Testing for Food Allergies and Sensitivities

Test yourself by giving up the suspected foods for 5 days and notice if you see any changes. If it is a food or group of foods causing or aggravating your arthritis, it takes up to 5 days for the food(s) to completely pass through your body. After that, you can look to see if your health improves. Keep a diary recording what you eat and how you feel.

Try a rare foods diet to test if you are allergic to some of the foods that you regularly eat.
This means eating only foods that you eat less than once a week. The theory is you are most likely to develop allergies to foods you eat all the time and you are probably not allergic to foods you only eat once in awhile.

For two weeks you must give up all foods you regularly eat. To identify these foods you have to identify every ingredient of all foods in your normal diet.

For example: if you eat sandwiches or bread in any form, you have to give up wheat, yeast, and the vegetables that the oils in the bread are made from. Most processed foods contain some form of corn, milk, and soy. Giving up milk includes ice cream, butter, yogurt, cheese, sour cream, and cottage cheese.

Some possible foods to eat during the testing period are turkey, sweet potatoes, yams, almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, dates, lentils, duck and whatever fruits and vegetables you do not regularly eat.

During the testing period it is best to eat one or two whole foods at each meal.

It is recommended that your only beverage for the testing period be spring water from glass bottles. Some health food stores carry water in glass bottles. The reason for spring water is some people react to the chlorine in tap water. The reason for glass bottles: a small amount of plastic leaches into the water stored in plastic bottles.

If you are sensitive to the plastic or to the chlorine, it can interfere with the test results. If you are unable to get spring water in glass bottles, drink tap water after boiling it for twenty minutes.

Organic food is better for the test; otherwise you won't know if you are reacting to the food or the pesticide.

At end of the test period, start reintroducing foods you normally eat and note your reactions. Add just one food a day. It should be in as pure a form as possible. For example, to test wheat, eat crackers containing only wheat and salt. If you eat bread and you react, you won't know if it's the wheat or the yeast or one of the other ingredients.

Before you begin, keep a diary of what you eat and all of your symptoms. Some allergic reactions occur as soon as you eat the food, but other foods might not provoke a noticeable reaction until many hours later.

This is written for information only. If you want to try the rare foods diet or a full fast with only water, this is best done with the help of a medical doctor or a nutritionist who is familiar with the diet. If you cannot find a qualified professional to help you then you may be able to get the guidance you need from one of these books:

Dr Mandell's 5-Day Allergy Relief System by Marshall Mandell, MD
The E.I. Syndrome, Revised by Sherry Rogers, MD

It is also important to consult with your regular physician to determine if your body can tolerate these diets.

Pulse Test:
Another way to test for food allergies is the pulse test. To do the pulse test:Take your pulse before eating. Take your pulse by placing two or three fingers of one hand about an inch below the thumb of the other hand. Count the beats for a full minute. For this test it is not adequate to time 30 seconds and multiply by two. After taking your pulse, place a piece of the test food in your mouth. Hold it there for two minutes and take your pulse again. If your pulse goes up 4 beats, you are sensitive to the food and should only eat it occasionally. If it goes up 8 beats or more, you are definitely allergic.

Food Addictions:
Sometimes, in addition to being sensitive to a food, you may also be addicted to it. In such cases, if you stop eating the food for a day or two, you will feel worse. At this point if you give in to your cravings and eat the food, you will feel better, in the same way that an alcoholic feels better after taking a drink. If you give up a food you are addicted to for 5 to 10 days, your true symptoms will ease up.

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Food and Diet on Arthitis

Food and Diet:
Eating foods that are right for your body will support physical health and mental health. Certain foods that may cause arthritis symptoms in some people and for general information about good nutrition for everyone.

Eating to be Healthy

Foods to eat that support overall good health:
If you have food allergies or food sensitivities, it is important to eliminate problem foods from your diet. It is also important to eat foods that support good digestion.

Foods with high nutrient density.
Look for foods with high nutrient density. This means eating whole, unprocessed foods. A healthy diet will consist of fresh fruits, fresh vegetables (lightly steamed is best), whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and fish. Cut back on dairy, eggs, and red meat. Avoid foods made with hydrogenated oils. The best oils are cold-pressed. Avoid sugar and refined flour.Organic food is best because:

• Your body's detoxification systems do not have the additional stress of eliminating pesticides.
• Organic food is grown in richer soil that gives food higher levels of vitamins and minerals.
• You are supporting a healthy environment. Traditional farming methods can result in pesticides getting into our ground water.

The Macrobiotic Diet:
Many people have cured themselves of serious illness by following this diet. It is so different from the standard American diet that if you want to try it, it will be helpful to take some cooking classes.
The basic diet:

• 50% of each meal consists of whole grains. Usually the grain is brown rice, but any grain is acceptable.
• 20-30% vegetables. At each meal, there will be a balance of root vegetables, vegetables that grow above the ground, and dark leafy green vegetables.
  
• Root vegetables include carrots, onions, daikon radish, parsnips, turnips, rutabaga, and burdock.
• Above-ground vegetables include winter and summer squash, broccoli, green cabbage, celery cabbage, bok choy, and Brussels sprouts.
• Leafy dark green vegetables include kale, collards, parsley, and watercress.


• 5-10% beans and sea vegetables. Beans include azuki beans, chick peas, lentils, and soybean products such as tofu and tempeh.
  
  Small amounts of sea vegetables with each meal supply valuable minerals. They have a fishy taste, and people who don't like fish may have trouble eating them. The most mild-tasting of the sea vegetables are arame and wakeme. If you do all right with arame and wakeme, try some of the recipes with kombu. Kombu is only a little stronger-tasting and in addition to all the good minerals, kombu is excellent for the digestion. Put a small piece of kombu in the cooking water when you make beans and you won't have a problem with intestinal gas.


• 5-10% soups made from any of the above ingredients.
• Typical condiments include soy sauce, sea salt, sea salt with ground sesame seeds, brown rice vinegar, ginger, and miso.

Chewing is stressed with this diet. It is recommended to chew each mouthful 50 times. The extra saliva created by all this chewing is beneficial in the digestive process. Dr. Galland says, "Saliva contains a substance called epidermal growth factor (EGF), which stimulates growth and repair of tissue."

What about juicing and raw foods?
The macrobiotic diet consists mainly of cooked foods. Some people do better on a diet with significant amounts of raw vegetables and with juiced fruits and vegetables.

Foods You May Have to Avoid
There is no one food or group of foods to give up that will help all or even most people with arthritis. Some people report benefits from altering their diet, but it is very individual. You have to do a lot of detective work.

Some people feel better when they give up animal protein.
Some people feel better when they give up all foods in the nightshade family.

The nightshades are tomatoes, white potatoes, peppers (includes bell peppers, cayenne, chili, paprika, pimiento) and eggplant. The nightshade family also includes tobacco and belladonna. The nightshade family can be tricky. After eating a tomato, it can take as long as 48 hours before a reaction occurs. And it can actually take as long as six months for all reactions to stop. This means if you want to test for nightshades you may need to completely give up every member of this family for six months. You must carefully check all labels. Prepared foods often have potato starch or tomato paste. Relish may contain peppers or paprika. Anytime you see "spices" listed under ingredients, the food may contain paprika or pepper.

Some people feel better when gluten is eliminated from their diet. Gluten is found in wheat, rye, barley, and oats. Some people feel better when they give up all dairy products.

The problem may be molds. Foods like potatoes, sweet potatoes, nuts, berries, cantaloupe and honeydew melon get moldy easily. If you react to these foods sometimes, but not others, you may be allergic to certain molds rather than the foods.

There are many other foods that can increase arthritis symptoms. Sometimes the only way to identify these foods is to either go on a fast with nothing but water for five days, or try a rare foods diet.

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Arthritis Basic Types

What Is Arthritis?
There are over 100 types of arthritis, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout. The word "arthritis" means "joint inflammation." Inflammation is one of the body's natural reactions to disease or injury, and includes swelling, pain, and stiffness. Inflammation that lasts for a very long time or recurs, as in arthritis, can lead to tissue damage.

A joint is where two or more bones come together, such as the hip or knee.

The bones of a joint are covered with a smooth, spongy material called cartilage, which cushions the bones and allows the joint to move without pain. The joint is enclosed in a fibrous casing called the synovium. The synovium's lining produces a slippery fluid -- called synovial fluid -- that nourishes the joint and helps limit friction within. Strong bands of tissue, called ligaments, connect the bones and help keep the joint stable. Muscles and tendons also support the joints and enable you to move.

With arthritis, an area in or around a joint becomes inflamed, causing pain, stiffness and, sometimes, difficulty moving. Some types of arthritis also affect other parts of the body, such as the skin and internal organs.

Types of Arthritis
There are more than 100 different types of arthritis. Some of the more common types include:

• Osteoarthritis. This is the most common type of arthritis. It occurs when the cartilage covering the end of the bones gradually wears away. Without the protection of the cartilage, the bones begin to rub against each other and the resulting friction leads to pain and swelling. Osteoarthritis can occur in any joint, but most often affects the hands and weight-bearing joints such as the knee, hip and facet joints (in the spine). Osteoarthritis often occurs as the cartilage breaks down, or degenerates, with age. For this reason, osteoarthritis is sometimes called degenerative joint disease.

• Rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-lasting disease that can affect joints in any part of the body but most commonly the hands, wrists, and knees. With rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system -- the body's defense system against disease -- mistakenly attacks itself and causes the joint lining to swell. The inflammation then spreads to the surrounding tissues, and can eventually damage cartilage and bone. In more severe cases, rheumatoid arthritis can affect other areas of the body, such as the skin, eyes, and nerves.

• Gout. Gout is a painful condition that occurs when the body cannot eliminate a natural substance called uric acid. The excess uric acid forms needle-like crystals in the joints that cause swelling and severe pain. Gout most often affects the big toe, knee and wrist joints.
  

What Are the Symptoms of Arthritis?
Different types of arthritis have different symptoms and the symptoms vary in severity from person to person. Osteoarthritis does not generally cause any symptoms outside the joint. Symptoms of other types of arthritis may include fatigue, fever, a rash and the signs of joint inflammation, including:

• Pain
• Swelling
• Stiffness
• Tenderness
• Redness
• Warmth

What Causes Arthritis?
There are many different types of arthritis and the cause of most types is not known. It's likely that there are many different causes. Researchers are examining the role of genetics (heredity) and lifestyle behaviors in the development of arthritis.

Although the exact cause of arthritis may not be known, there are several risk factors for arthritis. (A risk factor is a trait or behavior that increases a person's chance of developing a disease or predisposes a person to a certain condition.) Risk factors for arthritis include:

• Age. The risk of developing arthritis, especially osteoarthritis, increases with age.
• Gender. In general, arthritis occurs more frequently in women than in men.
• Obesity. Being overweight puts extra stress on weight-bearing joints, increasing wear and tear, and increasing the risk of arthritis, especially osteoarthritis.
• Work factors. Some jobs that require repetitive movements or heavy lifting can stress the joints and/or cause an injury, which can lead to arthritis, particularly osteoarthritis.

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Arthritis Questions

What is arthritis?
Arthritis is a joint disorder featuring inflammation. A joint is an area of the body where two different bones meet. A joint functions to move the body parts connected by its bones. Arthritis literally means inflammation of one or more joints.

Arthritis is frequently accompanied by joint pain. Joint pain is referred to as arthralgia.

There are many forms of arthritis (over one hundred and growing). The forms range from those related to wear and tear of cartilage (such as osteoarthritis)to those associated with inflammation resulting from an over-active immune system (such as rheumatoid arthritis). Together, the many forms of arthritis make up the most common chronic illness in the United States.

The causes of arthritis depend on the form of arthritis. Causes include injury (leading to osteoarthritis), abnormal metabolism (such as gout and pseudogout), inheritance, infections, and for unclear reasons (such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus).

Arthritis is classified as one of the rheumatic diseases. These are conditions that are different individual illnesses, with differing features, treatments, complications, and prognosis. They are similar in that they have a tendency to affect the joints, muscles, ligaments, cartilage, tendons, and many have the potential to affect internal body areas.

What are symptoms of arthritis?
Symptoms of arthritis include pain and limited function of joints. Inflammation of the joints from arthritis is characterized by joint stiffness, swelling, redness, and warmth. Tenderness of the inflamed joint can be present.

Many of the forms of arthritis, because they are rheumatic diseases, can cause symptoms affecting various organs of the body that do not directly involve the joints. Therefore, symptoms in some patients with certain forms of arthritis can also include fever, gland swelling, weight loss, fatigue, feeling unwell, and even symptoms from abnormalities of organs such as the lungs, heart, or kidneys.

Who is affected by arthritis?
Arthritis sufferers include men and women, children and adults. Approximately 350 million people worldwide have arthritis. Nearly 40 million persons in the United States are affected by arthritis, including over a quarter million children!

More than 21 million Americans have osteoarthritis. Approximately 2.1 million Americans suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.

More than half of those with arthritis are under 65 years of age. Nearly 60% of Americans with arthritis are women.


How is arthritis diagnosed and why is a diagnosis important?
The first step in the diagnosis of arthritis is a meeting between the doctor and the patient. The doctor will review the history of symptoms, examine the joints for inflammation and deformity, as well as ask questions about or examine other parts of the body for inflammation or signs of diseases that can affect other body areas. Furthermore, certain blood, urine, joint fluid and/or x-ray tests might be ordered. The diagnosis will be based on the pattern of symptoms, the distribution of the inflamed joints, and any blood and x-ray findings. Several visits may be necessary before the doctor can be certain of the diagnosis. A doctor with special training in arthritis and related diseases is called a rheumatologist (see below).

Many forms of arthritis are more of an annoyance than serious. However, millions of patients suffer daily with pain and disability from arthritis or its complications.

Earlier and accurate diagnosis can help to prevent irreversible damage and disability. Properly guided programs of exercise and rest, medications, physical therapy, and surgery options can idealize long-term outcomes for arthritis patients.

It should be noted that both before and especially after the diagnosis of arthritis, communication with the treating doctor is essential for optimal health. This is important from the standpoint of the doctor, so that he/she can be aware of the vagaries of the patient's symptoms as well as their tolerance to and acceptance of treatments. It is important from the standpoint of patients, so that they can be assured that they have an understanding of the diagnosis and how the condition does and might affect them. It is also crucial for the safe use of medications.

What is the national financial impact of arthritis?
It has been estimated that the total cost of the arthritis bill for the United States, in terms of hospitalization, doctor visits, medications, physical therapies, nursing home care, lost wages, early death, and family discord is over $50 BILLION dollars annually.

This does not include the nearly $2 billion spent each year in the United States on unproven remedies by patients addressing their symptoms on their own.

What is a rheumatologist?
A rheumatologist is a medical doctor who specializes in the non-surgical treatment of rheumatic illnesses, especially arthritis.

Rheumatologists have special interests in unexplained rash, fever, arthritis, anemia, weakness, weight loss, fatigue, joint or muscle pain, autoimmune disease, and anorexia. They often serve as consultants, acting like medical detectives at the request of other doctors.

Rheumatologists have particular skills in the evaluation of the over 100 forms of arthritis, and have special interest in rheumatoid arthritis, spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, antiphospholipid syndrome, Still disease, dermatomyositis, Sjogren's
syndrome, vasculitis, scleroderma, mixed connective tissue disease, sarcoidosis, Lyme
disease, osteomyelitis, osteoarthritis, back pain, gout, pseudogout, relapsing polychondritis, Henoch- Schonlein purpura, serum sickness, reactive arthritis, Kawasaki disease, fibromyalgia, erythromelalgia, Raynaud's disease, growing pains, iritis, osteoporosis, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, and others.

Classical adult rheumatology training includes four years of medical school, one year of internship in internal medicine, two years of internal medicine residency, and two years of rheumatology fellowship. There is a subspecialty board for rheumatology certification, offered by the American Board of Internal Medicine, which can provide board certification to approved rheumatologists.

Pediatric rheumatologists are physicians who specialize in providing comprehensive care to children (as well as their families) with rheumatic diseases, especially arthritis.

Pediatric rheumatologists are pediatricians who have completed an additional 2-3 years of specialized training in pediatric rheumatology and are usually board-certified in pediatric rheumatology.

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