Here is a video of a talk I gave recently to the Oxford Vegan Festival to help others understand the dramatic effect food can have on rheumatoid arthritis. Some people who are cynical argue either I am a special case or some other excuse. I am in no way special. Also, apart from the fact I have so far had no surgery, my arthritis was as bad as it gets. Had I accepted doctor's advice I would be in a mobility scooter today and probably be having changes made to my home to make it arthritis-friendly.
Other people argue that diets only work for some people, or that they have tried and failed - even tried the Paddison program and failed. Well changing diet is not easy, that is a fact. There are cultural reasons, family reasons, even your body is conditioned to sticking with the foods you have eaten regularly.
From people I have talked to, those who seem to fail on the Paddison program seem to have a particular medical history or a particular dietary history. Beyond that doing the paddison program takes motivation, serious motivation.
The big question in my mind is, how much does someone want - and truly need - to get rid of their RA. Some people are relatively happy on their medication, and that's fine by me. For others who are very unhappy with medication, or have tried and failed on other diets then this fifteen minute video may be of interest.
Add the RIGHT foods to your diet to REDUCE arthritic pain and inflammation.
Include the WRONG foods to your diet and INCREASE arthritic pain and inflammation.
My choice? A life-journey based on a low-oil whole-food plant based diet.
Whatever your current state of health, make yourself healthier - you deserve it. Start your plant based diet journey today.
Friday 31 March 2017
Monday 27 March 2017
Phew, my first real drop-in session on Diet & Arthritis
I have just returned from my Diet&RA meetup at the Eynsham Emporium. I shared my story with about six people in total. Not a lot of people perhaps, but quantity was not what I wanted.
At the outset I did not want people turning up who wanted to simply complain about their arthritis. Yes, we all need to express our pain and get some of it off our chest, so to speak. After all at its core Rheumatoid Arthritis is about as awful an illness as there can be. Talking out our own issues is very important, and I would not be able to understand people's issues if I did not listen to their stories. However what I really needed was people who already had in their minds that somehow dietary changes might help them. Further I wanted to inspire people through my experiences to try to do something more themselves.
If I may step back and take a second I'd like to share my inspiration for starting these sessions. For some time, I posted about diet and arthritis on the HealthUnlocked NRAS forums. Sadly amongst other vehement and many negative interpretations of what I wrote I was accused of actually selling the Paddison Program. Yes, I personally have gained so much from the Paddison Program and it has inspired me to help others find it. That's why I set up these meetups. But if people come to my meetings and never ever hear the word paddison, that's fine by me also.
At these meetups the message I want to get out is to help people understand the benefits of making good choices in what they eat and drink. Since the second world war particularly this world is full of processed foods, and that includes oils! Since the same war chronic diseases have escalated in all modern economies. I argue that if people review and make good changes to their diet then they will get improved health outcomes.
Further, for some people just dropping one food and adding another may not be sufficient. For these a great elimination process is needed. Sadly some people say things like, "I have tried an eliminate diet and it didn't work." The fact is there are poor elimination processes and there are good ones. A successful elimination process needs persistence, determination, a lot of support and most of all a very very good plan.
The Paddison Program I feel has an excellent elimination process. And that's why I recommend it to anyone it is appropriate for. Because of its elimination process they have a good chance at getting all the outcomes I have gained.
Thank you to the people who came and told me your stories and asked your questions. (And Pete, thank's for the Green Tea, I'll buy you one too some day!)
And to everyone else I'll be back at the Eynsham Emporium fourth Monday each month 11am-1pm.
At the outset I did not want people turning up who wanted to simply complain about their arthritis. Yes, we all need to express our pain and get some of it off our chest, so to speak. After all at its core Rheumatoid Arthritis is about as awful an illness as there can be. Talking out our own issues is very important, and I would not be able to understand people's issues if I did not listen to their stories. However what I really needed was people who already had in their minds that somehow dietary changes might help them. Further I wanted to inspire people through my experiences to try to do something more themselves.
If I may step back and take a second I'd like to share my inspiration for starting these sessions. For some time, I posted about diet and arthritis on the HealthUnlocked NRAS forums. Sadly amongst other vehement and many negative interpretations of what I wrote I was accused of actually selling the Paddison Program. Yes, I personally have gained so much from the Paddison Program and it has inspired me to help others find it. That's why I set up these meetups. But if people come to my meetings and never ever hear the word paddison, that's fine by me also.
At these meetups the message I want to get out is to help people understand the benefits of making good choices in what they eat and drink. Since the second world war particularly this world is full of processed foods, and that includes oils! Since the same war chronic diseases have escalated in all modern economies. I argue that if people review and make good changes to their diet then they will get improved health outcomes.
Further, for some people just dropping one food and adding another may not be sufficient. For these a great elimination process is needed. Sadly some people say things like, "I have tried an eliminate diet and it didn't work." The fact is there are poor elimination processes and there are good ones. A successful elimination process needs persistence, determination, a lot of support and most of all a very very good plan.
The Paddison Program I feel has an excellent elimination process. And that's why I recommend it to anyone it is appropriate for. Because of its elimination process they have a good chance at getting all the outcomes I have gained.
Thank you to the people who came and told me your stories and asked your questions. (And Pete, thank's for the Green Tea, I'll buy you one too some day!)
And to everyone else I'll be back at the Eynsham Emporium fourth Monday each month 11am-1pm.
Friday 24 March 2017
I'm at the Oxford Vegan Festival
Tomorrow I shall be talking about my arthritis and my dietary and exercise changes at the Oxford Vegan Festival, in the Kassam Stadium probably around 4pm.
Wednesday 22 March 2017
Just watched BBC's Carnage
I have watched quite a number of documentaries on the subject of vegan-related lifestyle options in recent months, The latest, Carnage has just gone live on BBC iplayer, by Simon Anstell. It has chosen the name carnage as an opposite concept to veganism, that of a minority lifestyle of people eating meat etc in a world full of people living a vegan lifestyle.
With all these documentaries I find myself in a difficult position. My previous lifestyle as a vegetarian for forty years, in the end did not sustain my health. In fact rather the opposite is true, in the end the dairy I consumed has without doubt been a significant contributor to the onset of my Rheumatoid Arthritis.
And here I am now living healthily without any dairy whatsoever. My RA has all but gone, my bones are stronger and healthier than at any time in my life. I have more energy and focus. What more could I want from health?
Well such a film as Carnage presents me with a further challenge. Yes it puts into clear focus the change inside me. I have conquered several devils inside me over recent months, including my love of cheese. Yes, I love the smell of cheese and I do not crave it anymore, however gooey and smelly it may be.
In chasing down my own personal good health I have come across countless documentaries arguing veganism as a global health solution. These I can accept inside myself on humanitarian grounds. My eyes have been opened to inhumanities of which I was previously unaware.
But.
But I cannot and do not lecture anyone else. For each of us this is a very personal journey. The media hype around "you need your protein", subtext "eat more meat" and "you need calcium for good bone health", subtext "drink more cows milk" are very powerful and deep going back to after WW2. To defeat these subliminal messages means that each one of us has to accept these, what I consider, falsehoods in our own way in our own time.
There are many other sales and marketing messages that, had I paid attention to them my recovery would have been halted and I would have failed. "Olive oil is necessary for whatever", pushes olive oil into a premium price cooking oil. It took me a long time to break that one, but I have done it.
Carnage is another movie that helps people come closer to my reality by hypothesizing a vegan society in 2067, looking back at present day global and personal issues of eating meat and dairy. I hope my friends and family in particular take the time to watch it, but to those who do be prepared - in some parts it is very tough viewing.
Whatever I don't have the right to judge anyone. After all I am far from a perfect person. I have actually been very lucky to hit that almighty road-block of Rheumatoid Arthritis since it made me face up to my own health challenges and with a huge amount of effort I came out on top.
I wouldn't want anyone, even my worst enemy, to suffer RA or any other auto-immune disease. But if you do then please consider the messages of films like carnage as part of your motivation for adopting a vegan and oil-free lifestyle.
With all these documentaries I find myself in a difficult position. My previous lifestyle as a vegetarian for forty years, in the end did not sustain my health. In fact rather the opposite is true, in the end the dairy I consumed has without doubt been a significant contributor to the onset of my Rheumatoid Arthritis.
And here I am now living healthily without any dairy whatsoever. My RA has all but gone, my bones are stronger and healthier than at any time in my life. I have more energy and focus. What more could I want from health?
Well such a film as Carnage presents me with a further challenge. Yes it puts into clear focus the change inside me. I have conquered several devils inside me over recent months, including my love of cheese. Yes, I love the smell of cheese and I do not crave it anymore, however gooey and smelly it may be.
In chasing down my own personal good health I have come across countless documentaries arguing veganism as a global health solution. These I can accept inside myself on humanitarian grounds. My eyes have been opened to inhumanities of which I was previously unaware.
But.
But I cannot and do not lecture anyone else. For each of us this is a very personal journey. The media hype around "you need your protein", subtext "eat more meat" and "you need calcium for good bone health", subtext "drink more cows milk" are very powerful and deep going back to after WW2. To defeat these subliminal messages means that each one of us has to accept these, what I consider, falsehoods in our own way in our own time.
There are many other sales and marketing messages that, had I paid attention to them my recovery would have been halted and I would have failed. "Olive oil is necessary for whatever", pushes olive oil into a premium price cooking oil. It took me a long time to break that one, but I have done it.
Carnage is another movie that helps people come closer to my reality by hypothesizing a vegan society in 2067, looking back at present day global and personal issues of eating meat and dairy. I hope my friends and family in particular take the time to watch it, but to those who do be prepared - in some parts it is very tough viewing.
Whatever I don't have the right to judge anyone. After all I am far from a perfect person. I have actually been very lucky to hit that almighty road-block of Rheumatoid Arthritis since it made me face up to my own health challenges and with a huge amount of effort I came out on top.
I wouldn't want anyone, even my worst enemy, to suffer RA or any other auto-immune disease. But if you do then please consider the messages of films like carnage as part of your motivation for adopting a vegan and oil-free lifestyle.
Tuesday 21 March 2017
Feeling Sorry...
I am very proud of my recovery from Rheumatoid Arthritis. So very easily I could have simply taken the tablets, after all that was both my doctor and my rheumatologists recommendations. Taking the tablets is what most people do, so who am I to think I know any different? After all I have no medical training, no nutrition training. In fact I hardly even studied biology at school.
So who am I to dare that I can beat possibly the most debilitating disease on this planet. I know it was debilitating because, like so many other people I suffered RA at its most vengeful. At a recent meeting for people with RA, entitled "everything you always wanted to know about arthritis..." the word diet seemed like a dirty word. Certainly the hosts of the meeting did not wish that word uttered. In fact the first talk was a sideways attack on diet, arguing that anyone with any sense should treat dietary reports with total distrust. I am exaggerating the point, but the audience was left in no doubt about the implications of daring to think that diet might help someone with RA.
The second talk was a showcase of what modern medicine was doing for RA. "Aren't we lucky to be on the cusp of personal medication", was its main message. Of course there was no mention of the fact that they had no actual solution to RA, just a promise of getting better at suppressing the symptoms.
So who am I to dare that I can beat possibly the most debilitating disease on this planet. I know it was debilitating because, like so many other people I suffered RA at its most vengeful. At a recent meeting for people with RA, entitled "everything you always wanted to know about arthritis..." the word diet seemed like a dirty word. Certainly the hosts of the meeting did not wish that word uttered. In fact the first talk was a sideways attack on diet, arguing that anyone with any sense should treat dietary reports with total distrust. I am exaggerating the point, but the audience was left in no doubt about the implications of daring to think that diet might help someone with RA.
The second talk was a showcase of what modern medicine was doing for RA. "Aren't we lucky to be on the cusp of personal medication", was its main message. Of course there was no mention of the fact that they had no actual solution to RA, just a promise of getting better at suppressing the symptoms.
Saturday 18 March 2017
Monthly Meetups in Eynsham
For anyone local to Oxford who is interested in talking about diet and arthritis there will be monthly meetups at the Eynsham Emporium, 4th Monday in the month at 11am. So the next is the 27th March.
Thursday 9 March 2017
The diet and arthritis controversy
Because of my own experiences in resolving my rheumatoid arthritis I am very keen that others hear about my story and my theories of what works and what doesn't. That means not only talking about my diet of choice but also the wider issues around diet. Such a discussion can quickly become very controversial for various reasons, not least of which is there are many diets to choose from. To further make life difficult some of these diets come from seemingly polarised positions. However the biggest challenge comes from those who argue that diet has no effect.
Leading the cause arguing diet has no effect tend to be the charities, the doctors and the rheumatologists. These are backed by pharmaceutical companies, copious gold standard research sponsored by the same. And most of all government guidelines.
So how come such big players seem committed to denying what I consider a well researched and proven subject? The starting point has to be that the leaky gut theory is the new kid on the block. Big players always have considerable momentum on their side. They can, by definition be highly influential in creating national and even international guidelines. Such people tend to sit on the right committees and it almost becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy that they accept the status quo.
Also it is relatively easy to create a high-quality test when considering drugs and medication. Placebo tablets that look identical to active medication is very cheap to design and run. On the other hand creating a placebo that looks like a grass-fed cow of a standard size and weight, or a lettuce of a particular colour very quickly becomes a joke. So instead creating meaningful results for dietary solutions can take years of collecting data on large populations. Even then problems persist, for instance, one might challenge exactly how well diets were followed.
The good news is that those advocating diet are gaining strength and credibility. The program I favour, the Paddison Program now argues that 19 our of 20 people who are committed to its program can gain considerable relief in just a few days, and that the remaining 1 in 20 often take longer because of long term damage done by certain drugs or combinations thereof. If this claim is proved true then it cannot be too long before good verifiable statistics should be available. I, for one, look forward to that day with great relish.
Leading the cause arguing diet has no effect tend to be the charities, the doctors and the rheumatologists. These are backed by pharmaceutical companies, copious gold standard research sponsored by the same. And most of all government guidelines.
So how come such big players seem committed to denying what I consider a well researched and proven subject? The starting point has to be that the leaky gut theory is the new kid on the block. Big players always have considerable momentum on their side. They can, by definition be highly influential in creating national and even international guidelines. Such people tend to sit on the right committees and it almost becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy that they accept the status quo.
Also it is relatively easy to create a high-quality test when considering drugs and medication. Placebo tablets that look identical to active medication is very cheap to design and run. On the other hand creating a placebo that looks like a grass-fed cow of a standard size and weight, or a lettuce of a particular colour very quickly becomes a joke. So instead creating meaningful results for dietary solutions can take years of collecting data on large populations. Even then problems persist, for instance, one might challenge exactly how well diets were followed.
The good news is that those advocating diet are gaining strength and credibility. The program I favour, the Paddison Program now argues that 19 our of 20 people who are committed to its program can gain considerable relief in just a few days, and that the remaining 1 in 20 often take longer because of long term damage done by certain drugs or combinations thereof. If this claim is proved true then it cannot be too long before good verifiable statistics should be available. I, for one, look forward to that day with great relish.
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