What People Are Saying about Conquering Arthritis:
"As a physician
who treats Rheumatoid Arthritis I realize that modern medicine is
very limited in what it can do for this disorder. This book will give
you options beyond anything you dreamed possible ..and it works. I
tell my RA patients - even if you do nothing else for now - just read
this book!"
—Thomas
Alexander, MD., Seattle, Washington
I had RA for many,
many years. I tried every so-called cure. It was only when I read
this book that I hit the jackpot. This coming September will be 2
years that I am totally free of any medication and the pain is almost
non-existent."
—Ingrid,
South Africa
"Your
discoveries are a miracle! A month ago, overnight I developed a
severe arthritic reaction/condition. In the last 2 weeks I have gone
from being completely unable to walk, to walking pain free, symptom
free!"
—Kerry
Harrison, West Virginia
"My husband's
arthritis began at only 22 years of age and it was progressing fast.
He has been off ALL medication for almost 6 months now and we are on
our way to complete recovery. His right hand is totally normal. The
info here WORKS!!!!!!
—Reader,
Atascadero, California
I have
osteoarthritis and have been following Barbara’s recommendations
for about a month now. I can already tell a difference in the way I
feel. If I cheat, I can really tell the difference the next
day.
—Linda
Squires, Orlando, Florida
I suffer from both
RA and Ankylosing Spondolitis. When I'm good at sticking to this
program, I'm almost in complete remission. I have been able to stop
taking the Methatrexate and Lodin. This is a really great program and
it works if you have the discipline and self motivation to go through
it and stick it out.
—S.
Kahler
"Having guided
many individuals through therapeutic fasts as well as nutritional
programs, I am pleased to see such thorough and scientifically based
instructions on therapeutic fasting and positive nutritional
strategies. Ms. Allan has truly grasped the essence of the benefits
of fasting and proper nutrition in order to heal what is often
considered "non-curable". Often medicine can only provide
symptom management for chronic systemic inflammatory conditions. She
has shown that CURE is not only possible but very "doable"
for anyone who applies themselves to their self healing. As a
practitioner of 22 years, I have yet to see such a well-written book
supporting anyone who wishes to do so, to take responsibility for
their own health and healing in order to reclaim their life. This
book will be a well used resource in my office!
—Naide
Bruno, Chiropractor and Naturopath, Cave Creek, Arizona
"The hidden
allergen lists alone are worth the price of the book."
—Helen
Eisen, poet, St. Louis, Missouri
"At age 30,
after being a college athlete and in "perfect" health, my
daughter was diagnosed with RA. We were devastated!! Two years later,
she was on Enbrel, methotrexate and other meds for her
condition--things looked pretty hopeless. Researching on Amazon's
site, we came across Barbara's book and thought it sounded too good
to be true! After all, the rheumatologists were telling us there was
no cure. We had nothing to lose but the price of the book, a little
time and effort--but we had everything to gain if it did indeed work.
One year ago, we started with the fast that Barbara recommends and we
were absolutely shocked with what happened. After 5 days, my daughter
was completely without pain, swelling or any sign of RA. We were
ecstatic!! Now, the problem was sustaining it! This proved to be the
most difficult of the equation. My daughter undertook a rotational
diet and added many supplements to her daily diet. After a period of
six months, she was able to come off Enbrel and methotrexate, but not
all of her meds. However, though it is slow, we continue to make
progress. Barbara’s book became our source of strength when we
thought about giving up. It was precise, thorough, informative and
most importantly--certain this could be done."
—Reader
"This book is
the best book I have ever read about arthritis. I know the author and
I knew her before she was "cured" and after so I know what
an amazing change she was able to make in her life. I have mild
arthritis and have found her advice more helpful than anything a
doctor ever told me. This book can really change your life if you
have arthritis."
—Charlotte Ellis, Retired Librarian,
St. Louis, MO
Conquering Arthritis:
What
Doctors Don’t Tell You
Because They Don’t Know
(9 Secrets I Learned the Hard Way)
Second Edition
By Barbara D. Allan
Conquering Arthritis:
What Doctors Don’t Tell You Because They
Don’t Know Second Edition
by
Barbara D. Allan
Published by:
Shining
Prairie Flower Productions
3223 E Saint John Rd
Phoenix, AZ
85032
602-237-5294
Barbara@ConqueringArthritis.com
http://www.ConqueringArthritis.com
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.
This book contains information gathered from many sources. It is published for general reference and not as a substitute for independent verification by users when circumstances warrant. It is sold with the understanding that neither the author nor the publisher is engages in rendering any psychological or medical advice. The publisher and author disclaim any personal liability, either directly or indirectly, for advice or information presented within. Although the author and publisher have used care and diligence in the preparation, and made every effort to ensure the accuracy and completeness of information contained in this book, we assume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or any inconsistency herein.
Copyright © 2011
Barbara D Allan
Smashwords
Edition.
Also available in print at most online retailers.
Allan, Barbara
Diane
Conquering arthritis: what doctors don’t tell you because
they don’t know / Barbara D. Allan.
p.cm.
Includes
bibliographical references.
ISBN 9780971889729
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
ATTENTION: HMOs, EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, ARTHRITIS ADVOCACY GROUPS AND OTHERS: Quantity discounts are available on bulk purchases of this book for reselling, educational purposes, subscription incentives, gifts, or fund raising. Special books or book excerpts can also be created to fit specific needs. For information, please contact our Special Sales 3223 E Saint John Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85032, 602-237-5294
Dedication
I dedicate this book to everyone suffering from arthritis.
It is the book I wish had been available when I developed arthritis. It would have saved me years of pain and incapacitation. May it help others find their own way back to health.
Foreword by William C. Mootz, M.D.
Introduction: Why This Book Was Written And How To Best Use It
Chapter 1: False Friends—How Some Of Your Favorite Foods May Be Perpetuating Your Pain
Chapter 2: Food Sensitivities—What They Are, How They Develop and What to Do About Them
Chapter 3: Food Sensitivities—How to Test for Them
Chapter 6: Super-Important Information–Names on Food Labels that Can Indicate Hidden Allergens
Chapter 7: Food Sensitivities—Products that Can Contain Hidden Allergens
Chapter 9: Strategies for Restocking Your Kitchen with Safe Food
Chapter 10: How to Modify Your Favorite Recipes
Chapter 11: Strategies for Eating Out and for Traveling
Chapter 12: No Need to Feel Deprived—46 Quick and Delicious Recipes for Healthy, Allergen-Free Food
Chapter 13: Ridding Yourself of Current Food Intolerances And Avoiding New Ones—13 Strategies
Chapter 14: Superior Nutritional Support—How to Eat to Maximize Healing
Conclusion—How to Get the Most Bang for Your Buck, Plus 5 Bonus Secrets
Appendix A: 4 Factors that Cause Food Sensitivities and Arthritis
Appendix B: How Food Sensitivities Cause Pain and Fatigue and How to Stop It
Acknowledgements
This book is the result of input from many people.
I relied heavily on the books, research articles and teachings of many people for my inspiration. These works are cited frequently in this book.
During the years I was sick, I relied heavily on my family and friends. They helped me in so many ways, including financially, physically, emotionally, mentally and through prayer. I especially want to acknowledge my mother and father, who have always been there for me, and my St. Louis friends, who made it possible to continue living on my own during those hard years.
I also relied heavily on family and friends during the discovery and writing process. This help came in the form of providing information, granting interviews, helping clarify ideas through discussions, giving advice, and providing feedback. It included reading and commenting on chapter drafts. It included moral support. The following is a partial list of the many people who have provided substantial help: Inge Allan, Barry Allan, Karen Williams, Kathy Wysack, Helen Eisen, Carol Hwang, Shirley Crenshaw, Angela Crenshaw, Gail Furman, Marion Rood, Linda Small, Kris Dolgas, Shinzen Young, Carol Wilson, Mary Hamilton, Jan Adamson, Les Harwell, Ginger Gall, members of the St. Louis writing group organized by Judy Miller, members of Midtown Clayton Toastmasters Club No. 283, especially Wayne Mosher and Carol Weisman, and members of the St. Louis chapter of the National Speakers Association, especially Terry Jo Gile, Kelly Standing and Kristi Franke. Thanks also to photographer Susie Gorman for the great cover photo.
Thank you all for your help. May this project make it easier for all those with arthritis to find their way quickly back to better health.
"All over the world in traditional cultures, men and women voluntarily subject themselves to pain as a vehicle for radical spiritual transformation. The Sundances and sweat lodges of native North America are examples of this. As cultures become more complex, the shamanic ordeals of the tribe evolve into systems of ascetical and contemplative practice.
But what about involuntary pain? In theory, this too could be turned into a purifying ceremony or a sacred meditation. In practice it is exceedingly difficult to do this unless you are fortunate enough to encounter a competent guide in this area.
In this area, the qualifications for a competent guide are severe. The guide must be a person who has successfully used non-consensual pain to transcend their limited identity and unite with the source. Furthermore, to be a competent guide, one must have the creative communication skills to clearly convey to others how they could also do this.
Such people are very rare. Barbara Allan is one of them. And this, her book, will be a godsend to those in pain who are ready for radical growth."
—Shinzen Young, Sundancer and Director of Vipassana Support Institute, Burlington, Ontario, Canada
Foreword
by
William C. Mootz, M.D.
A good book teaches us more than one lesson. Sometimes an author presents a lesson in an overt manner. At other times, a lesson is presented more covertly. Covert lessons are those that may require us to ‘read between the lines’, or perhaps, to recognize a common theme, never explicitly stated, but which, nonetheless, runs like an undercurrent, throughout a book.
Overtly, Barb Allan’s book contains lessons for those of us who have been diagnosed with arthritis. In particular, it teaches us nine secrets that Barb ‘learned the hard way’. Less obvious, but of enormous importance, is that Barb’s book teaches a lesson to all of us who ever have been, or ever will be, told by our health care provider that we are afflicted with a disease for which there is no certain cure. This covert lesson is the way in which Barb reacted to her own health situation. In a nutshell, she adopted a proactive attitude. Unwilling to remain passive, when her expectations for restoration of her health were not forthcoming, she took action. She read widely about arthritis, and in so doing, she learned about other treatment options previously unknown to her, as well as to her doctors. She applied her intellect to allow her to discern which of the treatments she learned about were worthy of serious consideration, and which were not. She applied the lessons she had learned, and then she listened to her body, and allowed it to offer guidance. She altered her dietary habits, she incorporated meditation into her treatment regimen, and she exercised. She refused to let her arthritis have its way, unchallenged. In so doing, she altered her life for the better.
As a graduate of an ‘allopathic’ medical school, I could well be described as one of the ‘Doctors who don’t tell you, because they don’t know’. In fact, I can recall no medical schools classes on food sensitivity, and cannot claim expertise in this area. However, 25 years of practicing ‘allopathic’ medicine has taught me that how a patient approaches her/his illness, and the attitude that she/he takes towards restoring her/his health is usually the single most important factor influencing the prognosis. Barb Allan took charge of her own well-being and refused to surrender to her arthritis. Her overt lessons are there to help those with arthritis. Her covert lesson stands as an example to us all. Congratulations Barb.
William C. Mootz, M.D.
Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Foreword by my Parents
Your book is completed at last! We want to congratulate you and tell you how proud we are of you for taking time out of your now so-busy schedule to persevere and see it through. If it helps even one person to recover, as you did, it will be worth all the time and effort that you have put into it.
It still seems like such a miracle that you are finally well. You were barely functioning outside of your bed for a few hours each day and using an electric cart whenever you managed to go out. We remember how we planned our outings with you so carefully to get you close to doors and helped you assemble your cart quickly. Now you are full of energy! Whenever you came to visit us, I spent a whole day removing all the foods you could not have and scrubbing the whole kitchen so that no stray crumbs or dusting of flour could contaminate your food. Still, we had accidents. I felt so bad when I forgot to read a label and used frozen vegetables, unaware that they contained salt with dextrose and made you sick. Now you can eat anything!
We learned so much from you, not only about your food allergies but also about good nutrition and exercise. We feel healthier because of your patient teaching. When people say to us, "you don’t look your age," we just smile. Now we can say, "Read Barbara’s book and you may look and feel younger too!"
We used to feel so sad after talking to you on the phone. So many nights your Dad would talk you through your pain and try to keep your courage up. Now when you call it is usually to tell us of the exciting things you have just done, like long bicycle rides, great hikes and kayaking trips. We used to pray that some day you might again be able to just walk into a grocery store unaided!
Barbara, when none of the doctors’ medicines helped, you didn’t give up and feel sorry for yourself. You read, you studied, and you used the brain that had always kept you at the head of your class in school, and when you found something that made sense to you, you had the courage to try it. It was a bumpy road of trial and error and some luck, like the article you happened to be translating for your business, which caused you to realize that you were allergic to the filler in your medication. But you persevered and now you are really well!
For a long time we were so afraid it would not last, and I was really frightened when you tested yourself on a pizza, of all things. But here you are two years later, healthy and strong, and you have just recorded all the information it took you years to gather into a well-organized book. As usual you have done a very thorough job! May it be of great help to the many people who are still suffering from food allergies and arthritis.
With all our love,
Your Mama
and Daddy
At age 25, I became one of the more than 9.1 million people in the United States with an autoimmune-type arthritis. My arthritis was triggered by a bout of bacterial dysentery caused by eating food tainted with a bacterium called Shigella.
The onset of my arthritis, about 6 weeks after the dysentery, was sudden and left me in chronic, overwhelming pain that often made it difficult to walk even a few steps without passing out. Sometimes it was so bad that I was incapable of rational thought, or any thought at all. Sometimes my hands hurt so much I couldn’t hold silverware well enough to feed myself. For years I lived with the loss of many things that I had valued highly: my health, my mobility, and to some extent, the use of my mind. I lost friendships, status, the ability to continue as a graduate student, and the ability to hold a regular job.
Sometimes this type of arthritis, called reactive arthritis, goes away within a month; my case went on for years. My doctors didn’t know what to do with me. Nothing they tried did much good.
After I got sick, I started reading everything I could get my hands on related to the latest scientific research on the causes of arthritis and possible new treatments. Because I was in a doctoral program in molecular biology at Washington University in St. Louis, one of the major medical research universities in the country, this type of information was readily available to me. When I was in too much pain to leave my apartment, friends brought copies of journal articles to me. Unfortunately, the most promising research was years away from possible clinical trials, and the current cutting-edge treatments were not very effective.
After four and a half years of conventional treatments that did little or nothing to improve my condition, I decided that if I continued to follow the conventions dictated by the current medical model, I was unlikely to get well. Even those in the medical field are aware that few patients treated by rheumatologists can expect lasting or substantial improvements. I needed a new plan.
In my next phase of the search, I started evaluating everything I came across in the lay press that promised to help arthritis, pain, or rebuild health. Not surprisingly, much was silly or potentially dangerous. In this category are claims that arthritis can be cured by burial in horse manure, taking cocaine, topical application of motor oil, brake fluid, gasoline, kerosene and lighter fluid, and sitting in inactive uranium mines.
However, as I avidly read material targeted to the lay public, I did find many modalities that made sense and that were supported by studies published in reputable research journals. I applied these promising alternative therapies to my own condition. Some helped and some didn’t.
The end result of 11 years of me systematically researching and personally testing alternative therapies, is that I was eventually able to completely overcome my arthritic condition using the nine secrets discussed in detail in this book. Each method provided a lasting and dramatic improvement in my condition.
After years of having difficulty just walking from one room to another, I now walk many miles a week without difficulty and go on 20-30 mile bike rides for fun. I work out regularly at the gym. I take martial arts classes. My body recovers just fine from the rigors of rolling, being thrown, hitting and being hit.
I have regained full use of my hands and my hips. The pain and fatigue are gone. In addition, my health improved each of the first 10 years after I discovered these methods. I credit this to the fact that I continued to use and refine the health-promoting measures described in Conquering Arthritis, allowing my body to heal at deeper and deeper levels.
I have been totally arthritis free since 1999.
In 2004, I had a temporary health set back. I was in the hospital for 8 days with West Nile virus induced meningitis. In its own way, that illness was as devastating as the arthritis had been. It took me almost a year to find ways to start healing the long term damage caused by the meningitis.
Since then I have again been steadily healing my body from damage that in most people never heals. To my surprise, most of what I learned about healing arthritis, was also applicable to healing my neurological system and other systems impacted by the meningitis.
Based on my personal experience and my experience guiding people with arthritis back into an arthritis free state, I now stand even more strongly behind everything I have written in this book.
If you want to heal yourself, this book is for you.
Disclaimer
The information contained in this publication is solely intended to communicate information about possible treatment options for arthritis and food sensitivities. It is hoped that this information will be helpful and educational to the reader, but it is in no way intended to replace medical diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your physician—preferably a naturopath, holistic physician or osteopath, chiropractor, or other natural health care specialist—for medical advice before undertaking any treatment, making any change in your medication or making any change in your diet.
The author and publisher declare that to the best of their knowledge all information in this publication is accurate; however, although unknown to the author and publisher, some of the treatment options discussed may be harmful to some people. The information provided here is intended to help you make informed decisions about your health, not act as a substitute or to override medical advice and care provided by medical professionals.
There are no warranties that extend beyond the educational nature of this publication. Therefore, we shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person with respect to any loss or damage alleged to be caused, directly or indirectly, by the information contained in this publication.
Who Should Read this Book?
This book is primarily for three groups of people:
1. People with an autoimmune type of arthritis, such as that caused by rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, reactive arthritis, Reiter’s syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. Doctors are just starting to recognize that a sizeable number of these cases are caused by food-related problems. This brings us to our second group of readers.
2. People with osteoarthritis. This book works for osteoarthritis as well.
3. People with food allergies, food sensitivities or food intolerances. More than 70 medical conditions have been linked to food-related problems. These conditions include arthritis, myalgia, fatigue, edema, hypoglycemia, diabetes, being overweight or underweight, premenstrual syndrome, sleep disorders, candiditis, depression, and respiratory conditions such as hay fever, asthma, bronchitis, recurring ear infections, sinus conditions, rhinitis, laryngitis, allergic sore throat and hoarseness. Other conditions include digestive problems such as gastroenteritis, irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, diarrhea, constipation, colic and malabsorption; cerebral conditions such as headaches, dizziness, learning disorders and irritability; and skin-related conditions such as dermatitis, eczema, hives and rashes. By identifying and treating or eliminating food allergies, food sensitivities and food intolerances, many seemingly hopeless chronic health problems can be improved or eliminated.
This book is also for the following groups:
1. Friends and family who provide major physical and emotional support to someone with arthritis, food allergies, food sensitivities, or food intolerances. Since these conditions can make a person too sick and tired to do a good job of finding out about options for healing, such caregivers often make all the difference in whether someone gets well or remains sick. Armed with the knowledge in this book, caregivers can help loved ones learn about how to get well, and help them implement these proven strategies.
2. Healing professionals who work with people with autoimmune arthritis and food-related problems. Much unnecessary suffering still goes on because the knowledge in this book has not yet fully reached all levels and branches of the healing professions. This book can serve as "continuing education" on the latest and most effective complementary therapies that are now available. Because it is written in lay language, it may also serve as a valuable resource for their clients. References to the scientific literature are also included.
3. HMO administrators interested in lower treatment costs. Autoimmune arthritis and food-related problems can lead to a lifetime of frequent doctor’s visits, medical tests and interventions, and expensive medications. These patients don’t go away, they just get sicker, angrier, more desperate, and more aggressive in demanding medical care. Many of the interventions described in this book are inexpensive. Many are steps that patients can take at home, without running up medical bills. Providing this book as a resource for patients with autoimmune arthritis, and food allergies, food sensitivities, and food intolerances could greatly increase cure rates and significantly lower treatment costs.
Introduction: Why This Book Was Written And How To Best Use It
This is the book I wish had been available when I got sick.
Through luck and perseverance I was eventually able to find simple ways to restore my health, some of which my doctors said would never work. Some of these methods specifically remedied the underlying causes of my arthritis, and some are applicable to anyone who wishes to feel better, no matter the causes or symptoms of their disease.
My personal miracle is that I found ways to get well. This book will show you, step by step, how you can get better, too.
The
9 Secrets:
One or More Will Help You
1. How food sensitivities can cause arthritis
2. How to test for food sensitivities
3. How to therapeutically fast and why this is such a powerful aid to healing
4. How to manage food sensitivities
5. How to rid yourself of food sensitivities
6. How to use superior nutrition to facilitate healing from arthritis
7. How to use meditation as a powerful aid in healing
8. How to gain maximum benefits from exercise even if you are still very sick
9. How to use myofascial trigger point release to clear up residual pain and stiffness
Benefits Offered by this Book
Conquering Arthritis:
• Provides hard-earned, practical, detailed information that is critical for successful healing of arthritis, but that is not found in any other book. Without this information many people with arthritis will not get well.
• Presents this information in a clear, simple fashion.
• Organizes this information into a well-researched, easy to follow plan for getting well again.
• Explains how to carry out simple adjustments to restore health, some of which the author’s doctors said would never work. I spent hundreds of hours in medical school libraries finding well-done studies that clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of these methods, even though my doctors scoffed at them. I have included more than 130 references, so you don’t have to take my word for it.
Conquering Arthritis:
• Can shave years off your attempts to find a way to get well again.
• Is based on the experience of people with dramatic and lasting recoveries from arthritis.
• Is not based on overselling a single magic bullet as a cure.
• Focuses not just on coping with arthritis, but on curing it.
• Screens out silly or potentially dangerous "cures".
• May just be the answer to your prayers.
The methods in this book are of two types:
• Some specifically remedy the underlying causes of arthritis.
• Others, which are equally powerful for healing arthritis, are more general health builders applicable to anyone who wishes to feel better.
Conquering Arthritis includes:
• Clear descriptions of why the strategies work.
• Clear descriptions of the scientific studies that prove their effectiveness.
• A glossary, so that even if you don’t have a science background, you can still understand what it all means.
Conquering Arthritis provides:
• A way to bypass the current allopathic medical model, where patients with autoimmune disorders are unlikely to get well. Even those in the medical field are aware that, short of joint replacement, very few patients treated by rheumatologists can expect any lasting or substantial improvements.
• A new plan, one that cures by correcting the underlying problems, not just covers up symptoms or relies on drugs that perpetuate the problem.
Questions this Book Answers
• Of the many alternative treatments touted for healing arthritis, which treatments actually have a good track record? Which have been tested scientifically?
• How can all the various proven treatments be combined into a comprehensive, easy to understand, step by step plan?
• Is there such a thing as an arthritis diet?
• Why is it necessary to identify food sensitivities to recover from arthritis?
• How can I use fasting to test for food sensitivities? Why would I want to?
• What are the benefits of a fast and how can I retain them once it is over?
• Is fasting really necessary?
• What are hidden allergens and why is it important that I avoid them? Where are they found?
• Once I know what my food sensitivities are, how can I find safe food?
• How can I get safe food at restaurants? When traveling?
• How can I get rid of food sensitivities?
• What foods help heal arthritis? How?
• What vitamins and supplements help heal arthritis? How?
• Why is exercise important? How can I possibly exercise when I am this sick?
• What does meditation have to offer in terms of pain management and relief? Is there a simple way to get started?
• What are trigger points and why is knowing about them important for making a complete recovery from arthritis?
How to Best Use this Book
All of the nine secrets in this book work together synergistically.
Because of the synergy, you can benefit from implementing many of the strategies in any order. However, experience and common sense dictate that implementing the strategies in the order of the chapters is most likely to bring about the quickest results.
By following this order you first eliminate food sensitivities, one of the major causes of arthritis. Next you give your body the nutritional support it needs to heal. Finally you give yourself:
1. a meditation practice that allows you to retrain your response to pain
2. a gentle exercise program that allows your body to regain strength and flexibility and to avoid further damage
3. massage work that allows your muscles to release the restrictive pain patterns that they have been holding, often below the level of conscious awareness. If you want to do still more, carry out some of the additional suggestions in the conclusion.
For More Information
There are additional resources found throughout the book, including at the end of chapters, and in footnotes and in the appendices. There is also a glossary of terms.
I have also continued to learn and write more on arthritis. For my latest thinking, guidance and support products, visit:
While you are there, sign up for my Conquering Arthritis newsletter.
How Some Of Your Favorite Foods May Be Perpetuating Your Pain
Certain foods can trigger arthritis. Not only that, but the exact list of foods that trigger arthritis tends to vary from one person to the next.
My doctors were hostile to these ideas. They insisted there was absolutely no connection between arthritis and diet. This despite the fact that there was already a solid body of evidence in the medical literature supporting these ideas.
However, if you really understand what is going on, you realize that elimination diets can sometimes work miracles. The specific foods to be eliminated must be individually identified. Favorite foods are often the culprit, because they are eaten frequently enough to trigger ongoing attacks in your joints. These attacks cause arthritis. Eliminate the attacks and the body spontaneously heals.
The following case histories illustrate how people in two families eliminated arthritis by eliminating problem foods.
Notice:
• How each of these people found support from a book describing an elimination diet that just happened to correspond to the foods she personally needed to eliminate.
• How the foods needing to be eliminated among family members are often exactly the same or very close.
• How autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and insulin-dependent diabetes tend to run in families. The autoimmune disease(s) developed need not be the same as autoimmune disease(s) of other family members. This tendency toward autoimmune disease seems to be related to problems triggered by food sensitivities.
• How the foods that trigger arthritis in adulthood can be some of the same foods that triggered childhood allergies.
• How eliminating problem foods can mean the difference between being in the grip of a crippling case of arthritis and living an active, productive life.
• Just by looking at your family tree, you can often detect whether you are likely to be dealing with an autoimmune type of arthritis. Just by looking at your childhood allergies, you can predict foods that may be a problem now. And if you are lucky enough to have someone in your family who has already cured themselves of arthritis by eliminating problem foods, there is a high probability that your list of problem foods will be nearly the same.
Case Histories
Gail Furman
Gail Furman is the friendly, high-energy, 43-year-old director of the Clinical Skills Lab at St. Louis University School of Medicine. To look at her you would never suspect a history of arthritis. Indeed, you would be more likely to wonder how even very healthy people manage to keep up with her.
The truth is that the key to Gail's high-energy lifestyle is a careful avoidance of certain foods. Her body reacts poorly to tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, chocolate, and dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese. Within 8 to 10 hours of eating any of these she becomes achy all over, particularly in her knees, ankles and elbows. After about seven days back on her anti-arthritis diet, her symptoms disappear again.
At age 33 her symptoms prompted her to start visiting physicians, who treated her painful symptoms as sports injuries. She was given various anti-inflammatory pills, all of which upset her stomach, so she never took these pills for long. Once she was treated with physical therapy to "correct" the way she was walking, but this treatment also did nothing to improve her knee pain.
At 35 she received her first diagnosis of arthritis and also first made the connection between food intolerance and her joint pain. Another friend who had brought her rheumatoid arthritis under control through selective elimination of problem foods gave Gail some written information on food allergies. Gail says that for the first time she made the connection between her childhood food allergies and her adult joint pain. Many of the same foods were triggering both.
As a child Gail broke out in a rash on the inside of her elbows whenever she had foods high in citric acid such as oranges, grapefruit juice or tomatoes. She was also allergic to chocolate, and, although not lactose intolerant, she absolutely refused to drink milk. In third grade she had her first asthma attack. At that time citrus, tomatoes, chocolate, mildew, dust, pollen and horses were found to be allergic triggers for her asthma. Gail has not had a full-blown asthma attack since childhood but on rare occasions has shortness of breath and chest tightness during aerobics. In her gym bag she keeps an inhaler that quickly and effectively relieves this exercise-induced asthma.
Gail is the person who first told me about Dr. Peter J. D'Adamo's work with blood-type-specific diets1. (See Chapter 2 for more information on Dr. D’Adamo’s work.) It turns out that Gail has type A blood and her list of food intolerances closely follows Dr. D'Adamo's list of foods that are problematic for people with type A blood. Her response to his book was, "Finally someone has been able to explain theoretically what I already knew experimentally from my own body."
Like many people with arthritis, the illness runs in Gail's family. Gail's mother has rheumatoid arthritis, as did her mother before her.
Although Gail’s mother, Gert Furman, 75, has rheumatoid arthritis, it started relatively late in life and is rather mild. Because of Gail’s experience, Gert has tried cutting out nightshade vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers) from her diet, but has not noticed that it makes a difference in her arthritis. The reason the change in diet has not helped may be because she has never tested to see if more foods need to be eliminated.
Shirley and Angela Crenshaw
Shirley Crenshaw, 50, is a social worker and psychotherapist. Although she was once quite sick, she now looks so youthful and energetic she is still occasionally "carded" at restaurants and bars. As a single mother who completed a master’s degree in social work while working full time and taking on additional part-time jobs, Shirley is another very busy person who takes little time to rest. That Shirley has managed to do all this is all the more amazing given that rheumatoid arthritis runs in her family.
Shirley's mother developed rheumatoid arthritis at 25. Shirley remembers her mom groaning with each step as she slowly walked down the hall with the aid of crutches. Later her mom was so severely affected that she was restricted to a wheelchair.
For Shirley, symptoms started at about 37. She was diagnosed with a classic case of traveling rheumatoid arthritis about four years after her symptoms first appeared in her jaw. About a year later it moved to her neck, a year later to her shoulders, a year later to her wrists, and finally a year later to her hips. Once the arthritis moved into her wrists, Shirley says, her arms swelled up like those of the cartoon character, Popeye the Sailorman. She had nearly continuous pain, tingling and numbness in her hands and had great difficulty with tasks such as writing, driving and brushing her teeth. In addition, Shirley also suffered from profound fatigue and a sense of defeat.
When Shirley’s arthritis started, her daughter Angela was 13. Angela's father had just died and Angela was afraid that her mother would be in constant pain and unable to care for herself or for Angela. Angela says that it seemed like the end of Shirley’s life, even though she was not literally dying. Shirley herself says the arthritis was like her worst nightmare come true, since in her pain she was now groaning uncontrollably in front of her daughter, just like her own mother had done.
Shirley read as much as she could about possible cures. Her medical doctor gave her the anti-inflammatory drug Anaprox, but that did little to help and caused stomach problems. She tried all sorts of vitamins and nutritional supplements but they also had little effect. Finally her brother Hu, who had developed rheumatoid arthritis in his early 20s, called her with an elimination diet that was helping him. He had read about this diet in the book Prescription for Nutritional Healing by James F. Balch, Jr. and Phyllis A. Balch2.
Shirley eliminated potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, green peppers, paprika, red meat, milk products, sugar, salt and citrus fruit from her diet, just like her brother had done. The results were a miracle. She started feeling better within a month and actually felt good after two months, when she noticed that she was also very sensitive to wheat and cut this out of her diet. Within two weeks of not eating wheat she was able to take off her arm braces and stop taking Anaprox.
Angela began to develop rheumatoid arthritis around age 15. Shirley is extremely grateful that Angela witnessed her miraculous recovery; otherwise, she doubts that she could have gotten a teenager such as Angela to stick with such a restrictive diet that eliminates most fast food. It turns out that Angela and Shirley (and Shirley’s brother) have exactly the same food sensitivities. The consequences of a single ingestion of a problem food are so immediately apparent (considerable pain, stiffness and fatigue within about eight hours that last about one week) that it has been relatively easy for them to stay on their anti-arthritis diet.
Angela is now 23 and is a daughter of whom it is easy to be proud. She is friendly, beautiful (she has worked professionally as a model) and made excellent grades at Harvard while also working part time. She now lives and works in San Francisco. When she has symptoms they are mostly in her knees, shoulders, jaw and hands. Without her anti-arthritis diet it would probably not have been possible for her to have attended college at all, much less thrived there. When she stuck to her diet and got enough rest, she had no symptoms. Unfortunately, not having her own kitchen when in college made it difficult to always stay on her anti-arthritis diet, and being very busy made it difficult to always get enough sleep. When I last talked with her, she told me how happy she is to have her own kitchen and more control of her time.
Angela's arthritis probably began so early because she likely inherited the tendency toward autoimmune disease not only from her mother's side of the family but also her father's side. Her father also had rheumatoid arthritis and her paternal grandmother and uncle had insulin-dependent diabetes that began in their early 20s.
Angela's maternal grandmother, Shirley’s mother, was never willing to try changing her diet. Despite conventional medical treatment, her condition never improved. She slowly deteriorated until her death at age 77.
The Lessons
The lessons to be learned from these case histories are:
• If food sensitivities are causing your arthritis, you will need to eliminate your problem foods. Your list may or may not look like anyone else’s, although problem foods tend to run in families.
• If you are lucky enough to have someone in your family who has already cured themselves of arthritis by eliminating problem foods, there is a high probability that your list of problem foods will be nearly the same.
• By looking at your family tree, you can often detect whether you are likely to be dealing with an autoimmune type of arthritis. If so, definitely check to see if food sensitivities are causing your symptoms. (See Chapter 3 for how to test yourself for food sensitivities.)
• Childhood allergies can often predict foods that may be a problem now.
• Eliminating problem foods can eliminate even crippling cases of arthritis.
What They Are, How They Develop and What to Do About Them
Highlights:
• The differences between classical food allergies and food sensitivities.
• Four factors known to cause both food sensitivities and arthritis.
• How to test for each of these four factors.
• How to correct the underlying causes or at least minimize the damage caused by each of these factors.
Effort Involved:
• Read this chapter. Understand the information.
• Educate your doctor, if necessary.
• Take steps to correct any underlying causes of food sensitivities you might have.
Payoff:
• Improved understanding of the underlying problems that cause arthritis and how to correct them.
• Knowledge you need to take an active and effective role in ensuring that you get the best and most appropriate care.
It’s Not All in Your Mind–Get the Treatments You Need to Correct Underlying Physical Problems
My doctors were not able to help me get well because the tests they used were just not capable of detecting the problems going on in my body. The therapies they prescribed were only capable of suppressing my symptoms, not treating my underlying problems. They falsely concluded that since they could find nothing wrong and their therapies didn’t work, I must be a slacker, clinically depressed, or suffering from a mental illness. Furthermore, they concluded that there was simply nothing further that could be done to get me well again. In reality, none of this was true.
Their training had simply not included the methods presented in this chapter and in Appendix A for finding and treating what was actually wrong. They only had standard allopathic medical strategies available to them. In my case, these strategies were helpful only in ruling out problems, not in detecting the actual problem and not in restoring health.
After a bone scan, standard blood tests, treatment with various nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), treatment with an anti-ulcer drug to combat the side effects of the NSAIDs, and treatment with prednisone, I was still quite ill. Because of the suspicion that I was clinically depressed, I was put on Prozac. My choice was to take Prozac or have my doctor refuse any further treatment. The fact was I did not need to be on Prozac or any other anti-depressant. Despite my low dose, I suffered unpleasant overdose effects that my doctor was very slow to recognize or acknowledge. This was despite the fact that I was very concerned about these side effects and brought them to my doctor’s attention many times. Finally, my doctors ran out of treatments and went into denial that anything was physically wrong. I continued to get worse.
This chapter will help dispel the kind of ignorance that prevents arthritis sufferers with underlying food sensitivity problems from getting the treatment they need to get well.
I urge you to read this chapter. I know the information in this chapter is complex, but it is the key to your recovery.
A glossary is included in the back of this book. Even if you don’t have a scientific or medical background, the glossary is there to help you follow what is presented here. Bolded terms in the text are defined in the glossary.
If your doctor is not familiar with these treatments, you may want to show him or her this chapter, Chapter 13 and Appendix A. This will provide a good introduction to the body of research that has already been done in this area.
If you, your family or your friends are not up to the effort that it might take to familiarize your doctor with this information, you may want to look for a naturopathic doctor, recognized by the initials N.D. Naturopathic doctors should already be familiar with these treatments. Unfortunately, naturopaths are still relatively uncommon in the United States. To find naturopaths and other holistically oriented doctors in your area, you can visit the Holistic Healing Web page: www.HolisticMed.com.
Learning the Lingo–Terms Used in the Discussion of Food Sensitivities
Many terms are commonly used to designate adverse reactions to food. These terms include food sensitivity, food hypersensitivity, food intolerance, food toxicity and food allergy. Unfortunately, no consensus has developed on their exact meaning. In this book I use the term food sensitivity to refer to an adverse reaction to food that usually become apparent not minutes but hours or days after ingesting a problem food. I use the term food intolerance to mean any an adverse reaction to food.
Austrian physician Clems Von Pirquet coined the term allergy in 1906 from two Greek roots meaning "altered reactivity."3 Alternative medical practitioners and the general public tend to use the term allergy with its broad original meaning. Many physicians use the term allergy ONLY when the immune system is known to be involved. Though I refer to the part of a food that triggers an intolerance reaction as an "allergen," I avoid the term food allergy since what I write about is not universally recognized as involving the immune system. However, there is solid evidence that the immune system does play a role in food sensitivity and food intolerance.
The definitions of these and other terms in bold used to discuss food sensitivities are given in the glossary at the back of this book. Flip to the glossary whenever you encounter a term with which you are unfamiliar.
Important Information Your Doctor May Not Know–Differences Between Classical Food Allergies and Food Sensitivities
The phenomenon I write about in this book is not a "classical" or "true" food allergy. In cases of a classical food allergy, a small amount of food, such as peanuts or shrimp, causes a near-immediate response, such as intense local inflammation or anaphylactic shock that is sometimes fatal. The allergic response usually dissipates within a few hours. In classical allergy, laboratory tests also show high levels of the IgE antibody class. These antibodies are a special part of the immune system that guards the body by latching onto foreign matter and flagging it for destruction. (IgE is pronounced by saying the name of each letter: I-G-E.)
In classical allergy, these IgE levels are high both for IgE antibodies that bind specifically to allergy-triggering foods and also for the total amount of IgE antibodies in the bloodstream.
There are THREE CRUCIAL DISTINCTIONS between the above mentioned classical food allergies and the type of food sensitivities described in this book. First, food sensitivity reactions usually become noticeable not minutes but hours to days after ingesting an offending food, and may take several days to resolve. Second, patients with food sensitivities do not have high IgE levels in their bloodstream. Third, commonly available allergy skin testing, which is how many people are tested for allergies, reliably detects classical allergies but is unreliable in cases of food sensitivities4.
Differences Between Classical Food Allergies and Food Sensitivities
4 Factors that Cause Food Sensitivities
Although the case histories in Chapter 1 show how there can be great similarities in food sensitivities within families, these sensitivities are actually complicated phenomena whose symptoms and triggers are seldom exactly the same from one person to the next. Because digestion can be disrupted in many ways, many factors contribute to food sensitivities. Not all of these are well understood.
Enough medical research has been done to identify the following four factors that cause or exacerbate food sensitivities:
1. Leaky gut syndrome
2. Breakdown of oral tolerance
3. Low levels of certain detoxification enzymes
4. Dietary lectins
Each of these factors, except low levels of certain detoxification enzymes, directly involves the immune system in some way.
This chapter gives a brief overview of these four factors. If you are interested in more detail, see Appendix A.
1. Leaky Gut Syndrome
In leaky gut syndrome, a large number of food particles pass either totally undigested or partially undigested into the bloodstream. This passage of undigested food occurs in the small intestine, where virtually all absorption of fully digested food also occurs. All people, even very healthy people, have some undigested food that leaks into their bloodstream. However, most food-sensitive individuals have much higher levels5.
Things that can trigger leaky gut syndrome are use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), alcohol, anti-ulcer drugs such as Zantac and Tagamet, antacid tablets and/or antibiotics (including antibiotics taken years ago), diets high in simple carbohydrates, gulping food without chewing thoroughly, and the presence of parasites in the digestive tract. You are also at risk if you have a personal or family history of allergies or food sensitivities.
Symptoms can include any of the following: poor digestion, gas and bloating, food sensitivities, yeast infections, fatigue, joint pain, cloudy thinking, and difficulty maintaining weight.
A doctor can easily determine if leaky gut syndrome is present using the test described later in this chapter.
The most effective way to treat leaky gut syndrome is to avoid any foods to which you have an adverse reaction. In addition, correct underlying problems that contribute to developing food sensitivities. If you don’t correct these problems, you run the risk of continuing to develop sensitivities to more foods. Measures for correcting these underlying conditions are described throughout this chapter and in Chapter 13.
Four Steps to Correct Leaky Gut Syndrome
1. Avoid NSAIDs
All nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), except aspirin and nabumetone (Relafen)6 and the new class of NSAIDs known as COX-2 inhibitors, are known to increase the permeability (leakiness) of the intestinal wall and may be capable of causing food sensitivities or increasing their severity. In fact, conventional NSAIDs almost always cause acute lesions in the mucosal lining of the stomach and upper part of the small intestine (called the duodenum), although only 50 percent of patients with these lesions have upper abdominal discomfort7. This means you can have these stomach and intestinal lesions without even knowing it.
NSAIDs can be classed by chemical structure. Common NSAIDs include:
The salicylates: acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), amoxiprin, benorylate/benorilate, choline magnesium salicylate (Trilisate), diflunisal (Dolobid), ethenzamide, faislamine, magnesium salicylate (Pamprin), salicyl salicylate, and salicylamine;
The arylalkanoic acids: diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam), aceclofenac (Biofenac, Barcan, Preservex, Gerbin), acemethacin (Rantulin), bromfenac (Duract), etodolac (Lodine, Eccoxolac), indometacin (Apo-Indomethacin, Indameth, Indo-Lemmon, Indocid, Indocin, Indomethacin, Indomethegan, Novo-Methacin, Novomethacin, Nu-Indo), Indometacin farnesil (Infree, Dialon), nabumetone (Refalen), proglumatacin (Afloxan, Protaxon and Proxil), Sulindac (Clinoril), and tolmetin (Tolectin);
The 2-Arylpropionic acids (profens): ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin), Carprofen (Rimadyl), Dexibuprofen (Deltaran, Seractil, Dexoptifen, Actifen), Dexketoprofen (Keral), fenbufen (Napanol, Cinopal), Flurbiprofen (Ansaid), indoprofen, ketorolac (Toradol, Acular), loxoprofen (Loxonin, Oxeno), naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox, Miranax, Naprogesic, Naprosyn, Naprelan, Proxen, Synflex), oxaprozin (Daypro), suprofen (Profenal), and Tiaprofenic acid (Surgam, Surgamyl, Tiaprofen);
The N-Arylanthranilic acids (fenamic acids): mefanamic acid (Ponstel, Apo-Mefenamic, Nu-Mefenamic, PMS-Mefenamic Acid, Ponstan), meclofenamic acid (Meclomen), and tolfenamic acid (Clotam);
The Pyrazolidine derivatives: phenylbutazone (Butazolidine), azapropazone (Rheumox), Clofezone, Kebuzone, metamizole (Analgin), Mofebutazone, oxyphenbutazone (Tandearil), and Sulfinpyrazone (Anturane);
The Oxicams: piroxicam (Feldene), meloxicam (Mobic, Mobicox), and tenoxicam (Mobiflex); and
The one Cox-2 inhibitor still on the market: celecoxib (Celebrex).
If you have been using conventional NSAIDs for a long time, the biochemical damage, which results in increased intestinal permeability, may take months to heal even after you stop taking the drugs8. In a study at Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden, intestinal permeability increased in every single rheumatoid arthritis patient treated with conventional NSAIDs9. It is therefore best to avoid using conventional NSAIDs whenever possible.
Even aspirin and Refalen, which have not been shown to increase intestinal permeability, are still problematic because they cause other gastrointestinal damage.
Cox-2 inhibitors such as rofecoxib (Vioxx), celecoxib (Celebrex), and valdecoxib (Bextra) have been shown to increase the risk of heart attack, thrombosis and stroke. For this reason, in 2004 Vioxx was pulled from the market. Bextra was pulled from the market in 2005 for this reason plus causing dangerous skin reactions. Celebrex is still on the market but carries a warning label.
In the last edition of this book, I said the jury was still out on Cox-2 inhibitor safety. The jury has now decided Cox-2 inhibitors, with the possible exception of Celebrex, are too dangerous to use.
Although the other NSAIDs will not kill you, if you want to heal your arthritis, it is better not to use any of the NSAIDs.
2. Avoid Alcohol
Consuming alcohol increases the permeability of the intestinal wall. If you have food sensitivities, avoid beer, wine and all other forms of alcohol until your condition has improved.
3. Avoid Pathogenic Bacteria
Any one of a number of gastrointestinal pathogens, particularly the bacteria Shigella, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Yersinia and Clostridium, can cause a form of arthritis known as reactive arthritis. My reactive arthritis was triggered by a bout of bacterial dysentery caused by eating food contaminated with Shigella bacteria.
The arthritis caused by these types of bacteria seems to be dependent on the ability of these pathogens to give off toxins that increase intestinal permeability. These bacteria generally cause diarrhea. In my case, the diarrhea was over within a week, but I felt under the weather for several weeks. About six weeks after the initial diarrhea, I developed the sudden onset of arthritis. One day I could walk for miles. The next I had difficulty walking across my living room without passing out from the pain. Even though the bacteria was presumably gone from my system after the first week, the arthritis it caused persisted for years until I applied the healing strategies detailed in this book, including those for correcting leaky gut syndrome.
As an interesting sideline, although diarrhea can certainly be caused by many things besides pathogenic bacteria, the fact that these bacteria cause both diarrhea and arthritis has resulted in a long history of the two being linked in the medical literature. This includes a report about Christopher Columbus getting arthritis after a bout of diarrhea in 1496 during his second voyage to the New World.10
To try to protect yourself from exposure to these arthritis-causing bacteria:
• Drink only disinfected water and eat only food that has been stored and prepared under proper sanitary conditions.
• Avoid restaurants that do not have good health department ratings.
• Avoid food that has been sitting out too long at room temperature.
• Be cautious what you eat and drink when traveling in Third World countries or anytime you are in primitive conditions.
• Don’t eat food from cans that look swollen.
• Don’t eat food that may be spoiled. When in doubt, throw it out!
4. Correct the Factors Which Lead to Bacterial Overgrowths
People with healthy digestion have more than 400 kinds of bacteria living in their intestines, most of them "friendly" types.11 This healthy balance of bacteria is critical for good health. It prevents the growth of an unhealthy array of intestinal flora, the kind that can cause food sensitivities. The way this works is similar to the way a lush, thick lawn is resistant to weeds because there is simply no place for the weeds to put down roots.
However, it is not only the unhealthy types of intestinal flora discussed above cause leaky gut syndrome; but sometimes normally healthy types of bacteria can as well. This happens when certain normally healthy strains grow so vigorously that they upset the normal balance or spill over into areas of the digestive tract where they do not belong. People with food sensitivities often have an overgrowth of usually harmless organisms, especially protozoan parasites, yeast or bacteria, living in their intestines.12, 13