Natural Healing

The doctor said it - out loud, “Osteoarthritis.” I know I’m much too young to have arthritis, but apparently, even though he had my chart right there in his hand, he didn’t pick up on that fact. Okay, so the knees hurt, especially when I need them to help me get out of a chair. But, arthritis? I’m just too young!

That was week one. At year one I had to face facts and I went to my trusted friend, the internet. There I discovered that a person suffering from osteoarthritis will find much relief with a drastic change of diet. So, weighing giving up my favorite foods and lifetime eating habits against the restless nights and pill-popping, I decided to try healing by controlling what goes into my mouth. More accurately, by what is not allowed to go into my mouth.

The “can’t have” list for those with osteoarthritis includes potatoes, white flour, milk with any fat content that would distinguish it from water, beef, pork, sugar, butter, excess salt, vegetable fats, coffee, alcohol, and tobacco.

I don’t use alcohol or tobacco, but I definitely had to think long and hard about the coffee. My habit won. (Well, as long as I’m confessing, maybe also the beef.) How could my knees possibly know if I had only a couple of cups of coffee a day and a little beef once in a while?

The “can have” list reads much like a vegetarian’s dream: raw vegetables, cooked greens and carrots, sweet potatoes, avocados, sprouts, brown rice, whole wheat products, oats, barley, sea weed, soy products, and, occasionally, chicken, salmon, herring, or tuna. The drink of choice on this diet is green tea.

Bravely, I plunged in, and for the first meal I had an egg white omelet with spinach, avocado, artichoke hearts, and feta cheese. (I think the cheese was legal since the healing website said nothing about avoiding sheep’s or goat’s milk.) Since then I have had many interesting dishes and combinations.

Apparently the diet to relieve osteoarthritis works because my knees have much less pain when I call on them for support. But in the future what may be hurting is my wallet. At the very least I’m going to have to shop for new jeans. This arthritis diet plan needs to have a warning that reads, “Caution, this osteoarthritis diet may cause weight loss.” Though I’m sure that extra ten pounds had nothing at all to do with my knees hurting, I’m glad I am no longer having a reaction to those “can’t have” foods.

Now, where can I find jeans made in the USA?