Subject: Re: Foods to avoid to ease arthritis
I am not so sure you need to give up gluten (found in wheat, oats barley and rye)it is more wheat that seems to cause the problem with RA. And you are right about the nightshade family (potatoes,tomatoes, aubergenes,tobacco too is a nightshade...)Many people get relief cutting back on these. The list goes on.. but it`s worth cutting out red meat and dairy (sesame seeds richest form of calcium and fish is good)to see if it helps. Yes, nettle tea is excellent and so is fresh ginger tea with honey. I studied all this 30 years ago or more, for my mother, who was totally destroyed by RA and it broke my heart to see her house-bound (at 50) and in such pain. My RA started 6 yrs ago, in later life, and I have been consulting a medical herbalist for four years. I am convinced, as she is, certain foods exacerbate the pain. She also recommends using lots of turmeric and cutting out acid fruits,and of course, as you say, Sue and Maz, additives. My RA started in my hands wrists,feet and ankles, then spread to ribs and neck. Most of these symptoms have subsided, all except ankles which have got steadily worse, with my ESR creeping up to 75 (is this very high Lynne B?) and barely able to walk. SO, seven weeks, ago I started on methotrexate, which I have been resisting for so long (now I feel I can write to you all!! Have been reading your forum for sev months, and I think you are all great and so supportive of each other). It's a fairly low dose 7.5mg, but ESR is coming down fortnightly- now 39... and my feet and ankles are very much more flexible and relatively pain free (still need a stick outside). for more info about nightshades see website Noarthritis.com Keep up the good work Maz, its difficult say what we `need' to give up cos we are all so different - but it's worth exploring these ideas. But as I have discovered `natural' medicine by itself is not always enough
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