Autoimmune Paleo Diet

[whaleharbor]

All great points, Maz and perhaps I chimed in incompletely. I can only speak for what’s worked for me..and in thinking about this the past few days here’s what I have found has worked interestingly outside of mino that is either “food” or “relates to the gut” in some way.

1. I actually had a window of a short-lived “spontaneous” remission after a time that I had gotten really bad from the RA and I had recurring sinus infections. I ended up taking a hugely strong antibiotic that in one dose killed my stomach. I literally could take no meds other than tagamet for about a year. I lost a ton of weight..it was an awful time. I had to go to my doctor for systemic shots of prednisone to get me through as I couldn’t take any oral meds. I could barely eat or drink water…it was very severe. Anyhow, tagamet generic name Cimetidine is a known immune booster (google it). So one would think I would have gotten worse, but I actually got better. So here the only think I could take other than prednisone shots was something to heal my gut that also boosted my immune system. Unfortunately, the remission was short lived…I believe due to some hormones another doc put me on for irregular periods. Was it a coincidence? I don’t know.

2. If I feel bad Ginger helps tremendously. I actually always have a certain brand of Ginger Ale that is not the kind you can get at any grocery store that has no real ginger in it. I get the kind that is just fizzy water, sugar and real pieces of ginger….and lots of ginger…it’s strong, it burns the mouth. The brand name is Bruce Cost Ginger Ale. I have to have it shipped to me because it’s not readily found here. This always helps…as does ginger tea. Of course ginger helps the gut.

3. For certain…absolutely no doubt….chamomile tea makes a huge difference…HUGE. I have one cup of chamomile tea with peppermint tea every night and if I miss too many nights in a row, I can feel it. There are a ton of scholarly articles online to this effect …when researching you may try searching for Matricaria chamomilla which is the scientific name for Chamomile. I have found the most efficacy from the Traditional Medicals brand. Chamomile is also known to help the gut as does peppermint.

Everyone is different and I certainly do not want to discourage anyone from trying anything. For me, though, I haven’t found a dietary approach (other than chamomile/peppermint tea everynight) with the occassional real ginger ale, to offer any benefit…but that’s just me. I don’t react to nightshades, gluten free did nothing for me, low carb did nothing, vegan did nothing, vegetarian did nothing, etc…etc…etc..I was so desperate at the time I would have eaten nothing but wood chips if it would have helped me. It was something I specifically asked Dr. T about and he just told me as I mentioned before. Was he wrong in that? was he right? I don’t know…but for me, the most profound effect change has been from minocycline…the chamomile/ginger/peppermint…just help smooth out the bumps…but only helped once the RA was under control from the mino. Again…just me…and as they say “your mileage may vary and you do you.”

Minocycline 100mg every other day with food...lots of food: Zydus brand. Celecoxib 200mg twice per day: Greenstone brand.

[Linda L]

Cimetidine is a known immune booster — wahelharbor has written.
Why do you think that it is immune booster? It inhibits stomach acid production.

RA tried everything: Methotraxate, Arava, Humira. Pneumonia three times. Anemia. Very low iron. Hypothyroidism
AP from April 2014 till August 2015. No luck.
Current medications: Natural thyroid, Mobic, supplements,
vitamins and minerals.
MTHFR heterozygous

[Linda L]

During World War II soldiers with the rheumatic problems were given gelatine /gelatine includes collagen/
Also a nutritional analysis of New Zealand military food rations at Gallipoli in 1915 were made with beef, gelatine and salt.

RA tried everything: Methotraxate, Arava, Humira. Pneumonia three times. Anemia. Very low iron. Hypothyroidism
AP from April 2014 till August 2015. No luck.
Current medications: Natural thyroid, Mobic, supplements,
vitamins and minerals.
MTHFR heterozygous

[whaleharbor]

Linda L wrote:

Cimetidine

Linda L wrote:

Cimetidine is a known immune booster — wahelharbor has written.
Why do you think that it is immune booster? It inhibits stomach acid production.

Linda: Here are a few links of studies I’ve found to answer your question. I literally just googled Tagamet and immunity or Cimetidine and immunity etc…There’s a ton out there that you’ll readily find. Here are the first ones that came up for me.

http://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2001/3/report_tagamet/page-01?p=1

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2657245

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2807619

http://www.japmaonline.org/doi/abs/10.7547/0950229?code=pmas-site

http://www.ppt-health.com/shingles-see-also-herpes-monolaurin/standard-shingles-treatment/

Anyhow, there’s more…many many many more. I don’t pretend to understand it all. I’m just a fellow patient and “some chic on the internet” but I found it very interesting.

Please know that I am not currently on Tagamet and haven’t been for probably 15 years or more. I took it for about a year. Also I am not suggesting it to anyone… I’m just relaying what happened to me and trying to put the pieces together of why I got better and not worse when on the Tagamet.

Minocycline 100mg every other day with food...lots of food: Zydus brand. Celecoxib 200mg twice per day: Greenstone brand.

[Linda L]

Cimetidine is the generic equivalent of the popular OTC drug better known by the brand name Tagamet. It is used primarily to relieve symptoms of esophageal reflux such as heartburn. Tagamet functions as a histamine (H2) receptor antagonist. What most doctors don’t know is that T-lymphocyte suppressor cells have the H2 receptor. By blocking this receptor (using an H2 receptor antagonist such as Tagamet), the immune system can be temporarily turned up to help combat certain cancers and herpes viral infections.

It is an extract from you first link. It is very interesting that a drug for reflux can be immune booster I understood that Cimetidine is more like Nexium, Zantac etc. Thank you.

RA tried everything: Methotraxate, Arava, Humira. Pneumonia three times. Anemia. Very low iron. Hypothyroidism
AP from April 2014 till August 2015. No luck.
Current medications: Natural thyroid, Mobic, supplements,
vitamins and minerals.
MTHFR heterozygous

[richie]

Hi If a person gets reflux either from scleroderma or whatever it is very important to treat it –THe gold standard is these anti reflux meds like tagamet prilosec nexium –not treating reflux can lead to erosion of the esophagus –I am aware of folks with SD who have serious issues -where a boot has to be placed in esophagus –I think SD and RA are really two different illnesses –SD is collagen vascular disease while RA is inflammatory –each one has different approaches —I dont think diet plays a big role in SD while evidently diet is far more important in RA due to the inflammatory component –

[whaleharbor]

richie wrote:

It is very interesting that a drug for reflux can be immune booster I understood that Cimetidine is more like Nexium, Zantac etc. Thank you.

Well, I’m not sure if Nexium and Zantac might also boost the immune system. I never looked it up. Interestingly, some derms will prescribe (off label) Tagamet for warts…go figure.

I think there is still so much about these diseases and the immune system that isn’t understood. I certainly don’t pretend to understand much at all….but I keep researching because I’ve learned to ask questions, research and be my own advocate. What else can we do, right?

Minocycline 100mg every other day with food...lots of food: Zydus brand. Celecoxib 200mg twice per day: Greenstone brand.

[mcellen111213]

Hi:
I have been following a strict autoimmune diet. If anyone is interested in it, private message me.
I eat no grains, no dairy, no nightshade vegetables, and no eggs (there are other things on the list as well). I just started to add nuts (no peanuts) back into my diet. As far as quality of life goes, this diet helped me a lot! Before I started, the fatigue, pain, and muscle weakness was getting so bad I was wondering if I would be able to work much longer. It took a few weeks but I have definitely improved…some days, I feel almost normal. I also take a lot of supplements. Bonus: I lost 27 lbs which helps with the pain in my knees and feet. It’s not enough but it has definitely gotten me through to the diagnosis (Sjogren’s) and a treatment plan (I am hoping to find an AP doc in my area-just beginning the serious search). I highly recommend trying dietary intervention. I am not tempted to eat what I know will make me feel worse. The first two weeks are the hardest but after that, the cravings for carbs goes away. I do believe that “all disease begins in the gut” (as Hippocrates said)!

[Author]

Posts