Food and RLS

[JayPea518]

Has anyone got any dietary advice regarding which foods to avoid and which to consume more of? I already avoid coffee and chocolate. Any particular foods that are helpful? I am on 3 Pramipexole taken throughout the day plus Zolpidem sleeping tablet at bedtime.I'm 74 and this dreadful complaint runs in the family.

[Annieapple]

I have recently started following a low Glutamate diet in an effort to counteract one of the side effects of the Dopamine Agonist drug...

Insomnia.. so far so good...

[Boldgirl45 in reply to Annieapple]

can you let me know what glutamate is in and whether this is easy to follow? Thank you!

[Annieapple in reply to Boldgirl45]

Low Glutamate foods can reduce the exitotoxicity in the brain that causes insomnia. Google

aci.health.nsw.gov.au

Allergy diet - glutamate low

[Boldgirl45 in reply to Annieapple]

Many thanks for this!

[shredderton in reply to Annieapple]

I did some glutamate research and it looks like it is not good.

[Annieapple in reply to shredderton]

One shouldn’t try any specialised diet without speaking to your GP first... I have had severe insomnia which through the process of elimination has been put down to a side effect of my Neupro patch... the low glutamate diet together with good sleep hygiene (latter didn’t work on its own) has been a win win situation...

[shredderton in reply to Annieapple]

Your point is well taken about consulting GPs, but ... First of all, lets be honest, they are pill-pushers. Secondly, they know little about nutrition. Next, the medical community cares little about prevention. Should I continue? Like everything else in the US, everything is a commodity with everyone selling something. We are kinda on our own unfortunately. Why would we need something like this forum if they were doing their jobs?

[Annieapple in reply to shredderton]

Sadly true where you are...I have family there... few GP’s understand RLS at the best of times... this diet means cutting out high glutamate foods so pretty safe I would say... just to clarify it doesn’t make much difference to my actual RLS which seems to come & go in cycles but it has made a major difference to my sleeping!!

[shredderton in reply to Annieapple]

diference in your sleeping how?

[Annieapple in reply to shredderton]

For years I battled to get to sleep...brain overactive & then after getting to sleep waking up 3am 4am & not being able to sleep at all during the day...I am very sensitive RLS wise to drugs so didn’t want to go on to sleeping tablets...so after lots of research & trying CBT etc I decided to try this & after a week or so I started falling asleep within minutes & staying asleep until at least 5am ... still early days about 6 weeks... but so good to get sleep & not be tired all the time...

[shredderton in reply to Annieapple]

You mean CBD?

[Annieapple in reply to shredderton]

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

[Hidden]

Several of us on this site find that coffee actually helps. I use it to ‘switch’ off an attack during the evening/night, sometimes several times

[Eryl]

I find that sugary foods trigger my rls, those include cakes, biscuits and fruit juices. I drink 3 mugs of coffee most days and it doesn't trigger rls but I have to be careful not to exceed that otherwise it affects my blood pressure.

[juweave]

From reading posts on this site, it seems that different people find different foods helpful/harmful. For me, I need to avoid alcohol and sugary, high carb foods.

[Reb0013]

Read up on foods high in oxalate -- these foods compete with iron and can cause lower iron levels. Read up on the FOBMAP diet which is lower carbohydrates making digestion easier and lastly read up on lowering acidic foods which provide a healthier gut environment. I believe a little of all of these three eating habits can help in various ways... but in my own experience, they do not eliminate restless legs.

[WideBody]

I have tried...

No coffee for two weeks!!! - No affect on RLS. I am currently having a cup. I drink coffee black, so my stomach is more of an issue than my RLS.

I have not had refined sugar or flour since Jan 1st. - absolutely no affect on RLS

I am still doing it Keto, to lose weight had help support my wife. so still no sugar and VERY low carb.

Sugar really doesn't affect my RLS, it just doesn't make me feel very good. So I try to avoid it.

Alcohol does nothing, but I really never drink more than a beer. I used too, but that was a few decades ago.

After reading the comments though, I am still willing to try anything to slow this disease.

BTW - ibuprofen works... for me at least. I wish I knew if that meant anything.

[ziggypiggy in reply to WideBody]

Yep. Been on keto diet for depression. Still same rls symptoms. I do find if I have a high salt evening meal things ratchet up a notch. Alcohol still on the naughty list.

[WideBody in reply to ziggypiggy]

does it at least help your depression? Heck, the low energy makes me depressed.

[shredderton]

Ah, this is an important issue. For me lifestyle and diet are the most important factors in managing Restless Legs SUX!

First of all any "bad" food eaten after noon worsens RLS for me. I will also mention a couple lifestyle issues.

Foods that worsen RLS include red sauce/pasta dishes, etc., fried foods, processed foods, simple carbs, alcohol, carbs eaten late in the day, probably foods containing gluten. Furthermore, anything that upsets my stomach greatly worsens RLS. If i have indigestion, I cannot sleep.

As far as lifestyle issues, I used to run a lot and this helps minimize RLS a lot! I need to start running again. STRESS is the killer though. If I have a lot on my mind, RLS loves that, and will keep me up. If i overdo working out, hiking, skiing etc. this will worsen RLS a lot.

I have also started fasting and have found this helps too. I usually fast until early afternoon and then eat. I have to make good dietary choices, but fasting helps to detox and reduce inflamation (important in battling RLS). The other day I fasted for over 24 hours and this had a great effect on my body when I went to sleep. Nevertheless, RLS did kick in but much less severe than usual.

Lastly, when I was in my 30s and 40s I could manage my RLS through diet and lifestyle, but in my 50s I have not been able to. But the war on RLS is not over for me and will continue to look for solutions aside from drugs.

On the drug issue, I have found that most general practitioners are not well versed in RLS treatment and the drugs have many side effects, sometimes worsening the situation. I'm sure you all are aware of this. Very frustrating!

Thanks much,

Jeff

[Rwall in reply to shredderton]

Jeff, we must have the same body chemistry, because what affects you also affects me!

[Guitarpickin in reply to shredderton]

Both my GP and neurologist recommended intermittent fasting when I began having RLS and other neurological issues. From what I understand they were recommending not eating anything two days a week (non-consecutive days). I explained that wasn’t possible, but that I could do the 5:2 diet where 2 days a week (non-consecutive) you only have 500 calories. So that’s what I’m doing. I was also instructed to exercise more. Lol. Intermittent fasting, daily exercise, iron tablets on the low calories days, and THC at bedtime seems to work pretty well. I’m not cured, of course, but most nights are better than they used to be.

[3Chihuahuas in reply to shredderton]

I agree with everything you said!

[Rwall]

I have found ANYTHING with sugar hits like a ton of bricks. I cooked salmon in a marinate of brown sugar and whiskey, and it was delicious . However, I felt like a "crack" addict, as after being off sugar, and I couldn't stop licking the pan!!! It was a huge mistake and I suffered miserably. Bar b Que sauce does the same thing.

[dklohrey]

I avoid caffeine, refined sugar, alcohol. Also keep your evening meal to a minimum as eating a heavy evening meal can cause problems, no matter what the food.

[3Chihuahuas]

Ever since I was in my 20's (I am now 83) I have had RLS. I did discover when I ate oily foods or sugars that would give me indigestion. So when I get indigestion I know I will have RLS worse.