Arthritis and your diet….is there a connection between the two? If you ask those that subscribe to the paleo diet, they will tell you absolutely . And while many people will scoff at the notion that somehow diet is the culprit between alleviating arthritis pain or having to take medication to prevent the pain, the reality is that what we eat, in fact, could factor in to how arthritis affects us . Let me explain:
The paleo diet is simply a diet that asserts that our bodies haven’t evolved to the diets we are currently eating. It asserts that things such as grains, milk, pasta and breads were never meant to eat. Paleolithic dieters insist that modern foods aren’t fit to eat, our bodies aren’t evolved to eat them and as a result, our bodies don’t know what to do with them.
And there is a growing contention of scientists and researchers that are confirming this . There is evidence that suggests that lectins (a substance found in grains, dairy, peanuts, beans and potatoes) could possibly aggrevate arthritic conditions because they are able to cross over the gastrointestinal wall and get into the blood stream . The substance then can interact with the tissue that is most affected by people with arthritis .
Because the paleo diet is so focused on so called clean foods, this diet is richer in nutrients that could in turn help the body fight off inflammation; a common factor with arthritis .
So Can the Paleo Diet Naturally Treat Arthritis?
No one know this answer for sure just yet. Some scientists aren’t so convinced though. Some say that natural selection plays a vital role in primitive cultures and those most likely to have arthritis don’t live long enough to pass the gene on. Still, the advocates believe that the paleo diet will help reverse some modern day chronic conditions simply by omitting the ‘bad’ food from your diet.
Be forewarned…if you want to go on a paleolithic diet, it will be harder than most diets Most people who are on the paleo diet restrict themselves to only animal protein, fresh fruits and vegetables. A modified version of this diet (for athletes), will have the person eating a mostly paleo diet and gassing up only before and after a race. Granulated sugar is off limits as well as artificial sweeteners . This could make a dieter have to literally empty their pantry and start over .
The other benefit that is proven with the paleo diet is that you will lose weight quickly . The best news is that there is not another diet that you can do that will drop as much weight quickly and do so in a healthy fashion. This means that not only will you feel more “alive”, arthritis pain could go away and you could drop weight. Now who wouldn’t want that?
“No more aching joints…”
“…This is my first week on the Paleo Diet and I am already experiencing clear headedness, looser joints and no aching anymore. Wow! I have for years read and thought about this concept but was hooked on macrobiotics which truthfully is about caring for oneself at the highest level. And it’s about living seasonally and climactically. The Paleo does this quite nicely. Anyway thanks for the heads up in the form of your book. I have passed it around…”