From my reading and experiences, I’ve found RA affects everyone differently. All remission stories walk different, but similar paths. For some, carnivore diet controls flares while red meat causes severe flares in others. It’s truly a unique recipe of foods, supplements, and lifestyle modifications tailored to each person.
However, there is a common theme in most remission stories – experimentation. As I continue to try things, I continue to find my triggers. Trial and error. Since starting this journey, I’ve tried AIP, keto, paleo, and some variation of all 3. I keep learning what I can and cannot tolerate. For instance, alcohol and processed sugars are definite “no’s” for me. Dairy seems to cause sinus congestion, which is an inflammatory response; so, I tend to stay away from it.
Experimentation is not limited to the foods I eat. It’s my lifestyle as well – supplements, meditation practices, shampoo I use every morning. This further expands my knowledge of what works and doesn’t work for me. As I continue to experiment, I continue to narrow my recipe. The daily, weekly, and monthly ingredients that control my flares.
I started by reading Alissa Segersten and Tom Malterre’s Elimination Diet. The first half of this book has a great introduction to factors effecting autoimmune and hypersensitivities. The second half walks through an Elimination Diet. This tuned me into my eating habits, cleaning products, and even my makeup and its effects on my immune system.
Just like most Elimination diets, it requires trial, error, refine, repeat until you have "your recipe". Try a food, listen to your body for 72 hours to a week and notice any reactions, refine your eating habits if a reaction is seen, and repeat. This takes time to do with every food (or food group).
I would be lying if I told you this was easy. The discipline this requires makes running a half marathon a piece of cake. It’s really difficult to watch my in-laws eat a box of my favorite cookies or say no to the glass of wine that has been offered to me 4 times. Trust me, I’ve caved and I paid for it.
I continue to refine my recipe. The foods I eat and lifestyle I live. It’s unique to me and works for me – the right mixture of foods that give me the nutrients I need to control my flares. And, with dedication, patience, and reflection, you will find yours!
