57 and with severe osteo arthritis

[carlosowusu]

Hi,

My mum is 57 years and has severe osteo arthritis of the knees and shoulders. She would like to know what foods she should avoid to lessen the pain in her joints and possibly, a few extra vitamins or foods she CAN eat.

Thanx

[Sunny_0ne]

carlosowusa, the WORST thing for my arthritis is eggplant. There's a definite connection between my eating it and hurting badly.

Some doctors think all of the vegetables in that family (nightshade) including potatoes, tomatoes and peppers are bad for arthritis. But I haven't had any effects strong enough to notice from them.

The thing that makes a difference between my living in pain and feeling normal is simply glucosamine-chondroitin, available almost everywhere. It takes about a month for it to cause a noticeable improvement, but what a difference it makes.

Sometimes I get sloppy and quit taking them. Within a few weeks, I am again in pain... which goes away when I resume taking them.

I'm not saying it's the cure for your mom. But I am saying that it will probably make a big difference. It works by building up the cushioning cartilege in the joints.

[Pam112]

May I just second the glucosamine/chondroitin?

I've developed arthritis in my knees and it has been quite debilitating. I use a gel with glucosamine/chondroitin in it that I get here in the UK. When I first tried it, I didn't think it would do a thing. 15 minutes after applying it to my knees, I had some relief and was astounded. Using the gel seemed to work from the start in my experience but whatever way its ingested, as long as your doctor ok's it, why not give it a go?

[Desertthorn]

I am one of those believers who think white flour, diet cokes and anything made with chemicals is the cause for all our medical woos, including arthritis.
I would suggest a diet of fresh..everything, something like the Mediterranean Diet

Key components of the Mediterranean diet include:

Eating a generous amount of fruits and vegetables
Consuming healthy fats such as olive oil and canola oil
Eating small portions of nuts
Drinking red wine, in moderation, for some
Consuming very little red meat
Eating fish on a regular basis

There is an exercise called PACE that really helps arthritics. She might try to find a class in her area.

[julirama723]

I also agree with Glucosamine/Chondroiton. Try eliminating nightshades too, as some people have a nightshade intolerance and don't know it. They're also "inflammatory" and can cause rheumatoid symptoms to flare or worsen.

Other trouble foods: gluten, corn, soy, diary.

Like desert said, stick with a fresh foods diet. Unprocessed meats, healthy fats (though you may want to avoid butter and cream due to casein), fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, a glass of wine.

[carlosowusu]

How selfish of me!!! I should have replied to this post days ago!!! Sorry guys!!!

The good news is that the Glucosamine/Chondroitin (Seven Seas Advanced) worked like a charm! She no longer wears the band around her legs and she's feeling better and can sleep at night. I've also made her cancel eggplant from her diet which I think should help if it is a common symptom.

THANKS GUYS!!!