I know this is a perennial question and there is SO much (often contradictory) info out there on the Net - from both more and less 'reputable' (scientific and unscientific) sources - but I am trying to figure out what might be the better of choices into the future. I saw this video on another platform and thought it interesting - if a little 'disturbing' given my current diet. I haven't eaten red meat for several years although up until recently I have still eaten chicken and fish. I have now cut out the chicken (we now have delightful little bantams and I feel I cannot continue to eat their 'relatives' who could also just as easily be our 'pets' without feeling very uncomfortable). I have continued to eat fish (mainly salmon and oily fish) and eggs however - but it looks like these are also not very good for our health - see the video.
I don't want to over-react after all this stuff has been bounced around for many years but this commentary which at least refers to the 'science' - although also bemoans the lack of conclusive peer reviewed research - has me worried. I know my cholesterol is up but have refused statins for the possible side effects which have been discussed here and then there is of course blood pressure which is linked to diet as well - while not eating much salt can help some people at least. Anyway for most of us there is also the issue of needing to eat high protein and low carb while on Pred - and that would be fine except my digestion goes a bit berserk with tons of legumes and beans - my partner is a vegan and I already eat quite a few more meals of this nature than I would 'like' and know how hard that will be.
So I am looking to find a good balance between these somewhat difficult variables - and I have not even mentioned that I love food like cakes which I usually manage to avoid 'most' of the time by NOT having them in the house !!
For those who are interested here is the video (which I am posting not because it is necessarily 'definitive' - but it is interesting) - so any opinions/info and feedback about what we all *should* be eating - especially when living with PMR/GCA and Prednisone - would be very welcome - because today I feel totally FLUMMOXED !!!!
Best wishes
Rimmy
PS. Pic - Nearby us Frenchman Bay, Albany WA New Years Day 2019 - taken on an early morning walk - it was sublime !!
It is an interesting question and the great debate , and my only conclusion over time has been , there is no definitive answer because even as healthy beasts we are all different , as people with varied health issues , intolerances , sexes , ages , metabolisms , builds even without the PMR the same is true.
I find what works for me definitely means wheat gluten free helps reduce all the varied inflammation I have not just the PMR .
I try not to eat highly processed foods and artificial ingredients.
I keep off Lactolose but read that fermented dairy products like probiotic yoghurt , natural butter , a little cheese can be fine , and it does work for me and certainly helps reduce acid and gut issues.
I rarely eat red meat , I do eat chicken , alot of fish , and eggs .
I was a vegetarian years ago , I love vegan food but like you , but my gastro and some inflammatory issues mean that too many beans and pulses and some vegetables vital to vegan diet can cause issues for me too.
My advice , interestingly , since also being checked for other autoimmune conditions and a connective tissue disease called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome is that a vegan diet is not good for illnesses that cause Collagen reproduction issues or on steroid medication.
This was because the steroids affect our production of collagen and deplete it .
This is why we can suffer from thinner skin and hair and eye issues , and even cause a laxity ( loosening of certain ligaments and muscles , tubes ) which is how issues can occur in your digestion , urinary tract etc. .
One necessary ingredient is collagen. The other Vitamin A ( retinol)
for collagen production and eye and tissue health ( animal based Vitamin A ) , the medical research readings I have read have concluded that although they always state carrots are good for your eyes , carrot Vitamin A is beta carotene , which apparently does not convert to retinol .
Although it is possible to get enough collagen and even retinol from vegan sources it usually requires alot of supplements which are not always absorbed well , or enough vegetables and seaweeds to fill a barrow , and either of these wouldn't beat an egg a day.
My friends daughter is vegan , and is being actively encouraged to become vegetarian because of her connective tissue disorders , just eat eggs at least they ask , you need it.
The great egg debate with Cho!esterol rages , but new studies both medical and via TV science research , it seems an egg a day is good for you again .
Studies on people proved that even more than an egg a day ( they went upto 3!!) increased your healthy blood cholesterol and had minor or no effect on bad cholesterol over a month with volunteers. So even if I became meat free I would definitely eat eggs because with faulty collagen issues and steroid use I think I need them.
Lots of fruit and vegetables , good vegetable oils , and natural sweeteners like Stevia , and honey , I like chocolate but try and keep it dark , dairy and sugar free.
Nuts , oats , buckwheat and rice .
I have to have small portions of certain pulses because of IBS and some inflammation issues , sweetcorn , peas , onion and some other things can cause alot of bloating.
Lots of mineral water and green tea . Garlic and ginger and turmeric . All to help inflammation , reduce but issues , improve circulation , help immunity and nerve function.
A Mediterranean diet plus I suppose . But we all have to modify everything for our own needs and issues.
I couldn't go vegan because of my health issues , it's not really recommended on a steroid based medication regime either , but neither is a meat heavy diet.
That's what I have read , have learnt , hope it helps you with your decision.
Take care , and at least if eggs get to stay the chucks will be playing a vital role in your recovery , bee xx
Thanks Bleary -for your detailed and obviously intelligent response. I agree that diversity is a big complicating factor - for each of us as individuals then inter-reacting with our own mixture of numerous variables means there is no one 'answer' as to the 'best' diet for each of us. And as I admitted there is also the aesthetics of food and eating which have been part of a 'joyful' life. BUT I also recognise this individualist outlook isn't necessarily always 'good' - both personally or 'politically' - and I am struggling more to deny such connections - socio-economic or ethical.
However - the fact that most of us are taking Prednisone is very significant as you say and I have read about the importance of protein and the micro-architecture of muscles being altered - and had clear evidence of that recently with a strained Achilles tendon. I would also REALLY like to find a rationale to continue to eat eggs - our tiny bantam ones are wonderful and I had read some very positive articles about their benefits - rather than 'harms' ....
I know people will have all kinds of perspectives about such a broadly framed question - but it will be invaluable to read any responses for their 'diversity'
I can understand your ethical concerns , I was a vegetarian ( virtually vegan ) during the 80's into the 90's for ethical reasons , I loved meat it was agony , I was eventually beaten by a bacon sandwich , but many of the more ethical changes in some areas of farming and live stock rearing were beginning to be addressed , so since then I eat some meat and fish , eggs and dairy related products from ethical , sustainable and local sources.
It was actually the research that I was doing for my friends daughter , in an attempt to help her continue her ethical diet that helped me discover how important it was not to give up all animal based collagen and Vitamin A with a autoimmune or connective tissue disorder , and the link to steroids and Collagen depletion.
Plus , I forgot to mention I was also told that heavy yeast and fungi based diets can cause more gut issues and certain types of inflammation too , and as you know cutting out or being low yeasts and fungi diet is not really an option on a healthy vegan diet.
This is why , I even had to submit and say to her , please eat eggs but bring up your own chickens , be vegetarian not vegan.
The good thing for you is that hopefully PMR won't last forever and as you get used to what vegan food you can deal with you could choose veganism when you recover or continue a considerate , sustainable food regime otherwise.
Plus , have you had pullet eggs? They are the best !!
Let us know as you go along what you choose and what works for you it will help us all.
The egg "thing" is because dietary cholesterol makes little (or no) difference to blood levels - a very high percentage of body cholesterol is made in the liver anyway, whether you eat it or not. It is other lipids that influence the levels.
Thank you very much for saving me a LOT of writing
Thank you, I was vegan for two years and decided it wasn't helping me at all so I've started to eat eggs, chicken and fish. I have lost way too much muscle mass and just wasn't feeling any better. Hope this helps some...Kitty
I have a very good friend who is a vegetarian and her younger sister is a vegan. She, vegan, looks dreadful! Even her sister says she doesn't know how she's alive, because so much has been ruled out. Although a vegan, she ran a vegetarian hotel, in Wales, for many years.
I am pretty much in your camp... Most of our meals are made from scratch, lots of vegetables, rich in fibers ( maybe this is different). We do eat mostly fish, and chicken and some red meat, but in all cases meat is not the main ingredient, but is there for a flavor. I would say that 60-70% are carbs but non simple or processed. We do eat at least one egg a day. Fresh fruits and nuts are also eaten daily.
In spite of virtually identical diet that my wife and I eat, our genes are different and it does impact us differently.
-I have high cholesterol (260) my wife has 170
-My blood pressure is 115/65 and hers is 140+
The point is that we are all different and in spite of healthy diet, we react differently. There is no perfect diet that would work for everyone.
My naturopath says no gluten no sugar. That is her idea of the start of an anti inflammatory diet for autoimmune people. So I am trying. Beans and legumes produce something that is bad for autoimmune. I cannot remember what. The pure autoimmune diet is mainly fresh veg, fish, meat. Hard to stick to and definitely not vegetarian. Ever onward!!
Dependent on the legumes or pulses , they can be high in sugar content as well as fats .
There are also people whose autoimmune issues are triggered with salicylates , irritated by high fibre content diets , and are intolerant and get inflammatory triggers from the composition of these foods .
I'd say my diet is basically meat, fish and veggies of all sorts - I don't find it that difficult though I don't refuse the odd treat. Wonder how far off the a/i diet I am?
I have a big book with the autoimmune diet. Very detailed and restrictive. My naturopath who is a much more disciplined woman than I am, says very hard to follow 100%. So just try....I am sure you are doing a fine job.
As you say this subject comes up regularly usually trying to find the “right” diet to deal with PMR or GCA.
I think most agree nowadays that too much sugar is bad for us, along with other foods to which we have a bad reaction (me - rhubarb - anaphylactic shock) as well as individual’s own preferences be they ethical or otherwise, but we should also remember that we are omnivores
(an animal or person that eats a variety of food of both plant and animal origin).
We have been since time immemorial and it’s going to take a mighty long time for our bodies to change.
I’m not saying people shouldn’t change their diet if they wish - but a variety of good fresh food cooked/ prepared from scratch is what is needed.
Ditch the pre-packed, preservative loaded, ready made foods would be a start - but is that realistic in today’s modern world?
What is just as important is our lack of exercise and portion control We are not running across the Savannah all day trying to catch our food- so we don’t need to eat as if we are!
By all means try and find the “best” diet for you, but I think “variety” needs to be included.
I think it is more realistic than a lot of people think - but you have to get your head around it to start. And not expect every meal to be the same as a restaurant - because that is the thought behind pre-prepared meals. It's a bit like the perfect shapes of veggies - the knobbly ones taste just as good!
Of course they do! But many people seem to think everything has to look perfect- including the major supermarkets! Although some are a bit more open minded.
Plus of course many people don’t actually know how to cook - if they don’t have parents that cook or aren’t taught at school (another subject stopped by the powers to be).
We would have more poverty than we already have. Same goes for 'sell by' and use by'. I don't pay much attention. The waste, in this country, is deplorable.
Exactly - it repulses me. The amount people buy and then just throw away is obscene. I have a 1 litre bucket that all the organic waste goes in before being transferred to the bio-bin for collection once a week. It's been a bad week when it is filled twice - or at least, there was probably a cauliflower with a lot of ouside leaves on the menu! Almost all our veg comes lose and what is packed tells us when it was packed and rarely when they are of the opinion by when it should be eaten. I'm capable of assessing whether it is good or not.
In a country, like England, the restaurants have a lot to answer for.The fish and chip shops' portions are far too big. I don't go any more.I never saw a 'cleared' plate there, not even the menfolk. Who eats what looks like half a sack of potatoes, on your plate? Don't get me started...will get off my soapbox now.
I think one very important component that is neglected is exercise as you mentioned it. I have not change my diet a bit after onset of PMR but I try really hard to move and be active as much as my condition lets me. My weight did not change at all.
Yes it is, we have to keep moving as much as we can.
But we do have the advantage over some of the subsequent generations - we may not have had to chase across the savannah for our meals, but we did walk to school, have physical exercise of some sort there every day. Plus of cours evenings (in summer) and weekends we were out on our bikes or just generally rushing about. Literally not virtually!
I was lucky in that I lived in the countryside, as did my children, but there are loads of photos of children living in build up areas playing outside!
Thanks I certainly agree DL 'variety' in our nutrition is very important -and most certainly fresh and home-cooked as opposed to too much processed food. I read somewhere once that the less a food 'looks like' cf. its original form the less 'good' it is likely to be for you. As much as I used to enjoy eating red meat (like most Kiwis) I haven't found anything detrimental about not eating it for several years now - but I do take iron regularly as it's hard to keep those levels up with an AI disease and many plates of spinach. I like dairy products a great deal but think I can at least reduce those to a minimum as there are so many great alternatives these days and eggs I think I will retain - for now at least ... I am also not a 'purist' or rigid about almost anything and will always have a hankering for a 'treat' - just trying to find the best and healthiest general approach for me.
Don't forget keeping up that calcium and Vitamin D too .
Oh it's just a "riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma," isn't it? I just read an article about Calcium Supplements making you more likely to have dementia!!!! Where have I been??? How did I not know that???? The article was written in 2016 and I have been taking Calcium Supplements, since I was 40!!!! That is almost 25 years! WTF????
And what about eggs? Coffee? Salmon is good for you, BUT not NOT farmed salmon... and all that other stuff that's "good for you," "bad for you," and then "good for you again!" Sometimes I feel my head will explode!
In the end, we're all going to die when our time is up; vegan, vegetarian, raw steak eating, super health freak... it doesn't matter, we are ALL going. (I had a boss once, in his late 30's... never smoked, or drank... ate healthy; he had a massive heart attack and died while out JOGGING!) ...again WTF?
I believe you do (eat) what your heart and your head tell you. Like how you decided to not eat chicken... very cool! I don't eat croissants, because in my head, I have convinced myself that they are "very bad" for me... however I have no problem eating an entire package of Hobnob biscuits! 😬
Is your goal to live longer? Have a happy/fulfilled life? Experience all that life has to offer? Play it safe? Push the boat out? Feel good?
For me... it's all of the above, so I vacillate, and sometimes on a daily basis... a big, greasy hamburger today and fresh caught Alaskan salmon tomorrow.
I have not watched the video yet, but I will after I finish my triple, venti, half sweet, non-fat, caramel macchiato. *kidding*
I so agree with you. 😊 I read a book by a nutritionist who offered good advice about a mixed diet. The words that have remained with me are. ". Never forget that a mixed and varied diet that gives you pleasure is one of the joys of a good life." Jen
Ha ha Melissa - you've 'got it' - all my frustrations in your brilliant (as usual) response. And no !! I am not interested in quantity over quality - I LOVE food and will never deny it - everyone can tell that quite unambiguously just by looking at me - and my dreams of ever being a ballerina were over by about 7. I have usually been overweight but at various points dragged myself (often in great misery with silly dieting) into a regular weight category. Since Pred this intermittent approach has become harder although I managed to lose some weight at first diagnosis in a burst of initial and defiant determination.
My beautiful OH is very slender - I mean 'very' and always has been - she used to teach aerobics to the elite military crowd and ran marathons for 'fun'. When we first met I told her: 'I eat when I'm sad and I eat when I'm happy' - luckily she has been fine with that for nearly 27 years !! Apart then from the fact that the info out there is often so contradictory and that I need little excuse to eat more often than I should I wish I could just hit on a good 'sustainable' formula for me - but maybe that is just wishful thinking and I'd rather NOT die 'peckish' I have to say !!
Like you...food and I go waaaaay back. Grew up on a farm in the 60s and 70s so everything was organic and fresh. This is when my love affair with food began. My love for food was evident by my overweight stature.
Changing my eating habits has been the biggest and best gift I’ve given to my health, but losing weight for health reasons has been quite different than silly short term diets to fit into a bridesmaid dress. My knees are a mess and I’m awaiting surgery. This combined with fear of getting diabetes and having high blood pressure caused me embarked on a low carb/sugar/salt diet with the help of my daughter (nutritionist). I did not eliminate any foods/food groups (except processed foods and simple carbs). My goal was weight loss and sustainability...I’ve lost 30 pounds and reduced my blood pressure meds in half.
I’m going to try and lose 20 more pounds before knee surgery, but my very fit, athletic partner has decided in the new year to start making homemade bread again (sigh).
We all have different nutritional needs, goals and ethical outlooks. Sounds like you are trying to tweak things to meet your current needs. I think a fluid, flexible approach works best for me and generates long term improvements. Kind of like finding the perfect pred dose and time to take it. I’ve watched many contradictory documentaries about nutrition...confusing but glad it is getting some focus.
Wishing you all the best in your efforts. So great that you are prioritizing this vital part of our being. Let us know how you make out.
Sounds like you have worked pretty hard with your nutrition and I can empathise if you are like me a bit of a 'foodie'. I've come to the conclusion that we can only do our best and it is not always easy or even possible to always be 'perfect' in our ambitions. The main thing is to think and be 'mindful' about what we are eating. We grow our own organic fruit and eat nearly all organic veg. We rarely eat at restaurants as we eat 'better' at home . I struggle NOT to eat too many carbs though - such as bread (with our organic mulberry and plum jam) but I am 'human'.
Hahahahaha! I'm happy you didn't take offence at my response, Rimmy! I wasn't trying to be flippant... but I believe if you ask 100 people about diets, you'll get at least 101 different answers, as to what the best diet is! I'm sure you are beautiful just as you are (Obvioulsy Ruth thinks so!!!!) and your body is exactly the way it's supposed to be, at this point in time. Maybe variety is the spice of life and a "good, sustainable formula," would be boring! xxxxxx Love ya
Food!! for thought. Very engaging doctor and he highlighted how research is not correlated alongside other studies. What's good for one is death to another. I tried the Keto diet, no good for me either.
Just HOW we discover our own healthiest diet must be 'trial and error' then to some extent - I WISH mine has lots of whipped cream in it - I'd at least die 'happy' .... (LOL)
Everyone is different. What works for me may not work for you.
I suspect that the relative lack of problems I have compared to others are due to my not eating wheat and restricted carbs over and above that. But I don't refuse to eat chocolate and the odd gelato and my way of eating hasn't "cured" the vasculitis, it is very definitely still there and stress definitely wakes it up. My granddaughter has greatly improved her asthma by being vegan - but it is still there. Maybe she'd be even better if she was consistent about eating well - but my daughter says she is a junk vegan.
I think it is a case of eating what works for each of us - and I do struggle a bit with the "save the world" claim for veganism. If they didn't go after all those replica things that require a lot of manufacturing I'd be more convinced. And "plastic" replacements for natural items. I buy locally produced, sometimes organic, products - milk products from cows living well, mostly outdoors, up a mountain, meat that was raised in the same place that had a good life in the meantime. OH likes chicken - I don't for various reasons but mainly how they are kept. Eggs no bother - an organic farm in the village.
I don't think anyone should be forced into a way of eating that isn't comfortable for them - and that includes what they like/don't like AND whether they can tolerate the foods that become important in a given diet. All of us on pred do need protein/collagen to protect muscles and other tissues and that is an important considerations. Beans/legumes for vegans have their own downsides for some people. No-one should be made to feel guilt about their choices,
Agree absolutely PMRpro - 'each to their own' and even though my OH eats a plant based diet she prefers not to use the term 'vegan' herself as she regards that as 'aspirational' not 'real' as like she says 'there is even weevils in flour' ... sorry for the unpleasant imagery. I am not into 'guilting' anybody either - I am just curious about what people have found helpful and what works for them with this difficult disease. The video is I think also interesting I thought as it highlights there is a lot of work to do to have a more accessible and accurate 'science' about food and health - the contradictions are often very obvious as we all know. Other issues such as global factors about food sustainability and production are clearly important too and there is a lot of work to be done in that area. Thanks for all your comments PMRpro
Food does not ' cure' many illnesses , just like medication doesn't ' cure' all either.
There are no medical or dietary cures for many things unfortunately.
Although if you find the one for pain and old age under a rock let us all know.
Funny how we can all agree , fresh is best , and we know no size fits all , but there is still a multi billion dollar industry running out there trying to convince everyone that they have the solutions for one and all.
And terrify everyone if we don't choose to follow them.
Absolutely - food cannot be expected to 'cure' our ills - I think it impossible in fact to age without something going on - that is the way of all things of course. As I have said here I think 'happiness' also matters and I would never be an absolutist about any of this BUT thinking about our health and what is and isn't helpful and possible is important and this video raised some very relevant issues. The very fact there IS so much contradiction and confusion about this huge subject is I think indicative of how powerful some interests are in blurring the 'facts' or highlights at least the economic disincentives for better science any greater degree of 'certainty' ....
To be honest, any time I see something claiming to be "the answer" I immediately assume that whatever it may be, it is unlikely to be "THE answer".
Much of the problem with diet and "cures" is that you cannot really do accurate trials as it requires too much of a committment over a very long period - dietary measures do often take a long time to manifest. And sometimes even slight deviations negate the previous good effects: a trial using a vegan diet in RA worked to reduce joint pain for half the patients (suggesting at least 2 different mechanisms) but even a tiny amount of animal protein reversed the effect. The test subjects had their diet provided - it was some years ago and vegan food wasn't easy to source at the time - and delivered to them for the year duration of the study. But very few continued afterwards despite the very clear pain-relief.
And so you also have to remember that most diet claims are derived from retrospective and observational studies. It is well known that most people do not estimate their food intake accurately and I can't remember what I ate last week, never mind last month and many such studies rely on subjects self-reporting their diet.
Yes I thought the most interesting thing about the video was actually his discussion about the real lack of a significant amount of really 'scientific' cf 'observational' material - which is as you say not very 'reliable'... Not very 'helpful' I would have thought for anyone really - other than those who wish to make some kinds of vague 'claims' to (generally) make money !!
Thanks Rimmy for posting the video,the previous posts have been very informative.l have always followed a varied diet,l sometimes eat beef and chicken,also fish.l have always enjoyed vegetables and salads ,but cutting out cakes is hard,l sometimes need a small piece of cake to help stop indigestion that is caused by too much veg.etc,and although l love various fruits they can also cause acid reflux .l also like dairy products ,they do help to line my stomach,especially when taking the pred.l believe my diet is very much the same as the one l was brought up with ,my father grew plenty of fresh vegetables as did a lot of people after the war,and l think it helped a lot that there were ration books,so chocolate and sweets were not easily available.l do wish l could be a vegetarian,l do not like animals having to be slaughtered,l am asking a friend to give me some vegetarian recipes,so l can try and give up the meat.
We all need a treat , it's all part of the balance.
Nothing wrong with cake , biscuits or sweet things as long as they are made from stuff that don't do you any harm to eat . I say let them eat cake, just some of them might need it to be gluten free 😁😋
Yes agree Grants - WISH cake wasn't such a 'baddie' but my OH at least makes some healthier versions of fruit cakes - without any dairy and they are pretty good (though secretly I'd prefer a slice of Black Forest) I find dairy products also good for stomach lining and always eat full fat greek yoghurt before the Pred. Being a Kiwi meant I grew up on a diet of mutton and lamb with lots of beef as well and the odd chicken - which was once a 'treat'. So I am aware of how difficult it is to no longer eat meat and I am still eating fish. There are tons of great veggie recipes on the Net - especially if you still eat dairy - just being inventive with food makes it easier and more interesting.
I make a vegan , gluten free , low sugar brownie .
If you put cherries on it and a light whipped cream ( dairy or non dairy) I reckon it would be the angelic version of Black Forest Gateau.
Plus , anyone who knows a vegan ( especially a teenage one!) knows veganism isn't always healthy. Pot noodles , skips , most Pringles, strawberry laces , original Oreos all vegan , and I could go on ...
ANYTHING with palm oil is never 'healthy' and I won't go on about the poor orangutans as well ... Many people aren't aware if the ingredients read: 'vegetable oil' and don't define the exact oil used it is nearly always palm oil. So I agree there is LOTS of terrible so-called 'vegan' junk food around- and important to be aware that the less processed anything is the better. This also highlights how difficult it is to have a healthy diet if you don't think too much about what you are eating. Cooking from scratch, and growing some of your own fruit and veg are at least two good beginnings I reckon.
I eat a fairly standard meat (Not much red), fish,veg and fruit diet but have a weakness for sweet things, at present that is for cornettos!! This diet served me well until pmr struck and the pred helped me gain weight but I still cant give up my sugar!!
I'd like to be able to shop ethically (impossible, but we try) and get enough calories to be able to gain weight. I'm a vegetarian who eats anything except animals. Eat more avocados they say. But avocado farming is devastating habitats. Eat more fish. Well, the state of the world's oceans puts paid to that and farmed fish are anything but sustainable. Three years of PMR and I actually weigh several pounds less than I did at first, when my clothes were already falling off me. BMI is somewhere between 17.2-17.7 depending how tall I am now. That's not good.
The NHS dietician called yesterday to see OH. Four months ago he was 48 kilos following sepsis and necrotising pancreatitis. She was shocked at how well he looked and asked what he was eating. We slowly added everyday normal foods. Lots of fruit and veg , whole meal bread, chicken and fish, dairy , very very little red meat and sat fat. No pain or sickness. He now weighs 65 kilos 😊😊😊😊. He still has non Hodgkin's lymphoma but he is now much healthier.
Good food, fresh air and love have all played their part.
Reading all your interesting posts has also helped me escape into other people's lives. Thanks. Jen
It seems to me that the common thread of all these replies is that we all react differently and a controlled elimination/re-introduction experiment is difficult to do. I'll add my opinion here and suggest a diet guideline call "Whole30". It focuses on a 30-day total elimination of many foods that most commonly cause allergies/inflammation. After the 30 days there is a careful protocol for re-introducing one food at a time. It describes how long to wait for a reaction and what to look for. You can search for the website and read the book to decide if you would like to try it. I tried it out of frustration after my 3rd flare in 3 years on steroids for PMR/CGA . By 5 years after my diagnosis I was able to taper off steroids and have been off steroids for 22 months now. I think it was helpful --certainly not a cure-- but helpful, and I still completely avoid those foods that the results of my experiment highlighted as not good for me.
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I've signed up for Tim Spector's ZOE study looking at blood sugars and gut health
Vegan diet and gca/cpr
withdrawal of prednisolone 
New sufferer of PMR - What are the best foods to eat, and what should I afford to help keep well?
