Diet to control symptoms?

I was wondering if anyone has tried diet to control symptoms?

Hi I’m new to this only recently diagnosed but although I’m on methotrexate I’m still looking into my diet,it says bromeline in pineapples and grape fruits can be beneficial to certain arthritic conditions ?

I think just about everyone here has tried some sort of diet modification at one point or another. Diet modification helps some people, and does nothing for others. Generally, you will still need to be on medication, and IF diet modification helps you, it will help with symptoms somewhat, it won't change the course of the disease.

I have tried several diets, Gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, no deadly night shades, eating foods high in anti oxidants and eliminating the foods that aggravate inflammation. Then eating foods that help with inflammation, eliminating highly processed food, no preservatives or any petroleum based products So far no diet has cured me. I do think that by eating good food does help my general health and helps my fatigue and pain levels. Only a little, but every little bit helps me cope with this PSA.

I did discover how good Organic Coconut oil is for my skin and to cook with and it is the healthiest oil to use.

I did discover that anything that is derived from petroleum based product I am sensitive to. It is hard for me to believe they put this our foods. I avoid all those chemical food additives. That is all those letters with numbers on the packs that most people don't have a clue what they stand for. They are for food enhancers and colorings and things that make the food fluffier and creamier or whiter or tastier.

I now stick to lots of fruit and vegetable, a variety of colors is best. I limit my red meat, avoid overly processed foods, choose the good oils and avoid the saturated and trans fats, limit my sugar. I avoid preservatives and artificial colorings and any flavor enhancers or anything that they use to fluff up products or make them seem creamier. I avoid anything with a petroleum derived product. I rarely eat any processed meats and I only eat those deli meats if they are made in a traditional way without the chemical additives. I limit my coffee to one a day and drink caffeine free tea.

I eat nuts and dried fruits and fresh fruit and yogurt as snacks. No fizzy drinks. I mainly stick to the white cheeses as they are less processed. I try and stick to the least amount of processing I can. I use Cacao powder to create chocolate flavor which also contains many minerals. I avoid the white foods. No white flour, I use grain or rye. No white sugar, I use raw, brown, substitute sugar with honey, agave or maple syrup. No white rice only brown.

If I break my good eating habits, like I do for all sorts of reasons such as, I am too busy or I am out or I am late or I am at someone else's place or just because I crave for something I miss eating. Then if I do this too often, this sets me off on an even worse state of fatigue than normal and then the effort of preparing food is more than I can even manage to do for myself. I then will eat whatever is easy, convenient and available. Then my pain level increases and I find myself not coping in any way and that is not a good place for me to be. It is such a big effort for me to get myself out of this cycle and back on track even when I know that I have to.

Every day is a new day and for me to start over again and head in the right direction again.. So in the mornings when I have more energy I focus on good foods again. I bag up high energy foods of nuts and dried fruits which contain a good variety, I always add extra's like Walnuts o Pecans, dried Goji berries and pumpkin seeds and dried Cranberries for snacks and I also eat fresh fruits that are convenient. I peel and chop foods vegetables early in the day or do double the amounts when I have more energy. I sometimes cook large amounts in advance and freeze them into individual portions to get me over my slump and back on track.

I look at it this way, our bodies have enough to cope with PSA and we need to do whatever we can to protect us from any more ill health and if good eating does this it is worth it. If this helps me a little with my fatigue and helps lower my pain level a little it is worth it. This is not a cure for me. I am always dubious of claims that only work on one or two individuals with diets that are impossible for most of us to follow.

Eating healthier is far better than any diet.

I'm taking a class "Nutrition for Arthritis" April 1 & 8. The nutritionist at my doc's office is offering the class. I'll pass along any tips I get . I have started drinking whey shakes every morning because there was a discussion about it on this forum. I've found drinking this protein enriched whey milkshake does help me with my fatigue. I add strawberries, bananas and blueberry flax seed. The shake takes about 2 minutes to make in my blender in the morning, so I drink it consistently. I'm looking to change my diet to help with fatigue.

Frances

This question gets asked a lot, and unfortunately my answer stays pretty much the same. I have been on a special diet for about a year for IBS. No gluten, dairy, certain fruits and veggies are out, no legumes, and little red meat. While I have lost 30 pounds and I’m lighter than I’ve been in 10 years, I have not noticed any change in arthritis symptoms. I do feel better overall, because I eat really well. I have lots of energy and just feel healthy.

There are a number of supplements and herbals that have had some studies that indicate symptom relief. There is a long list, but the one to really pay attention to is vitamin d. Most adults have vitamin d deficiency, and this is especially true during the winter months. I had read that taking it can help with symptoms, but I didn’t think much of it until last week when, in one weeks time, I had 2 health professionals recommend taking D3. I just started taking it this week. You can have your doc check your blood levels for vitamin D or get some over the counter. It takes several weeks to a month on any supplement to show any change in symptoms, so if you decide to try one out, be patient. Also, if you think that supplements are worth a try, only experiment with one at a time. This way you will be able to tell which supplement is helping your symptoms. If it doesn’t work, stop taking it an move on to another one.

Here’s the webmd link. I have read similar information from other sources, so if you browse around you should be able to find more resources.
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/lifestyle-guide-11/alternatives-and-supplements-for-arthritis-joint-pain?page=1


Forgot to add that I buy frozen strawberries, pineapple etc. at Trader Joe's so I always have fruit to add to my whey shake. I'm really lazy when it comes to cooking :-)
Frances said:

I'm taking a class "Nutrition for Arthritis" April 1 & 8. The nutritionist at my doc's office is offering the class. I'll pass along any tips I get . I have started drinking whey shakes every morning because there was a discussion about it on this forum. I've found drinking this protein enriched whey milkshake does help me with my fatigue. I add strawberries, bananas and blueberry flax seed. The shake takes about 2 minutes to make in my blender in the morning, so I drink it consistently. I'm looking to change my diet to help with fatigue.

Frances

I will echo others here. I have been mostly vegan since dx. While I can brag about increased energy, better hair (even on MTX), hydrated skin, etc. I cannot say a change in diet has helped with PSA.

I’ve tried cutting all sorts out (even Rioja. Gasp) but nothing had a noticeable effect. I figured that if I was going to be in pain I would at least eat what I want!

Great advice!!! Diet is my next plan of action!!!

bella said:

I have tried several diets, Gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, no deadly night shades, eating foods high in anti oxidants and eliminating the foods that aggravate inflammation. Then eating foods that help with inflammation, eliminating highly processed food, no preservatives or any petroleum based products So far no diet has cured me. I do think that by eating good food does help my general health and helps my fatigue and pain levels. Only a little, but every little bit helps me cope with this PSA.

I did discover how good Organic Coconut oil is for my skin and to cook with and it is the healthiest oil to use.

I did discover that anything that is derived from petroleum based product I am sensitive to. It is hard for me to believe they put this our foods. I avoid all those chemical food additives. That is all those letters with numbers on the packs that most people don't have a clue what they stand for. They are for food enhancers and colorings and things that make the food fluffier and creamier or whiter or tastier.

I now stick to lots of fruit and vegetable, a variety of colors is best. I limit my red meat, avoid overly processed foods, choose the good oils and avoid the saturated and trans fats, limit my sugar. I avoid preservatives and artificial colorings and any flavor enhancers or anything that they use to fluff up products or make them seem creamier. I avoid anything with a petroleum derived product. I rarely eat any processed meats and I only eat those deli meats if they are made in a traditional way without the chemical additives. I limit my coffee to one a day and drink caffeine free tea.

I eat nuts and dried fruits and fresh fruit and yogurt as snacks. No fizzy drinks. I mainly stick to the white cheeses as they are less processed. I try and stick to the least amount of processing I can. I use Cacao powder to create chocolate flavor which also contains many minerals. I avoid the white foods. No white flour, I use grain or rye. No white sugar, I use raw, brown, substitute sugar with honey, agave or maple syrup. No white rice only brown.

If I break my good eating habits, like I do for all sorts of reasons such as, I am too busy or I am out or I am late or I am at someone else's place or just because I crave for something I miss eating. Then if I do this too often, this sets me off on an even worse state of fatigue than normal and then the effort of preparing food is more than I can even manage to do for myself. I then will eat whatever is easy, convenient and available. Then my pain level increases and I find myself not coping in any way and that is not a good place for me to be. It is such a big effort for me to get myself out of this cycle and back on track even when I know that I have to.

Every day is a new day and for me to start over again and head in the right direction again.. So in the mornings when I have more energy I focus on good foods again. I bag up high energy foods of nuts and dried fruits which contain a good variety, I always add extra's like Walnuts o Pecans, dried Goji berries and pumpkin seeds and dried Cranberries for snacks and I also eat fresh fruits that are convenient. I peel and chop foods vegetables early in the day or do double the amounts when I have more energy. I sometimes cook large amounts in advance and freeze them into individual portions to get me over my slump and back on track.

I look at it this way, our bodies have enough to cope with PSA and we need to do whatever we can to protect us from any more ill health and if good eating does this it is worth it. If this helps me a little with my fatigue and helps lower my pain level a little it is worth it. This is not a cure for me. I am always dubious of claims that only work on one or two individuals with diets that are impossible for most of us to follow.

Eating healthier is far better than any diet.

Yes, I've made some diet changes and feel it has helped. My energy level has increased and I no longer have the stomach issues I once had. When I do add some of the foods back that I have eliminated, I do notice a difference.

My diet changes started as a month long family challenge in January and our family has continued on with it. I'm also taking 2 Dmards : Leflunomide and Sulfasalzine and have found that this combination has been more successful then the last.

Like the meds, diet tends to help some and does nothing for others. It can also take a while to notice any difference. For me a combination of dmards and a healthy diet has helped!

Diet can play a huge role in overall health and how you feel. I just wish it would treat the disease!!! Although making dietary changes can have a huge impact on how good you feel, it doesn't stop the progression of psoriatic arthrits.

While waiting to go on PsA meds (tests revealed liver issues, and it took months upon months to get ok'd to start PsA treatment), I greatly modified my diet. I was diagnosed with Celiac, so no longer eat gluten. For a while I was off gluten, dairy, nightshades, corn, and soy. I now know to which foods I react, so kept those out of my diet while adding others back in, so I didn't go completely crazy trying to figure out what to eat! At the moment I don't eat gluten, nighshades, and don't eat many processed foods, don't consume high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, food dyes, msg, etc. etc. etc. My energy levels are definitely greatly improved, especially since diagnosis of several vitamin deficiencies (it's not uncommon for people with PsA to have low B2, B6, B12, and vitamin D levels) for which I am taking prescribed supplements.