[rivin19]

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

[Sandel]

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

[hannah1234]

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.

[ElyseHart]

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

[Lisa in Ohio]

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

[rivin19]

Originally Posted by rivin19

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

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...

[Mslday]

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

[Momlovetobake]

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.

[sukadog]

hi,

i've been vegetarian for 16 years with the exception of salmon or tuna a few times a month (drs orders). i don't do much dairy, except when i really crave a veggie pizza. In looking at what other vegetarian crps-ers have said, i have to think it helps.

unfortunately, i can't cook at all anymore, but amys, morningstar and boca have been godsends. (the amys kids meals are just perfect for days when i feel awful and don't want to eat) when i'm up to takeout runs, i load up on veg options from paneras and sometimes the minestrone soup from olive garden. it's really easy to make swaps at most restaurants.

i took a great cooking course before this happened that was full vegan and wonderful tasting, it's the cancer project diet and seems to help with a number of things. if you can cook, it's terrific!! here's the info.
http://www.cancerproject.org/diet_ca...prevention.php

i loved this, even the kale.

i still have too much sugar (especially after blocks or if i'm just really hating the pain) but the caffeine free coke tastes just like the regular, so at least that's semi-okay. my real weakness is snapple, it's just so convenient. but i try to just have naturally caffeine free tea. target has a bunch of these and so do bookstores. the berryblossom white is awesome!

hope it helps!

[Mslday]

I totally understand what it is like to not be able to cook as I often have times when I just can't do it either. I'm sorry to hear you can't do it at all, that must really suck. I usually cook big batches when I'm feeling ok then portion them off into the freezer for the days when I'm just not up to it. Lately I'm making wrap sandwiches with loads of fresh veggies, lemon tahinni sauce and quinoa cakes (I tasted a quinoa sweet potato cake at Whole Foods that was to die for but would brake the bank so I invented my own) it's become my main meal lately, simple to put together and full of protein and nutrition. You can just add what ever fresh veggies are on hand roll it up and away you go. I know that's easier said than done for those of you with the RSD in your hands, I hate it when my left hand gets flare up. For me it seems to be about the amount of time I spend on my feet, sometimes I just take all my stuff over to the table and sit down and chop it up in advance so it's all ready to go when I want it. It's also great to have veggies ready to nibble on instead of reaching for a candy bar. A life saver for me is the Lara Bars as they just have dried fruits and nuts no added sugars or preservatives.

In an effort to get away from soda pop I switched over to sparkling mineral after a few years back. If I need something a bit sweeter I just add some cherry juice (non sweetened of course) They only thing you need to watch out for is the salt content, I have such low salt elsewhere in my diet so I haven't found it to be a problem.

For me these changes had to come gradually and I find I still fight the odd urge to go get a burger and fries every now and then but I do mange to resist especially when I think about the effects it will have on me and my pain levels. There was a recent mainstream research report on a study about how inflammatory fatty foods affect those with asthma and it confirmed for me that I'm on the right track.

Perhaps others here have some helpful tips on how to eat healthy nutritious foods without having to cook?

MsL