Foods That Trigger (My) Arthritis Problem

I was 34 years old when arthritis started playing with my feet joints.  It started as gout or bunion on the joint of my big toe, then a year later, on the side of my small toe.  Then at age 42, it bit my ankle joint. 

 The ankle joint attacks were the worst – I cannot even move my affected leg for an inch. 

When the pain was slightly hurting, I thought the magic of my hand could take care of the problem, so I massaged it. At first, it felt okay, but after an hour, the pain became a flare up.  I cannot walk a step without tears of agony.  Then, a few hours more, I thought I lost my leg, because I cannot move without lifting it with my two hands.  

For almost ten years that I am having on and off attack of arthritis, I pinpointed the following to be the culprits, and the joints usually affected.

1.  Kiwi Fruit = affects the big toe joint 

2.  Lemon = affects my foot on the small toe side

3.  Cane Vinegar = affects my finger, toe joints, and ankle joint

4.  Calamansi(citrofortunella microcarpa) = affects my ankle joints

5.  Ginger (Slight inflammation) = ankle joints and finger joints

Many studies are being done to find out what triggers arthritis, and many foods are being told as the culprits.  However, as a sufferer, the best way to find out your food allergy is to be aware of all the foods you eat and the ingredients added to them.  Do not rely too much with the pundits – they might confuse you, though you can take their advice as an idea to start with. Each individual have different level of tolerance or response to foods it take, that is why some can do eat anything and everything but do not have any negative effects to them, while others can die to just a little of one thing.

Before I found my food allergies, the people I know who have arthritis, believe that meat, and legumes are the trigger foods causing arthritis flare-ups; however, looks like not in my case.  I am eating all kinds of legumes, and meat but, lucky me, until now, they do not trigger inflammations.   I told these to one of my cousins who has been suffering for years of arthritis, and he said he found out that some meat menu caused him troubles and some don’t.  

Fastest Remedy 

During an arthritis attack, massage is not advisable.  And if you want the fastest remedy on hand during an attack, the best thing is to take the best anti-inflammatory drug, especially designed for arthritis.  One can buy it from over the counter at drug stores.  When you got one that works for you, be sure to have a reserve ready anytime.

Usually, one pill is enough when you took the right pill for your system. Generic drugs for me, seems do not work as effective as the branded ones. Always take the medicine after eating something to eliminate one of the side effects when taken on empty stomach – such as bleeding. 

Wait, if you tell me you need something natural.  Well, when you are suffering as if a boulder of salt is on top of your lower leg, anything that can stop the pain is desirable.  As of now, I do not know of a natural pill that can work fast like the one you can buy from drug store.  My homeopathic teacher told me long time ago, that you can take any medicine that you know it can stop the pain without worrying about the side effect; take care of the side effects later on when your problem stop.

 Exercise

When the pain stop, exercise the joint as soon as possible, apply massage, and watch for the foods that trigger the problem. Arthritis could leave a very debilitating problem with in your affected joints. I know, because after each attack I feel the joints stiff and still with trace of pain. I believed this is the reason why most people who have arthritis became limited with their movements. They are afraid they will irritate the joint and caused it to get inflame again, so, they do not want to exercise it. Nevertheless, do not give in. Joint pains left by arthritis are a case where exercise is very helpful to regain the full function of one’s joints, especially when one is young or it is the first time arthritis showed its presence within your system. What I do is to stretch the affected joints many times every day until I gain their full flexibility. To do it, always start mildly and has to endure some pain at first, until no more pain is felt and the joint functions well like before. First, use exercise then intersperse it with massage to ease the injured tissues. Exercise helps by promoting circulation and encourages the flow of synovial fluid to the joints.


 Diet

Exercise, medicines, massage, and any kind of state of the art kind of remedy are useless without taking into account your food intake.

My first line of defense now against arthritis attack is being fussy about my food and the kind of additions that goes into it. Now, I can boldly say, arthritis pain does not bother me anymore for the longest of time. Although, I cannot hide the fact, I missed kiwi, and the punch of taste of lemon, and cane vinegar provides, but the thought of me lying on bed suffering the worst arthritis can do to me is more than enough to discipline myself stay away from foods I know can give me problem.




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