As someone who has used food and diet to manage a myriad of health issues for the last two decades, the question as to whether you can manage joint pain and inflammation with food is an easy one to answer: YES.
But don’t let the simplicity of that answer fool you. While it is definitely possible, that doesn’t make it easy.
And it doesn’t omit the trial and error that is required to find what works for your body and needs. My journey has been an ongoing one, spanning the better part of 20 years experimenting, exploring, tracking, and trying to see what makes a difference and what isn’t worth the effort.
When I was in my early twenties, my health declined pretty rapidly due to a stressful job and undiagnosed food intolerances. I had chronic migraines, monthly cold sores, severe jaw pain, and sciatic nerve pain in my back. Once I cut out the offending foods, my pain disappeared. After several years of avoiding my food triggers, I was able add the foods back in without issue.
Fast forward to my mid-thirties and pregnancy changed everything again. My mood tanked, my body ached all the time, I was unable to lose weight, and I was having intense stomach pains. I was convinced my thyroid was crapping out, but after several doctors visits and a slew of tests, everything came back normal.
So back to the food I went and ended up trying several different elimination diets with varying degrees of success (Low FODMAP, The Hormone Reset Diet, FAILSAFE, and simply avoiding gluten, dairy, and nightshades). None of those diets were fully effective and ended up leading to other issues after a few months.
Since I was already feeling terrible, I went back to eating everything and resigned myself to living with the pain and/or discomfort.
Now that I’m in my mid-forties and have started to go through perimenopause, my health reached a point where I was no longer willing to just deal with the pain. My joints became increasingly more stiff and swollen, I would wake up most mornings with puffy under eyes, swollen fingers that were so big I couldn’t wear the majority of my rings anymore, and debilitating pain in my shoulder. I also felt like a stranger in my own body and barely recognized myself most days. And don’t get me started on the mood swings and extreme irritability.
I worked with my doctor to address a lot of those issues through hormone therapy but some things just didn’t go away.
Naturally, I (re)turned to food and diet.
I had an inkling through past exploits with elimination diets that carbs were not my friend. Gluten was the worst offender, followed by sugary sweets like candy, cakes, and chocolate. Even fruit was making me feel terrible and would make my hands swell up almost immediately.
With that in mind, I decided to give a low carb or ketogenic diet a try. Within a week of reducing my carb intake, the puffiness under my eyes disappeared, the swelling in my hands had begun to go away and the pain in my right middle finger went away completely. I also noticed that my mood began to even out and I was finally, FINALLY, starting to feel like I was back in my own body again.
I was able to maintain that first foray into low carb eating for about 4 months before I fell off the wagon. I went on a 10-day trip to Ireland and my food options were a bit limited, so I allowed myself to simply do my best while also enjoying the local food and libations.
When I came back home, though, I struggled to get back to a low carb a-roach and eventually went back to eating whatever I wanted (pasta, potatoes, fruit…). Since that trip, I’ve gone back and forth with low carb eating and only manage to stick with it for a month or two before my carb intake begins to creep up.
I’m not sure why I find it so hard to stick with low carb eating when I know just how much better I feel physically and mentally when I’m able to follow the plan. So this is me, recommitting to the plan and reminding myself why I’m doing this in the first place.
I feel better when I follow a low carb eating plan.
While there are lots of different opinions about what exactly is considered low carb, I personally tend to do best staying around 30 net carbs per day (carbs minus fiber and sugar alcohols = net carbs).
My breakfast is typically eggs and a side salad or chicken sausage with veggies. Lunch is often beef bologna and pickle rolls, almonds, and strawberries because it’s easy. If I’m feeling fancy or have prepped a big batch of chicken sausage and veggies in advance, I’ll have that.
Dinner is where I tend to put the most effort since I have to make something that I can eat alongside my family. Everyone in my house likes potatoes and rice (jasmine or pilaf), so that’s what I tend to supplement the low carb main dishes with.
Here are some low carb or keto dinner recipes that are in regular rotation:
- Buffalo Chicken (or Turkey) Meatballs
- Easy Keto Cashew Chicken and cauliflower rice (method via aipooja – see the highlight at the top of her profile titled “Crispy Cauli Rice Tutorial)
- Oven Baked Chicken Wings (I’ve taken to omitting the seasonings and tossing the wings with buffalo sauce or salt and vinegar seasoning* at the end)
- Cape Malay Chicken Curry with cauliflower rice
- Sheet Pan Fajitas with low-carb wraps (or simply on its own)
If you’re looking for more low carb recipes, I have a board on Pinterest dedicated to High Protein / Low Carb meals.
I also want to introduce a weekly post to share the recipes I’ve been making and which ones have been the biggest hits for us. (And by us, I mean my husband and I, since I have zero faith that my kids will actually enjoy anything I cook. Unless it’s a hot dog and unseasoned waffle fries.) So stay tuned for that in the coming weeks and months.
What about you? Have you ever tried on keto or low carb eating for size? What was your experience like — good and bad? Any favorite recipes that you’d like to share??