Hey all,

I was just wondering if anyone here has had any kind of arthritis troubles that have been helped by this WOE (way of eating--I hate the word 'diet')? My OA seems to be so much better, in fact, better than ever before, since I've started this. I've even skipped my arthritis medicine a few days; gone to every other day. I mean, I do have some deterioration, so it won't ever go away completely. But Just to be able to move better and not hurt so much is such a blessing. I take the dogs out walking and go for about 40-60 minutes. I start out slow and stiff, but coming home, man, I can really get traveling! Feels so good! And hey, the dogs are happy too, because they know the sooner they get home the sooner they get their biscuit, so faster is a good thing!

It is so frustrating when the thing that makes you feel better is the very thing everyone warns you about and scolds you for doing. And the thing they all approve of and say is good for you, makes you feel like sh#t---and look like it as well.

paula

I have noticed that being on the plan I am on (which is very close to Neanderthin btw but minus the fruits) that my arthritis is less painful and I do not have as much stiffness as I used to when I get up in the morning.

I still have *some* pain and stiffness but the improvement is much better and I am happier to live with that.

May I ask why you omit the fruits?
paula

It is a KISS-style (Keep It Simple Stupid) low carb plan. There are no fruits on it when one has a lot of weight to lose as many fruits spike blood sugar levels and cause an insulin response as well as cravings. When you only eat meat, non starchy veggies, fish, poultry, eggs and water you get no cravings.

I tested my this just a few days ago. I had a few strawberries one evening and the next 2 days I had bad cravings for all kinds of things. Now that they are out of my system I am okay again.

I get my Vit C with supplements for now and will be adding fruits again as I get much much closer to my goal weight.

That's interesting. I only eat one fruit per day on this plan. Nuts are ok to eat, but I have a terrible time stopping when I get into those, so for now I just don't go there.
More power to ya, girl. Congrats on your loss!

By the way, I also am a SAHM, but my two are male and female--one wears me out physically, the other emotionally. Whew!

paula

About 6 months into low-carb eating I noticed that my arthritic pains completely disappeared and they were really bad, so bad that I thought I'd have to go in for knee surgery (especially my left knee) but was putting it off. I live on the 3rd floor of an apartment building that has no elevator. I had to take the stairs one at a time using my right leg to go to the next step dragging the left behind me. NOW, I can almost run up the stairs. My arthritis was at it's worse in my knees and feet. Now it's almost completely gone. I never took arthritis medicine due to my asthma so I was in a lot of pain. NO MORE. Free at last, free at last, I am free at last of arthritic pain.

I have slight arthritis in a few joints and noticed that when I eat grains and sugar (and when my body becomes too acidic) it flairs up. When I eat paleo it completely disappears.

Hellistile, what about the asthma? My allergies have not improved--still get clogged and have post-nasal drip. Wife is asthmatic, and while she hasn't needed a rescue inhalation for a long time, she is on a steroid inhaler and Singulair for maintenance and nervous about discontinuing it. What have your experiences been?

Twilight,

May I enter this conversation? I have no clue if this will help you or your wife, but I want to give you this info, and you may try it if you like.

My son is 14 and has had severe pollen allergies since he was 3. We took him to every doc around, both generals and specialists. We spent so much money on docs and medicines, machines that cleaned the air, machines that humidified the air, machines that ciruculated the new wonderful air, had to keep the dog away from him at all times--a dog he really loved. His life was pretty miserable. I blame myself for his trouble, as I was a devout vegan all the while I was carrying him, and I truly believe I did this to him.

Anyway, after trying eveything under the sun, I was watching a Christian medical show on a religious tv station one morning ( no I'm not trying to convert anyone; just letting you know where I saw it--although, if you're interested--!) and they were talking about the supplement, Quercetin. It is a natural flavanoid found in plants. It is a very concentrated form of bioflavanoids, and it also works as an anti-histamine. It is one of the components the Rx people use to make their allergy medicines. Only this is real, natural, and more potent. I started my son on this last March. The label says to take 2 per day, but I only gave him one. And he has not had one moment's trouble since. To say this is a miracle is really putting it mildly. It is most obsorbable with Vit. C, so he takes his with juice every morning, and with food. It is cheap! One bottle lasts him 2 months--10 bucks a bottle at GNC.

Your wife's trouble is serious, so I don't know if this would benefit her. You might want to try it though, and see if it helps you. Please, do a search on it and maybe try one bottle. See how you feel when that bottle is empty. And please get back to me if you try it, so I may know your results. If this helps you like it has my son, I will feel worthwhile for having helped another human being from these allergy plagues.

paula

Paula, thank you so much for your suggestion. I'm very glad that your son's problems have been relieved. I was taking supplements a few years back and wouldn't ya know, one of them was Quercitin, compounded with Vit C. It was Solgar, so not junk, and I can't remember the results, but if it had worked it would have made an impression and I'd probably still be taking it. But...that was at a time when my diet was lousy. So I'm going to take your suggestion and try it again.

Regarding asthma--it seems like everyone's got a supplement or alternative therapy or way of eating that solves every problem--except asthma. Years ago my wife was on theophylline to control it. When we went macro she discontinued all dairy. Within a short time she no longer needed the theophylline or her rescue inhaler. Aha! So dairy was the problem! Or so we thought. Several years later she had an attack and started to need the rescue inhaler regularly. After another major attach she had to start the meds she's on now. Very frustrating. I'm suspicious of vaccinations and sometimes wonder if much of this "uncurable" stuff could be the long lasting side effects.

Anyway thanks very much again for the suggestion and I'll let you know the results.

Howard

I've had allergies since the day I was born. Skin allergies, food allergies, hay fever, sun allergies, you name it I've been allergic to it. As a baby my excema was so bad Mom had to tie my hands to the crib bars to prevent me scratching my skin. Then it went away, don't know why. At 10 years of age I developed an allergy to the sun. Couldn't go out into the sun without breaking into a rash for several years. That went away on it's own. In my teens developed hay fever and skin rashes on various parts of the body. Went to the best dermatologist in the city for seven years and just left him scratching his head. The Allergist tested me and found I was allergic to dust and mould, put me on an injection program, but after about 1 year had to discontinue because I became allergic to the shots (lol). Hay fever and allergies remained very bad until the Asthma developed in my late 40's. The hay fever/allergies abated somewhat but the Asthma became severe. My father had allergies that developed into Asthma as he aged, so I followed in his footsteps. Neither my brother nor my sister have any allergy or asthma problems. Once I had my stroke, I refused to take any med's except the asthma ones (5). Since low-carbing I take only Singulair, Flovent and a rescue inhaler (3) and find that my asthma is improved somewhat and don't need the rescue inhaler as much. I am still experimenting with foods to see which ones work and which ones make me worse. Very long and detailed process. I will try the Quercitin because I haven't tried it yet and once I investigate it in more detail. btw my asthma remains the same whether I sterilize the house weekly, keep or don't keep cats, live plants, etc. so I've kept the cats and relaxed my housekeeping rules. However, I have not actually adopted a strict paleo diet, hanging on to some of my beloved foods such a coffee with heavy cream. I'll have to try dumping that for a while and see if it helps but when I'm on vacation. If you have any tips for me Howard please let me know. Seems asthma is one of the more stubborn ones to get rid of even on a low-carb plan.

I don't have arthritis, but I have heard certain kinds of arthritis are more of an allergic response. Joint pain can be a symptom of a food allergy & since with this diet you are probably omitting dairy and wheat(the 2 most common allergens for people)it's possible that this could be why you are feeling better.

Or, it could just be the low carb diet is helping with the inflammation.

Nepeta, I'm sure you are right about the food allergies, as wheat really complicates an already existing constipation problem; also makes my nose run, if I eat it. I think you are right on both counts; allergies and inflammation.

Hellistile, gosh what a time you've had. You must be a strong human being to have put up with so much in your life.
I haven't yet found a good substitute for coffee, but I'm looking. As for the cream, what about coconut milk? Could that be an alternative for you?

paula

My nephew was born in France. He was fine until they moved back to America (Cincinnati), then he got asthma; it was bad. Several time they had to rush him to the hospital, and he always had to have his inhaler with him. Them my brother lost his job; found another in Michigan and moved to Ann Arbor--where the nephew's asthma cleared right up. He's never had trouble since. It's been about 8 years. No one has a clue why he got it (although we all suspect the intense air pollution in Cinci), and we can't explain why it disappeared (but we suspect it was because he got out of the air pollution of Cinci).
This is indeed is a mysterious condition, and I think it can be caused by more than one thing; a host, actually. Give your wife a hug for me.

paula

Gosh, Twilight, you too? Do you think it's the area you live in? I know here, they call our tri state community 'sinus alley'. Even people who have never had allergy problems, when they move here, they get them to some degree; some worse than others. I believe most of it here is less foods, and more air pollution and pollen.

paula