How I Beat Polymyalgia Rheumatica By Changing My Diet

A couple of years ago my life was falling apart. My body was wracked with pain, my joints ached so badly and I kept getting terrible bouts of fatigue. I don’t want to sound too dramatic but I did feel like my race had probably been run and I was nearing the end.

After a raft of blood tests and medical check ups I was diagnosed with polymyalgia rheumatica. I had never heard of it, but my GP said the best way to counter it would be to go on steroids called prednisone. She said it was likely that I would be on them for a year or two but that they would take most of the pain away. However there was the possibility of quite a number of side effects.

I was frankly scared to death about taking steroids. I was worried about the consequences and also the fact that these would only be masking the problem, they wouldn’t be solving the core issues of why I was suffering from polymyalgia rheumatica.

So instead of taking my GP’s advice I started to learn about my medical issues, find out the possible reasons for them and work out what I could do to counter the problems I was suffering from.

I scoured the internet for hours and hours and eventually came across enough feedback and information on the illness to see that quite a number of people had eliminated their symptoms by following a keto or carnivore diet. I decided to throw myself right into it and give it a go, I really had to start seeing some progress very soon as my health was deteriorating at a rapid pace.

The science behind following a keto diet to counter polymyalgia is this. The illness can often be brought on by inflammation in the body. Inflammation can build up over time due to a high carb and/or high sugar diet. When you eat carbs or sugary foods your blood sugar spikes, so you have an insulin response which drives the glucose into your cells to store as fat. However over time your insulin response can become poor, leading to glucose blocking up your system, leading to hyperinsulinemia and inflammation. This can cause joint pain, diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, fatigue and so much more.

So I adopted the keto lifestyle to counter the inflammation in my system and to help me reduce my polymyalgia rheumatica symptoms. I didn’t find relief overnight by any means. But slowly and surely week after week I started to feel some relief, my joints started aching less, I had less brain fog and more energy. My blood sugar levels stabilised, I felt calmer and my skin was also improving.

I was eating a low carb diet but not only that I slowly cut out all the processed foods I had previously been eating and just started eating whole foods. This was a big sea change for me but i had a clear goal which kept me focused.

Since then every time I have had my blood tests my health indicators have improved. My inflammation levels have come right down to normal and I feel so much better it’s hard to believe! Who would have thought a change of diet could have such a radical effect on your health.

Many people I know go a step further and follow a carnivore style diet, which is a little more extreme but a lot see great results from following a meat based diet. I am happy following a keto diet with lots of meat, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds along with a few fruits and vegetables. I have also made some other changes, such as getting more sunlight, having more salt on my food, ensuring I keep hydrated and keeping my stress levels to a minimum. If you have polymyalgia rheumatica I would not advise you to not take steroids if your GP recommends them, but do make an informed decision and read as much as you can about how to counter this horrible disease.