The FastDay Forum

Just wondering if anyone has a diagnosis of osteoarthritis, like myself, and if the pain eases as you lose? I know doctor's always mention weight loss as understandably, it is less strain on the joints. Would like to hear other people's views on this.
For the record, I am 52 and have OA in my knee but also in a lot of my joints. I am lucky in that I can still work and most days I am ok and don't need to take medication (which only eases it slightly, doesn't take the pain away sadly) but if I stupidly overdo it then I have a couple of weeks where I am exhausted after walking. I need to lose about four stone and yesterday was my first fast day which went surprisingly well.

[janeg]

Hello KathyinLondon and welcome to the forum. I'm fairly sure there are members with OA on the board and no doubt they will be along soon and share their views.
Well done on getting through your first fast- it gets easier from here!

Hi Kathy, welcome!
I'm doing this as much to help with hip pain as weight loss - now at minimum weight and maintaining - because I think there has been an improvement. The trouble is, it is difficult to say for sure because if I feel better and more able then I tend to do more and cause more pain/stiffness! A physio checked me a couple of months ago and recommended I stop running and get a bike to avoid impact - but after biking for a couple of hours I still get stiff and struggle to dismount!
Are you still eating wheat/grains? I try to avoid wheat products now and think this helps with arthritis as well. I doubt there is any way to undo the damage already done but I am hopeful of prolonging the life of my hips by this combination of approaches. Good luck!

I have osteoarthritis. I have had a certain amount of improvement in my knee where I believe the arthritis to be mostly related to a past injury but my worst areas are my hands and feet and weightloss has made no difference to the pain in my toes.

Like CreakyPete, I find other aspects of my diet have more effect on my pain levels. I can't tolerate wheat or gluten at all. Even a tiny amount will cause a huge increase in the pain. To a lesser extent the nightshade family and citrus fruits make it worse but I do have a little more leeway with them.

I also have osteoarthritis in my knees & spondylitis in my neck. I have been advised many times that losing weight will help my knees & that the weight you lose has a much bigger impact on the knees that is disproportionate to the amount lost. I can't remember the ratio exactly but it's about twice the benefit pound for pound lost. I have certainly noticed an improvement since Christmas & I have lost 22lbs in weight. But I am one of the very slow losers. I usually take one 400mg Ibuprofen daily but recently have stopped it for a few days to see how I am & I never take it on an empty stomach on fast days. My knees have improved with less stiffness, my neck hasn't improved. So I hope 5:2ing is helping but I suspect it's the weight loss that has improved things for me. Good luck with your fast days & welcome to 5:2ing.

Miffy & creakypete if you don't eat wheat what carb do you eat for energy. Find if I don't have some bread every few days I am fatigued.
Also Miffy that is interesting about the effect of citrus

I eat low carb gillymary so its not a worry for me. When I first found out about my wheat and gluten problem I would use the FreeFrom products but they aren't very nice and they're full of chemicals so low carb was just a natural progression. I have much more energy now than when I ate high carb.

Potatoes, rice, root vegetables. Lots of energy in cheese and nuts but not quick release. Snack on rice cakes or oat bars occasionally. Bananas/kiwis from time to time, avocado as a treat!

Sorry if a bit off topic but am interested and a bit confused miffy
Do you mean low gi carbs. I get that nightshade vegs make arthritic pain worse, am trying to get my head around issues about wheat and arthritis and would like your thoughts on how come even gluten free not suitable. Also the citrus why is that do you know? Just curious as find it is interesting what we learn about food intolerances

Thanks creakypete I crave cheese and crackers as a fast breaker but worry I am maintaining a habit I ought modify. I am an instinctive eater under pressure until I set up new routines.

Also isn't avocado wonderful for you, it is off a tree and has good oils. Now there is a nice fast breaker avocado with a squish of lemon and grind of pepper on some wafer thin crackers

I too have OA and can't eat gluten. I've had severe joint pain since my early 30's (54 now) and I wonder now if some of the cause was gluten as I wasn't diagnosed with Celiacs until 5 years ago. As difficult as it can be to start exercising...I ALWAYS feel better once the initial sorenose goes away...a hot bath is great in interim. So, go take a Walk, and every few days, increase your distance.

I do eaten gluten free bread, but try to limit it since it is loaded with sugar and fat to make up for the lack of gluten. Fortunately, there are new products coming out everyday that are made with great grains like Quinoa and Buckwheat.

Two other food approaches various friends have tried, for OA, with some success are an alkaline diet, which would mean avoiding the citrus fruits amogst others as someone mentioned, and also a general "anti- inflammatory" diet. The second would help with any "itis" condition. I'm told "-itis" means inflammation, and applies to a lot of auto immune problems, maybe all, not sure.
Googling alkaline/ acid foods brought up a lot of differences of opinion amongst the "experts" as to which foods fell into which category but there seems to be far more consistency for anti-inflammatory foods. Eliminating refined and processed foods as much as possible, going for fruit and veg., 'good fats", etc.
I'm only having a look at the moment so no expert! Losing weight would help the weight bearing joints - the knees and hips. But then my doctor tells me some weight helps avoid osteoporosis!
Trying to listen to one's body as one gets older and finding what suits one best is, I suppose the secret. I'm trying hard on that one

Hi Pammy
thanks for the info re citrus as I have a skin condition aggravated by some citrus I did wonder at the association with arthritis and known cause and effect. So your point about "itis" conditions bears relevance and the alkaline diet of course ... on a good day.

Sigh it is all a juggling act but get to know your body and listen to it, I totally get.

I don't understand the reasoning to avoid citrus fruits I always understood that lemons, although acidic, are metabolised by the body to become alkalaizing. Likewise a lot of sweet stuff which is alkaline is processed by the body to acidic?

The citrus I react to is orange and it flares up psoriasis which is also associated with arthritis. I agree with you about lemon a wonderful fruit which does not cause any issues.

A lot of arthritis is caused by food intolerances. Even what would appear to be healthy foods can cause problems for a lot of people.

We are all different, but every one of is intolerant to something.

I have a test done every year. Many, many health problems are brought about by eating foods which we are intolerant to.