# Worth sharing - from Marks Daily apple **URL:** \ **Category:** Blog\ **Created:** [October 11, 2012, 11:02pm UTC](https://discussion.livingwithpsoriaticarthritis.org/t/worth-sharing-from-marks-daily-apple/5024 "2012-10-11T23:02:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![melaniej](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussion.livingwithpsoriaticarthritis.org/melaniej/32/420_2.png) [@melaniej](https://discussion.livingwithpsoriaticarthritis.org/u/melaniej)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 11:02pm UTC](https://discussion.livingwithpsoriaticarthritis.org/t/worth-sharing-from-marks-daily-apple/5024/1 "2012-10-11T23:02:55Z")
**Ditch the grains, especially wheat** : Avoiding grains in all forms – and yes, that includes beer (sadly) – was the single best move I made toward improving my joint function. [Gluten intolerance is often connected to arthritis](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11600749 "A vegan diet free of gluten improves the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis: the effects on arthritis correlate with a reduction in antibodies to food antigens.") (yeah, avoid the vegan stuff and focus on the gluten avoidance), and Loren Cordain has tons of papers on possible [connections between dietary lectins and arthritis](http://www.thepaleodiet.com/articles/Arthritis%20PDF.pdf "Modulation of immune function by dietary lectins in rheumatoid arthritis") (PDF). He focuses on rheumatoid arthritis, but I don’t think osteoarthritis and RA are so different. It’s just that osteoarthritis is assumed to be the “wear-and-tear” disease, but the moose story from last week (and the tale of the corn-fed Native Americans) refutes that. **Avoid excess omega 6 fats** : Higher circulating levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), a pro-inflammatory [cytokine](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/further-adventures-with-leptin/ "Further Adventures with Leptin") that I’ve mentioned before, are [highly significant predictors of osteoarthritis of the knee](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19565477 "Interleukin-6 is a significant predictor of radiographic knee osteoarthritis: The Chingford Study."). Can you guess which type of polyunsaturated fatty acid leads to excessive levels of IL-6? [Exactly](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12578976?dopt=Abstract "Differential effects of prostaglandin derived from omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on COX-2 expression and IL-6 secretion."). Skip the corn, soybean, canola, and vegetable oil and the resultant pro-inflammatory eicosanoids. Use [animal fat](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/yet-another-primal-primer-animal-fats/ "A Primal Primer: Animal Fats"), [butter](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/grass-fed-butter/ "Is All Butter Created Equal?"), [olive oil](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/is-all-olive-oil-created-equal/ "Is All Olive Oil Created Equal?"), and [coconut oil](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-wonderful-world-of-coconut-products/ "The Wonderful World of Coconut Products") instead, and eat plenty of [fatty fish](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/better-fish-choices/ "Better Fish Choices") or take [fish oil](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/fish-oil-health-benefits/ "The Definitive Guide to Fish Oils"). **Avoid potatoes** : They’re not the worst things in the world, but some people report joint pain after consuming potatoes. I sometimes get tinges of my old knee pain if I eat potatoes on consecutive days, though the problem seems to worsen if I eat the skins. Go for more Primal friendly starch sources, like sweet potatoes, yams, and winter squash instead. **Get plenty of sun or supplement with vitamin D** : According to several [studies](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19654490 "Vitamin D status, bone mineral density, and the development of radiographic osteoarthritis of the knee: The Rotterdam Study."), low vitamin D status is [linked to increased osteoarthritis](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19404958 "Serum levels of vitamin D, sunlight exposure, and knee cartilage loss in older adults: the Tasmanian older adult cohort study."). **Use turmeric** : [Turmeric](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/health-benefits-turmeric/ "Smart Spice: Turmeric"), specifically curcumin, its active ingredient, [appears to protect chondrocytes](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19836480 "Biological actions of curcumin on articular chondrocytes."). Eat [Indian dishes](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/butter-chicken-in-a-silky-sauce/ "Butter Chicken in a Silky Sauce") (just make sure [ghee](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/coconut-oil-and-ghee/ "Coconut Oil and Ghee: Together At Last") is used!). **Consider glucosamine supplements** : Art Ayers had an [interesting take on glucosamine](http://coolinginflammation.blogspot.com/2008/09/glucosamine-paininflammation-relief.html "Glucosamine Pain/Inflammation Relief"). Rather than it providing the raw material for cartilage production as it’s commonly assumed, glucosamine actually binds to free transglutaminase 2 (TG2). TG2 is a well-known marker for osteoarthritis severity, and it often binds with [gluten](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/gluten-celiac-disease/ "Dear Mark: Gluten"), resulting in the formation of pro-inflammatory antibodies. If glucosamine binds with TG2, less TG2 is available to bind with more inflammatory compounds. Another option is to [drink bone broth](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/cooking-with-bones/ "Cooking with Bones") on a regular basis and gnaw on the articular endpoints of animal bones. **Lift heavy things** : In order to support healthy cartilage, your joints must bear weight. [PB Fitness](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-blueprint-fitness/ "Primal Blueprint Fitness") is great for that, as is a more traditional barbell approach. Just don’t think biking or swimming is enough; those may be useful for folks with no cartilage at all, but if you want your chondrocytes to do their job, you have to provide the right stimulus, and [that means load-bearing exercises](http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/581318 "Strength Training for Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Knee: A Systematic Review"). It remains unclear whether cartilage can actually regrow thanks to proper exercise, but we do know that resistance training improves osteoarthritis outcomes. **Either sprint or move slowly** : [Chronic Cardio](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/chronic-cardio/ "Chronic Cardio") increases systemic inflammation and increases your desire for inflammatory, cheap carbs like grains. Try [sprinting](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/sprint-routine/ "Sprint for Your Life: A Primal Workout") or [hiking](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/getting-back-to-nature/ "Getting Back to Nature") instead. **Go barefoot** : I’ve gone over this before, but I’ll reiterate. Wearing padded shoes disrupts your natural stride, and going barefoot allows valuable proprioreceptive input so you can intuitively adjust your landing to reduce stress on joints. Walking barefoot has also been shown to [reduce loading on lower limb joints in patients with osteoarthritis](http://cdn.marksdailyapple.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/barefootwalking.pdf "Walking Barefoot Decreases Loading on the Lower Extremit y Joints in Knee Osteoarthritis") (PDF). When you get down to it, avoiding and managing osteoarthritis is pretty simple for your basic Primal eater. Avoid grains and other foods rich in dietary [lectins](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/lectins/ "The Lowdown on Lectins"). Reduce inflammation, both acute and systemic. Use anti-inflammatory spices. Get the right amount of exercise at the right intensity. Get some [sun](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/vitamin-d-sun-exposure-supplementation-and-doses/ "Vitamin D: Sun Exposure, Supplementation and Doses"). Avoid autoimmune triggers, like gluten (and, for some, potatoes). Consider smart [supplementation](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/definitive-guide-to-primal-supplementation/ "Grok Didn't Take Supplements So Why Should I?"). Although to my knowledge this hasn’t been mentioned in research, I’d also suggest getting plenty of [sleep](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-definitive-guide-to-sleep/ "The Definitive Guide to Sleep") every night, maintaining strong social bonds with loved ones and friends, and leading a low-stress lifestyle. It’s pretty clear that the body deals with stressors rather indiscriminately, and a high stress lifestyle (no matter the source) is also an inflammatory one. #### _Get Free Health Tips, Recipes and Workouts Delivered to Your Inbox_ Posted By: Mark Sisson ![](http://w.sharethis.com/images/check-small.png) ![](http://w.sharethis.com/images/check-small.png) ![](http://w.sharethis.com/images/check-small.png) ![](http://w.sharethis.com/images/check-small.png) ![](http://w.sharethis.com/images/check-small.png) [96](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/arthritis-diet/#comments "Permanent Link to Osteoarthritis is Not Your Destiny") [![Print This Post](http://cdn.marksdailyapple.com/wordpress/wp-content/plugins/wp-print/images/printer_famfamfam.gif "Print This Post")](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/arthritis-diet/print/ "Print This Post") [« Previous Post!](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/announcement-the-primal-blueprint-30-day-challenge-begins-september-7/) Read more: [http://www.marksdailyapple.com/arthritis-diet/#ixzz292CCHWIT](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/arthritis-diet/#ixzz292CCHWIT)