/2011 4:45 PM (GMT 0)
Sounds like a tough and slow process with cutting out foods one at a time. Hope that you're able to figure it out and it's limited to a small list. Keep us posted on what you find. (Think I'd have a real hard time cutting out sugar...definietly my downfall).
Posted 4/19/2011 9:56 PM (GMT 0)
Lu- Sugar is my toughest one to beat. I love sweets, but I limit myself to only on saturday and 1 item

When I started on this type of diet I just went cold turkey and followed a detoxing natural diet for two weeks. It definitely cleaned me out because my insides felt clean. You know the feeling, the after a shower feeling.
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