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Rheumatoid Arthritis and Low carb/keto

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jumanajane
jumanajane Posts: 438 Member
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Hi all, my cousin has just been diagnosed as having RA and knowing that sugars can cause inflammation problems does anyone have any info/research/personal experience of whether eating our WOE will help her??? She is desperate not to start taking the cocktail of meds they have prescribe (including one mild chemotherapy drug to try and knock her into submission...ooops I mean remission) and also cant have steroid injections to relieve the pain as they have told her it will thin her bones.
I seriously hope we can find that it does help her......anything I can do to help her get relief and deal with it better. Thanks in advance.

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  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,160 Member
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    @jumanajane 14 months ago I cold turkey left all forms of grains and most all sugars when the doctors wanted me to start on Enbrel injections for arthritis pain hoping to avoid the side effects that can come when trying to defeat one's immune system for pain management. 30 days later my pain levels had dropped from 7-8 to 2-3, IBS was totally gone in 4-6 months, weight is down another 25 pounds, blood work numbers have improved by 100%, etc.

    Most will take Rx meds before they will try to change their way of eating to avoid any health risks associated with Rx meds.

    Have your cousin google stories about the Rx meds and what some do by getting a new way of eating to side step Rx meds. It will depend on their background but there is a lot of research out there that is somewhat in lay terms.

    Rx meds are fine but my view is why take them if diet will do the same and more for my health?
  • jumanajane
    jumanajane Posts: 438 Member
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    Thanks so much Gale. I'll do some research and pass on your success story too. Sooooo happy for you too btw!!! I have watched your posts over the last 8 months or so and just love it when people like you get super benefits from our woe.
  • anglyn1
    anglyn1 Posts: 1,802 Member
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    I've been keto almost three months to try to control my pain levels having also been diagnosed with RA. I do also take plaquenil which is an old malaria drug that shows mild improvement in early RA symptoms. I can't say how much is the med and how much is diet but I have seen a reduction in pain and stiffness. Not 100% of course but I have been able to add back a little exercise which was impossible before. Hoping for further improvement!

    Good luck to your cousin!
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    I have some sort of autoimmune arthralgia. It was slowly mostly improved by going gf but not completely (I'm a celiac). When I started the keto diet I had a mild flare-up (shock to the body I guess) but it went away quickly. Since then I have had no flare-ups.

    I also have osteoarthritis in my hips and knees. That has been helped to a lesser degree but it helped nevertheless.
  • cynlyn2010
    cynlyn2010 Posts: 73 Member
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    I personally have had a HUGE reduction in pain and inflammation from RA, Lupus, and Fibro since starting this WOE. I generally try to stay under 20 net carbs per day because I feel better there. I really hope this helps!
  • ki4eld
    ki4eld Posts: 1,215 Member
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    I have osteoarthritis and I notice a distinct inflammatory response when I overdo the carbs. Even if I'm not bumped out of keto, 2-3 days of 40-50g ensures my joints will hurt considerably and swell. Yet one more reason for me to live at/below 30g.
  • amb312
    amb312 Posts: 55 Member
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    I don't have RA, just plain ol sore because I'm fat pain and this WOE took care of this. I have been off the wagon the last few weeks and OMG can I tell! Even my dh noticed I am a stiffened up mess. I am back on it today and I hope it won't take long for this to go away again.
  • KarlaYP
    KarlaYP Posts: 4,439 Member
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    I'm another who has improved fibromyalgia pain! This woe has changed my life, and I'm sure the effects would be the same for anyone who suffers from chronic inflammation disorders!
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,104 Member
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    Has anyone explored this deficiency/treatment? I actually have started this, and a friend has started her guy on a supplement including Boron for side issues for him, but no long term data...

    http://www.health-science-spirit.com/borax.htm

    Would love to hear what others think.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,160 Member
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    preventarthritis.org/benefits-of-boron/

    Thanks @KnitOrMiss for the link you posted. The one above is just another link I found. It looks like 6 mg of Boron may be the sweet spot for daily use as I read it.

    I read a ton of comments on Amazon posted from the different brands they sell. I will add a bottle the next time I order.
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,104 Member
    edited January 2016
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    GaleHawkins wrote: »
    preventarthritis.org/benefits-of-boron/

    Thanks @KnitOrMiss for the link you posted. The one above is just another link I found. It looks like 6 mg of Boron may be the sweet spot for daily use as I read it.

    I read a ton of comments on Amazon posted from the different brands they sell. I will add a bottle the next time I order.

    I'm literally doing the diluted Borax in water, as the article referenced (because I already had it on hand). I am up to 1 generous tsp of solution twice a day, which comes out to 3-6 mg of Boron, after conversion. I feel the aches worsening on some counts, usually at peaks, but the general levels are lessening... but I'm less than two weeks in, so I expect additional pain easing after a full four weeks or so.

    It does NOT taste soapy at all. I do the measure of concentrated solution without about an ounce of water. at 7 am and again between 1 pm and 4 pm. Over the weekend, I plan to bump up to a third daily dose before reevaluating, since I've got significant issues to address. I just swirl the two together and do it like a shot. No muss, no fuss.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,160 Member
    edited January 2016
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    It seems like on the Amazon comments for one brand the person said it was about 30 days before they noticed less pain after starting taking boron. Keep your updates coming.

    https://organicfacts.net/health-benefits/minerals/boron.html

    Wow this article makes Boron sound like a miracle medication. I have to dig deeper for sure.
  • Sunny_Bunny_
    Sunny_Bunny_ Posts: 7,140 Member
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    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    Has anyone explored this deficiency/treatment? I actually have started this, and a friend has started her guy on a supplement including Boron for side issues for him, but no long term data...

    http://www.health-science-spirit.com/borax.htm

    Would love to hear what others think.

    I've also read about magnesium and how it corrects calcium metabolism which will put calcium back where it belongs and at least improve or completely prevent it from depositing in improper places which can improve arthritis.
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,104 Member
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    Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    Has anyone explored this deficiency/treatment? I actually have started this, and a friend has started her guy on a supplement including Boron for side issues for him, but no long term data...

    http://www.health-science-spirit.com/borax.htm

    Would love to hear what others think.

    I've also read about magnesium and how it corrects calcium metabolism which will put calcium back where it belongs and at least improve or completely prevent it from depositing in improper places which can improve arthritis.

    My general understanding from a lot of reading recently is that to best repair the whole calcium stuff, you need D3 WITH K2, plus the Boron. D3 picks up the passengers (Calcium), and K2 drives the bus, Magnesium (and potassium, together, I think) facilitates absorption, and Boron is the passport to the proper cell walls.

    I have collated this from multiple sites and readings, so I don't have just one link. Seems like as with electrolytes, we need the balance of all the minerals to absorb things properly. Our modern soils are so depleted, it's taking scientist and nutritionists too long to link all the soil/nutrient deficiencies to conditions...
  • Sunny_Bunny_
    Sunny_Bunny_ Posts: 7,140 Member
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    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    Has anyone explored this deficiency/treatment? I actually have started this, and a friend has started her guy on a supplement including Boron for side issues for him, but no long term data...

    http://www.health-science-spirit.com/borax.htm

    Would love to hear what others think.

    I've also read about magnesium and how it corrects calcium metabolism which will put calcium back where it belongs and at least improve or completely prevent it from depositing in improper places which can improve arthritis.

    My general understanding from a lot of reading recently is that to best repair the whole calcium stuff, you need D3 WITH K2, plus the Boron. D3 picks up the passengers (Calcium), and K2 drives the bus, Magnesium (and potassium, together, I think) facilitates absorption, and Boron is the passport to the proper cell walls.

    I have collated this from multiple sites and readings, so I don't have just one link. Seems like as with electrolytes, we need the balance of all the minerals to absorb things properly. Our modern soils are so depleted, it's taking scientist and nutritionists too long to link all the soil/nutrient deficiencies to conditions...

    That makes sense. Great explanation too! Balance is definitely a consistent theme in the body. Everything is a chemical reaction in the end.

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