The article seems to refer to both types of arthritis but the examples do deal with RA and the inflammatory aspects of the disease. I'll have to try to find the book itself.Bob S. wrote:Mike,Steelhead wrote:For anyone who suffers from arthritis, this is probably something to try assiduously to see if it helps: it can’t “hurt.” http://www.pcrm.org/health/prevmed/arthritis.html Here is an excerpt of the key changes in diet:
The Four-Week Anti-Arthritis Diet (adapted from Foods That Fight Pain, by Neal Barnard, M.D.)
For four weeks, include generous amounts of foods from the pain-safe list in your routine. [MRES: see below.]
At the same time, scrupulously avoid the major triggers. [MRES: see below.]
That is too much of a generalisation. When I checked out the URL, I found that this exremely restrictive diet was recommended for rheumatiod arthritis, not the degenerative arthritis that most of us develop in old age. I ran this by my daughter, who had been a family practice physician, and she pointed out that rheumatoid arthritis is a disease of the immune system and this diet is designed to try to track down the foods that create allergenic problems with the immune system. Rheumatoid arthritis is indeed a very crippling disease, but not as common as plain old degenerative arthritis.
When I read over that diet, my first reaction was astonishment that the only grain allowed was rice. Even oats, which are highly touted as beneficial, are on the list of nonos.
Bob S.
Here is another reference to diet from Dr. McDougall:
Arthritis
Painful joints can be divided into “degenerative” and “inflammatory” forms of arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the name often given to the degenerative form and this kind is helped with weight loss, a change in diet, glucosamine, and acupuncture.
Inflammatory forms of arthritis, like rheumatoid, Lupus, psoriatic, and ankylosing spondylitis are very responsive to the McDougall Program. To be more specific, about 70% of people with the most common form of inflammatory arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, can expect dramatic benefits, and often a cure, in less than 4 weeks of diet change. The diet must be followed strictly – medications are reduced and stopped as improvements occur.
http://www.drmcdougall.com/med_hot_arthritis.html
Also:
People diagnosed with degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis) have inflammation in their joints in addition to the long-standing damage (degeneration). This inflammation can often be stopped with a change in diet and the swelling, pain, and stiffness relieved. What won’t change in either form of arthritis is the permanent destruction left by years of disease, leaving deformity, stiffness and pain.
http://www.drmcdougall.com/med_hot_arthritis_diet.html
So it does seem as though it may not hurt to give this type of diet a try, but after reading your comments, I agree that the more agressive inflammatory forms of arthritis may be helped more by a certain type of diet.
As for the grain issue, please keep in mind that the article states that you eliminate all these foods and then you begin to reintroduce them to determine which if any may aggravate inflammation--it is not a diet in the sense that all those certain foods must be avoided at all times. The idea is to see if any particular food triggers inflammation; and of course I believe that only four grains are to be avoided at first, which leaves barley, buck wheat, millet, quinoa, amaranth, tiff, and rice.
Still, I'm not a medical doctor so all I can do is post an idea that may help some.
