Guest guest Posted July 14, 2008 Report Share Posted July 14, 2008 Hi all A few months back some list members were discussing a recent European medical study recommending the vgf diet for people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. I started following the diet fairly strictly if not perfectly when I read of the study. I noticed pretty quickly that I was feeling less fatigue and discomfort. More concretely, my doctor did my blood work at my annual physical a few weeks ago. I got the results back yesterday. My sed rate is now normal, and my rheumatoid factor is within the normal range (in the 30s). In comparison, the last set of blood work (from over a year ago) showed an elevated sed rate and a rheumatoid factor of over 100. Anyone who suffers from an autoimmune disorder knows that they are tricky things, and I can't say for certain that all of this improvement is due to diet, especially since I had only been following it for a few months prior to my blood work. However, given my own experience, I would strongly recommend that anyone dealing with RA or other autoimmune disease look at this diet as part of their response to it. If foregoing a few slices of wheat bread means you can delay or avoid taking increasingly toxic and expensive medications, that's a pretty good tradeoff. Best wishes, Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 14, 2008 Report Share Posted July 14, 2008 Congratulations Christine! Way to go! Keep it up! Deborah Hi all A few months back some list members were discussing a recent European medical study recommending the vgf diet for people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. I started following the diet fairly strictly if not perfectly when I read of the study. I noticed pretty quickly that I was feeling less fatigue and discomfort. More concretely, my doctor did my blood work at my annual physical a few weeks ago. I got the results back yesterday. My sed rate is now normal, and my rheumatoid factor is within the normal range (in the 30s). In comparison, the last set of blood work (from over a year ago) showed an elevated sed rate and a rheumatoid factor of over 100. Anyone who suffers from an autoimmune disorder knows that they are tricky things, and I can't say for certain that all of this improvement is due to diet, especially since I had only been following it for a few months prior to my blood work. However, given my own experience, I would strongly recommend that anyone dealing with RA or other autoimmune disease look at this diet as part of their response to it. If foregoing a few slices of wheat bread means you can delay or avoid taking increasingly toxic and expensive medications, that's a pretty good tradeoff. Best wishes, Christine . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 15, 2008 Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 Hi Christine - I also have rheumatoid arthritis and have been following a gluten free vegetarian but not vegan diet for some time. While my rheumatoid is a lot better I am still fatigued and flaring and having to take painkillers. Can you tell me to what degree you have improved. Do you still flare and are you on any medication at all. Great news about your improvement. -- In , " Christine " <karizma1010 wrote: > > Hi all > > A few months back some list members were discussing a recent European > medical study recommending the vgf diet for people suffering from > rheumatoid arthritis. I started following the diet fairly strictly if > not perfectly when I read of the study. I noticed pretty quickly that I > was feeling less fatigue and discomfort. More concretely, my doctor did > my blood work at my annual physical a few weeks ago. I got the results > back yesterday. My sed rate is now normal, and my rheumatoid factor is > within the normal range (in the 30s). In comparison, the last set of > blood work (from over a year ago) showed an elevated sed rate and a > rheumatoid factor of over 100. > > Anyone who suffers from an autoimmune disorder knows that they are > tricky things, and I can't say for certain that all of this improvement > is due to diet, especially since I had only been following it for a few > months prior to my blood work. However, given my own experience, I > would strongly recommend that anyone dealing with RA or other > autoimmune disease look at this diet as part of their response to it. > If foregoing a few slices of wheat bread means you can delay or avoid > taking increasingly toxic and expensive medications, that's a pretty > good tradeoff. > > Best wishes, > > Christine > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 15, 2008 Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 On Jul 14, 2008, at 11:37 PM, hollyhedge_2004 wrote: > Hi Christine - I also have rheumatoid arthritis and have been > following a gluten free vegetarian but not vegan diet for some time. > While my rheumatoid is a lot better I am still fatigued and flaring > and having to take painkillers. > Can you tell me to what degree you have improved. Do you still > flare and are you on any medication at all. > Great news about your improvement. > ============ Holly, I am not Christine, but I have been on a completely vegan diet that is very rich in phytonutrients for 11 months now. I have been free of pain for 9.5 months and the deformity in my hands is starting to improve. I no longer need braces on them which is a very good thing. The trick on a vegan diet is not to eat nutrient poor foods, but to ensure that you get the maximum number of phytonutrients per calorie. Also, the more cruciferous vegetables you can eat, the better. Cruciferous veg help heal cells at the DNA level. Water only fasting done periodically helps the body heal as does the addition of high doses of EFA's and probiotics. Shez --http://homeschooledtwins.blogspot.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 15, 2008 Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 I have also experienced relief from my arthritis symptoms by following a VGF diet. Occassionally I have a flare up, typically associated with a bit of dehydration - i fly frequently, or after eating lots of legumes, tomatoes or grapefruits. My symptoms are swollen, red and painful joints, most frequently my knuckles although all of my joints become inflammed. It goes away with lots of water and cutting back on the legumes, tomatoes or grapefruit. The relief has been dramatic and I just want to shake every arthritis sufferer I know until they promise they will at least try the VGF diet. It breaks my heart to know how much pain they are in as well as how toxic those arthitis meds can be. Congratulations Christine. Your story is an inspiration, pass it on. , " Deborah Pageau " <dpageau wrote: > > Congratulations Christine! Way to go! Keep it up! > > Deborah > > > > > Hi all > > A few months back some list members were discussing a recent European > medical study recommending the vgf diet for people suffering from > rheumatoid arthritis. I started following the diet fairly strictly if > not perfectly when I read of the study. I noticed pretty quickly that I > was feeling less fatigue and discomfort. More concretely, my doctor did > my blood work at my annual physical a few weeks ago. I got the results > back yesterday. My sed rate is now normal, and my rheumatoid factor is > within the normal range (in the 30s). In comparison, the last set of > blood work (from over a year ago) showed an elevated sed rate and a > rheumatoid factor of over 100. > > Anyone who suffers from an autoimmune disorder knows that they are > tricky things, and I can't say for certain that all of this improvement > is due to diet, especially since I had only been following it for a few > months prior to my blood work. However, given my own experience, I > would strongly recommend that anyone dealing with RA or other > autoimmune disease look at this diet as part of their response to it. > If foregoing a few slices of wheat bread means you can delay or avoid > taking increasingly toxic and expensive medications, that's a pretty > good tradeoff. > > Best wishes, > > Christine > > . > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 2008 Report Share Posted July 16, 2008 Hi Hollyhedge First let me preface this by mentioning that I'm 44, have been diagnosed for about 3 years, and only on the diet for about 3 months. I was prompted to try it less by current pain levels (which leveled off for me a few years ago) than by concerns about other potential RA health issues down the road (heart disease, Alzheimer's, and so on). That being said I was having occasional joint discomfort, regular stiffness, and an increasing difficulty in rebounding after say a moderate workout at the gym. I would say I probably popped a few Advil more mornings than not. (Regarding prescriptions I'm on a low dose of Plaquinil.) I have not had much experience with flaring and those of you who have have my sympathy. Since following the diet, as I mentioned before, my symptoms (mild as they might be on the full RA scale) have improved 95%, and my blood work has come back normal. (Before embarking on this diet I was following a more " normal/healthy " diet, with almost exclusively whole grains and plenty of vegetables but some animal protein virtually every day. I never had any digestive issues with wheat, meat, or anything else as far as I can ascertain.) I had my semi-annual check in with my rheumatologist about 6 weeks in to the diet, and I steeled my nerve to bring it up with him, fearing I'd be dismissed as a crackpot. He had not heard of this particular study but concurred that a low protein diet was known to have an anti-inflammatory effect. In effect, I left his office with at least a non-red light if not a green one. His attitude was more, " don't get your hopes up. " My GP planned to send him the results of my subsequent blood work anyway, but I intend to carry my copy in with me the next time I see him. Hope this helps! Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 19, 2008 Report Share Posted July 19, 2008 -Hi Shez and others who responded to my post - gives me hope of overcoming this horrible disease. Do you have no pain at all, that is wonderful. How long did it take before you noticed an improvement? Am so glad I found this site. -- In , Sherene Silverberg <sherene wrote: > > > On Jul 14, 2008, at 11:37 PM, hollyhedge_2004 wrote: > > > Hi Christine - I also have rheumatoid arthritis and have been > > following a gluten free vegetarian but not vegan diet for some time. > > While my rheumatoid is a lot better I am still fatigued and flaring > > and having to take painkillers. > > Can you tell me to what degree you have improved. Do you still > > flare and are you on any medication at all. > > Great news about your improvement. > > ============ > > Holly, I am not Christine, but I have been on a completely vegan diet > that is very rich in phytonutrients for 11 months now. I have been > free of pain for 9.5 months and the deformity in my hands is starting > to improve. I no longer need braces on them which is a very good thing. > > The trick on a vegan diet is not to eat nutrient poor foods, but to > ensure that you get the maximum number of phytonutrients per > calorie. Also, the more cruciferous vegetables you can eat, the > better. Cruciferous veg help heal cells at the DNA level. > > Water only fasting done periodically helps the body heal as does the > addition of high doses of EFA's and probiotics. > > Shez > --http://homeschooledtwins.blogspot.com > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 19, 2008 Report Share Posted July 19, 2008 Oops - just read your post properly - you were painfree in 6 weeks. That is amazing. Thanks for the inspiration. , Sherene Silverberg <sherene wrote: > > > On Jul 14, 2008, at 11:37 PM, hollyhedge_2004 wrote: > > > Hi Christine - I also have rheumatoid arthritis and have been > > following a gluten free vegetarian but not vegan diet for some time. > > While my rheumatoid is a lot better I am still fatigued and flaring > > and having to take painkillers. > > Can you tell me to what degree you have improved. Do you still > > flare and are you on any medication at all. > > Great news about your improvement. > > ============ > > Holly, I am not Christine, but I have been on a completely vegan diet > that is very rich in phytonutrients for 11 months now. I have been > free of pain for 9.5 months and the deformity in my hands is starting > to improve. I no longer need braces on them which is a very good thing. > > The trick on a vegan diet is not to eat nutrient poor foods, but to > ensure that you get the maximum number of phytonutrients per > calorie. Also, the more cruciferous vegetables you can eat, the > better. Cruciferous veg help heal cells at the DNA level. > > Water only fasting done periodically helps the body heal as does the > addition of high doses of EFA's and probiotics. > > Shez > --http://homeschooledtwins.blogspot.com > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 19, 2008 Report Share Posted July 19, 2008 I got rid of my pain over 20 years ago. I was only 30, but had become virtually chair-bound. I had to pull myself up the stairs with two banisters. I could barely walk, couldn't run or dance... and I had been a dancer! I also had a toddler to care for. It was a living nightmare for me. I finally decided to change my diet after about a year of pressure from a girl friend who had changed hers with success. I noticed improvement the very same day, but it was about 6 weeks before I was running up the stairs joyfully, pain-free. All the best, Deborah -Hi Shez and others who responded to my post - gives me hope of overcoming this horrible disease. Do you have no pain at all, that is wonderful. How long did it take before you noticed an improvement? Am so glad I found this site. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 19, 2008 Report Share Posted July 19, 2008 Sent from my iPhone On Jul 18, 2008, at 10:45 PM, " Deborah Pageau " <dpageau wrote: > I got rid of my pain over 20 years ago. I was only 30, but had > become virtually chair-bound. I had to pull myself up the stairs > with two banisters. I could barely walk, couldn't run or dance... > and I had been a dancer! I also had a toddler to care for. It was a > living nightmare for me. I finally decided to change my diet after > about a year of pressure from a girl friend who had changed hers > with success. I noticed improvement the very same day, but it was > about 6 weeks before I was running up the stairs joyfully, pain-free. > > All the best, Deborah > > -Hi Shez and others who responded to my post - gives me hope of > overcoming this horrible disease. Do you have no pain at all, that > is wonderful. How long did it take before you noticed an > improvement? Am so glad I found this site. > . > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 19, 2008 Report Share Posted July 19, 2008 On Jul 19, 2008, at 12:19 AM, hollyhedge_2004 wrote: > -Hi Shez and others who responded to my post - gives me hope of > overcoming this horrible disease. Do you have no pain at all, that > is wonderful. How long did it take before you noticed an > improvement? Am so glad I found this site. > =========== I started noticing an improvement within the first month. I have no pain at all now unless I eat one of my triggers (sugar, grains, gluten, dairy, soy, nightshade veg) or if my inhaled allergies are high. We were just in the mountains and something was causing me to have bad rhinitis. My hands, feet and knees were killing me. However, I'm back home and I have no more pain, or rhinitis. I've noticed this each year during my allergy season. Shez --http://homeschooledtwins.blogspot.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 20, 2008 Report Share Posted July 20, 2008 I've had RA for about 6 years. I tried most of the traditional meds and had most of the associated side effects. For the past two years I've been taking the antibiotic minocycline (the one teens take long- term for acne; also, unlike other antibiotics, it does not cause drug-resistant bacteria). I have also dramatically changed my diet-- gluten and dairy free, etc. I was pain-free after about 6 months and continue to be able to do more than I ever thought I would, including yoga, hiking rouch/steep trails, etc. I'm two years into the minocycline/dietary changes. More info about the antibiotic can be found at the Roadback Foundation website--roadback.org. It's also helpful for lupus and scleroderma. Sierra , " hollyhedge_2004 " <bethbell wrote: > > -Hi Shez and others who responded to my post - gives me hope of > overcoming this horrible disease. Do you have no pain at all, that > is wonderful. How long did it take before you noticed an > improvement? Am so glad I found this site. > > > > > -- In , Sherene Silverberg > <sherene@> wrote: > > > > > > On Jul 14, 2008, at 11:37 PM, hollyhedge_2004 wrote: > > > > > Hi Christine - I also have rheumatoid arthritis and have been > > > following a gluten free vegetarian but not vegan diet for some > time. > > > While my rheumatoid is a lot better I am still fatigued and > flaring > > > and having to take painkillers. > > > Can you tell me to what degree you have improved. Do you still > > > flare and are you on any medication at all. > > > Great news about your improvement. > > > ============ > > > > Holly, I am not Christine, but I have been on a completely vegan > diet > > that is very rich in phytonutrients for 11 months now. I have > been > > free of pain for 9.5 months and the deformity in my hands is > starting > > to improve. I no longer need braces on them which is a very good > thing. > > > > The trick on a vegan diet is not to eat nutrient poor foods, but > to > > ensure that you get the maximum number of phytonutrients per > > calorie. Also, the more cruciferous vegetables you can eat, the > > better. Cruciferous veg help heal cells at the DNA level. > > > > Water only fasting done periodically helps the body heal as does > the > > addition of high doses of EFA's and probiotics. > > > > Shez > > --http://homeschooledtwins.blogspot.com > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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