• Home
  • Contact Us
  • Customer Support
View CartView Cart
default logo
Signup for FREE McDougall articles, recipes & event info
google_plus
  • Education
    • Health and Science
      • Hot Topics
      • Success Stories
      • Common Health Problems
      • A Lesson in Nutrition
    • The Free Program
    • Dr. McDougall’s Color Picture Book
    • Success Stories
    • Recipes
      • McDougall Recipes
      • Featured Recipe Videos
      • Mobile Cookbook App
      • Canned & Packaged Foods
    • Videos
      • McDougall’s Moments
      • Free eLectures
      • McDougall Experts
      • Star McDougallers
      • Live with Dr. McDougall
    • McDougall Mailings
      • Featured Articles
      • Newsletter Subject Index
      • Newsletter Article Index
      • McDougall Newsletter Archives
    • Live with Dr. McDougall
    • Free Podcasts
  • Programs
    • 10-Day Live-in Program
    • Intensive Weekend Program
    • Free McDougall Program
    • McDougall Quick-Start Program
    • Employee Immersion Program
    • Starch Solution Certification
    • Dr. McDougall’s Dietary Therapy
  • Shop
    • Books
    • eBooks
    • DVDs & Videos
    • Podcasts
    • Apparel
    • Cookbook App
  • Connect
    • Discussion Board
    • Starch Solution Certification Course Graduates
    • Finding a Healthcare Provider
    • Contact Us
  • About
    • About Dr. McDougall
    • Dr. John McDougall’s Story
    • Dr. McDougall’s Staff
    • Dr. John McDougall Interview
    • McDougall Foundation
    • Contact Us
  • Quick Start
  • Search

Phyllis Heaphy: Cured of Rheumatoid Arthritis


Phyllis Heaphy cured her rheumatoid arthritis and got her life back by following a simple diet of delicious foods, no pills, side effects, or expense.

Former Rheumatoid Arthritis Patient

I have overcome rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by following Dr. McDougall’s dietary suggestions, and my recent trip to Paris has inspired me to tell everyone about my recovery. My goal with this account is to help others suffering with crippling arthritis.

About eight years ago, at the age of 46, I began suffering with pain after standing still for long periods of time. My feet would become tender and very sore. Soon thereafter, I began experiencing “traveling” inflammation to various parts of my body: one week it would be in one or two fingers, the next week in one of my wrists, a month later in my shoulder. I became so stiff that I could hardly bend over to tie my shoelaces. I was becoming a cripple; I limped all the time. I could not even think about traveling. Almost every night I was awakened with pain. My efforts to ignore my obviously deteriorating health failed as I became progressively worse. The turning point was four years ago when I spent two days unable to walk – the pain was so intense in the balls of my feet that the slightest pressure was unbearable –- I cried as I tried to make my way across the room. I knew that whatever I had (I had not been diagnosed yet), would only get worse.

I made up my mind to see a doctor. The rheumatologist I visited in September 2000 spent almost an hour examining me and questioning me before giving her diagnosis of mild-to-moderate RA. It sounded like a death sentence. She began to write out a prescription for methotrexate, a powerful immune-system-suppressing drug often used to treat cancer, and told me that I would need to have blood tests every few weeks to monitor the drug’s effects on my liver. She summarized her rationale with, “we had to hit early and hit hard”. When I asked her if any types of food might cause or exacerbate RA, she said “definitely not”, although caffeine might aggravate the condition. She told me that I would be back before long. I thanked her for her careful diagnosis.

I felt shocked and frightened as I walked out of her office. I realized that I had an incurable disease, treatable by powerful drugs with serious side effects, and I would be sick and on drugs for the rest of my life. I never filled the prescription. Instead I searched for months on the Internet for any connection between food and RA – which I was convinced there must be.

Finally, one day I stumbled onto a reference to Dr. McDougall’s ultra-low-fat vegan diet for arthritis. From e-mail exchanges with Dr. McDougall I learned about the importance of also eliminating wheat, corn, and citrus fruits from my diet. He said that there are five common plant allergens, in addition to the dairy and other animal foods, namely: wheat, corn, citrus, tomatoes, and strawberries. The results were nothing short of miraculous: within a few days of eliminating unhealthy foods I became almost (perhaps 90%) pain-free, and I have continued to improve ever since.

I occasionally have bouts of inflammation in one joint or the other, at which time I will take one 200-milligram Advil (purchased over the counter). Since December 31st, 2003, I have taken only 8 regular-strength Advil. This means that I have had inflammation only 8 times in over 9 months. I take an Advil the instant the inflammation starts, and only one Advil is necessary to eliminate the inflammation. My hands, fingers, wrists, elbows, shoulders, and feet (all areas where the RA was established in the past) are all normal and pain-free. This is even more remarkable because I workout every weekday vigorously, including weight-training. Most of what little inflammation I have comes from overdoing the exercising.

My work used to require me to eat out frequently and I was surrounded by (usually overweight) people eating the Standard American Diet. One of Dr. McDougall’s expressions that I like the most is: “the fat you eat is the fat you wear.” I have almost no fat on my body now, after losing about 10 pounds, and I feel lean and svelte. I come from a family with “genetically” high cholesterol. My own cholesterol was at the 230 mg/dl, which my doctor considered to be “on the high side of normal, but not worry about it.” After giving up all simple sugars, including fruits, it dropped to 178 in a few months.

My husband and my parents were skeptical, but they were supportive. I am also lucky to have a family doctor who understands my need to help myself first. She has never reproached me for not following the advice of the rheumatologist, who she had referred me to. And I believe she is just as amazed as I am to see the inflammation completely gone.

My family (husband and two teenage daughters) recently spent ten days in Paris. We walked everywhere, visiting as many sites and museums as we could everyday. The days were long and it was not unusual for me to be on my feet for four to five hours at a stretch. It is times like this that I realize that my life has been restored, since just four years ago I was facing the possibility of being crippled and maybe wheel-chair bound.

In Paris, we stayed in an apartment hotel, so that I could cook all my own meals. To save time, that meant I had a large bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, and rice or potatoes, along with canned beans and tomatoes for most of my other meals. I was satisfied and full of energy. Are you shocked to hear that I took a trip to the “food capital” of the world, and ate rice, beans, and tomatoes? That I could walk by the bakeries with delectable pastries and French breads, and bistros spewing irresistible aromas – and not partake? When I look at that food, I simply think, “That food represents severe pain to me. I’ll pass on it.” My arthritis is just “lurking” in my body, ready to scream at me if I go back to my old way of eating. So I must be vigilant for the rest of my life. I think that this is a small price to pay for my health.


Dr. McDougall’s Comments:

You can cure serious arthritis for free, like Phyllis. Most (70%) patients who have inflammatory arthritis are dramatically improved within one month by following our diet. The McDougall diet – starches, vegetables, and fruits and no animal products of any kind and no added oils – must be followed strictly. Sometimes wheat and corn must be eliminated, too. The last step in searching for offending foods is the “elimination diet,” found in my December 2002 newsletter article: “Diet for the Desperate.”

You should also read “Diet: Only Hope for Arthritis” and “Star McDougallers” – Jean Brown, Vanessa, Sabrina, Mayra, and Rolling Back Dermatitis… These are found on my web site at www.drmcdougall.com. There are free recipes at the end of the newsletters.

…Or you could spend more than $15,000 a year on medications, and keep your arthritis and your doctors. You would think making the obvious choice would be easy. But many people don’t because:

1) They do not know that at least 25 studies published in the scientific literature show that rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriatic, and non-specific arthritis are caused by the Western diet and in most cases can be cured or dramatically improved with a low-fat, plant-based diet.

2) They do not believe they are capable of making lifelong changes in their diet.

3) They do not appreciate the obvious fact that a starch-based diet is the tastiest diet imaginable and much more enjoyable than yellow and brown foods that taste of grease and salt (the Western diet). (Just look at the foods and you will see the obvious difference.)

4) They falsely believe the medications will cure them, or at least significantly slow their painful journey to a cane or wheelchair.

5) They cannot find a doctor to support their efforts. Yet most have not asked for such help from their doctor.

6) They incorrectly believe a healthy diet will be costly, when the truth is they could save hundreds of dollars on their food bill, thousands on relatively useless medications, and hundreds of thousands on hospitalizations and long-term nursing care.

7) They believe they will get no support from family members. However, faced with your loss from death or disability, or maybe worse yet, caring for you as an invalid; who could refuse to support your change in diet?

8) They believe they will not be able to stick with a change in diet. Not true because the pain of arthritis will keep you on track. Good health through good nutrition is a self-rewarding (and punishing) treatment.

9) They believe starches will make them fat, and carbohydrates will cause them insulin resistance and raise their triglycerides. Actually, a starch based diet will restore their trim appearance, vitality, and health.

10) They think, “If this was so easy and effective then everyone would know about this and every doctor would treat patients in this manner – not just McDougall.” This is a well kept secret only because the economics do not favor wide distribution of the knowledge.

If you know someone with arthritis, make their day by challenging them with this cost-free, self-cure. As an added incentive, tell them that soon they can be a “Star McDougaller,” and learn the true joy of helping others, just like Phyllis Heaphy.

Share This:

Success Stories

  • Star McDougallers – Video Interviews
    • Andres and Alex Vallejo: Found New Health & Hope
    • Ann Wheat: Constipation & Abdominal Pains
    • Barbara Leary: Suffered from Type-2 Diabetes
    • Benjamin Eksouzian: Cures Type-2 Diabetes
    • Bill Zahlar: Suffered Massive Heart Attack
    • Brett: Lost weight and regained health
    • Caroline Duke: No Longer Suffers from Psoriasis
    • Cloudy Rockwell: Loses a Hundred Pounds
    • Dan: No longer needs blood pressure meds
    • Daniel: Has taken back control of his health
    • Dr. Walter Vermeulen’s patients in Samoa are sick and dying because of the Western Diet
    • Ed Smith: Lowered PSA, Lost Weight, Gained Health
    • Elaine: Chronic Illness, Obesity, Type-2 Diabetes
    • Elena: Diabetes, Heart Attack & Subsequent Recovery
    • Ellen Jaffe Jones: Beating the Genetic Odds
    • Evan: Got Rid of his Fatty Liver and Lost Weight
    • Frank: Whole Foods Market Team Member Lost Nearly 160 Pounds
    • George Goff: Triple Bypass Surgery
    • Gustavo: Lost Over 70 Pounds, Regained His Health and His Passion for Life
    • Jackie Swoboda: Cured Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • James Brown: High Blood Pressure & High Cholesterol
    • Jeb McIntyre: Lost Weight and Regained his Health
    • Jeff: Lost Over 100 Pounds, No Longer Suffers from a Long List of Health Problems
    • Jerry: Cured his Heart Disease by Switching to a Starch Based Diet
    • Jessica Bowen: My Winning Battle with Breast Cancer
    • Jo Lynne: No longer suffers from severe pain in her feet
    • Joani & Mark: Sick Overweight Vegetarians
    • John Roberts: High Cholesterol & Upper Respiratory Illnesses
    • Judith: Needlessly Suffered from Many Chronic Illnesses for 40 years
    • Judy Patti: Lost weight and no longer spends $800 on medications
    • Juliea Baker: Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Karen Barrow: Lost 100 Pounds & Kept it Off
    • Maralyn Millar: Pain & Discomfort Free from Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Mark Jones: Cures Arthritis, Heart Disease & Obesity
    • Mark’s Cardiologist Told Him He Wouldn’t See His 64th Birthday
    • Mary Duffield: Cures Obesity & Hypertension
    • Michael Goldberg: Type-1 Diabetes w/o Complications
    • Nancy: Lost Weight and Lowered Her Cholesterol
    • Nina & Randa Nelson: Cure Embarrassing Acne & Oily Skin
    • Norm Weinstein: Lost 250 Pounds
    • Paul: Lost Weight and No Longer Suffers from Severely Painful Intestinal Issues
    • Paula: No Longer Suffers from the Debilitating Effects of Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Paula: Tells why she had to come to an Advanced Study Weekend
    • Peggie: No Longer Suffers from Acid Reflux
    • Peggy Fought Ovarian Cancer by Changing to a Starch Based Diet
    • Phyllis Heaphy: Cured of Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Phyllis: Changed her Diet in 2001 After She Was Diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Randy: Lost over 70 pounds and is off all medications after 2 Transient Ischemic Attacks in 6 months
    • Rebecca Lewis: MS No Longer Controls Her Life
    • Roberta Joiner: lost weight and no longer suffers from severe pain
    • Sharon: Loves Trying Recipes in the McDougall Cookbooks and Has Lost Over 30 lbs.
    • Sondra Berk: Suffered with Crohn’s Disease for Years
    • Stacy: Lost Over 50 lbs. and Stopped 3 Medications Simply By Changing Her Diet
    • Star McDougaller: No Longer Suffers from Debilitating Arthritis Pain
    • Steve: Changes to Starch Based Diet, Regains Health
    • Tarver: Lost Weight & Regained His Health by Eating a Starch Based Diet
    • Tim Kaufman: Changed His Diet & Changed His Life
    • Valerie & Ed: Lowered Cholesterol & Blood Pressure
  • Star McDougallers – Written Stories
    • John: Keeps Up with His Love for Adventure
    • Phil: Cured Irritable Bowel Syndrome & Took Up Competitive Cycling – NEW
    • Anna Shives: Down 60 Pounds and Counting – NEW
    • Amanda Carlson: Went No Oil and is Now More Fit Than Ever
    • Amy Fewel: Cures Herself of Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Andrew: Recovered from Severe Ulcerative Colitis
    • Anne Heineman: Lost Over 70 Pounds
    • Anneliese Moore: Breast Cancer Treated with Diet
    • Ashley: Compulsive Overeating, Obesity
    • Barbara Ellicott: Hypertension, Marathon Runner
    • Benji Kurtz: A Relatively ‘Healthy’ Obese Person
    • Beth Burns: Goodbye to Migraines!
    • Bethany: Conquering Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Bobby Andersen: The Plant-Fueled Trucker, Wants to Help Millions of People with His Success Story
    • Burgess Laughlin: Dermatitis, Arthritis, Bursitis, Tendonitis, Iritis
    • C. Scott Campbell: IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
    • Cathy Stewart: Loses 150 Pounds
    • Charles Alexander: Listen to your body’s wake up calls
    • Cheryl M. Lambert: Cures Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
    • Christensen / Alexander Families: Vegan Family
    • Christine Sorenson: Cures Obesity, Weightlifter
    • Christine: Cured Crohn’s Disease
    • Christopher Falcone: A Family’s Transformation
    • Chrystal Lax: Lost 80+ Pounds, Feels & Looks Younger Than Ever
    • Claudia Dealmeida: Had Debilitating Migraines, Now Pain Free
    • Cloudy Rockwell: Loses a Hundred Pounds
    • Dan Brotherton: Overweight, High Blood Pressure
    • Dan Curtin: Depression, Hypertension, GERD, Obesity
    • Dan McCrady: Overweight, Athlete
    • Darrell Woodruff, MD & Norma Woodruff
    • Deb Tasic: Stops Multiple Sclerosis
    • Debbie Cockrell: Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Diane Weedling: Diet Freed Me from Lupus and Medical Specialists
    • Donna Byrnes: Conquering my weight issues after 40 years
    • Donna Kondrak: Lost 60 lbs. No Longer Needs Diabetes Medications
    • Donna McFarland: Diagnosed with MS; Food Became My Medicine
    • Edna Roseberry: Elderly, Angina, Reverses Heart Disease
    • Elizabeth TeSelle: Beyond Veganism
    • Ellen Jaffe Jones: Beating the Genetic Odds
    • Esther: Her New Life
    • Evelyn Johnson: Helping Others, by Example
    • Fran Myers: Discovered the Starch Solution, Lost weight, Now Pain Free
    • Gabrielle: Overcame Ulcerative Colitis
    • Gain John: Hypertension, Lost 66 Pounds, Has Loads of Energy
    • George Sanders: Freeing Myself of Metabolic Syndrome
    • Gerald Klosky: Obesity, Type-2 Diabetes, Hypertension
    • Gerard Talamo: Lost 31 Pounds in Only Six Weeks
    • Howard Bartner: Coronary Heart Disease, Hypertension
    • Jan: Better Health, Overweight
    • Jane Golson: Having the Time of Her Life
    • Jason Wyrick: Cured Type-2 Diabetes and Obesity
    • Jean Brown: Cures Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Jeff Armstrong: Weight Loss, Sleep Apnea
    • Jeff Kristad: Irritable Bowel Syndrome
    • Jennifer: Loses an Average of 0.3 Pounds Per Day
    • Jessica Bowen: My Winning Battle with Breast Cancer
    • Jessica Parsons: Sheds 90 Pounds, Cures Obesity
    • Jim Ettinger: Heart Disease, Cholesterol, Hypertension
    • Joan Isa: Hiatal Hernia, GERD, Indigestion
    • Joanne Irwin: Reduces Cholesterol, Cures Arthritis, Helps Others
    • Joe Jacob: Overweight, Cholesterol
    • John Staley: Lost Half a Person 22 Years Ago
    • John: Reversed His Diabetes and Beat His Family Genetics
    • Jon Hess: Reversing Heart Disease
    • Joseph Wysoki: Physician, Cholesterol, Overweight
    • Josh: Lost 100+ Pounds & Kept His Cholesterol Under 120
    • Joyce Rainwater: Overcoming Obesity for Good
    • Joyce Rossi: From Crippled to Running
    • Joyce Shank: Cures Obesity, Arthritis
    • Juliea Baker: Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • June Ziegler: Depression, Heart Disease, Overweight
    • Karen Barrow: Lost 100 Pounds & Kept it Off
    • Karen Cooper, MSW, LICSW: “I Can’t Have MS!”
    • Kate: Terminal Prognosis Turns Into Tremendous Results
    • Kathy Roberts: Model – No Longer Overweight
    • Kelly Caraway: Choosing diet over drugs after a heart attack
    • Kelly G.: Cures Morbid Obesity
    • kiki: What a Change Has Taken Place in My Life!!
    • Kim Hoffman: Beating MS!
    • Lars P. Lidberg: Painful Arthritis, Cholesterol
    • Lassie Nelson: Lost 135 Pounds: Cures Morbid Obesity
    • Leslie Craine: Cured RA (rheumatoid arthritis)
    • Linda Chalmers: Cured High Blood Pressure & Lost Weight
    • Lyndall Shick: Had Her First Heart Attack at 41
    • Maralyn Millar: Free of Pain & Discomfort from Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Marjorie Hart: Low-Carb Enthusiast Turned Starch Strong and Dialysis Free
    • Mary Duffield: Cures Obesity & Hypertension
    • Mary Lou Sheehan: Hypertension, Diabetes
    • Mary Splady: Standing up to the Osteoporosis Hype
    • Mayra: Almost Lost to Lupus
    • Melysa: Ticking Time Bomb Turned Off
    • Meredith Fishman: Running Marathons after Debilitating Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Michael Glaser: Lost 80 lbs, Overcame Rheumatoid Arthritis, Fully Enjoys His Life
    • Michelle Bachmann: loses over 100 pounds
    • Mike Teehan: Stopping a lifetime of weight loss and gain
    • Mike Wilson: Cures Obesity: 450 pounds down to 185 pounds
    • Nat Cohen: Elderly Recover with Diet
    • Nettie Taylor: Finally Winning the Weight Battle
    • Nicole S. O’Shea: Cured Crippling Psoriatic Arthritis & Skin Psoriasis with Diet
    • Pat and Marge Luyk: Elderly Recover with Diet
    • Paula: Cured Endometriosis
    • Peter Rogers, MD: Heals Self
    • Phyllis Heaphy: Cured of Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Randy: McDougall Soups for the Win
    • Raynal: Discovered the Power of Plants Before Age 21
    • Rich Richardson: Heart Disease
    • Robert Cross: Formerly Dying from Heart Disease
    • Roberta Varney: Weight Problems
    • Robin Avery: Singer, Overweight
    • Ron M: How One Man Put an End to All of His Problems
    • Ruth Heidrich: Defeats Cancer and Osteoporosis, Breast Cancer
    • Ryan Schultz, DVM (veterinarian) Cures Himself of Crohn’s Disease
    • Sabrina Nelson: Cured Relapsing Polychondritis
    • Scott Haas: Cures Hypertension
    • Scott Raphael, N.D.: Type-2 Diabetes, Obesity
    • Shannon Woods — World Class Athlete: on the Verge of Obesity
    • Shelly: Finds The Starch Solution and Regains Her Life
    • Star Lauralee: Cures Inflammation and Completes IronMan – NEW
    • Stinker: Overweight, Cholesterol
    • Sue Pratt: Finds Success After 10 Years of “Yo-Yo Dieting”
    • Syd Wyemann: My Hands Were Crippled With Arthritis
    • Teresa Rodriguez: Learning to Love Myself Again
    • The Weaver Family: Conquering Ulcerative Colitis, Family Heart Disease & Finding Vibrant Family Life
    • Uncle Buck: Permanently Cures Obesity
    • Vanessa: Lupus Nephritis
    • Vickie Barlow: Lost 63 lbs, No Longer has Gout or Arthritis

Success Stories

  • Success Stories
    • Video Interviews
    • Written Stories

Health and Science

  • Hot Topics
  • Success Stories
  • Common Health Problems
  • A Lesson in Nutrition
  • Featured Articles

McDougall Program Links

  • McDougall Programs Overview
  • 10-Day Live-in Program
  • Intensive Weekend Program
  • Free McDougall Program
  • McDougall Quick-Start Program
  • Employee Immersion Program
  • Starch Solution Certification for Professionals and Nonprofessionals
  • Dr. McDougall’s Dietary Therapy: An Online Course for Reversing Common Diseases
  • Tax Deduction Information

Contact Info

Dr. McDougall’s
Health and Medical Center
PO Box 14039
Santa Rosa, CA 95402

Phone: 1-800-941-7111
Skype: +1-616-874-8155

Office Hours:
Monday-Friday:
9:00AM - 5:00PM (PST)

 

Email:
office@drmcdougall.com

Customer Support:
Submit a support ticket

Follow Dr. McDougall

You'll find Dr. McDougall on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.

facebook
twitter
youtube
linkedin

McDougall Foundation

Our non-profit foundation has funded a study on the dietary treatment of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) with the Oregon Health & Science University. Our second ongoing project is the measurement of artery wall thickness changes that occur as a result of the McDougall Diet using ultrasound measurements (CIMT).
Donate Online.
Copyright (c) 2019 John A. McDougall, M.D., All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service
Webmaster: Graphicsmith