Psoriatic Arthritis Journal - 2.5 year Update Page 63

[nicoles]

Lmggallagher - You KNOW you're on nplan when you can resist soda bread. My husband BAKED some in OUR KITCHEN for Thanksgiving and I didn't touch it! (I did smell it though. Oh my!) I am clearly also a saint.

Fascinating about fibro and sleep disorder. I have a few friends I'll pass that along to.


I live in Los Angeles right now, but I left my heart in San Francisco..and Paris

[nicoles]

Thanks Herbivore, and Jamietwo! I hope you are both feeling well yourselves!

[lmggallagher]

Nicoles: I am so proud of you for not diving into the soda bread! We are to be commended, I need to communicate this better with my scale though

I love the City, Paris too, but haven't been there for many eons. My Cousin just came back from 3 weeks there, he loved it they ate and ate and ate. He can't really be a blood relative though -- he didn't gain a pound. I think they also walked and walked and walked. I get to go into the City tonight for a show, yay -- luckily the family will meet at the Masonic Auditorium and NOT at a restaurant per usual. To that I say TG!

[nicoles]

Have fun at the show, Lmggallagher! I'd gain weight in Paris, too - perhaps we are related?

[lmggallagher]

Hmm, you've disappeared, hope all is going well

[nicoles]

Hey LM, all is fine! Not to worry It's just that I am an abominable journaller

[chlo888]

Nicole,
I too have psa and have been trying all sorts of things to get better...not eating seems to work best but water fasts are brutal...Inspired by your story I started a steamed veggie diet today. Can you list the foods that are acceptable to eat on the diet that worked best for you? Also are you 100% symptom free? My symptoms have improved 50% by eliminating ALL gluten and carbs, dairy and soy...I want the other 50% now..

[nicoles]

Nicole,
I too have psa and have been trying all sorts of things to get better...not eating seems to work best but water fasts are brutal...Inspired by your story I started a steamed veggie diet today. Can you list the foods that are acceptable to eat on the diet that worked best for you? Also are you 100% symptom free? My symptoms have improved 50% by eliminating ALL gluten and carbs, dairy and soy...I want the other 50% now..

Glad to hear you have already had a 50% reduction of symptoms, Chlo888! I sent you a pm answering the questions but I forgot to mention this: patience is key.

Some lucky folks with Ra and PsA seem to get all better practically overnight with dietary changes, but my recovery has been more gradual, yet very significant. Don't give up!

That other 50% might be tougher to budge as you tweak out all the myriad factors that contribute to your pain - surprising dietary sensitivities (I can't eat carrots, of all the blessed things under the sun! Who'd'a thunk it?!?!), fatigue levels, stress, allergies to environmental things like pollens, and even emotional states or overeating foods you aren't sensitive to - but once you know what they are, you have the power to eliminate or minimize their presence in your life, and the relief of knowing that even if you encounter one for a day, that it won't last forever, you can get right back on track the next day.


Let me know if you have more questions! Nicole


{edited because of my bad spelling}

[chlo888]

Thank you Nicole. I see that what might work for you may not be right for me as we all have our own food sensitivities. I was reading through Dr F's stuff and found the link below...If I have to do a multi week fast to get over this (and then go vegan) seems like a good trade to me...the water fasts are brutal but it would be worth it...what are your thoughts? It might be a quicker approach to getting back to normal..


http://www.nutritionalresearch.org/site ... asting.pdf

Nicole,
I too have psa and have been trying all sorts of things to get better...not eating seems to work best but water fasts are brutal...Inspired by your story I started a steamed veggie diet today. Can you list the foods that are acceptable to eat on the diet that worked best for you? Also are you 100% symptom free? My symptoms have improved 50% by eliminating ALL gluten and carbs, dairy and soy...I want the other 50% now..

Glad to hear you have already had a 50% reduction of symptoms, Chlo888! I sent you a pm answering the questions but I forgot to mention this: patience is key.

Some lucky folks with Ra and PsA seem to get all better practically overnight with dietary changes, but my recovery has been more gradual, yet very significant. Don't give up!

That other 50% might be tougher to budge as you tweak out all the myriad factors that contribute to your pain - surprising dietary sensitivities (I can't eat carrots, of all the blessed things under the sun! Who'd'a thunk it?!?!), fatigue levels, stress, allergies to environmental things like pollens, and even emotional states or overeating foods you aren't sensitive to - but once you know what they are, you have the power to eliminate or minimize their presence in your life, and the relief of knowing that even if you encounter one for a day, that it won't last forever, you can get right back on track the next day.


Let me know if you have more questions! Nicole


{edited because of my bad spelling}

[nicoles]

Thank you Nicole. I see that what might work for you may not be right for me as we all have our own food sensitivities. I was reading through Dr F's stuff and found the link below...If I have to do a multi week fast to get over this (and then go vegan) seems like a good trade to me...the water fasts are brutal but it would be worth it...what are your thoughts? It might be a quicker approach to getting back to normal..

http://www.nutritionalresearch.org/site ... asting.pdf

From what I know about water fasting - and I am no expert at all! - it is important to eat VERY nutrient-rich for a good two months before fasting (green juices, blended salads and soups, 100% vegan and non-processed etc), for there to be a benefit to an autoimmune sufferer.

Also a long water fast (more than 3-4 days) should never be unsupervised by a medical professional who is also familiar with fasting, such as the doctors who run TrueNorth in Northern California.

When I tried my water fast I was impulsive and took the risks - but it was brutal at only 3-5 days long. From what I have learned now I would not have done it that way. For example, my idea at the time was that I would be able to come into and elimination diet "clean" and really know for sure what caused flares. Unfortunately, eating anything after the fast caused an increase in inflammation, so I was really no better off than before, except that the elimination diet tasted glorious, not boring!

Dr F wrote a book "Fasting and Eating for Health" which better explains the risks, benefits and dangers of water only fasting. That might help you further with your decision.

And still, if you do decide on a multi-week fast, please do not even think of doing it without real assistance and supervision.

If I were you, I'd keep working the food sensitivities

[lmggallagher]

Nicole --

Interesting on water fasts. I was pondering, if I should do this very briefly to get over the SAD food day of Christmas. it wasn't an actual take action thing just that I was so miserable that water seemed about the only thing I could do and the occasional mashed banana. Anyway, I am glad I did toss in the fruit, because it seems there is quite a bit to consider in any fasting regime.

As for the bad eating, boy, did I ever learn that gluten, lactose, sugar and soy are absolutely not coming back into my life again!

Carrots -- no carrots! This amazes me! What happens if you eat them???

Michelle

[blue]

Hi Nicole
I was reading thru the blogs the other day when I found yours and read it with great interest! I'm another chronic pain patient trying to manage my condition--polymyalgia rheumatica--thru diet. Like you, I saw pretty quick results within about three weeks after starting this new WOE last September. Thank you for charting your progress here. It's always nice to find others dealing with similar issues and seeing good results with the diet. Continued good luck to you
Blue

[nicoles]

Michelle - if I eat carrots my tongue, and throat burn. I figure that is a histamine response, which activates my immune system and therefore could theoretically cause increased flaring. So I just skip 'em!

Hi Nicole
I was reading thru the blogs the other day when I found yours and read it with great interest! I'm another chronic pain patient trying to manage my condition--polymyalgia rheumatica--thru diet. Like you, I saw pretty quick results within about three weeks after starting this new WOE last September. Thank you for charting your progress here. It's always nice to find others dealing with similar issues and seeing good results with the diet. Continued good luck to you
Blue

HI Blue! Sorry it took me so long to see this post - I have been quite neglectful of this Journal as of late, which is usually a good sign - it means I am doing so well I don't even think to post!

I am glad to hear you have been improving - I will check out your journal after I write this post!

Update: MArch 2012

I have been experimenting, tweaking and refining this dietary choice and other lifestyle choices for maximum benefit of pain reduction/arthritis and psoriasis control. Because of this, I have been hesitant to post here because a) I am doing a few "unorthodox" things, at least according to Dr. McDougall's plan, and b) I am superstitious; things have been going well and I don't want to jinx it by shouting that out to the world (I blame my Irish father for this particular proclivity - he thinks we are descendants of the Tuatha Dé Danann, for heaven's sake!)

Anyway, in a nutshell:

After experiencing the flare I had in September, I was motivated to DO MORE for my health. So I expanded my research over to Dr Fuhrman's site, because he has a specific autoimmune protocol to follow, which still avoids using meds, but does involve some supplementation.

I know a lot of folks here are down on Dr. F and I respect that (and, in fact, used to be of that opinion) - I just wanted to try more for me, and have come to the opinion that he is quite worthy of respect as well, at the very least in regard to tricky autoimmune conditions. Now, Dr. McDougall may be as well, but reserve his extras for actual patients, but I only went by the info he supplies here so I really cannot say.

I started employing his specific recommendations for the autoimmune protocol, and not only have they been very effective, and continue to be so, but many other side benefits have occurred as well.

I was doing very well, comparatively, on this diet here, but after a few months of the tweaks, I realize I am doing much better. I have no pain and no threat of pain ( autoimmune folks will know what I mean by the "threat of pain")in my hands or wrists.

Even more of a reduction in my knee pain.

Greatly improved flexibility of all joints.

Even more energy than I already had - I must have been so tired for years without even realizing how far downhill I'd gone. I now wake up at about 5:30/6 am each day (full of energy) and go to bed around 10:30/11.

Even less PMS (I had already reduced it after switching to this WOE)

There are more, but I have to get to work in a few, so I will wrap up for the moment.

I wanted this journal to be a resource for other people who are, like I was, looking for answers to their autoimmune condition without using a lot of heavy-duty meds, and who are not responding as quickly as some of the Star McDougallers appear to have (that can be really discouraging if it happens to you.) To do that, I have to be honest about the choices I make. Because of that, I will be posting about some things that are not particularly "McDougall" (I will be more specific in my next post about what exactly I have been doing, in the spirit of that transparency.)

But I want to make clear - I fully respect everything Dr McDougall does and has done for 30+ years, and this expansion is in no way a criticism of him or this WOE.

[frozenveg]

Thanks, Nicole, and good for you! After hearing the debate between Fuhrman and Dr. M at the ASW, and also reading Eat to Live, I am of the opinion that really there is a very tiny difference between Fuhrman and McDougall eating plans, so I for one will probably not jump down your throat about it--and besides, this is your journal, not the main forum--so I am very curious to see what adjustments you have made to your diet.

I am incredibly glad to hear that what you have done has brought you more energy and less pain! Congratulations!

(You know, sometimes, I am tempted to accept the other spellings that the Spellchecker offers when I type something wrong. What would you have thought if instead of "congratulations," I had wished you "conglomerations?")

[nicoles]

Thanks FrozenVeg, especially for being understanding about my new perspective and dietary changes.

I would have been fine with "conglomerations" instead of congratulations Although perhaps confused....

Anyway, further updates pending for the few who may be interested. I have a lot to report but am pretty busy today, more so than I anticipated.