Has anyone found any foods that seem to trigger or help alleviate their RSD?

http://www.facebook.com/pages/RSDCRP...21&topic=11805

I have found that taking out alot of sugars and organ meats have actualy helped alot, as well as taking in more antioxidents (huge), I feel way better now that I cut my cafine intake down too. Good luck and good for you for taking this route it does make a huge diffrence
Be well and have a great day,
~ Sandra/Sandel

No POTATOES, or eggplant. Its the nightshade vegetables... Potates and red meat are a big no no for me. If i eat them I pay for it. Chicken is the same. I try to eat a little just so i get the nutrients from it. Cornish game hen and turkey are less acidic so arent supposed to be as bad as chicken for pain... But the potatoes are the worrrrst. I am literally laying in bed in a ball if i eat them. And before RSD, i used to eat them all the time

I also dont eat any prepackaged stuff for the most part. I stick to veges and fruit eggs and cheese Oh and homemade bread.

I am happy to see this thread because I have been miserable for the past six weeks with my RSD symptoms and I am now wondering if diet can make any difference. I was just researching caffeine this morning because as my husband pointed out, I consume a minimum of a pot of coffee per day, if not more. I crave it and it keeps me from eating a lot of food in between meals. Since my activity level is so much less, I thought it would be a benefit to help cut the calories. But now I wonder if it is making me hurt. I hurt so badly at night I could just jump through my skin. It seems to start every night after dinner, once I relax on the couch and prop up my arm. Then the pain and ache start in my feet, ankles, hips and shoulders. I thought this was weird because I have the RSD in my left arm and shoulder, not my legs (yet).

I hope others chime in on this. I think I will buy some decaf today to start weaning down from the caffeine. I was reading about how it affects the CNS, which is what I am trying to calm down.

Elyse

Elyse, It is common for pain to increase in the evening when the body is beginning to relax and the brain is slowing down. The distractions of the day are mostly gone and your busy little mind has to have something to focus on and it likes to focus on pain. I usually start my heaviest dose of narcotics in the evening for this reason. I do drink a lot of coffee too and really hope that I do not have to give it up although many people who post here do and says it makes them feel better. For me, this is one of my last existing vices and I have fallen in love with my Kuerig! Have a good evening, Lisa

Hi Elyse,

I have to drink decaf only, as it makes my pain a lot worse. I use to drink a lot of coffee, and then decided to cut it out and see if it would decrease my pain. Although I felt miserable psychologically from the fact that I wasn't getting the caffiene, my pain went down significantly.

My pain management doctor at Arizona Pain Specialists puts out a monthly publication entitled 'Arizona Pain Monthly' and this month it features how foods can reduce chronic pain.

I'll just list what it says:

Anti-inflammatory foods:

cold water fish (salmon, tuna, halibut), green beans, garlic, almonds, strawberries, chickpeas, mint, green tea, broccoli, olives, flaxseed, lemon, olive oil, avocados, dark chocolate and spicy peppers (capsaicin, the component that makes peppers spicy, reduces the formation and release of a neuropeptide in the body that is associated with the inflammatory process).

Inflammatory Foods to Avoid:

refined sugars (white sugar, brown sugar, high fructose corn syrup), chemical sugar sweeteners (NutraSweet, Equal), MSG, alcohol, caffeine, fast food, nitrates (hot dogs, processed meats), and night shade vegetables (tomatoes and potatoes).

I've looked into the Four Fs diet, but if I had to give up cookies, cake, chocolate, sugar, coffee, and all those other fabulous things, I would not be a happy camper.
So, I'm trying to find which foods REALLY make a difference. I know alcohol really makes it flare up, and unfortunately I've noticed that caffeine tends to also...

Diet is very important for helping to keep our pain levels down, in particular inflammation which can increase pain levels.

We all have 3 main tastes that need to be satisfied, salt, sugar and fat, it's just what our brains tell us we need. I try my best to follow an anti-inflammatory diet and I have eliminated all processed foods. More and more I find that my old cravings for sugars, salt and fat have diminished quite substantially. I understand about the need for coffee but it is a major stimulant to our nervous system and it can really flare me up. I gave it up a few years ago now.

Here is a good article about anti-inflammatory foods. http://nutrition.about.com/od/dietsf...inflamfood.htm

While I'm not pain free I am feeling the difference since I changed my diet and would have to say that I am still managing fairly well. At the very least I'm much healthier for it in the long run.

Wishing you all well.

MsL

I started becoming vegetarian cold turkey been doing it for three months now. I have lost some weight and maintaining it. The pains are pretty but but i feel lighter and healther...im a semi vegetarian.