Should I be concerned?

[KJoy]

Hi! Two months ago I started having RA symptoms in my fingers that spread to my toes and my Achilles tendons. This happened so suddenly, I was shocked. I went to my doctor who ran blood tests. Everything came back normal except my Rheumatoid Factor which was 37. She said I have RA and I am waiting to see a rheumatologist (can't get in until October! ).

In educating myself on my new disease, I came across Dr. M's website and immediately started the diet (including no gluten). I am on day 4 but I am not really seeing a difference yet.

Should I be concerned?

Also, my symptoms are concerning. As soon as the swelling goes down in one finger it will appear in another. Shouldn't my system be settling down instead?

Thank you for any advice!!!

[KJoy]

Anyone out there who can give me some advice or encouragement? It would be so appreciated! !!

[Earl_UK]

it may take a few months to see the changes kick in, everyone is different.

[KJoy]

Thank you, Earl!!!

[Willijan]

Anyone out there who can give me some advice or encouragement? It would be so appreciated! !!

Here is a link from this site:
https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/educ ... yn-millar/

Maralyn Millar, who made the video in the link, is a person who cured her RA through the McDougall Diet. I recommend you listen to her for the most encouragement, but she did say something like she was better in a week, more so in a month, and totally painfree in 4 months, and that was 18 months ago. She also gives her email in the video, and says she wants to start a support group (in Australia, where she lives), so she may be willing to answer questions you have after watching her video.

There are a number of other Star McDougallers, I believe, who have written or video comments on dealing with RA by using the McDougall Diet. Go to the top of the page, and in the green bar, click on Education. In the drop-down menu, you will see "Success Stories." Click on that, and it will take you to stories by many people with many different health problems who have successfully dealt with them with this diet.

I assure you there are many people on this site who regularly provide encouragement to people new to this way of life. I'm sure you just caught a time when no one happened to be reading or have the time.

This way of eating is phenomenal for one's health. If you continue to read what the experts, who have done the research, treated patients, and written books, have to say, you will become convinced of that. Doing the reading is essential in my mind, because it is so persuasive due to the facts given that it will keep your confidence up and keep you on the diet until you are feeling great.

Read The China Study by T. Colin Campbell, read The Starch Solution by John McDougall and any of his other books, read Caldwell Esselstyn's book on heart disease, read Dean Ornish's books on heart disease and you will have gotten a basic education. Even though you don't have heart disease (as far as I know), those books are for everybody, because the results of the diet are so amazing. And these writers are highly credentialed and trustworthy.

You can get further information by reading Dr. McDougall's newsletter archives, on a wide variety of topics, including RA.

[KJoy]

Thank you, Willijan! That is super helpful! God bless you!

[Willijan]

KJoy,

I saw your question about oil in hummus in the Star McDougaller section. I can't answer there because I am not a Star McDougaller. However, to be on this diet, everyone must totally eliminate all oil from food. That includes oil added to products you buy, spray oil, any kind of oil anywhere. If you do not do this, you are not on the diet and you cannot expect to get the benefits that people such as the Star McDougallers on this site who conquered rheumatoid arthritis and other health problems got.

As far as olives and other high fat plant foods, I'll let someone with more knowledge of RA answer in detail. However, in general people on this diet must keep the amount of high fat plant foods low. Some people can eat some olives, tofu, nuts, avocado. Others cannot or choose not to, depending on their health.

Sometimes people totally eliminate high fat plant foods when they are first on the diet, and then are able to add some back in as their health improves. It varies from person to person. I myself rarely eat any except for small amounts of soymilk, because I like to keep my weight as low as possible.

Jan

[KJoy]

Thank you, Jan,! That makes a lot of sense!

[Bkworm]

Hello KJoy, welcome to this group and your journey to wellness.

I started this way of eating (WOE) in January 2013 due to dealing with RA which was diagnosed in 2010. I watched the Forks Over Knives documentary as well as the Engine 2 Diet Kitchen Rescue and have never looked back. I was pain-free within 2 weeks but at about the six-month mark started developing additional RA flares, though not as near severe as before starting this WOE. I completed about a six-month round of an Elimination Diet to finalize exactly what my body was actually responding to.

From the Elimination Diet I learned my body had started rejecting rice and oats along with the grains that contained gluten. I also discovered my body will no longer tolerate any of the high-fat vegan foods such as avocados, olives, nuts, seeds, nut and seed butters such as Tahini, or even chia seeds or flax seeds. While I can eat almost all night shades in any form, I cannot eat fresh tomatoes. Your body can react to any food. Just because some can't eat night shades does not mean your body will reject them. I also cannot eat any citrus now.

What I am trying to point out is the fact that any and all foods are suspect for your body until you prove otherwise. Your body may not react to what my body responds to. You may be able to continue eating foods I can't. But you will have to experiment with each food to see how your body reacts. You may be able to eat some foods cooked that your body may not tolerate raw.

This WOE has given me fantastic health. I stopped all the long-term meds I was taking except a daily tablet for hypothyroidism. I only see my PCP once a year now. I no longer see any specialist including the rheumatologist who diagnosed the RA. Have also lost 95 pounds over the four and a half years I have been following this WOE.

Good luck on your continued journey to fantastic health. There are many people who participate on this form who will offer you lots of help.

[KJoy]

Thank you, Bkworm! It is so encouraging to hear your story! Many people have said the same thing, that they had to eliminate more foods at the 6 MO mark. I have removed all gluten already because I know it is an issue, and I know I can't tolerate oats (never have). You said you can't eat fresh tomatoes, but do you tolerate canned tomatoes or sauce?

[Bkworm]

KJoy,

Glad my information could help.

In answer to you question about tomatoes, yes, I can eat all types of cooked tomatoes and sauce. I don't have a problem with any other night shade veggies at all, fresh or cooked.

In the instructions for an Elimination Diet, it indicates that all foods, including fruit should be cooked. My understanding is that tomatoes are actually a fruit. There is something in fruit that is affected by cooking. So I guess that is what my body responds to in fresh tomatoes. My son can't eat many fresh fruits but can eat them when they are canned or cooked.

Must admit, I really, really, miss eating lovely fresh tomatoes sandwiches on delicious whole grain bread. We used to purchase a flat of tomatoes at Costco until they quit carrying the hydroponic tomatoes. My husband and son would eat fresh tomato sandwiches for a week or more. Out of all the food temptations, the aroma of the sliced fresh tomatoes just about does me in. Miss them in salads, too. but there are still so many other foods to put in salads so I can't really complain.

If you are 100% compliant following this way of eating, I doubt you will even need to see the rheumatologist in October. I was diagnosed at my second appointment after testing. The doctor prescribed Methotrexate and Folic Acid at that appointment. While I did fill the prescriptions, I never took them. Left his office pretty sure I would never take the meds. From the initial diagnosis in 2010 to January 2013, my life was hell on earth from the severe RA pain. Almost daily my life become more and more limited due to the unrelenting pain. I ended up closing up a small business I had run for 10 years. But almost immediately, my body responded to the dietary changes. My body has just kept healing. I do anything I want to do now except climb lots of stairs. That is a challenge. I lost so much strength in my legs due to the RA and still haven't regained it all back. It does not bother my knee joints to climb stairs now, but the muscles are weak. Working on correcting that issue. I can do anything I want with my hands and feet once again, including standing on tiptoe.

Good luck on your continued journey to excellent health. Let me know if you have any other questions.

[KJoy]

Bkworm, wow, that is awesome to hear that you are doing so well after four years on this diet! I am at the two week mark and my hands are almost pain free but they are stiff. I am a piano teacher and I played a little piano last night. Ooooh, my hands protested this morning! I guess I need to go at things a little gentler. I do have a question for you: I have noticed this week that I have lost a lot of my sense of taste and smell. My sinuses are very dry, too. Did this happen to you? Does the diet help with this at all?

[Bkworm]

Hello agaon, KJoy,

Playing the piano would be hard on you hands I would think. But be patient and the stiffness will disappear for the most part. Some mornings I do still encounter some stiffness. But I do regular stretching and that eliminates it for the most part unless I sit for extended periods. The more active you are, the better, just not too much at first. I also do stretches for my fingers. Found those online. With my work, I was on the computer sometimes 18 hours at a stretch using a mouse and/or stylus almost continuously. I co-owned a photo restoration business for 10 years specializing in extreme restorations. Just could not continue that precise mouse or stylus work once the RA kicked in. Before starting this way of eating, I would wake up screaming with my fingers "triggering" into the middle of my hand, which was severe cramping into the middle of my hand. Would have to run run hot water over my hand and massage the muscles to stop the cramps. My right index finger in frozen permanently in the shape it assumed when working with a mouse.

As far as losing my sense of smell and taste, that has never been an issue for me.

I have dealt with severe allergies all my life it seems. Was using three meds for those allergies for many, any years. No longer need those meds. Do still have to carry an EpiPen for the most severe allergic reaction, anaphylaxis. A couple of times a year I do use a generic Claritin for seasonal allergies. Since starting this way of eating, have never had the need for the EpiPen but still carry it at all times. As far as dry sinus is concerned, I know that most people seem to notice an immediate change in mucus production as they eliminate dairy from their diets.

Here is a link to an article concerning seasonal allergies and RA:
https://www.everydayhealth.com/rheumato ... allergies/
I do notice a tenderness in my joints when my seasonal allergies kick in, nothing really severe but noticeable.

Again, hope this information is helpful.

[KJoy]

Bkworm, what starches are you able to eat? I'm coming up on my two month mark of the diet and I have seen progress but also setback. My feet are unbearable and walking is difficult.. my hands are stiff and sore. But my sense of taste and smell are 100% and I have no fatigue anymore! I would be very active if I could walk without pain. I discovered that I am reacting to rice. Right now I only eat potatoes, but that is very limiting. Are you able to eat corn?

[Bkworm]

Hello again, KJoy,

Wonderful to learn your body is starting to heal. Now to go forward to further healing.

The main starch I depend on are potatoes of any type. I also use legumes and winter squash of all types. Potatoes are nightshades so it may well be the potatoes still causing you problems. Might try just eating sweet potatoes for a week and seeing how your body responds to those. Then go back and try white potatoes.

I cannot not eat anything with gluten and also cannot eat oats or rice. The only grains I eat are quinoa, buckwheat, and corn. I know corn is one thing lots of people with autoimmune disease have difficulties with it. My best friend reacts horribly to corn.

Are you using any spices? Spices can also cause problems. I can't use liquid smoke or smoked paparika, Can't use most curry powders so I make up one of my own using spices I know I don't respond to.

Can't eat any of the nuts, nut butters, can't use flax seeds or chia seeds, or tahini. Can't eat fresh tomatoes but cooked tomatoes don't bother me. Also can't eat citrus of any sort.

Know that sounds like a lot of restrictions, but to be pain free is worth it as far as I am concerned. Even with all the restrictions, there is a lot of remaining foods to eat. I have learned to adapt lots of recipes around what I can and can't eat. Just takes some experimenting.

Right now I am experiencing some problems with my RA. We live in Central Florida and having no power due to Hurricane Irma there is no A/C. Right now our highs are only in the mid-80s but had been having highs in the mid-90s. The extended heat and humidity really affects my RA. Tried to get a hotel room but absolutely none available. Plus lots of stress as a huge, huge pine tree came down on our house as Hurricane Irma came through Sunday night. Men are on our roof right now cutting the tree off. Currently have about a 8' x 8' hole in my family room ceiling. Waiting on a company to come in to put a tarp up. Then will need to clean out the living area of all the dry wall, installation, etc. Started working on the yard debris yesterday. I am a 65-year-old native Floridian. Have lived through lots of storms but this is the first time that we have ever experienced actual damage to our residence. Always lots of yard debris but no other damage.

Not complaining really. Just so thankful and feeling so blessed even if the RA is flaring a bit. Not anywhere near as bad as it was before I started eating the WFPB way. Things could have turned out a lot worse. My son and I were home when the tree came down and we weren't hurt at all. I know the house will be fixed and we have insurance. Trying to rein back the stress as I know I shouldn't let all of it get to me.

Hang in there. Your body will continue to heal. Once your body does heal, my understanding is many times you can go back to some of the foods that are currently bothering your body. I haven't had the nerve to even try going back to anything. Just feel too great to take a chance on upsetting my immune system again.