Nutrition
Many people have asked me about my diet, nutrition and self-care routine. OK, not really. No one has asked, but I'm going to tell you about it anyway.
As background information, my rheumatoid arthritis was very active when I was a child, from age 2 through approximately age 17 (about 1984). During those younger years, there were no biologics to treat RA (at least we were not told about them), there was only treating the pain. When I was very young, I was taking 16 aspirin a day for pain. In the mid 1980's, I switched to taking ibuprofen for pain. For almost 35 years, that was my choice for pain management. Over the years, I tried to stop (unsuccessfully) and tried to reduce my intake (successfully). I tried other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) but none of them worked as well as ibuprofen.
Around 2015, I began to get more concerned about my cardiovascular health. It's a very common issue with RA, but I didn't yet understand why or the mechanism. I began to see a cardiovascular doctor. In 2019, I was referred to a different cardiologist that I liked much better. He is very patient, takes time to explain things, and answers all my questions. He ran numerous tests. I'll admit I'm not sure of the extent of my cardiovascular issues, except that he has said a couple times that he doesn't see a need for intervention.
He did tell me, in no uncertain terms, in the Fall of 2019, that I need to stop taking ibuprofen immediately. There are known indicators that long term use can cause additional problems in people with existing cardiovascular disease. So, after 35 years, I quit cold turkey.
For decades, I had been using ibuprofen to manage day-to-day aches and pain and joint stiffness. And it worked well. I had reduced to taking only 400 mg a day (from a high in the mid 1980's of 2400 mg per day). But when I stopped taking it, I began to have joint pain and stiffness and aches in places I didn't normally feel them. So, I set out to find an alternative solution.
As additional background information, when I was very young and very sick, my mother felt a great deal of guilt about my condition - as mothers will. Of course, my RA diagnosis was not her fault, but as a mother, her instinct was to protect me and she felt that she had not succeeded in that responsibility. As a problem solver, she undertook her own education in natural remedies. Growing up in my house meant often hearing the name Adelle Davis. And seeing Adelle Davis books lying around. So, from an early age, I was accustomed to thinking in terms of nutrition and natural remedies for any and every ailment. I'm actually very grateful for this aspect of my young education.
Now, in the age of the Internet, I turned to Google and YouTube for information. And, as you know, there are lots of websites and so called experts out there. As a reasonably intelligent, critically-thinking individual, I believe I have the ability to do my own research and differentiate valuable from questionable information. What I'm presenting here are my own personal choices for self-care. Please make your own health decisions carefully and consult with your doctor.
As background information, my rheumatoid arthritis was very active when I was a child, from age 2 through approximately age 17 (about 1984). During those younger years, there were no biologics to treat RA (at least we were not told about them), there was only treating the pain. When I was very young, I was taking 16 aspirin a day for pain. In the mid 1980's, I switched to taking ibuprofen for pain. For almost 35 years, that was my choice for pain management. Over the years, I tried to stop (unsuccessfully) and tried to reduce my intake (successfully). I tried other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) but none of them worked as well as ibuprofen.
Around 2015, I began to get more concerned about my cardiovascular health. It's a very common issue with RA, but I didn't yet understand why or the mechanism. I began to see a cardiovascular doctor. In 2019, I was referred to a different cardiologist that I liked much better. He is very patient, takes time to explain things, and answers all my questions. He ran numerous tests. I'll admit I'm not sure of the extent of my cardiovascular issues, except that he has said a couple times that he doesn't see a need for intervention.
He did tell me, in no uncertain terms, in the Fall of 2019, that I need to stop taking ibuprofen immediately. There are known indicators that long term use can cause additional problems in people with existing cardiovascular disease. So, after 35 years, I quit cold turkey.
For decades, I had been using ibuprofen to manage day-to-day aches and pain and joint stiffness. And it worked well. I had reduced to taking only 400 mg a day (from a high in the mid 1980's of 2400 mg per day). But when I stopped taking it, I began to have joint pain and stiffness and aches in places I didn't normally feel them. So, I set out to find an alternative solution.
As additional background information, when I was very young and very sick, my mother felt a great deal of guilt about my condition - as mothers will. Of course, my RA diagnosis was not her fault, but as a mother, her instinct was to protect me and she felt that she had not succeeded in that responsibility. As a problem solver, she undertook her own education in natural remedies. Growing up in my house meant often hearing the name Adelle Davis. And seeing Adelle Davis books lying around. So, from an early age, I was accustomed to thinking in terms of nutrition and natural remedies for any and every ailment. I'm actually very grateful for this aspect of my young education.
Now, in the age of the Internet, I turned to Google and YouTube for information. And, as you know, there are lots of websites and so called experts out there. As a reasonably intelligent, critically-thinking individual, I believe I have the ability to do my own research and differentiate valuable from questionable information. What I'm presenting here are my own personal choices for self-care. Please make your own health decisions carefully and consult with your doctor.
PAIN
Inflammation is the most prevalent symptom of RA. It can and does occur throughout the entire body. I knew it all my life, but I didn't understand how important it is to try to damper it down.
Anecdotally, in the early 2000's, my brother Steve convinced me to try sushi. And try it again when I wasn't hooked (no pun intended) after the first tasting. After about 3 or 4 trips to the best sushi restaurant in Atlanta (Buckhead's Soto restaurant), I was all in! And it was soon after that when I noticed that I physically felt better immediately after eating sushi. Was it the atmosphere? The camaraderie? We usually went with a small group and had a lot of fun. Maybe I was getting an endorphin rush from the group activity. Soon, however, I learned it was the pickled ginger. As a known, natural anti-inflammatory food, the ginger root was relieving my body aches and pains. Now, ginger is a big part of my daily routine.
I've since learned about many other anti-inflammatory foods. And foods that cause inflammation.
Sugar. The granddaddy of all bad foods. There are so many ill effects from eating sugar. And it's so physically addicting. I talk about it now as "my sugar addiction". I find that if I can go about 4 or 5 days without eating higher levels of added sugar (cookies, candies, sweets, soft drinks, etc), then I can kick the craving. I don't feel a physical desire for sugar. But one slip - a cookie or doughnut - and I'm riding the sweet train to Painville again!
The inflammation that sugar causes is not only in the joints but also in our cardiovascular system (more on that below). It's critically important to cut it from our diets as much as possible and as soon as possible.
If I eat a significant amount of sugar, I feel pain soon after. It's going to happen. And without ibuprofen to mitigate it, the pain can become quite inhibiting. So, my first course of action, and recommendation, is to reduce all forms of added sugar. I'm down to only 2 cups of coffee a day, with approximately a teaspoon of sugar each cup, and various added sugars in processed foods, which I keep to a bare minimum. My diet consists mostly of protein, raw vegetables, limited fruits, and very few carbohydrates.
Now, back to the anti-inflammatory foods...
Cod liver oil. Yup. The nastiest of the nasty, right? I was force fed cod liver oil as a child. I didn't like it then. I rebelled and as an adult never took it again, until recently. Now my rationale is: if I could take it as a child, I can surely take it as an adult, knowing it's value to my body. When someone tells me they can't take cod liver oil because of the taste, internally I realize this is someone who is not serious about taking care of their body.
Cod liver oil is a known anti-inflammatory. I take 2 tablespoons twice a day. It's also a good source of vitamin D, vitamin A, and omega-3 fatty acids. At first, I didn't want the lemon flavored because I figured it was flavored with lab-created additives, but I accidentally ordered it one time and found it to be much more palatable than the regular flavor. So, consider the lemon-flavored. And remind yourself as you choke it down the first few times, that you are taking good care of your body!
Additional anti-inflammatory foods. Ginger. Turmeric. I buy raw ginger root and chew a small piece (quickly washing it down with water) several times a day. I have turmeric in my spice cabinet, but I rarely use it in cooking. Instead, I take a capsule of it a couple times a day. Update: I make turmeric tea and add ginger root. It's not my favorite taste, but it's definitely palatable and good for me.
I recently purchased too much ginger root (during the pandemic stay-at-home of 2020, other people are doing my shopping) and a piece of it began to sprout before I had a chance to eat it. My girlfriend and I buried it in a pot outside and are hoping it will grow. We really have no idea what we are doing yet, but we named it Mary Ann, of course.
Inflammation is the most prevalent symptom of RA. It can and does occur throughout the entire body. I knew it all my life, but I didn't understand how important it is to try to damper it down.
Anecdotally, in the early 2000's, my brother Steve convinced me to try sushi. And try it again when I wasn't hooked (no pun intended) after the first tasting. After about 3 or 4 trips to the best sushi restaurant in Atlanta (Buckhead's Soto restaurant), I was all in! And it was soon after that when I noticed that I physically felt better immediately after eating sushi. Was it the atmosphere? The camaraderie? We usually went with a small group and had a lot of fun. Maybe I was getting an endorphin rush from the group activity. Soon, however, I learned it was the pickled ginger. As a known, natural anti-inflammatory food, the ginger root was relieving my body aches and pains. Now, ginger is a big part of my daily routine.
I've since learned about many other anti-inflammatory foods. And foods that cause inflammation.
Sugar. The granddaddy of all bad foods. There are so many ill effects from eating sugar. And it's so physically addicting. I talk about it now as "my sugar addiction". I find that if I can go about 4 or 5 days without eating higher levels of added sugar (cookies, candies, sweets, soft drinks, etc), then I can kick the craving. I don't feel a physical desire for sugar. But one slip - a cookie or doughnut - and I'm riding the sweet train to Painville again!
The inflammation that sugar causes is not only in the joints but also in our cardiovascular system (more on that below). It's critically important to cut it from our diets as much as possible and as soon as possible.
If I eat a significant amount of sugar, I feel pain soon after. It's going to happen. And without ibuprofen to mitigate it, the pain can become quite inhibiting. So, my first course of action, and recommendation, is to reduce all forms of added sugar. I'm down to only 2 cups of coffee a day, with approximately a teaspoon of sugar each cup, and various added sugars in processed foods, which I keep to a bare minimum. My diet consists mostly of protein, raw vegetables, limited fruits, and very few carbohydrates.
Now, back to the anti-inflammatory foods...
Cod liver oil. Yup. The nastiest of the nasty, right? I was force fed cod liver oil as a child. I didn't like it then. I rebelled and as an adult never took it again, until recently. Now my rationale is: if I could take it as a child, I can surely take it as an adult, knowing it's value to my body. When someone tells me they can't take cod liver oil because of the taste, internally I realize this is someone who is not serious about taking care of their body.
Cod liver oil is a known anti-inflammatory. I take 2 tablespoons twice a day. It's also a good source of vitamin D, vitamin A, and omega-3 fatty acids. At first, I didn't want the lemon flavored because I figured it was flavored with lab-created additives, but I accidentally ordered it one time and found it to be much more palatable than the regular flavor. So, consider the lemon-flavored. And remind yourself as you choke it down the first few times, that you are taking good care of your body!
Additional anti-inflammatory foods. Ginger. Turmeric. I buy raw ginger root and chew a small piece (quickly washing it down with water) several times a day. I have turmeric in my spice cabinet, but I rarely use it in cooking. Instead, I take a capsule of it a couple times a day. Update: I make turmeric tea and add ginger root. It's not my favorite taste, but it's definitely palatable and good for me.
I recently purchased too much ginger root (during the pandemic stay-at-home of 2020, other people are doing my shopping) and a piece of it began to sprout before I had a chance to eat it. My girlfriend and I buried it in a pot outside and are hoping it will grow. We really have no idea what we are doing yet, but we named it Mary Ann, of course.
Cardiovascular
My brother Jerry made a comment that finally hit home. After hearing about the health value of olive oil, and using olive oil in cooking, for many years, it finally made sense when he talked about the Mediterranean diets that seem to create better cardiovascular health. So, I Googled "olive oil as medicine", and there it was.
Olive oil is another anti-inflammatory, plus it has the monounstaurated fatty acids (MUFA's) that help our heart and blood vessels. I take 2 tablespoons, twice per day. Usually, I take the olive oil first because it can be a little harsh on the back of the throat, and then the cod liver oil soothes. After that, I chew a piece of ginger and a piece of garlic and wash it all down with a big glass of water. When I mentioned to my new cardiologist that I am taking olive oil daily, he said that was good, and to keep doing so.
Garlic. The wonder food. I am very enthusiastic about garlic. It is anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and good for your cardiovascular and immune systems. (Please note that garlic, like fish oil and ginger and certain other foods and supplements must be stopped before certain medical procedures because of their blood thinning properties. Please pay attention to the instructions from your doctor.) As I mentioned, I try to eat a clove or two of garlic each day. If I am chewing raw garlic, I've found that it can be hard on my stomach so I make sure to do so after a meal or snack. Another favorite way to get garlic is by eating garlic-stuffed olives. The phrase "kill two birds with one stone" comes to mind: garlic and olives together! And so tasty!
Vitamin K2. I've learned about this important vitamin in the last year. It's essential for regulating the correct usage of calcium. It takes calcium from the bloodstream, where a buildup can cause arthrosclerosis, and puts it in the bones where it belongs. Also, helps prevent a buildup of calcium in the kidneys, aka kidney stones. Fermented foods, especially natto, are high in vitamin K2, but I also take 100 to 200 mcg with each meal. It's especially important if you are supplementing with vitamin D because vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium. High levels of vitamin D can create high levels of calcium in the blood.
Potassium and magnesium. I take a powder that I add to water that provides supplemental levels of both important minerals.
My brother Jerry made a comment that finally hit home. After hearing about the health value of olive oil, and using olive oil in cooking, for many years, it finally made sense when he talked about the Mediterranean diets that seem to create better cardiovascular health. So, I Googled "olive oil as medicine", and there it was.
Olive oil is another anti-inflammatory, plus it has the monounstaurated fatty acids (MUFA's) that help our heart and blood vessels. I take 2 tablespoons, twice per day. Usually, I take the olive oil first because it can be a little harsh on the back of the throat, and then the cod liver oil soothes. After that, I chew a piece of ginger and a piece of garlic and wash it all down with a big glass of water. When I mentioned to my new cardiologist that I am taking olive oil daily, he said that was good, and to keep doing so.
Garlic. The wonder food. I am very enthusiastic about garlic. It is anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and good for your cardiovascular and immune systems. (Please note that garlic, like fish oil and ginger and certain other foods and supplements must be stopped before certain medical procedures because of their blood thinning properties. Please pay attention to the instructions from your doctor.) As I mentioned, I try to eat a clove or two of garlic each day. If I am chewing raw garlic, I've found that it can be hard on my stomach so I make sure to do so after a meal or snack. Another favorite way to get garlic is by eating garlic-stuffed olives. The phrase "kill two birds with one stone" comes to mind: garlic and olives together! And so tasty!
Vitamin K2. I've learned about this important vitamin in the last year. It's essential for regulating the correct usage of calcium. It takes calcium from the bloodstream, where a buildup can cause arthrosclerosis, and puts it in the bones where it belongs. Also, helps prevent a buildup of calcium in the kidneys, aka kidney stones. Fermented foods, especially natto, are high in vitamin K2, but I also take 100 to 200 mcg with each meal. It's especially important if you are supplementing with vitamin D because vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium. High levels of vitamin D can create high levels of calcium in the blood.
Potassium and magnesium. I take a powder that I add to water that provides supplemental levels of both important minerals.
My Daily Goals
I try to take or consume these things daily:
olive oil
cod liver oil (I call it "taking my oils")
ginger
garlic
turmeric
potassium
magnesium
lots and lots of fresh vegetables
eggs, organic and cage free
protein, organic, no antibiotics or hormones, grass fed if beef
fermented foods (I make homemade sauerkraut, learning kombucha, buy/eat healthy yogurt, thinking about natto)
liquid multivitamin
vitamin D
vitamin K2
I also try to avoid these:
sugar, high fructose corn syrup, maltodextrin
carbohydrates (turns to glucose in the body)
processed foods
high sodium foods
saturated fats
I try to take or consume these things daily:
olive oil
cod liver oil (I call it "taking my oils")
ginger
garlic
turmeric
potassium
magnesium
lots and lots of fresh vegetables
eggs, organic and cage free
protein, organic, no antibiotics or hormones, grass fed if beef
fermented foods (I make homemade sauerkraut, learning kombucha, buy/eat healthy yogurt, thinking about natto)
liquid multivitamin
vitamin D
vitamin K2
I also try to avoid these:
sugar, high fructose corn syrup, maltodextrin
carbohydrates (turns to glucose in the body)
processed foods
high sodium foods
saturated fats
Videos
These are some videos that I've enjoyed and learned from. I'll provide more details, so check back:
Vitamin D for COVID-19, a clinical study
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8Ks9fUh2k8
Ketogenic diet for beginners
https://youtu.be/Qifg5hxnlJE
Restless leg syndrome B1
https://youtu.be/sJxLymQn0s0
Behind the plaque in arteries, joints
https://youtu.be/1qZomOx6ArA
____________________
This one is awesome
Finding the brain's addiction switch
https://youtu.be/NTtfTXg1Twg
Vitamins for mental health
https://youtu.be/3dqXHHCc5lA
Foods for brain power
https://youtu.be/v_ONFix_e4k
Intermittent fasting for brain health
https://youtu.be/4UkZAwKoCP8
Creating the neuro pathway to happiness
https://youtu.be/4_tHPwj8dls
Undoing aging
https://youtu.be/qMAwnA5WvLc
Regrow organs with stem cells
https://youtu.be/1TEYTNI9UEo
Reverse plaque in arteries
https://youtu.be/QOWF0KTNu2g
Patient reduced his arterial plaque
https://youtu.be/ysifMKWKZLY
Reduce systolic BP
https://youtu.be/0jYjJo0MPVg
On being happy. Good stuff
https://youtu.be/KZIGekgoaz4
Reversing atherosclerosis
https://youtu.be/WF36Lf5DTNo
Foods for BPH
https://youtu.be/CH7Ox6aYwxc
Why magnesium is so good for you
https://youtu.be/oZYXBYAHhN8
Vitamin D for COVID-19, a clinical study
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8Ks9fUh2k8
Ketogenic diet for beginners
https://youtu.be/Qifg5hxnlJE
Restless leg syndrome B1
https://youtu.be/sJxLymQn0s0
Behind the plaque in arteries, joints
https://youtu.be/1qZomOx6ArA
____________________
This one is awesome
Finding the brain's addiction switch
https://youtu.be/NTtfTXg1Twg
Vitamins for mental health
https://youtu.be/3dqXHHCc5lA
Foods for brain power
https://youtu.be/v_ONFix_e4k
Intermittent fasting for brain health
https://youtu.be/4UkZAwKoCP8
Creating the neuro pathway to happiness
https://youtu.be/4_tHPwj8dls
Undoing aging
https://youtu.be/qMAwnA5WvLc
Regrow organs with stem cells
https://youtu.be/1TEYTNI9UEo
Reverse plaque in arteries
https://youtu.be/QOWF0KTNu2g
Patient reduced his arterial plaque
https://youtu.be/ysifMKWKZLY
Reduce systolic BP
https://youtu.be/0jYjJo0MPVg
On being happy. Good stuff
https://youtu.be/KZIGekgoaz4
Reversing atherosclerosis
https://youtu.be/WF36Lf5DTNo
Foods for BPH
https://youtu.be/CH7Ox6aYwxc
Why magnesium is so good for you
https://youtu.be/oZYXBYAHhN8
