There are plenty of grains that aren't on your list, such as sorghum, buckwheat, and millet, if you find you need some (I made a very good improvisational cake with sorghum flour), but I think you're right to avoid things you've tested as mildly allergic to since arthritis is an inflammatory condition. I've found that for a healthy body, dealing with mild allergens is background noise, but if the body is already fighting something, they become larger annoyances.

I'm sure you can find substitutions to make your Japanese dishes. Perhaps barley instead of rice? Or cut a vegetable/fruit, like cauliflower or green papaya, very fine and toast it to substitute for the rice.

Hard cheeses don't have the kind of carbohydrates that bother most people who are sensitive, so if you're limiting cheese, maybe just eliminate the soft ones first.

Lars one thing I forgot to mention above is essential oils.

Peppermint has worked wonders on painful joints. Wintergreen and oregano take the pain away immediately when rubbed on my aching feet!

Linda

FYI Pillog- Buckwheat and Millet are no goes for my wheat allergy. Lars, try subbing sweet potatoes for your starch. I find them filling and satisfying when I crave a carb with my meal. There are many different ways to prepare them.

Interesting. Neither are wheat, and buckwheat isn't even from a grass. I assume you're either allergic to an element they have in common or you're just also allergic to them.

Lars -

Thanks for the additional information.... That's really helpful.

Food for thought.... My daughter was tested for dairy without a positive indicator of an allergy, but her knee inflammation improved after eliminating it. Casein is a common trigger for rheumatoid arthritis and joint pain. There are 5 allergens, plus lactose intolerance, associated with milk. I'm not sure if tests are for all 5 of the possible allergens, or not?

When it comes to testing for wheat, there are 17 proteins in wheat, and you could be sensitive to any one of them, and a sensitivity can be different than an allergy, but they only test for the ONE most common protein and skip the other 16. That's why an elimination diet often shows more than the tests.

Paleo baking ingredient favorites like coconut flour and nut flours make some great grain-free baked goods. You can check both gluten-free and paleo recipes at "Elana's Pantry" - https://elanaspantry.com/.  I used her Almond Flour Cookbook long before going gluten-free because they were low-glycemic, and have used a lot more recipes from Paleo Cooking from Elana's Pantry cookbook, but there are lots of recipes at her web site without having to purchase the books. I stay away from high-glycemic gluten-free starches and flours as well.

You can also make your own non-dairy milks if you have a good blender (and I'd suggest it, when possible), and leave the commercial stuff in the stores. Dry the almond pulp after making almond milk and use it in recipes that call for almond flour, or use the raw pulp for making cookies and crackers in the dehydrator. You can even make it into a crunchy, high-protein, granola-like cereal since you are sensitive to oats. I use sprouted and dried buckwheat in granola. You can make your own coconut milk with unsweetened coconut and water in the blender. The remaining pulp has a lot of uses, including once dried and crushed/pulverized you have coconut flour. I also use Native Forest Coconut Milk Powder. You have to be careful with coconut milk powders since some contain sodium caseinate ( a dairy product associated with dairy allergies).

I did a 10-day grain detox at the first of the year. I felt a lot better afterwards, and then added gluten-free grains back slowly, but in smaller quantities and less frequently. I'm discovering all the things I can make with nuts, seeds, beans and lentils, and new recipes to try :-).

-Grainlady

FWIW, although I don't understand this, my allergist says it's quite possible to have an adverse reaction to foods without having actual allergies to them. For me, wheat and milk products aggravate my asthma, although technically I don't have an allergy to them.

writersblock, Exactly!

Not a food answer, but what worked for me: Super Feet shoe inserts (out of Portland, OR so you'll have to go online); and physical therapy to build the muscles to protect the joint. I got the Super Feet for Plantar Fasciitis but was told that if I religiously worn them in every pair of shoes (move from one pair to another) that in 3 months the hip wouldn't hurt either. Absolutely worked... I don't know why, but I could barely walk with the bad hip and now runaround with no hip pain at all. The PT was for the knees, but know that helps both the hips and the knees.

FWIW, most good outdoor equipment stores, like REI, sell Super Feet. If you want to try them it's best to go when you can try different ones to see which are best for you.

I am already wearing New Balance shoes (walking shoes), and so I'm not sure that shoe inserts would make much difference at this point. The inserts seem a bit expensive. At home, I wear Crocs.

So many spot on...moosemac, kate, writersbloc, etc

I'm yet another, (sigh)

20 yrs ago my wedding band moved to my pinky. A year later it was in a drawer. Joint issues. Left knee, then hip/back. I saw a few specialists, mainly sport guys. Didn't care for the outcome...steroids, etc. Not intolerable pain, just being cautious and pro-active. I was favoring the other side to avoid left knee strain that caused hip issues. Saw a brilliant old-school chiropractor, not the modern version with weekly visits and supplements. One visit old-school, done. More whole foods, personal food trials...i have always had an Acme juicer since college but really started using it. (a PITA).

Fine for a while but had a flare-up ten yrs ago. Now have a Breville, the all stainless, a good blender, a Blendtec we built into the counter so the base is flush, and three jars and the smaller jar. My kitchen is small so i need it all to be super easy. Kitchen freezer is a step away with a spin. One full drawer is frozen fresh veg and fruit, nuts and lots of variety. Lots of ginger and turmeric. (i stocked up with fresh that i froze)...and we always have a fridge drawer full of not frozen veg. that i juice. I've not given up anything but do pay attention to all raw and no gluten during the work week. (eggs are cooked, lol) dairy is mostly goat cheeses. Yogurt. Most grains and beans i sprout, not 'sprouts' but a good soak to the germ phase. I make a nice sprouted brown bread.

If i have a good NY bagel once every few months, twice a year? i feel no ill effects. DH make great bread. No ill effects but no bread for a few weeks often.

My food diary is a mental list. By lunchtime i have a good memory of what i've had. I've never liked the warm oatmeal breakfast anyway....i have fruit and lots of greens and veg. Not even much fruit. Too much sugar.

A box style of red wine for a 'martini' if after work if traffic was tough. I call it my martini but it is half a glass and we still have the same box from the holidays. (and i use it for cooking as well)

DH takes some supplements but i don't so much. My stocks/broths...a fridge full at all times that i use in everything...all have duck/and or chicken paws and marrow bones.

I've not really given up anything but am aware of moderation. No sugar or processed food for 25yrs because that just happens occasionally by eating out . lots of sugars in fruits so that is minor....a handful of berries.

The wedding band still does not fit but that is bone joint issues not reversible. Hereditary. Dad just had both knees done and my brother just had one replaced...Mom has always had bone density issues.

I'm more rubber-band fluid than ever...i think diet does help.

sleevendog,

Love your martini. I found certain types of spritual fermenti are triggers for me. Forget anything made with grains or corn I can't tolerate them. Some red wines bother me, I can tolerate whites better but I try to stick to European wines as they seem to have less additives. Other than that Ciroc Vodka made from grapes and Cognac are the only others I can tolerate. Even with all of that I have to limit consumption to one or two per week. As you said, moderation is key.

Lars orthotics could change the way you walk. I can wear new balance or excellent expensive tennis shoes all the time but if I didn't have my orthotics in them my knee would be a wreck. It is all about how stable your foot is not the comfort of your foot. The podiatrist just gave me a pair of super feet to wear in my nicer shoes that won't accommodate my regular orthotic.

Lars, you've been given a lot of nutritional advice. I firmly believe that food is medicine, but not as a "one size fits all" rule. So you will have to experiment and your body will tell you what's working or not.

However, I want to suggest that you investigate Pilates. which is designed to stretch, strengthen and balance the body. It will help you improve your flexibility, strength, body control and endurance. A certified trainer will modify the exercises for the affected joints to relieve stiffness and help restore movement.

I may have to look into Pilates - it is possible to do this at home? I have a dedicated (partially) exercise room, and we were thinking of refitting it. It is also my sewing room, and when guests visit, we install an air mattress, but mostly it is an exercise room, although lately I've been doing more sewing than exercising in it.

My doctor gave me a prescription for Meloxicam, and it has alleviated the pain, but I know that it is only symptomatic and I prefer to have the cause addressed. I have a few concerns about taking this over a long period of time, but at least I have my mobility back. I did NOT like taking Naproxen, although it also worked fairly well at reducing the pain.

Kevin has agreed to do on whatever diet I require to treat my problems, although he still will not eat red meat. That's okay with me, but occasionally I would like to make pulled pork.

Maybe it is time for me to get a powerful blender. I have a cheap one in the garage, but I also have a Juiceman juicer tucked away in the kitchen in the most remote cabinet above the refrigerator.

There's a lot of Pilates work you can do at home, but you really need to learn the method first, and that will require a licensed instructor, either at home or in a studio. It's a very precise method. There is some large equipment, commonly used in studios, which you don't need for work at home. You don't need a lot of room to do most Pilates work. Even if you feel like you've mastered what you need to know, you should work with an instructor, who can evaluate your body, and give you new approaches, a couple of times a month. It won't cure your arthritis, but it's a good way to bolster the surrounding musculature, as well as make sure your whole musculoskeletal system is in good alignment and well toned, therefore, could make your experience of the arthritis less bad.

As with everything, moderation has benefits. You might want to plan a few weeks, or a whole month if you can stand it, on a very restrictive, anti-inflammatory diet, just to clear your system and give yourself some time to feel what it's like when every bite is geared toward not bothering your hip. Then start adding things in and, using that food diary everyone has encouraged you to keep, track how they make you feel. Not just individual foods, but combinations, as well. And go slow: Put your restriction ending celebratory pulled pork on something you know isn't an issue, instead of going right for the high gluten garlic roll. You might find that an anti-inflammatory diet makes a world of difference, or that just including some anti-inflammatory foods is enough to give you all the help you're looking for. Or you might find that your previous diet wasn't really giving you any problems and that restrictions and additions aren't doing a thing for you. The only way to know for sure is to commit to finding out.

I really echo plllog-I'm new to Pilates and it's definitely not DIY. Even immediately after a session I find it difficult to replicate certain exercises for my "homework". I suggest you arrange a consultation with a few instructors and decide which one is compatible. Then take a few "dry run" lessons. I would not invest in any equipment until you're certain that Pilates works for you. I'm shocked that I've been using so many muscles incorrectly and it's really helped me become more aware of my bad habits. I think you will be happy that you investigated this method and gain great benefits from it.

The Pilates reformer is a very specialized machine. I agree that you need instruction and someone to modify and correct your exercises using the reformer. It's a great tool and I work out with a trainer twice a week. This isn't something that you do on your own without supervision.

Absolutely true, but there's a lot more to Pilates than the reformer. Many Pilates exercises can be done on your own in a fairly small space with little to no equipment.

Lars I started the last discussion at the KT about the raisins. I have OA. My main pain was in my fingers, multiple times a day. Shooting pain. I take the gin soaked golden raisins twice a day, a small spoon full ( about 10 each time) I now hurt the same places about once a week or so. BIG difference. I went to an artritis doc, had a bunch of extras taken . My fingers have it the worst, but I also have it in my shoulders, knees, elbows and hips. My doc recommended swimming. I joined the Y, and swim up to 17 laps two to three times a week on top of all the cycling I do. He said, if I want to be able to keep moving, l HAVE TO keep moving.

I hope you can figure out what will work for you. Good luck!

Moni

I just found out that there is a YMCA about 1.6 miles from my house - a six minute drive, and so I plan to join that. They have a heated indoor pool with water aerobics, and that sounds good to me. I wish I had a pool in my back yard, but if I did, I would not have a back yard, to speak of, and I would lose one of my fountains.

I saw my doctor today, and he said my X-rays were not that bad - I only have the beginnings of arthritis, and so I think I may be able to get it under control. The Y also has Pilates classes, and it is the closest place to me that does. I might consider changing my work schedule to accommodate whatever classes I want to take at the Y.

I might also try the gin soaked raisins - we keep gin on hand (but seldom drink it), but I will have to stock up on raisins. I have dates - I wonder if they could substitute, as I like dates better than raisins.

I'd suggest also checking out flexibility exercises for the hip capsule.

Best of luck!

I haven't read the whole thread so these might have been mentioned. I have arthritis in my fingers, with swollen deformed knuckles. I noticed that eating fresh or cooked tomato made them worse, with redness and increased swelling. I used to eat a LOT of tomato sauce and in summer, fresh tomato sandwiches. I quit that, and the joints seemed to have stabilized.

However in 2 knuckles I had persistent swelling and stiffness. A chiropractor recommended that I drink tart cherry juice daily. I took that with a grain of salt but the next time I saw it on sale I bought 2 bottles. AMAZING! the stiffness and swelling (that had persisted for 2 years) decrease by half in the first week. I still have some, but I also don't drink the cherry juice more that twice a week now.

With hip pain you do need to look at other origins. Be sure that your shoes are appropriate and not worn out (go to a running store or "good feet" store to be checked -- you may need a different style of shoe or orthotics). I saw someone mention New Balance -- great brand but not all models from that brand are right for everyone, some are made for a certain footstrike, others are best for a different one, some are made for walking, some for running etc. I have never found one in that brand that fits me correctly (can't wear Reeboks either). Make sure that your muscles and ligaments are not tight. Do exercises for your posture, back and stomach. Lose some weight if you need to.

Good luck!

I do like cherry juice, and so I will buy some of that. Normally I drink pomegranate or blueberry juice. I do not eat many tomatoes, but my brother does not like them (except cooked), and so that is something I could easily forego.

I am wearing New Balance shoes right now, and I have found them to be the most comfortable, and I feel that I do not have any issues with my feet or posture, and my doctor agrees with that. I have somewhat small feet (men's size 7, European 40) for my height 5'-8", but I do not think that is an issue. However, many stores do not sell men's size 7, and the last hiking shoes I bought were women's size 9, which is fairly easy to find, providing it is not sold out. I bought those at Adventure 16 in West L.A., and there were women there buying men's hiking shoes because they did not make women's shoes large enough for them! The sales staff seemed used to having people buy shoes from other departments, and it made me wonder a bit why they even bother separating men's and women's hiking shoes. Several guys in the store said the really liked the shoes I bought but were disappointed to learn that those colors were available in women's sizes only (they were turquoise and gray).

I am also thinking about taking a yoga class in Hollywood, but I know I can do yoga at home, as I have done that before.

I bet there's yoga at the Y too. :) It sounds like the Y is a great resource for you, especially if parking isn't too hard if you're going or coming from work.

Re the gin soaked golden raisins, they have to be golden. The reason is probably the sulfites that they use so they'll keep their color, so you could probably substitute dried apricot pieces (pieces so they'll soak up the gin better). I've read that some people use dried cherries. The original version was specifically sultanas. I don't know if there's something specific about them that isn't in other golden raisins or sulphered dried fruits.

I am going to have my second hip replacement next month. The first one seemed like a miracle! There is no way I could have any kind of life style without it. The pain, stiffness and instability is just too much and I don't do well on pain meds over time. I am fortunate to have a great surgeon and had a quick recovery time after the first surgery. Over time this disease is a crippler. I tried all kinds of diet changes, glucosamine and chondroitin, etc. I have always been a maniac about working out, with weights, biking, dance (in my early years), judo...as well as eating good, healthy food. Unfortunately this disease still plagues me. I hope this is the last surgery. I am telling you this so that you know that it is likely to get worse no matter what you do. If you can handle a diet of pain pills, then you are lucky, but surgery is also worth considering. I am hoping for the best for you,

Diane

I am not on pain medication, now that I am taking Meloxicam, and I know people who have taken that over several years without bad side effects. I definitely do not want to take Naproxen over a period of time, as it upsets my stomach and just generally makes me feel not so good.

Diane, how long did your recovery take for your first hip replacement? My doctor thinks I do not need it at this point, but I have not ruled it out for the future. I do need to improve my aerobic condition, and that has always been difficult for me. I did well with weight training and heavy weights, but I am poor when it comes to endurance. In Jr. High I was on the track team, but only for short sprints. I used to play tennis until I moved to Los Angeles and then had no one to play with me.

I do not have a bad diet, but I will try to eat less and exercise more, but it would be more fun if I had a workout partner. I am very motivated if there is another person involved, but when it is just me, not so much. Kevin is even less motivated than I am, and he has the option of using the gym facilities at Sony. Now that the days are longer, I plan to ride my bike more. I used to ride my bike along the beach every day when I lived in Venice, and I do miss the bike paths there, but I do not miss all the annoying tourists who would walk right in the middle of the bike paths. My neighborhood now is pretty good for bike riding - just a bit boring compared to the beach, and the beach is about three miles from me now, which is too far.

Lars, you mentioned taking classes at the YMCA-this investment will motivate you to attend and perhaps meet like-minded people with "exercise buddy" potential.

Prescription Voltaren Gel is my answer. Ask your rheumatologist or personal physician about it. Truly local relief in seconds - 5 years of wonderful relief for me and without side affects that I can detect. My DIL, the marathon runner, calls it her "Magic Gel'. It's for localized joint pain, not an overall body pain solution. This gel may not be your answer but for joints like hands, ankles, and knees, it ceases the ache quickly, for me. I don't know the long term effects, and definitely is not a solution to forever, but temporary relief, yes, yes, yes!

My grandmother was so inflicted with RA and OA and later QA (oh, her poor racked body, so terribly cruel!), that she was in a fetal position for the last 10 years of her 100's. Her doctor told the staff to rub this gel on her most deformed joints 4x's a day, where upon she could actually smile once in a while. It was not a cure but it made her feel less beset by pain.

A whirlpool bath is of great help to me. I tell my DH that it 'heats me to the bones", He is just fine with warmth but the swirling warm water does something more for me. I am not a swimmer so community pools won't do anything for me, but if you get relief, then by all means, join. If nothing else the camaraderie of like sufferers will bolster you.

Nancy

Ooh, I had forgotten about Voltaren. Thanks Nancy for reminding me. I just went and smeared my lower back, hips and knees and it worked. Because it is topical there are no side effects. Won't change tomorrow, though. Tomorrow I will have an epidural cortisone shot in lower back.

Westsider, hope your epidural cortisone shot helps. Love my Voltaren. I can no longer take anti-inflamatories due to stomach issues. Voltaren is expensive, but works when I really need it. But, even tho it is topical, it does enter your system, just not thru the stomach.

Tami FYI- if you know anyone traveling to Mexico, it's cheaper and available without a prescription.

My doc just prescribed Ketaprofen compounded with another med instead of Voltaren. I've only used it twice, however she claims that it's even more effective. I'm not sure.

I picked up 6 tubes of it when we were in Mexico last spring. Don't remember how much it was, but it was inexpensive. Volfenac is the brand name we found down there. I'd never heard of it before--some people we met in Mexico recommended it to us. We use it for the odd pulled muscle--and I would hate to be without it now that I know about it.

If you have an Indian grocery store nearby, it'd be a good place to buy turmeric. They sell it in bulk packages fairly in expensively,. I also third (fourth?) the recommendation on Great Lakes gelatin in the green can (we order from Amazon). Great stuff, and good if you aren't able to make bone broth for yourself regularly,.

I'm not surprised by an MD saying diet won't make a difference. Sadly, they receive very little nutritional training. You've gotten lots of really great advice in this thread! Good to see that,. : )

Compumom, thanks. I will keep that in mind for next winter, as anyone we know who goes to Mexico has just started their trip back my way.

Ci_lantro et al., Pulled muscles will not be helped by Voltaren or Volfenac systemic. They are for bone joints, and not even for the other parts of the bones. Muscle pulls use RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) and those will not be helped topically with those bone meds.

Compumom - ketoprofen is an NSAID with its own risks, least of which is internal digestive bleeding and it interacts with alcohol, other NSAID's, steroids, blood thinners, and anti-depressants. Taking ketoprofen with Voltaren can be dangerous.

I have never thought about equating my swollen hands with what I eat. Daily cherry juice or pickle juice glugs, helpful gin raisins, no onions, tomatoes, yes to large amounts of turmeric, eliminating gluten and/or casein, rice, etc. I don't know if I can narrow it down to any of them helpful or harmful unless I do intensive long term elimination diets and I have only so many weeks left in this old bod.

Nancy

Nancy, I don't know your age or condition, but my friend's 85 year old father suffered greatly from arthritis. He adopted a vegan diet and eliminated nightshades--today he's 93, pain free and takes daily 5 mile walks. This approach may not work for everyone, but there's a definite link to diet and inflammation. Since time is going to pass anyway, it's never too late to start figuring out your triggers.

"Since time is going to pass anyway, it's never too late to start figuring out your triggers."

Absolutely, Nannygoat18!

Lars, I have been following this thread with a great deal of interest, as I have severe Osteoarthritis in my shoulders, and probably, to a lesser degree, in many other joints, too.

First, a question. You said your PT said you have "beginning arthritic hip". Which type of Arthritis? There are a number of kinds. And treatment can vary accordingly.

Going on the assumption that we are talking about Osteoarthritis, I'd like to add my experiences here.

Please don't ignore the dietary advice you've gotten here! It could make a huge difference. Especially regarding the advice about Nightshade vegetables and fruits! In my experience, not all of them are equal in the effects they have, so I'm thinking the effects most likely vary among different people, too.

Eggplant, potatoes (especially what are know as 'new' potatoes) and tomatoes are the worst for me. Hot peppers have almost no effect at all, sweet peppers have some. As long as I limit the size of a serving of any of them, I find an indulgence once a week or so, is okay.

Cherries are helpful, as is fresh pineapple. Cherries can be fresh, whole, juiced, canned or frozen, but pineapple HAS to be fresh! Cooking or freezing destroys the Bromelain that is the helpful enzyme. Fresh pineapple is thought to be very helpful in fighting a number of other diseases, too. To increase the benefits, juice the core, it is very high in Bromelain. Personally, I dearly love a bowl of fresh pineapple with cottage cheese for breakfast. Bromelain is also available in capsule form, but I have no personal experience with that.

Another poster included onions and garlic in the Nightshade family. That is incorrect. Nightshades are potatoes, tomatoes, all peppers (NOT black pepper), and eggplant. I learned today that Tomatillos and Goji berries are also nightshades, but I have no personal experience with them. Everything that I have read indicates that both onions and garlic are very helpful as anti-inflammatories! And that the stronger flavored onions are more effective than sweet onions.

I haven't tried to include any links to informative sites, as there are so many of them. But if anyone is interested as to where I got my info, (other than my personal experience), I will gladly list some that I find most helpful.

Good luck, Lars, I hope you are able to get relief.

Here's to happy and healthy eating!!

Rusty

I won't be eating garlic for anti inflammatories as I am allergic to it. I love onions but others won't want to be around if I eat many! Okra is also a nightshade.

Ci_lantro et al., Pulled muscles will not be helped by Voltaren or
Volfenac systemic. They are for bone joints, and not even for the other
parts of the bones. Muscle pulls use RICE (rest, ice, compression,
elevation) and those will not be helped topically with those bone meds.

Yeh, I've heard of RICE. Not an immediate option when you have a 60' oak tree laying across your driveway.

I'm aware of what diclofenac gel is labeled for. And it sure would not be the first medication that has applications beyond what it is strictly labeled for. IME, it has worked for muscle pain the handful of times that I've used it for that. It's a topical NSAID; I prefer the topical option vs using an oral NSAID and perhaps experiencing the unwanted side effects associated with the orals.

Nancy--so I looked up the Patient Indications for Volfenac online. Copied the Spanish language info into a translator and here it is:

Therapeutic Indications for Volfenac Gel:

Anti-inflammatory and topical analgesic for local treatment of:

Traumatic inflammation of tendons, ligaments, muscles and joints caused by strains, sprains and bruises.

Localized forms of soft tissue rheumatism, such as tenosynovitus, shoulder-hand syndrome & bursitis.

Localized rheumatic diseases such as osteoarthritis of peripheral joints and spine, periarartropatia.

Now, I could surmise that whoever introduced Voltaren to the US market (Sandoz/ Novartis) made a marketing decision to target the osteoarthritic patient when they sought FDA approval and wasn't particularly interested in getting approval for broader labeling. The OA patient tending to be elderly, i.e., on Medicare with the government, translation- Taxpayers-, picking up the tab. So, Novartis can grossly inflate the price without taking heat from insurance companies and out-of-pocket consumers.

Anyone not making a trip to Mexico might want to check eBay....

The fresh turmeric root I bought at the Indian market seems to be helping, but the medication is also helping a lot, and so I cannot tell how much the turmeric helps. I plan to plant a few roots so that I can get my own crop. I have pineapple in my yard as well, but it grows fairly slowly and only one of my plants has a pineapple on it, but it is getting fairly large. The pineapples I get are not the tastiest, but they are the freshest - they are just not as sweet as I had hoped.

I might look for Volfenac, but I am not planning on going to Mexico in the near future. Our next major trip will be to Italy for two weeks about 2-3 months from now, and I hope I will be up for it.

I will eventually print out all of this information - it's been very helpful.

I'm making eggplant tonight, which I also bought at the Indian market, and it will have a tomato sauce, and so I will not be getting off nightshades right away, but perhaps in the future. I will continue to eat hot chilies, as I consume them in very small quantities.

ci_lantro - that is very good information about Voltaren and Volfenac. thank you. Shows you how much my doctor knows about meds, I apologize for believing him, and appreciate you correcting my ignorance.

I have always had the idea that if physicians diagnose and pharmacists prescribe we'd be so much better off. Don't you? Also, I believe that pharmacists should be able to dispense supplements, herbal, alternative, and non-traditional medications based on diagnoses, and follow you as your sole pharmacist no matter where you live in the US. They have years of intensive training where I think physicians prescribe what the last pharmaceutical rep were touting. Probably callous or snide, sorry.

Reading the anecdotes here it looks like y'all have been personally drilling down to what aggravates and what alleviates for you without meds. I will start looking at my diet and keep a diary of what foods help or hurt though I've never felt there was a difference. Right now the only thing I've identified is that a drop in barometric pressure makes my arthritis flare up, like the coming of a storm or a drastic drop in temperature, but not a change into dry warm weather. I also know that the more active I am the less likely that my arthritis will flare. I follow the Mayo Clinic Hand Exercises for Arthritis that totally works for me and do it pretty much mindlessly while I am reading or being bored in front of the TV, or being a passenger. After a few months of this (and continued from 5 years ago) I could really see that the progression of arthritis in my hands had lessened and years later, I think, has kept the worsening of it at bay. But, now I have it in my neck/spine bones from several head-on collisions years ago that even though chiropractic has helped, there is no exercise for those bones.

Y'all have given me much to consider.

Nancy, I agree with you on the doctors, in fact some are actually paid by the pharmaceutical industry to prescribe their drugs instead of something cheaper or older. Check on your own doctor here:

https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/

Meanwhile, I'm just feeling very fortunate. My old doc used to tell me that if you are over 40 and nothing hurts in the morning when you get up, you died in your sleep. I still have most mornings when nothing hurts and Pilates seems to keep me flexible and really helps my creaky knees. My knees seem to be at least 10 years older than I am, and I'll be 61 in May, but an occasional ibuprofen takes care of the knees so far. The wrist brace worn at night while sleeping keeps the carpal tunnel under control too, thankfully, although I do not have the hand strength I used to. Maybe your hand exercises would help that...

Annie

Annie- That link is SHOCKING! My endocrinologist is cutting edge, he's involved with drug trials and his payout wasn't surprising. But another MD really stunned me!

Nancy, I use the ketoprofen for occasional aches and strains, not for OA. That said, my father was a pharmacist, one who also compounded meds. He should have gone for his MD. Dad was a proponent of topical anti-inflammatory meds in order to avoid the gastrointestinal side effects. I never take more than an Advil orally. The most recent prescription was from a sports medicine orthopedist for my knee and foot.

I'm allergic to onion and garlic-- actually anything in the allium family. I react with aches, pains, stomach distress and possibly sinus inflammation. Not fun! Nightshades can do a number on me too, so I consume them in moderation.

Compumom, nice to know I am not alone, tho I can still eat onions without breaking out in hives! But sorry to hear you are allergic to anything.

Tami, I too have a friend who gets violently ill from eating garlic, however onions don't seem to bother her either. It's frustrating leaving out those flavorful ingredients. Achieving a deeper flavor profile is challenging when you cannot use a mirepoix!

Have you tried substituting horse radish for garlic? DH doesn't mind garlic, as long as it isn't really strong. Of course he doesn't eat a lot of it due to my allergies, but he does enjoy spaghetti and meat balls, or lasagna when we are out, just doesn't get the garlic toast to go with it. He will use horse radish in mashed potatoes, or other things, if he wants that extra flavor. We/he makes his own. I don't like it. And the last time he made it, I had bought roots when I found it, then froze it. I don't know if the roots were that potent, or if freezing them made them stronger, but when he started peeling it and cutting it into chunks to put into the food processor, it gave me an instant asthma attack, so I didn't supervise him when he made it. He loves it. Most potent batch he has made yet! Instead of about a tablespoon of water to get it to move in the food processor, he put in about that much white vinegar. Someone here is who I got the instructions to make it from, and they said to wait 5-7 minutes to put vinegar in to stop the heat. Well, I guess from that batch that if you want it hot, you put the vinegar in sooner! Best batch yet!

Thanks for the suggestion, horseradish seems to be okay for me. I also use Cholula hot sauce to flavor certain foods. Lemon, balsamic (not white vinegar because some of it can contain gluten) other flavored vinegars, coconut aminos (sub for soy sauce) and rice vinegar are my staples! I know what you mean about fresh horseradish causisng an asthma attack. One Passover I made some in the food processor and once DD sniffed she instantly began choking. However wasabi paste seems to be ok for her. I'm guessing that horseradish releases some gasses or the aroma is just too strong right after grating. I suppose it might be like an onion when the cell walls are broken, the crying begins!

We have an outlet right beside the gas grill outside. The grill has a side table, so DH preps it in the house, then takes the FP outside to the grill to process it. It had never had that affect on me until that one time. That was a spicy root! Always do it outside. I was 2 feet away when DH was peeling and cubing it when it hit me.