Arthritis and Diet

Mad
Mad Member Posts: 5
edited 16. Apr 2011, 15:37 in Living with Arthritis archive
My G.P. has confirmed I have OA in both hips and both knees, and suggested I read up on different foods - some good, some bad for arthritis. Does anybody know of a good book? I've just looked on Amazon, and on reading the reviews of one of them, the people continually talk about eating liver at least three times a week. As a vegetarian, that's no good to me, so any help would be much appreciated.

Comments

  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    This has been covered a number of times and opinions vary on the effectiveness of diets. What may work for one may not work for another, some people are trying to be gluten-free, wheat free, lactose-free, possibly all at the same time too, but you won't know until you try.

    Having had a very restricted diet as a child (I had chronic eczema) I can vouch for the fact that it makes life challenging and somewhat dull, 'cos it's never, ever the stuff you don't like that you have to avoid. I have PA and have tried cutting out various things in the past but now can't be bothered. I have recently discovered fruit (as my immune system is now efftively switched off) and it's a huge disappointment.

    As a vegetarian one would hope that your diet is reasonably good, with lots of nuts, seeds and veg etc. Do you include fish or are you vegan? Oily fish should help with joint lubrication, ginger, beetroot and celery are supposedly good natural anti-inflammatories, perhaps doing some research on ayurvedic principles might yield some more information.

    I know milk and cheese are supposedly good sources of calcium but dairy can also increase catarrh etc, so calcium tablets are a better alternative. I hope you can find a diet to suit and that it helps. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 30,026
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Mad

    I suggest you ask the question to the helpline as they will knwo whetehr there is actually any scientific evidence for 'diets' to help with your arthritis.

    I don't eat meat either :shock: liver? LIVER!!!!!

    Eeeuuuwwww!!

    Love

    Toni xx
  • skezier
    skezier Member Posts: 11,333
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Mad,

    Like you I am a veggie and that makes the diet thing so much harder.

    I fairly certain that there is no scientific proof that diet effects oa..... I am fairly certain but like Toni I recon the helplines forum would get you the real answer.

    Hey will see what they say over there if you do post there but as a veggie we kinda have a problem with eating some of the suggestions eh? Cris x
  • magenta
    magenta Member Posts: 1,604
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi,
    I was recently diagnosed with OA in all my joints and the rheumy never mentioned any specific diets but suggested Glucosamine with Chonditrin(sp!) tablets. I've been put off by the price though so not tried them yet.
    Magenta x
  • Achyknees
    Achyknees Member Posts: 5
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I have had PA for 13 years now and I definately find some food and drinks make me achier than others. That doesn't mean I cut them out completely though! Just try and moderate myself. I find red meat, alcohol and coffee make me worse-all quite high acidic foodstuffs. And if I go crazy on these the effects are felt a few days later (I drank a lot of coffee the last 2 weeks, now I ache).

    Hope this is some kind of help!!!
  • MissKat
    MissKat Member Posts: 124
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I've just recently taken steps to see if diet will help me too... only 2 weeks in, so don't really know yet if things are helping me or not?! This is where I've found my advice:

    Arthritis Research guides:
    http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis_information/arthritis_and_daily_life/diet,_nutrition_and_arthritis.aspx

    Food Doctor Book:
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Food-Doctor-Healing-Foods-Mind/dp/1843401878/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1301569822&sr=8-1

    Anti Inflammatory pyramid (but some contradict with specific arthritis diet stuff so watch out!)
    http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02995/Dr-Weil-Anti-Inflammatory-Food-Pyramid.html

    I think you just have to use information like this as a guide, and reap from it what you will... in general, at least I feel I'm eating much more healthily - which can never be bad eh?!

    Good luck... let us know if you find any other good info!

    MissKat :)
  • keith1971
    keith1971 Member Posts: 302
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    MissKat, thanks for the links - have just picked up the Food Doctor book, makes very interesting reading & I'm a firm believer in the 'you get out what you put in' way of thinking.

    I cut wheat out & found it made a big difference. Also have switched to goat's milk which digests easier. I eat healthily anyways but having arthritis has really made me pay much more attention to what's going in. I swear by ginger & tumeric as natural anti-inflammatories as well, taking 1g of each every day.

    x
    315yexv.jpg
  • MissKat
    MissKat Member Posts: 124
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Keith... yeah, it's a good read that book huh?

    What's goats milk like? :???: Not sure it'll be so great with my coco pops :lol:

    MissKat
  • dachshund
    dachshund Member Posts: 9,155
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Kat
    i have goats milk its lovely i have a mug in the evenings with horlicks.
    joan xx
    take care
    joan xx
  • keith1971
    keith1971 Member Posts: 302
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    MissKat, goats milk tastes the same as cows milk to me, perhaps a little creamier (I drink skimmed) !

    The book is really informative. I know the experts say that there's no specific diet for arthritis but surely just feeling better by eating healthy is going to aid long term health. I personally think people should pursue a combination approach to healing including the heavy duty arthritis meds, natural supplements, exercise and a super healthy low fat diet incorporating plenty of fresh fruit and veg.

    Every little bit helps, right?

    Xx
    315yexv.jpg
  • speedalong
    speedalong Member Posts: 3,315
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Pity the GP couldn't have pointed you in the right direction of what to read ... he must have read something to think diet may help.

    You have been given some good links on here.

    I do remember reading (on a thread I think?!?!) that tomatoes can be a trigger food for inflamation ...

    As DD says it is very much an individual thing though. If you do go down the diet route, eliminate one food at a time and allow time for it to work out of your system before making up your mind.

    SPeedy
    I have had OA since mid twenties. It affects my hips and knees. I had a THR on the left aged 30 and now have a resurface-replacement on the right - done May 2010.
  • MissKat
    MissKat Member Posts: 124
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    ...really, similar to cows milk... hmm, maybe I need to stop being such a baby and try it! :???:
  • valval
    valval Member Posts: 14,911
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    magenta wrote:
    Hi,
    I was recently diagnosed with OA in all my joints and the rheumy never mentioned any specific diets but suggested Glucosamine with Chonditrin(sp!) tablets. I've been put off by the price though so not tried them yet.
    Magenta x

    GP used to give me these on prescription but nice say there no positive benefit so they have stopped gps prescribing them they did help me i am sure but take months to kick in
    val
  • keith1971
    keith1971 Member Posts: 302
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Put it this way MissKat, it tastes a million times better than soya milk & won't curdle in your coffee!

    Oh and I think you're probably a little too old to still be eating Coco Pops :grin:


    X
    315yexv.jpg

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