Vegan Diet

Hi Ok Red! While some of our community members have found dietary changes to be helpful in managing their RA symptoms, others have not found it to be effective as a means to quitting medications. I think healthy eating is always a great idea and worth a try, but like medications, each individual reacts uniquely to changes in diet. Here is some information on various diets that have been shown to help RA symptoms in some individuals -- https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/diet-and-nutrition/healthy-food-and-diet/. Here is an article from one of our contributors about her experience with going vegan -- https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/no-meat-no-dairy-no-food/ (don't let the title throw you -- it's actually quite honest and insightful!). I hope this information helps and good luck with any changes you decide to make to your diet. Please keep us posted, if you would like to do so. Thanks for your question and have a great day! Best, Erin, RheumatoidArthritis.net Team Member.

I've been vegan since 1999, and received my RA diagnosis in March of 2016. I've used so many different pain relievers, both OTC and Rx, that I don't remember them all.

My wife recently convinced me to adopt an elimination diet recommended by Dr. McDougall, which is also vegan and gluten-free, but i have seen no positive results.

Has anyone else tried the McDougall diet?

Yes, I went on a vegan diet strictly when my Rheumatologist diagnosed me with RA. I now follow Dr John Mc Dougalls starch plant based diet which is vegies n fruit n lentils, n nuts. I lost weight, joint pain left n I went into remission. I was having difficuly walking, pain clinbing stairs. Within 3 months of going vegan I got rid of all my joint supports, could run n climg stairs with no stiffness or pain. My ESR went from 56 to 18 in 3 months of going vegan, C Reactive Protein went from 24 to 16 n is now reduced after a year to 9,5 which is almost 8 which is normal, n my Rheumatoid Factor has disappeared. I am very healthy now, n can walk 2 km in one attempt, n swim 10 laps in the pool. My tummy problems, allergies m constipation are gone. I am hardly ever sick now, n at 55 years old am healthy n happy. My hubby is glad too cos he doesnt have to do all the jobs now that I can do again, plus I dont complain all the time re the pain n stiffness in my joints. N I dont walk around like an 80 year old in need of a walking frame anymore regards I found out about the vegan starch plant based diet on Doctor John McDougalls website n I highly recommend a vegan diet to recover from the symptoms of RA
Julie Corrin

Please see my post below, a vegan diet helped me recover from RA n i no longer have a Rheumatoid Factor n have gone into remission