Can low carb improve rheumatic disease?

Can a low-carb diet improve rheumatic disease? That’s why Lena tried it, after having heard several success stories. Here’s what happened:

The email

Low carb high fat is often associated with weight loss, but we’re quite a few who’ve done this diet change for our health. Here’s my health story.

In 2004, I began to suffer from severe pain in my joints and after several visits to the doctor’s office and examinations I was told that I have the rheumatic disease psoriatic arthritis. I was in very bad shape by then, with swollen joints and my body was constantly aching. I was on 50% sick leave.

In the years that followed, I tried various medications, both pills and injections, but nothing helped with the pain and swelling. The medicines only gave me a bunch of side effects. I decided to look for an alternative treatment that would ease the daily aching.

In 2008 I found an article, in which Dr. Annika Dahlqvist told her story about how she her fibromyalgia had improved by eating fewer carbohydrates and instead adding more fat. After having done some research on the diet I decided to try it.

After just three weeks on a strict low-carb diet I felt some improvement in my joints and I got better with each passing day. After six months the ache and swelling were completely gone. I’ve been free from symptoms of my rheumatic disease ever since, and I am working full time again since several years. If I eat starch, gluten or sugar, the ache and swelling will come back instantly, this naturally motivates me to eating strictly. Besides, the food is delicious so it’s not a big sacrifice to keep to it; I’ve never eaten this varied or as much vegetables as I do now. I’ve also trained to be a nutrition advisor.

I hope to inspire and motivate others with pain issues and rheumatic disease with my story, and thereby give them a chance to improve their health and reduce their pain.

Sincerely,
Lena Winther

Comment

Congratulations on your improved health, Lena!

It’s quite common for people with inflammatory diseases to improve on a low-carb diet. But there are – to my knowledge – no good studies done on it. So it’s very hard to know how many people will notice a similar improvement.

Fortunately it’s quite safe to try it.

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