Originally Posted by Matt Finley
<...snip...>Now, it’s arthritis making it harder to hold some instruments. But I’ve never lost the desire to play any of them.

I had bursitis in my hip, so severe I couldn't walk 2 blocks without sitting, couldn't drive more than a few minutes without a 'blue ice' pack behind my hip, and needed a stool on stage. I inherited that from my father, but he didn't mean to give it to me.

I also had arthritis in the little finger of my left hand from a basketball injury. (They shouldn't let musicians play sports.) Anyway, it was so bad, I skipped playing G#s and the lowest notes on the sax because it hurt too much.

Then a doctor gave me the arthritis/bursitis diet. The diet is restrictive, but I tried it and felt improvement in a month. Within a few months I could play all the G#s and low C#s, Bs and Bbs I wanted, don't need a stool, and can drive 8 hours or more with no pain.

I realized I wanted to be pain free more than I wanted to eat some of the foods I love. +20 years later, I am still on the diet and pain free.

If interested in trying it, here it is:

For both arthritis and bursitis, treatment is similar:

Try the dietary approach first, and if that doesn't work, take stronger action.

Foods that may contribute to chronic inflammation are foods with a high glycemic index (foods that convert to sugar quickly), such as fruit juices, sugars, simple starches, or rice cakes, foods heavy in polyunsaturated or saturated fats, and foods high in arachidonic acid. Some specific foods to avoid are:

* Fatty cuts of red meat (high in saturated fats), lean is good
* Organ meats: liver, kidney, and so forth (very high in arachidonic acid)
* Egg yolks (very high in arachidonic acid)
* Poultry - chicken, duck, turkey (very high in arachidonic acid)
* Pasta (high glycemic index)
* Juices (high glycemic index)
* Rice, especially rice cakes (high glycemic index)
* White bread (substitute whole grain breads such as rye)
* Nightshade Plants bother many people (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, peppers, paprika)

Glycemic index charts can be found on the Internet.

Better choices are foods with a low glycemic index and foods that are heavy in monounsaturated fats. Some specific good foods are:

* Salmon and other fish
* Oatmeal
* Low glycemic fresh fruits and vegetables
* Olives and olive oil
* Peanuts and other nuts
* Whey proteins
* Lean beef is good, 100% grass fed is better

I read somewhere that the problem with chicken and eggs is due to the feed the farmers give them. Chickens are supposed to eat seeds, insects, and grubs, not corn and soy.

I had a neighbor who was walking her dog using a cane for herself. I gave her the diet and in a month she was no longer using the cane. Several months later, she was using the cane again. I asked her if the diet quit working, and her answer was, "I just couldn't give up pasta or eggs."

So if you are thinking about it, it's a lifetime commitment. You have to decide if you like being pain-free more than eating certain foods. Me? I won't go back. I'd rather be pain free than eat certain inflammatory foods.

Now this is unofficial and a guess, but I think this anti-inflammatory diet might be the reason why at this age, I have no indications I'll ever need a knee or hip replacement, as they don't trouble me at all.

Disclaimer: Let me add that this is not medical advice from me to you. You might have a condition that the diet doesn't agree with, so checking with your doctor is never a bad idea.



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Last edited by Notes Norton; 01/11/25 06:16 AM.
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