Sonia Jones ND from The Haven Spa and Health Clinic

Even if you don’t believe that certain foods can cause arthritis (even indirectly) or that certain foods can help to treat your arthritis – it would be difficult to argue a healthier diet would not improve you general quality of life. As I work with people all the time who are suffer with chronic conditions like arthritis I see all the improvements people gain from changing their diets.

Some people think I am crazy when I say you might suffer withdrawal symptoms to certain foods, because you could be addicted to some foods.  Most people think of addictions – like drugs, tobacco, or alcohol. It is not easy to give up something you are addicted to, not just because you are attached to the stuff but also because of withdrawal symptoms you will have to cope with. If you have delayed allergies to a particular foods, it will be difficult to resist them without feeling some degree of discomfort. It is shorted lived. For instance the symptoms of withdrawal to caffeine and and sugar will be approximately 48 hours. These symptoms can vary from quite severe like a migraine to something mild like a fuzzy head.

Common temporary symptoms – headaches, irritability, more stiffness and joint pain (shorted lived then there is a marked improvement), fatigue, anxiety, digestive upsets of one description or another, nausea, low blood sugar levels and strong food cravings. Most people are absolutely fine by day 3, some by day 4, rarely do symptoms go 7 days.

Vitamin C supplement helps you to cope with the worst of the symptoms. Vitamin C helps by stimulating the production of the anti-inflammatory prostaglandins (1 and 3). Vitamin C is detoxing helping the body rid itself of certain irritants, helping cleanse the bowels and balance the bowel flora. Vitamin C is a natural anti-histamine which also help to pacify withdrawal symptoms.

Take 1000mg vitamin C capsules – one x three times a day.

Step up your consumption of vitamin C rich foods too.