Arthritis

Arthritis is one of those things that I have heard about, and dealt with in clients, but hasn't been part of my reality-not in my body. We've said in Theta to be careful that we don't call things in to understand them. I may have done that. My mother has arthritis in her back, and a sister in law with a terrible back, and a nephew with a bad back and arthritis, and we hear that 'as we get older we will get it' where we have had injuries. I've been pretty lucky that way, but the contract that arthritis as a sign of aging seems to be everywhere, and 'they' say it's inevitable if we've had any injuries.

We've discussed the beliefs and emotions connected with it. Being rigid, set, stubborn. Lovely people always, but set in their ways, and when we make suggestions for change, they usually refuse. Why refuse to change something if it might help? Secondary gain-perhaps. Most likely. They want help, but they refuse to change, so the pain can't be bad enough to motivate. Pain is a great motivator for me though. I can't stand to hurt. I want a change and begin to look for some way to change it fast.

Just lately, the top joint of the pinkie of my left hand has been enlarging and paining, and I notice some mornings that I wake with my finger joints aching. It clears, except for the pinkie. The joint is definitely larger, bulbous and sore. The finger curves under at an angle when I type. How long has that been happening, that I hit the keys with the side of the pinkie instead of the tip? See, that's compensation, and our body does it so smoothly that we hardly notice it's happened.

There is a tiny faint scar across the top of the finger just under the nailbed and of course I don't recall an injury, but there was one, obviously. So now, arthritis is in my world. Now, it has my attention in a whole new way. Did I do this so I can understand it?

Tomatoes, potatoes and nightshade vegetables. But when I looked, there was more!
Red meats, all dairy, corns, wheat, oats, rye, barley.
Eggs, Citrus fruits, coffee, bananas, peaches
Star fruit (carambola), black pepper, parsley, poppy seed, rhubarb stalks, amaranth, spinach, chard, beets, cocoa, chocolate, most nuts, most berries, and beans.
Alcohol
Carbonated drinks
Foods that easily get mold-cantaloupe, honeydew, nuts, berries.

Wow. That removes most of the foods I do eat. And I resist immediately. Am I stubborn?!

But not everyone reacts to everything.
And we should increase other foods-
artichokes, asparagus, lettuce, spinach, broccoli, chard, string beans, squashes, sweet potatoes, tapioca, and taro.
Increase Vitamins C and E to help neutralize free radicals-which is what arthritis is about.
Eat brown rice, probably quinoa too
Try cooked fruits or dried instead of fresh.

And hormone imbalances can lead to joint pain.

Since the raw food experiment, I'm much more in touch with my body and food and how I feel when. I pay attention and notice. But that list above cuts out most foods I AM eating now, and if feels overwhelming.

I decided to experiment in a smaller way as list above is overwhelming in the whole, but since we have been writing down our foods and counting calories in the bbbu, I'm pretty conscious of what I am eating. So I decided to start tracking the pain mornings. Just to make note of it, and see if there is a pattern. How else would we know?

On the money with an increase in joint pain when we have had potatoes. All the joints in my fingers hurt. It clears, but I do wake with pain in my hands. (I wonder if it happens with french fries too? LOL)

On the money with reddening and swelling in the joint of my pinkie-tomatoes and tomato products. Ouch. In an Italian household that's a hard one to get around, but I'm going to do it, to notice if it helps. The days we've not had any tomatoes, I wake without any pain in my hands.

I'm choosing those to start with. Coffee may be next, and it's the only time I use dairy. I'll selectively remove that for awhile and see. It's all a grand experiment.

If you have any arthritis, perhaps do this with me and post your findings.

It's funny to notice that as soon as I say I'm not going to eat them, I sitting here craving them. That's fascinating to fee, but I'm stronger.

Animal proteins, dairy and nightshade vegetables...well the first two WERE eliminated with the raw food experiment, and I didn't have any pain in my hands until now...let's experiment!