Changes I need to make

I've learned a lot about rheumatoid arthritis in the last few months. And that I'm fat. Well, already knew that I was fat. I do own a mirror. But I learned that my "excess plumpness" has an impact on my RA. I knew that the bigger I am, the more stress that's on my joints. That part I already knew. But I didn't know that it fed inflammation in other ways.
Why don't I just show you?

What I've learned that I didn't already know:
(mostly from the book Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis - no affiliation)

1. RA is chronic and systemic
2. It's caused by both having a genetic predisposition AND an environmental trigger (virus, bacterial infection, chronic infection, or other unknown microbe trigger.)
3. It's diagnosed more by ruling out other disorders than having a specific test that's accurate.
4. There does seem to be a link between TB (including Latent TB) and RA.
5. Dry mouth (and sometimes eyes) is a common symptom of RA. It's called "sicca syndrome." It's caused by inflammation of the salivary glands or tear ducts.
6. RA can cause breathing problems.
7. RA can cause you to pee a lot (especially at night) due to inflammation.
8. The joints of your vocal chords can also suffer from inflammation.
9. Cytokines are the real culprit for inflammation. They're a protein released by the immune system. They're also stored in fat cells, especially abdominal fat cells.
10. Cytokines are released when you're stressed, which is why stress can cause a flair. They're also the root cause of fatigue (that's why you feel exhausted when you're sick.)
11. Pain after sitting or when just getting up is called "gelling." 
12. Joints that shift after long periods of inflammation are called "drift." 
13. If you're in pain more than 2hrs after exercising you've over done it.
14. Irreversible damage can happen in the first 2 years of having RA. That's why it's so aggressively treated.
15. There are 5 kinds of RA treatment: NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), DMARDs (Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs), Biologics (a subset form of DMARDs. Always injected or IV infusion), Kimase Inhibitors (taken by mouth, a type of DMARD), Corticosteroids.
16. Only DMARDs and Biologics have been proven to halt the progression of RA. Treatment with them will prevent damage to your joints.
17. It's common to gain weight when treatment is working. Inflammation speeds metabolism. As the inflammation subsides your metabolism slows. Most people think this is a side-effect from the medication. Instead it's a sign you're on the right track.
18. The more abdominal fat you have, the more inflammatory cytokines you produce (but it's also the first fat that's lost.)
19. Use coconut oil for high temperature cooking. Use olive and avocado oil for low temperature cooking.
20. Peanuts are a bean, not a nut.
21. Eat a high amount of Omega 3 fatty acids and a low amount of Omega 6.
22. A lot of RA sufferers also have a gluten intolerance (like me!)
23. Compression gloves are the best invention on the planet.
24. There's a way to modify almost anything to still be able to do it independently.
25. Walking poles are much easier on your hands & wrist than a cane or walking stick.
26. It's not hard to get a disability parking plaque in the state of California. Get your doctor to help you get one even if you don't think you'll use it. You'll be happy to have it on a flare day or when you're just out of spoons.
27. You need to protect your feet. Don't go barefoot.
28. Eating every 2 hours is best for your body.
29. If you struggle with morning "gelling" take a warm shower and do some gentle stretches when you first get up.
30. Don't try to push through something that's painful or exhausting. You'll just pay for it later. Instead stop, don't do it, or ask for help.

All of these things have had a huge impact on the way I live my life and my understanding of RA. It has been very helpful for me to learn the root causes of things so I can better arm myself to fight them and adjust to my changing needs.

My favorite breakfast.

Gluten free bread, avocado, lavender sea salt and red pepper flakes.

Peppers are good for fighting inflammation.

What you see here is just 360 calories.

The biggest change I'm trying to do right now is to change my diet, how much I eat and when I eat. I'm naturally a "feast and famine" eater. I love to go till 12 or so without eating anything, then have lunch. Then not eat again till 6 or 7. Two meals a day is perfect for me. But it's not perfect for inflammation.

Here's some foods I'm trying to eat more of:

I haven't tried the honey drink yet. 

With the exception of the honey, all of these foods are helpful for reducing inflammation, high in fiber (to make you feel full) and nutritious.

Here's a sample list of what I'm trying to eat through the day. Not all of these things, but options for each meal.

Eating every 2 hours is hard for me.

And water of course. Water, water, water, water. The tap water where we live is horrid and full of farm run-off chemicals. So we buy giant jugs of reverse osmosis filtered water. It's pretty cheap and tastes great. We even give it to our dogs.

I hope to lose about 70-80lbs. I know that's a big number and it will take me a really long time. I'm ok with that. I also know that working out every day really isn't in the cards at the moment, so I'm trying to just do what I can and watch my food. If I'm not actively gaining weight, I'm happy.