Dietary Study for PsA

They say that the problem is when you take then together, it magnifies the bad effects on the liver.
Pain medication does not do much for OA or inflammation, but I guess it takes the edge off… I am taking Tramadol, a couple of times a day, doesn’t do much for pain, actually is a great anti-anxiety medication.
I hope they come up with a custom DNA designer medication that will be tailored to each patient, of course insurance will not cover it… :wink:

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The same way that a double vodka magnifies the bad effects of a double whiskey if you down them at the same time.

Truly, the only thing that takes the edge off for me, apart from the above which I don’t handle too well, is exercise. Tai Chi, even if done badly in my hallway for 15 minutes, reduces some sorts of pain surprisingly well.

I am sick of hurting all over way too often recently though, and I sympathise.

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Yes I find it does that too.

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It seems to me that dietary recommendations are pretty useless for much of the time - not least because, just as with meds, what works for one person doesn’t work for another and can, in fact, make them worse. We’re on a forum where ALL of us have different combinations of symptoms to each other, so how can a diet be recommended to all sufferers on that basis?

And it’s not just with dietary recommendations for PSA either - but for everything. Five a day fruit and veg is apparently good for you. That’s great. But try that if you have IBS and you’re gonna have a ring on your butt from sitting on the loo all day. I’m not saying we shouldn’t eat as healthily as we can - and living on fried food etc isn’t going to do anyone any good - but the idea that what is good for one person is good for another is heavily flawed, and anyone who spends time on health forums will know that. And, as mentioned in this thread already, the same is true for meds - what suits one person is either useless or counter-productive for others.

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What you say about the same diet not being useful for every PSA sufferer is true, but that doesn’t mean that individuals can’t benefit from trying various diets to find out what benefits them personally. Everyone can benefit from cutting out sugar and processed foods. There are various elimination diets a person can try, reintroducing various categories of foods one by one, carefully noting their body’s response. If they react to them, this can be useful information. --NancyJ

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So true, the elimination diet is the best approach, cutting out a food for 1 month, to see if it helps. Eating healthy benefits everyone who tries it, no matter what condition.

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I agree with that to a point. But it’s all very well saying that everyone would benefit from cutting out processed food, but many people with severe arthritis are incapable of preparing their own meals from scratch. Therefore processed or ready prepared meals may well be essential to them. As with all aspects of PsA, the needs of two people are never the same.

And Jon is incorrect. If I “ate healthy” in the traditional sense of the word (fruit and veg), I would be sitting on the loo all day through IBS. So not everyone benefits from eating healthily at all.

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I said to eat healthy, did not mention fruits and vegetables. I prepare food for myself, a lot of times it is just hard boiled eggs, and a healthy snack. You modify it to your condition.

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This would be a good start for your elimination diet! Sorry Darinfan, probably eliminates the entire UK and US diet! :wink:

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Might as well be dead.

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We have a sweet tooth do we? :wink:
I have been off sugar for so many years, don’t have a craving. They say it is harder to titrate off sugar then heroin.

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Thankfully I’ve never craved sugar. I don’t add it to anything like tea or coffee and I have to remember to buy it for others to add to their tea or coffee. I rarely eat cake, indeed I never bake a cake. I will eat chocolate but certainly not every day and I will eat a biscuit (cookie) but again not every day.
However I notice if I do eat anything sugary like a dessert after a meal out, boy do I suffer the next day. I remember one time having some sort of merangue eton mess dessert with fruit and literally struggled to get out of bed the next morning.
And I never drink fruit juice I prefer eating the fruit instead. But I love all bread and all potatoes (I’m Irish!) and butter (proper butter) and cheese. I’d have a bacon sandwich any day over a donut for breakfast and I struggle with the smell of candy, let alone putting it in my mouth. And I will eat a ready meal if necessary. But I’m happier eating some cheese and fruit if I can’t be bothered to cook. I eat loads of fish too but it must be fresh fish not something bought in the supermarket that was caught sometime last month!

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Hi Zinnia,

You rock! I am always impressed by folks who are able to follow anti-inflammatory diets. I had previously followed the FODMAPS program at my gastroenterologist’s urging. Unfortunately, it left me feeling that I was lacking variety and flavor. To be honest, I didn’t have the time to try out recipes that may have improved my perception of the diet.

I am feeling very poorly at the moment and am desperate for some relief. To this end, I have recently resumed a gluten- and lactose-free program. How did you manage the transition to this restrictive diet? Do you consume meat? Are you able to exercise?

I am very encouraged by your results and look forward to any advice you may have for those of us getting started.

Thanks.

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Pixie,

I googled FODMAPS program and it is MUCH more restrictive than my autoimmune diet! I do eat meat (mainly chicken and fish, occasionally beef) and exercise several times a week, even when I am hurting.

I am still having gastrointestinal issues in the morning. Truthfully I have been denying that my stomach troubles are truly related to PsA although I know they are.

The diet I am on helps my joint inflammation and helps my stomach issues some—but not completely.

The hardest part getting started was getting my husband on board. Now we never, ever cook with dairy. I use walnuts to cope with no peanuts (I make walnut butter)but just last week I read something that said walnut oil is bad for PsA, and they do sometimes upset my stomach.

I am going to get more restrictive about what I eat because I can already see the power my diet has over how I feel. I am going to research FODMAPS and incorporate some of those tighter restrictions. Holidays are the hardest time, and that is right around the corner.

To me the takeaway is do what you can and don’t stress yourself out when you aren’t following the diet perfectly. It is amazing how much I don’t want pizza, cheese, and pasta anymore. And my friends always have plain hummus and carrots when I come over, lol.

Dark chocolate is my indulgence—I try to only eat 78% but love 70% the most. Kombucha in ginger flavor is another sweet treat that I love.

Pixie, thanks for your encouragement! I needed to hear from you today to get back on track! I love it that we can all support each other’s journey. Keep me updated on your progress!

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I take 500 mg of Krill oil every night before bed. It helps keep my triglycerides lower & I noticed when I ran out for a few days that my joints were a little more stiff. I tried to take the regular fish oil until the Krill was on sale and that didn’t do anything for me. My knees were very tight. When I bought the Krill again; within two days my joints felt better. All I know is that I stock up on it now! It 100% works for me. Maybe give it a try😊

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I find out in a month if the pharmaceutical fish oil is any better then the Triglyceride form Nordicnaturals. It really is way over priced, so if it is not a miracle, I will be going back to my old stuff.

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Well, please let us know what they tell you! I’ve been out of Nordic Naturals super triglycerides formula fish oil for over a month now and I’m taking a cheap brand instead…the price had gone up suddenly from about $50 to 70 for a180 dose bottle, and, while that’s not a lot of for a 3-month supply, it’s a lot for me!

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Hi all,

Would it be more beneficial to increase ones gut health (since most of our immune system resides there)?
One very well might end up eating more unrefined and wholesome foods as a result, but the focus is changed more towards balancing the reaction of your immune system. Worth exploration me thinks :slightly_smiling_face:

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Please keep in mind that the contents of the supplements are not regulated. You have no way of knowing what you’re actually getting and how much of it you’re getting from bottle to bottle and ever from pill to pill.

Make sure you buy your supplements from a well known manufacturer with a good reputation!

azurelle

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I’m going to start back with omega-3 for the first of year and cut back my sugar about 90%. I am cutting back on the sugar because I need to drop about 50 pounds, but it will be interesting to see if it helps the PsA. Everyone wish me luck because I am a bad sugar addict! I hope dropping the weight and the sugar will help my knees.

Any recommendations on the amount of omega-3 a day?

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