Dietary Changes: Have They Made a Difference? Part 2

If you ever wondered if changing your diet might help manage your psoriatic arthritis pain, you are not alone. It’s something that has been on my mind for awhile now, weighing the pros and cons, and finally coming to a determination that it was worth trying. So, after a month in, what have I learned?

Information is everything

My first steps started with research. I decided to go with the obvious choice of the Autoimmune Diet, designed to eliminate inflammatory foods thereby lowering the inflammation levels in the body. Once that has occurred, you then reintroduce certain foods, one at a time, carefully tracking symptoms to which food are good and which are bad.

What CAN I eat?

After eliminating wheat, gluten, dairy, processed foods, sugar, nightshade vegetables, and foods filled with preservatives, I figured out that it would be much easier to focus on what I can eat, instead of what I can’t. Following this way of eating “to the letter” is extremely difficult, especially if you live in a region where certain foods are harder to come by or outside your budget. Stocking up the pantry requires an initial investment, but once you find the basic ingredients to have on hand, it becomes easier to tailor recipes to fit into the protocol.

One month in, has it helped?

Honestly, sometimes I hate to admit it, but I would certainly have to say that it has made a difference in how I feel and the energy that I have. Like so many other things I’ve tried, following this way of eating helps, but only to a certain degree. It is not a miracle answer by any means. But combined with other tools to help stop disease progression, eating this way is a big piece of the puzzle.

How do I know?

Over the month, I’ve had a few slip-ups. I’ve always tended to be an emotional eater and there have been a few rough days. However, this is one of the ways it became painfully obvious that what I choose to eat, makes a difference. Gluten, dairy, and sugar have become very obvious triggers for me. I’ve noticed that within several hours up to 24 I can tell if I’ve eaten something that triggers more inflammation.

Has it impacted my family?

Part of my whole master plan has been to slowly make these dietary changes not only apply to me, but to my children as well. Since there is clearly a genetic component to this disease, it has become very clear that the key to manage this disease is managing inflammation. If I can give my children good, anti-inflammatory habits, perhaps I can lessen the likelihood that one day, they will have to carry the burden of psoriatic arthritis.

Have you taken steps to make dietary changes? Have you found them helpful? I’m always open to tips on making this a true lifestyle, and not just another diet.