Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Pain

Upon waking this morning I was sure it was going to be a beautiful day. The sun was shining, it was warm and there were very few clouds in the sky. The hands on the clock continued to click away minutes and sunshine. By 9am, the sky was filled with clouds and the temperature had dropped.

I'm starting to think that my pain might be more related to food than I had originally thought. I know Nightshade veggies(tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, and peppers) can cause flareups in people who suffer from arthritis. I've been eating potatoes for the last three or four days, and I have tomatoes on an almost daily basis. I know I should probably try to cut Nightshade veggies out, but it can be so hard! I need to find an alternative to potatoes and tomatoes. You can find more information on Nightshade veggies and other foods arthritic people should avoid here.

There are days where the pain is a little too much to deal with. Last night I was in bed by 8:30pm, and today after work I felt so exhausted that I had to lay down. I didn't sleep, I just laid there talking to my boyfriend for a little while. I am hoping to get in to see my doctor and hopefully get a referral to a rheumatologist. I have not seen a rheumatologist for at least three years, because the one I had was in the children's hospital and I am no longer a child. I am also concerned about my wrists. I was told I have tendinitis, but I am wondering if the arthritis may have moved into them. I hope not...

Today's positive thought is:

I release my pain into the Earth and draw in warm healing energy. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful evening. Here's to warmer weather!

7 comments:

  1. Gluten has played a major role in my pain and fatigue. I have been gluten free for almost two months now! Potatoes seem to aggravate things too.. I haven't found that to be the case with tomatoes though. I think finding your own triggers is very important!

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  2. I am pretty sure dairy is effecting me and really have to try to stick to dairy alternatives. Did you find an alternative to gluten or just omit it without finding an alternative?

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  3. I'm not sure what you mean by alternative to gluten? Gluten is in wheat, barley, and rye and possibly oats as there is cross contamination there. It is used as a preservative in lots of foods and cosmetics and can be labeled as many things. I am gluten free. I am still learning...it is a process as it is in many things and isn't just listed as gluten.

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  4. I'm sorry, Leslie, I should have been a little more specific! What I meant to say was what food do you use to substitute food that contains gluten? Since gluten can be found in flour, do you use a gluten-free flour alternative, or simply avoid anything with flour in it as well?

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  5. I have been gluten free for about six years. We have substituted gluten flours for gluten free flours such as rice, amarath, quinoa, millet and barley. There are tons of recipes available and a lot of restaurants are now offering gluten free menus. However, I am finding that my body does better with limited grains of any kind. Also, in my reading I have found that most people that are gluten intolerant are also intolerant of other foods such as dairy.

    I really like your positive thoughts and your positive energy.

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  6. Thanks for the comment, Cathy!

    Do you find that some grains have more of a reaction than others? For an example, do you find rice bothers you more than barley, or is it just an overload of grains in general that bothers you?

    I am very interested in learning more about a gluten and dairy and how they can react to the body.

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  7. I have really reduced my grain intake the last six-seven months and when I do eat them, I try to soak them 8-24 hours before eating them so they digest better in my body. When I eat wheat, I can tell a definite change in my joints and with dairy, I get a stomach upset. I didn't realize either was true until they had been eliminated for many months. The secret is you have to read everything because gluten and dairy are in a lot. If you are planning to deal with your RA without drugs, I would definitely recommend reading more about a gluten/dairy free diet. There is a lot of research showing that RA patients suffer from leaky gut.

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