Eating for Pain Reduction

Anyone who has been around me at a meal in the last few years may be aware that I have become increasingly strict about what I eat. 

For a number of years, until 3 weeks ago when I started back on medication, food has been the primary method by which I have controlled the inflammation in my body. Controlling my food intake has minimized pain and joint damage, improving by my current pain and overall function as well as delaying the onset of the crippling joint damage effects of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

I just ran across this page on the Mayo Clinic website that explains the relationship between food and chronic inflammation. Sharing it here to help in understanding for those who have struggled with my eating plan.

Just as an example, when I eat something containing sugar, I can often feel pain or mild inflammation in my hands within about 20 minutes. Knowing pain is coming in very short order is a pretty solid deterrent to eating anything containing sugar. 

Anyway, I hope this helps with understanding the "why" behind how I eat.