Got Joint Problems? The Good And Bad Foods

Rheumatoid Arthritis, an acute inflammatory disease, sometimes results from intolerance to certain foods or chemicals. If you have a family history of asthma, hay fever, rhinitis, or eczema, this could be significant in your case.

Like other allergy-related ailments, many joint problems are improved following a switch from normal eating habits to the pattern explained on the Harmonious Eating Page.

Rheumatoid arthritis, fibrositis and all the other conditions of muscular inflammation, also, respond well to dietary change; even gout can be successfully controlled by very careful eating. Many cases of rheumatoid and osteo-arthritis and even gout respond dramatically to a two-day fast followed by a raw food diet for some weeks. See below for how to carry out the Two-Day-Fast.

Foods to avoid

Potatoes, aubergines (eggplant), peppers, paprika all belong to the Nightshade family of plants: avoiding them has brought relief to a great number of sufferers from joint problems.

Dairy products, wheat, oats, eggs, refined carbohydrates along with processed foods have all been known to aggravate symptoms of joint disease. The following foods should be avoided by sufferers of gout:

Offal (the parts of a butchered animal that are considered inedible by human being), all yeast and meat extracts, chicken, beef, pork, tea, coffee, chocolate, cocoa, cola drinks, sardines, anchovies, whitebait (small fish usually cooked whole), sprats, herrings, mackerel, mussels, scallops; all fish roe (including caviar and taramasalata-a Greek dip or paste of smoked carp roe combined with milk, bread crumbs, lemon juice, and olive oil); partridge and guinea fowl.

These are danger foods for gout sufferers because they contain purines, which increase the level of uric acid in the body. This exacerbates joint pain. Also avoid alcohol because it also inhibits excretion of uric acid.

Foods to eat

In one of the earliest trials of diet therapy in arthritis, a number of patients at London’s Royal Free Hospital were put on the diet of raw foods recommended by Dr Max Bircher-Benner. To learn more about this pioneer click here. Many of the patients made astonishing recoveries. Diet based on just eating raw food will improve digestion and elimination, reduce inflammation, and raise general resistance and vitality.

Traditionally, strawberries and raspberries have been forbidden fruit for the arthritic. French research shows that both fruits help eliminate uric acid, and have a positively beneficial effect on gout, osteo-arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Here is a list of the beneficial raw foods: fruit: Cherries, strawberries, raspberries, pineapple, apples, plums, blackcurrants, gooseberries, melon, pears, grapes, bananas, lemons; vegetables: Artichokes, carrots, cabbage, onion, leek, celery, chicory, olives, dandelion, fennel, radish, turnips, nettles; grains: Rye Soya brown rice, millet, buckwheat; nuts, seeds, pulses: Walnuts, sprouted alfalfa, sprouted mung beans, bean sprouts; herbs: Chervil, parsley, garlic, juniper, thyme, sage, camomile, rosemary, marjoram.

Two-Day Fast

The best possible introduction to your new way of eating is a cleansing two-day fast. It is not, however, recommended for everyone who is suffering from, or has had gout. Gout sufferers should instead try the Three-Day Elimination Diet.

It is not wise to smoke or take drugs while fasting. Check with your doctor if you are taking prescribed medication. Before you start the fast, have two days of preparation, during which you should not eat any meat. You should also restrict your tea and coffee intake to no more than two weak cups of either per day: this is because the withdrawal symptoms from caffeine-containing drinks can be very severe, hence making the fast itself even more difficult. For the same reason, you should avoid chocolate, cocoa and cold drinks. For the two days prior to the fast eat only fresh raw fruits, raw or lightly cooked vegetables, and small quantities of protein in the form of grilled, poached or steamed fish on the first day and nuts, seeds, beans or grains on the second. Its important also to keep up your fluid intake, so drink plenty of filtered or bottled spring water. Dairy products and alcohol should be avoided for these two days.

For the fast itself, pick two days when you don’t have to be active physically or mentally, and when you can close your door to any visitors. You may feel perfectly well, but you will have no energy to spar. You many also have a strong reaction to the fast as toxins stored in the body for years, perhaps, are released into the bloodstream for elimination. Headaches, an unpleasantly furred tongue, bad breath, low back pain from extra kidney activity, and general aches and pains may be felt, but the feeling of well-being afterwards is well worth it.

During the two days of fasting, eat absolutely nothing, and drink only bottled spring water, at room temperature. Drink as much as you like. And for these two days, forget about vitamins and mineral pills.

Coming off a fast, even a short one, is as important as the fast itself. A rump steak, french fries and a bottle of wine may sound appetizing after not eating for two days but the effects could be catastrophic. Instead, break your fast the first morning with freshly pressed fruit juice and a few grapes; mid morning, have a little fresh fruit. At midday, eat a couple of rye crisp breads or wholemeal toast without butter, but with a raw vegetable salad. Mid-afternoon drink herb tea with some dried fruit and nuts. For the evening meal, have a brown rice dish with a selection of cooked vegetables, followed by fresh fruit.

On the second day after the fast, breakfast should be herb tea, a tempting selection of fresh fruit, and plain yoghurt with a little honey and/or some nuts and seeds. For the midday meal, eat a bowl of muesli or a rice salad, with a fresh raw salad, and some dried fruit. Herb tea and a slice of wholemeal bread and honey can be an afternoon snack. The evening meal can consist of a good homemade vegetable soup followed by a little steamed or grilled fish with salad.

For the rest of the week, your diet would be best with no meat, keep tea and coffee consumption to a minimal as possible, and eat as much raw fruit and vegetables as you can.

If you are going strong, and would like to go further, follow the two days on nothing but water with five days of only raw fruit and vegetables, with herb teas, mineral water and diluted juices to drink.

You will find that even a short fast will bring tremendous improvement in all joint problems. And most sufferers who try it will want to repeat the two-day fast every couple of months, making sure that during the weeks in between, they stick to the better foods and not the foods to avoid.

© Marie Milton