In the Eat to Live book and November 2004 Healthy Times Newsletter by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, he outlines a specific dietary protocol for people with autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. I suggest you read the whole book and newsletter, as they are more detailed, but I will outline his autoimmune protocol below.
The key to treating autoimmune illnesses is to obey the H = N/C formula. Only then can the immune system begin to normalize its its haywire circuitry. - Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Eat to Live
Dr. Joel Fuhrman's Dietary Protocol for Autoimmune Disease
High-nutrient, vegan diet (no dairy), rich in green vegetables
Blended salads/smoothies and blended soups (utilizing leafy greens) to increase absorption of phytochemicals
Fresh vegetable juice (carrots, beets, parsley, kale, and other greens)
High-dose fish oils or plant-derived EPA and DHA (fish oil is best for autoimmune sufferers)
Beneficial bowel flora (A very potent one he recommends is VSL #3)
Natural anti-inflammatory herbs such as turmeric, quercetin, ginger, and bioflavanoids
Multivitamin/mineral, plus additional vitamin D supplementation
Supervised water-only fasting, used periodically, if necessary
Dietary avoidance of salt, wheat, and oil
(source: Dr. Joel Fuhrman's Healthy Times newsletter, November 2004)
Helpful Tips
High-nutrient, vegan diet (no dairy), rich in green vegetables
You need to learn and understand the nutrient-density concept: Health = Nutrients/Calories. Check out the videos on my Eat to Live page and read the free article on Dr. Fuhrman's website that explains nutrient density and lists some of the nutrient density scores. Try to eat mostly foods that are above 100 (most fruits and vegetables).
Blended salads/smoothies and blended soups (utilizing leafy greens) to increase absorption of phytochemicals
Okay, 'blended salads' sounds really gross. I prefer to say 'smoothies'. Thing is, I add lots of greens to all of my smoothies (usually spinach) and as long as there are "sweets" in there too (including fruits and/or carrots, etc.), they are always delicious. My kids always ask me to make them smoothies. They love them.
Blended soups are a terrific way to make thick, "creamy" soups without the cream! I puree 1/2 - 3/4 of my soup, and then add the rest of the cooked vegetables for a nice contrast in textures.
If you are going to do this 100% and eat blended salads/smoothies and soups daily, I HIGHLY recommend investing in a Vitamix. It's so powerful and so fast. You can even cook soups made with whole vegetables in it, the blades spin so fast. It's amazing. I just love mine.
There are some free recipes on Dr. Joel Fuhrman's site, and also at FatFreeVegan. If you become a member at DrFuhrman.com, you will have access to a larger recipe database.
For seasonings for your soups (you can't use salt), Dr. Fuhrman has his own line of seasonings called VegiZest. I also really like Vogue VegeBase Soup Mix. I haven't seen it in stores, but you can order it through their website.
Fresh vegetable juice (carrots, beets, parsley, kale, and other greens)
I usually only juice for my soup bases. If you don't have a juicer (I really like my Breville. It's similar to the one shown at the right.), you can usually find vegetable juices (especially carrot juice) in your local produce department. Of course, fresh is always better, and remember to make sure it doesn't have any added salt or sugar in it.
High-dose fish oils or plant-derived EPA and DHA (fish oil seems to work best for autoimmune sufferers)
Dr. Joel Fuhrman has a lot to say about fish oil. In general, he suggests you get your Omega-3s from a non-fish source to avoid the contamination found in a lot of fish. Flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts are good sources, and Dr. Fuhrman has developed a vegan product called DHA Purity. However, in his book, Eat to Live, he explains that people with autoimmune disease and "the rare individual who does not convert omega-3 fats into DHA sufficiently," may benefit from fish oil. One fish oil product that he recommends is Metagenix EPA-DHA Liquid High Concentrate. You can order it through EarthTurns.com.
Dr. Fuhrman notes, "Not all patients with autoimmune disorders are fish oil responsive, and the anti-inflammatory effect should not be expected... without implementing all of the other components of the dietary and nutritional programs."
Look for dosages in the range of 1.2 to 4 grams of EPA + DHA
Fish oil thins the blood so talk to your physician before taking high-dose fish oil
Beneficial bowel flora
Remember, rheumatoid arthritis likely starts in the gut (leaky gut syndrome). Help your body out by taking a quality probiotic - they help block autoimmune reactivity with leaky gut. Get the product with the largest number of active flora you can find. You'll probably have to shop online. Drug-store products (at least my local stores) just aren't strong enough. Dr. Fuhrman sells one called, Favorite Flora, that has 15 billion active organisms per serving. Another one that he has recommended in his forums to autoimmune sufferers, (which is very expensive, but very potent) is called VSL #3. It contains 450 billion live lactic acid bacteria per serving! The best price I have found for it is on Amazon.
Natural anti-inflammatory herbs such as turmeric, quercetin, ginger, and bioflavanoids
If you have rheumatoid arthritis, this is so important, especially if you are off the RA drugs. You need to control the inflammation. I always buy organic if it's available. My favorite site to buy organic supplements is mountainroseherbs.com
Multivitamin/mineral, plus additional vitamin D supplementation
Supervised water-only fasting, used periodically, if necessary
Get the book, Fasting and Eating For Health and find a doctor who will support your fast and follow your progress. Both my primary care physician and naturopath have agreed they will support me if/when I do a fast.
Dietary avoidance of salt, wheat, and oil
Also avoid your food triggers, even if they are fruits and vegetables. I have oral allergy syndrome (also called "Pollen-Food Allergy") with symptoms associated with apples, pears and some other fruits. My mouth and throat just get really itchy when I eat them, nothing serious. But, Dr. Joel Fuhrman suggested that I not eat them. Other food sensitivities aren't so obvious. The best way to figure out what your triggers are is through food elimination test.
The term “probiotic” is of Greek origin and literally means “for life.”
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Lactobacilli probiotic strains primarily work in the small intestine to aid digestion and absorption. Bifidobacteria strains work in the large intestine to detoxify the colon and assist normal elimination. A variety of both Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria strains is optimal.
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Yogurt and Probiotics
Yogurt has become one of the most popular sources of probiotics. There are few things to consider when using yogurt (or kefir) as your probiotic source:
Some yogurts, especially flavored varieties, contain large quantities of sugar – for the lowest sugar option, choose plain yogurt and add your own fresh fruit.
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