Lately I have been one day up, one day down. One day I am experiencing very little stiffness and pain and the next day I am feeling dreadful.
I have been taking a close look at my diet and how it is effecting how I feel. I know that there are certain foods that without a doubt have a direct relationship to the amount of inflammation that I am experiencing. Within an hour or so of eating chocolate I start to swell. The same holds true for dairy products. Sugar seems to be an issue for me as well. I don’t know if I need to avoid all sugar altogether or if there is a certain threshold that once I go over that level there is a problem. I don’t know if it is just refined sugar or if natural sugars will give me the same trouble. I know that things that have a high sugar content cause me trouble. The good news is that since I have stopped taking the methotrexate, it is easier for me to tell which foods are causing the inflammation. It was as if the medication was masking the effects that food had on my inflammation. It has been a game of hit or miss on what my body will tolerate and what it won’t. I imagine that this will take some time to find every food that is causing me trouble.
It is hard to plan my life right now because I really don’t know from day to day how I am going to feel. I am keeping a food journal and each day I write down everything that goes into my body and how I am feeling physically. It is helping to make it easier to pinpoint what food is effecting me so that I can avoid it in the future. I have done a lot of reading on the subject and I am very hopeful that once I get a handle on the foods that trigger inflammation for me I will be able to manage the disease much better.
Tags: arthritis, chocolate, dairy, diet, disease, Food, food journal, inflammation, RA, rheumatoid, rheumatoid arthritis, sugar
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I’m sorry the rheuma has had you on such a roller-coaster lately. It does seem to do that, though. It’s great that you’re finding ways to identify which foods seem to trigger problems, though. I’m finding that the healthier I eat — keeping sugars, sat. fats and bad carbs to a minimum and eating more veggies, whole grains, etc — the better I feel, even if the rheuma is flaring. That “overall” health is bedrock important.
Anyway. Here’s hoping you’ll be feeling good more often than not as this new year progresses. Wishing you the best.
Thanks Wren,
I am sure that I will figure it out. It is a learning process.
Jo-Ann
I can tell you from my own experiences that my biggest inflammatory triggers are tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, artificial sweeteners, dyes, nitrates and MSG. I can enjoy tomatoes, eggplant, and potatoes in moderation, but I try to avoid them if I’ve been stiff for a few days or feel a flare coming on. The remainder of items on the list are things I try to avoid completely as they bring on all sorts of terrible symptoms. Good luck with your food journal and I hope it brings you some answers!
Best of luck getting it all figured out. I find that sugar makes a huge difference for me, too.
I think you will enjoy keeping a food journal. I learn so much about myself through a food journal . Of course some things I don’t want to know such as sugar/gluten is a big factor in how I feel. It creates a lot of stiffness for me. Dairy makes my stomach hurt. What I have learned from my experiences with diet is it takes a lot longer to work than you want it to but once your body is clean, it picks up on everything that shouldn’t be allowed in your body. Our bodies are truly amazing.
Thanks Cathy,
I agree that this is going to take some time. And that our bodies are truly amazing. I know that my body wants to be well I just need to figure out what it is trying to tell me and I am in this for the long haul. I keep telling myself this on the especially difficult days.
Thank you!
Thanks, I know this is a process that is going to take some time but so worth it. Your support means a lot.
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It can be very difficult to plan your life around RA, since you never know when you will have a good day or a bad day. Looking at your diet is a good thing to do, eating a healthy diet can really help you feel good some days. Keep smiling!
I have been managing my RA solely through diet and exercise for 5 years. Dairy, wheat, sugar and yeast seem to be my triggers…Oh, and pineapple. I know…Weird!
My garden-variety advice without writing a small novella in your comments is to at first, avoid the common allergens, wheat, yeast, dairy, egg, soy, and shellfish. Also, stay away from ALL processed foods and soda and get back to the basics. Real, natural, food. Eat plenty of fresh fruits and veggies, beans, legumes and Omega 3′s in the form of flax seed oil or cold-water fish like salmon. (You probably already know all this, but I think we can all use a reminder every now and then…I’ve been caught with my hand in the cookie jar a few times)
I have a blog dedicated to dealing with these food intolerances where I post recipes, tips, and general words of inspiration for those who are dealing with similar issues. Stop by and say “hi”…I’d love to help out in any way I can.
Keep on keepin’ on…You are a strong woman!
~jenni
I will stop by and say Hi!. Thanks for your input. Sometimes we do need a refresher on what to avoid.:)