Are you suffering with Rheumatoid Arthritis? joint pain? or always in pain? Have you spent thousands of dollars on supplements, gimmicks, with minimal results. Are you in a RA Flare Up and not sure what to do. I’ve been there and I know it sucks. Finish this article, and you’ll find strategies that have worked for people like you. There are no magic bullets. Instead, I’ll share a few practical strategies that have given people back their lives. There’s never been so many options and testimonials of people reversing their autoimmune conditions. Don’t worry you got this!
My Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Experience
My first taste of joint pain was shortly after I started a job in road construction. I couldn’t stand in one place for more than a few minutes. The pain in my knees & lower back was excruciating, almost brought me to tears. At the time, I thought it was from working long shifts where I was standing for 12-14 hours. In grade 11 I was diagnosed with Spondylolisthesis (slippage of vertebrae) so thought this pain could be related. The pain persisted for 3 months and my only recourse was taking pain killers or having a few drinks. Eventually, I went to the doctor and he said you likely suffer from some form of arthritis. My joint issues took a backseat as I experienced new symptoms: blood in my poop, night sweats, and unformed bowel movements. I was referred to a GI Doc and this was the beginning of a diagnosis of severe Crohn’s Disease & Ulcerative Colitis. I experienced flare up of my gut symptoms and other times it was my joints. My GP sent me for more tests in regards to the joint pain. When the tests came back he concluded that I suffered from Rheumatoid Arthritis. Now, I could say I suffered from 3 autoimmune conditions.. that’s 1 more than my grandma who had UC & RA. With all these initials I felt like a real professional CD, UC, & now RA. Gratefully I was able to overcome all 3 of these issues.
What is Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
RA is an autoimmune condition where the body (immune system) attacks the tissue in the joints. It affects the hands and feet, but can affect any joint in the body. It’s considered to be a long term degenerative condition. The typical symptoms are: swelling, stiffness, redness, burning, fever, and fatigue.
- About 1.5 million people in the US suffer from RA+ & 300,000 Canadians +
- RA usually begins between ages 30-60 in men
- 3 times more women suffer from RA compared to men
- Increased odds in getting RA if you have a family member that also suffers from it
Underlying Root Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis
There might not be one specific thing that causes this condition. With that said, we definitely have a few strong contenders like:
- Gluten (Inflammatory food & contribute towards leaky gut)
- Infections (Dysbiosis & Candida)
- Mold or Mycotoxins (Can injure GI tract + )
- Leaky Gut Syndrome
- Excess Carbohydrates
- Lectins +
How to Cure Rheumatoid Arthritis: Naturally & Permanently
For all intensive purpose we’re not going to use the cure word. Instead we will focus on reversing this autoimmune condition using strategies that have worked for others. There might not be a cure, but if you can achieve long term remission who cares what label is used. Many of the RA root causes are linked to causing or contributing to Leaky Gut. Any lifestyle change that works to heal Leaky Gut will result in less RA symptoms. If you’re looking for a permanent solution then be ready to make a commitment to achieving your goal.
The Connection: Gut Health & RA Joint Pain
Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune condition. There are strong correlations between gut health and autoimmune symptoms. It’s likely you’ve heard of a condition called Leaky Gut Syndrome.
What Is Leaky Gut Syndrome
This is when the gut wall (gut lining) becomes leaky with holes. The role of the gut wall is to act as the security guard between what you eat and your immune system. If the gut is leaky food particles and other proteins slip through into the bloodstream. The immune system sees these proteins as foreign invaders. So it sounds the alarm and sends out the troops to attack. This response can’t differentiate between your tissue and foreign tissue. So it attacks them both like in autoimmune disease.
Common Leaky Gut Symptoms:
- Excess Inflammation (inflammatory conditions)
- Allergies
- Brain Fog, ADHD
- Depression & Anxiety
- Skin Issues
- Joint Problems
- Gut & Digestive Issues
Heal your Leaky Gut and Heal your Arthritis
Intestinal Dysbiosis is a precursor to Leaky Gut Syndrome and is linked to RA +. Research is beginning to support the idea that the onset of autoimmunity is linked to the GI tract & composition of the microbiome. In essence our gut bacteria controls our immune system + whether directly or indirectly. In a previous article I stated Autoimmune Disease and Leaky Gut are the same process. Regardless of what autoimmune condition you have, they’re interrelated. I’ve found if my gut was off, then so were my joints, eczema broke out, got eye floaters, cold hands & feet (Raynauds), and others. Manifestation of symptoms can be different depending on the severity of my leaky gut & dysbiosis. So if your looking to reverse your RA then healing leaky gut should be your primary focus. As you heal the gut you’ll see your RA and other autoimmune issues subside. This doesn’t have to be complicated: heal your gut and overcome your Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Role of Diet in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Does Food Matter
During my diagnosis doctors said it didn’t matter what I ate. I think we’ve come a long way in 12+ years: common sense and science are prevailing. I know it’s confusing with disinformation and too many choices. We will combine science with anecdotal experiences. We can start off by looking at the foods & factors that negatively affect RA.
RA Trigger Foods & Factors:
- Dietary Lectins +
- Gluten +
- Sugar +
- Obesity is associated with RA+
- 2/3 of people with RA are obese or overweight +
What is the Best Diet for Rheumatoid Arthritis
We know some of the main triggers, causes, and factors so we can reverse engineer a basic solution. Starting with diet, we can find an approach that removes gluten, sugar, and lectins. the best diet for RA is any diet that works to correct dysbiosis and heal Leaky Gut Syndrome. The most successful RA diets I’ve seen are low carb in nature.
Low Carb Diets for RA
It’s been shown that Low Carb diets provide relief from arthritis +. Let’s also consider that some of the main triggers and causes for RA Symptoms are carb rich and processed foods. Too much sugar can increase uric acid levels which can trigger inflammation and insulin resistance. These factors contribute towards Obesity & Leaky Gut Syndrome + both factors in Rheumatoid Arthritis. Bottom line: Low Carb Diets work to reduce inflammation and naturally heal autoimmune conditions like RA. I won’t cover every option but here are a few of them.
Successful Low Carb Options for RA:
- Carnivore Diet
- Ketogenic Diet
- Weston Price Principles
- GAPS
- PALEO & Primal
- SCD
There are a variety of low carb approaches but my personal favorites are Carnivore & Keto. I like them because they are simple and easy to follow. I’ve tried too many diets to count. These ones are the most effective and easiest to incorporate into your lifestyle.
What is Keto (Ketogenic Diet)
A ketogenic diet is a low carb high fat diet approach (LCHF). Typical Keto diet is one where carbohydrates are restricted to 30-50 grams per day. This is a high fat diet with 75% of daily calories coming from FAT. The reduction of carbohydrates puts your body into a state of nutritional ketosis. This is when your body metabolizes fat instead of glucose for energy. This process happens in the liver as fat is broken down into ketones. Normal macronutrient ratios for a ketogenic diet are as follows:
- 75% Fat
- 20% Protein
- 5% Carbohydrates
These numbers can be adjusted slightly and still be considered a ketogenic diet. Ketosis is controlled by the absence of carbohydrates. No matter how complicated people make this process seem.
Why Keto Diet for Rheumatoid Arthritis
The Keto diet is an awesome tool to manage your RA symptoms with Diet. Here are a few reasons why this diet is so successful in reversing RA:
- Improves metabolic and inflammatory markers (CRP) +
- Reduces Inflammation
- Improves Insulin Resistance
- Reduces Obesity (as promotes breakdown of excess fat stores)
I enjoy the keto diet but I believe there’s a better option initially to heal RA. This diet approach is known as the Carnivore Diet. I like Carnivore because it’s basic and removes known culprits such as lectins, nightshades, nuts, and nut products from the diet.
Carnivore Diet: What is it
It’s a whole food animal based diet where you eat meat, eggs, and other foods derived from animals. The diet is also referred to as The Zero Carb Diet because it’s ultra low carb. Because of the low carb amounts you also get all the benefits of a Ketogenic Diet. The Carnivore approach is my favorite starting place to reverse autoimmune issues. It’s simple to follow and satiates your hunger. Fat is vital to making you feel satisfied during a meal. Don’t believe me try eating your fav carbs without fat and you’ll find they’re boring and unsatisfying. This is why the food industry laces most foods with oils, and additional fats. We crave fat so we eat these processed carbs to get more fat. In natural whole foods, high carb and high fat do not exist together. Sounds crazy but go look it up. You’ll find that most foods are either high fat or high carb but not both. Only breast milk has both because it’s main purpose is to make you grow fast.
Can Carnivore Diet Heal Rheumatoid Arthritis
The Carnivore Diet is one of the best approaches to naturally cure or heal arthritis. It’s taboo to say the word cure, but by definition cure means: to relieve ones symptoms from a disease or condition. Try not to get caught up in irrational terminology. Carnivore does a great job at relieving RA symptoms. I know your main goal is to get rid of the pain and get back to enjoying life.
What Triggers Rheumatoid Arthritis Flare Ups:
It’s not known for certain the exact factors that lead to an RA flare up. But we can show some of the foods and factors that contribute to these flare ups such as:
In my experience RA flare ups are directly related to the state of the gut. When the gut is a war zone (aka complete dysbiosis) or leakiness, autoimmune symptoms will be active. The things mentioned above promote inflammation. They cause most autoimmune conditions to flare up.
Best Foods For Rheumatoid Arthritis
These are some of the most nutrient dense and healthy foods you can consume. They also just happen to be low in carbohydrates.
- Meat
- Eggs
- Fish
- Healthy Fats (olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, butter, lard, and tallow)
- Avocados
- Green Veggies (if you can consume them without pain or issues, this depends on the condition of your gut)
How to Stop Arthritis Flare Ups: What Helps
For starters, we can stop consuming the things that trigger RA symptoms and including the best foods for RA. This involves adopting a low carb diet with my favorites being Carnivore followed by Keto. Most RA symptoms are caused by things going in the body (INPUT). If we can reduce the toxins going in we will reduce the symptoms. Another awesome tool is to use an intermittent fasting (IF) routine like 16:8. This means that you would stop eating after 8pm, go to sleep, skip breakfast, and eat your first meal at 12pm. You can consume 1-2 coffees with stevia or sweetener and a little bit of cream if you tolerate it. The goal is to reduce the stuff going in so that your body can focus on healing and less time reacting. I’ve done Intermittent Fasting for 6+ years and it’s been nothing short of awesome. I noticed early in my healing journey if I didn’t eat I had minimal symptoms. This was an Aha moment when I knew what we put in our bodies directly affects our bodies.
In Disbelief: A Whole Food Animal Diet can Change your Life?
I know where your coming from. I went from a Veganish experiment that led me to Keto then to Carnivore. With lots of trial and error I’ve become an intuitive eater. One who knows how foods affect my body. The simple secret to eating intuitively is to start simple and slowly progress. This means to start with 1-2 foods until you feel minimal to no symptoms. Once your at this point you can add 1 food per week or two and see how you feel. You will begin to vividly notice how each addition makes you feel. Using this approach is easier then doing 10-15 foods and guessing which one is causing you issues. The closer I stay to Carnivore the better I feel. More energy, better performance, lean physique, cognitive clarity, and minimal to zero inflammation.
Full disclosure: I love eating junk food and carbs! Whether fruits, chips, cookies, apple pies, pasta, crusty buns, you name it. But I know there is no comparison to how I feel eating these foods vs eating a more primal diet like Carnivore or Keto. The goal is to sustain a diet that allows you to feel awesome. Strategically using few structured cheat meals once your established will keep you in the zone. Most people fail with diet approaches because the go from one extreme to another. They give up every pleasure food until they eventually snap and fall off the wagon aka yo-yo dieting. Remember your friend who grinded to look awesome only to find themselves looking like a tub of goo a year later. I’m guilty of this a few times in my life.
LIFESTYLE is the Key to Beating Your Rheumatoid Arthritis
I know this is a easier said than done. Most of us know what we have to do but have a hard time committing to things over the long run. The key to overcoming your RA is to adopt healthy habits that eventually become part of your lifestyle. Chances are that you’ll fall off the wagon a few times but who cares get back up and keep on going. Be okay with small failures knowing that their a part of the process. Before you know it these habits will be ingrained in your routine. A few healthy habits can completely change your life.
My life changed when I took personal responsibility for my health. I can’t change my genes or better put my genetic susceptibility. But I can affect how my genes are expressed by controlling what goes into my body (nutrients & toxins). I can do more of the things that promote wellness and less things that promote sickness. fortunately for me this approach worked awesomely and I’ve enjoyed great health for over a decade.
I believe passionately that you can overcome your Rheumatoid Arthritis. You might be in a rough place right now but this is only temporary. I’ve watched many others reclaim their lives from autoimmune conditions, so can you! Your body knows how to heal, its built in. Your body is a marvelous self healing and self regulating machine. Remove the toxins, give it nutrients, and let the body do its thing.
You got this!
Also, if you try Carnivore or Keto and it makes a difference please let me know about your experience. Feel free to reach out anytime.
