Diet/Nutrition Category
Thursday, April 1st, 2010
These past several months have been an exercise in survival. I am feeling better than I have in months, but I still have a way to go before I am at a place where rheumatoid arthritis is not in every other thought. I have come to a place of survival.
All this down time has made me wonder how many of us are living with this disease and how many of us are in survival mode?
What is survival mode? For me it is getting through another day. Surviving the day with rheumatoid arthritis. Not exactly my idea of fun, but I am getting by. I wonder what survival means to everyone else with this disease. While survival is better than giving up it is not where I want to be.
I am an optimist so I believe that this is just a temporary setback on my journey to living well with RA. The idea that this survival mode is a permanent situation is not something that I am willing to entertain ever. I have too much fight left in me to settle for half way.
I am grateful to be out of bed. Two months ago I was flat on my back all day long. I am grateful that I am able to tackle small tasks on a daily basis so that I feel that I have accomplished something. But this is not where I want to be. I know that I have a ways to go and that this will probably take longer that I originally anticipated, but I am in this for the long haul and I am determined to find a new way to live with this disease without adding toxic chemicals to my body.
Here is what I have been doing so far and it seems to be having an impact on my overall wellness.
- I am monitoring my diet and have eliminated dairy from my diet. I have found out the hard way that if I do ingest something that has dairy in it I will swell. I have been adding and subtracting different foods from my diet to see what is having an impact on inflammation. So far dairy has had the biggest impact.
- I have been taking Flaxseed Oil (I can’t do fish oil supplements) and Vitamin D daily.
- I have found that mediation helps me sleep better and makes mornings a little more manageable.
- I am starting to be able to exercise ( I am using this term loosely because the rate of speed that I walk would hardly be called exercise, but it is movement and more than my body has seen in months.)
- I am careful about what I eat and have lost over 25 pounds since January 1, 2010.
- I spend time every day visualizing what it looks like to be free of stiffness and pain.
So far I am improving and I hope to be back to my old self soon.
In all honesty I have felt this bad on methotrexate. I have had the same levels of pain, inflammation, and stiffness while on mtx so I have been pleasantly surprised at my progress and so far happy with my decision to look for an alternative solution to mtx. It has made me wonder on more than one occasion how well the mtx was really working for me.
So for me, tomorrow is a new day with new hope for less pain and inflammation and life mode not just survival mode.
Tags: disease, exercise, Flaxseed Oil, inflammation, Meditation, methotrexate, mtx, RA, rheumatoid arthritis, survival, vitamin D
Posted in Autoimmue Disease, Coping, Decisions, Diet/Nutrition, Lesson Learned, Rheumatoid Arthritis RA, Solutions, Spirit, Wellness | 7 Comments »
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
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
Posted in Autoimmue Disease, Coping, Decisions, Diet/Nutrition, Rheumatoid Arthritis RA, Solutions, Wellness | 14 Comments »
Friday, January 15th, 2010
Walnuts are a tasty way to add crunch to your favorite yogurt or salad.
They also have the added benefit of being loaded with omega-3 fatty acids which are great for fighting inflammation. Only 1/4 cup of walnuts provides you with almost 91% of you daily value of omega-3 fatty acids. Walnuts also have an antioxidant compound called ellegic acid which supports the immune system. Walnuts are rich in manganese and copper as well. Walnuts are a good source of plant protein. They are rich in fiber, B vitamins and vitamin E. I love to just snack on just a handful. It keeps me feeling full and helps with inflammation; the perfect combination in the afternoon.
Tags: arthritis, immune system, inflammation, omega-3 fatty acid, RA, rheumatoid, Rheumatoid Arthritis RA, walnuts
Posted in Autoimmue Disease, Diet/Nutrition, Health/Fitness, Rheumatoid Arthritis RA, Solutions, Wellness | 5 Comments »
Monday, December 28th, 2009
As of December 18, 2009 all lots of Tylenol Arthritis Pain Caplets 100 count bottles with the red EZ Open Cap have been recalled. This recall has been expanded from an earlier recall of 5 lots of Tylenol Arthritis Pain Caplets in November, 2009. The caplets were recalled after consumer complaints that there was an unusual moldy, musty or mildew-like odor that was associated with nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and diarrhea. As a precautionary measure, all lots of Tylenol Arthritis Pain Caplets 100 with the red EZ OpenCap have been recalled.
Per the press release from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and McNeil Consumer Healthcare:
The recall is being expanded, as a precaution, to include all TYLENOL® Arthritis Pain Caplet 100 count bottles with the distinctive red EZ-OPEN CAP.
The uncharacteristic smell is caused by the presence of trace amounts of a chemical called 2,4,6-tribromoanisole. The source of 2,4,6-tribromoanisole is believed to be the breakdown of a chemical used to treat wooden pallets that transport and store packaging materials.The health effects of this compound have not been well studied, and to date all of the observed events reported to McNeil were temporary and non-serious. Consumers who purchased TYLENOL® Arthritis Pain Caplet 100 count bottles with the distinctive red EZ-OPEN CAP from the lots included in this recall should stop using the product and contact McNeil for instructions on a refund or replacement. For these instructions or information regarding how to return or dispose of the product, consumers should call 1-888-222-6036 1-888-222-6036 1-888-222-6036 (Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time, and Saturday-Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time) or log on to the internet at www.tylenol.com. Consumers who have medical concerns or questions should contact their healthcare provider. Any adverse reactions may also be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Program by fax at 1-800-FDA-0178, by mail at MedWatch, FDA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852-9787, or on the MedWatch website at www.fda.gov/medwatch.
For a complete list of all lots of Tylenol Arthritis Pain Caplets 100 recalled click HERE
Tags: 100, Administration, arthritis, caplet, drug, FDA, Food, Food and Drug Administration, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, pain, RA, recall, rheumatoid, rheumatoid arthritis, tylenol, tylenol.com
Posted in Autoimmue Disease, Coping, Decisions, Diet/Nutrition, News, Rheumatoid Arthritis RA, Solutions, Wellness | 2 Comments »
Friday, December 11th, 2009
Before you reach for that diet soft drink, you may want to rethink what is in that beverage. The sugar substitute aspartame, used in most diet soft drinks does not in fact help in weight loss and there is mounting evidence that it may actually cause weight gain. More important to someone with rheumatoid arthritis, aspartame may cause inflammation and joint pain.
According to Woodrow C. Monte, PhD., Director of the Food Science and Nutrition Laboratory at Arizona State University, “when aspartmae is metabolized, it releases methyl alcohol (wood alcohol), a known toxin that is highly dangerous to humans.” Dr. Monte warns that “once in your cells, methyl alcohol converts to formaldehyde, a cancer-causing agent. Recent studies in Europe suggest that aspartame consumption can result in the accumulation of formaldehyde in the brain damaging the central nervous system and the immune system.
Aspartame is found not only in diet products. It can also be found in cough medicine, toothpaste and even some sports drinks and juice drinks.
Aspartame has been linked to several autoimmune diseases including lupus, fibromyalgia, multiple sclorosis and rheumatoid arthritis even at low doses. It has been tied to migranes, chronic fatigue, asthma, diabetes,tinnitis and depression.
According to the Aspartme Information Center, aspartame is approved by the US Food and Drug Adminstration and the Joint Expert Committe on Food Adititives of the World Health Organization. It is consumed in over 6,000 products and by 200 million people worldwide. It is found in everything from cough medicine to soft drinks.
For me personally, I would rather err of the side of caution and avoid aspertame. My body has gone through enough turmoil. I want to nourish with food that will aid in healing and avoid ingesting anything that may potentially cause harm. You make up your own mind.
Tags: arthritis, aspartame, asthma, chronic fatigue, depression, fibromyalgia, immune system, inflammation, joint pain, lupus, migrane, multiple sclorosis, RA, rheumatoid, Rheumatoid Arthritis RA, tinnitis
Posted in Autoimmue Disease, Decisions, Diet/Nutrition, Rheumatoid Arthritis RA | 9 Comments »
Thursday, October 29th, 2009
There are some studies that show that undenatured chicken collegen may help relieve symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. So can chicken soup help RA? I’ll leave that to the scientists. I know that I always feel better after a bowl of soup! I love soup! Expecially when the weather is cold and damp. This is my chicken soup recipe. It is loaded with nutrients, antioxidants and has anti-inflammatories also. I have purposefully left the size of the cut up vegetables up to you because I know how hard it can be to get small cuts when your hands are hurting and it really does not matter what size they are because they will simmer for long enough to fully cook anyway. I hope you try it!
If I have the time I prefer to make the stock myself. If not commercial stock is fine but make sure that it is low fat and sodium.
Chicken Stock:
1 Chicken Roaster carcass (It is more economical to use the leftover roaster, but you can use fresh chicken (with the bones) as well)
1 small Onion quartered with the skin
2 unpeeled Carrot cut up
2 Celery stalk cut up
16 cups purified cold Water.
Put chicken, onion, carrot and celery in large stock pot. Add water. Heat to boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Simmer 2 hours. Place colander in 2nd stock pot strain chicken and vegetables. Remove colander from pot so that stock remains. Put chicken and vegetables to the side to cool. Once cooled discard vegetables and chicken bones.
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion chopped
1 Tablespoon Fresh Ginger Root peeled & minced (or if it is easier you can use a grater and just grate it)
2 Clove Garlic crushed or minced ( you can grate the garlic as well)
2 Ribs Celery with leaves diced( or cut to whatever size is manageable)
10 cups Chicken Stock
1 Large New Potato chopped with skin
2 Carrots (peeled) chopped
1 cup frozen kernel Corn
1 Bay Leaf
1 Tablespoon Parsley
1/2 cup Brown Rice
1 Whole Boneless Chicken Breast ( optional based on how you get your stock ) diced
Salt ( I prefer sea salt ) to taste
Pepper ( I like fresh ground ) to taste
In the original pot heat 1 Tbs olive oil. Add onion, garlic, ginger and celery. Saute over medium heat until the onion begins to wilt and the celery begins to brighten. From the cooled colander remove chicken from the bone and cut into bite size pieces if necessary.
Note: If you are using a commercial stock, saute the chicken breast with the onion and celery before adding the stock
Add chicken stock, carrot, potato, corn, bay leaf, parsley and chicken. Heat to boil and add brown rice. Reduce heat to medium, cook for 20 minutes reduce to simmer.
Serve with garnish of fresh chopped scallion or chives.
Salt & Pepper to taste.
Tags: anti-inflammatories, antioxidants, chicken soup, nutients, RA, Recipe
Posted in Autoimmue Disease, Coping, Diet/Nutrition, Health/Fitness, Recipe, Rheumatoid Arthritis RA, Solutions, Wellness | 7 Comments »
Subscribe to LivingRheum with RSS