end of stiffness?

[Ann]

I just realized something huge!  I have been a person who gets stiff when sitting too long, ever since I was in high school.  But as I aged, the "too long" became shorter and shorter....so that even sitting in one place for 15 minutes would cause me to stand up from the chair like a 90 year old.  Was beginning to be distressing.

But it just dawned on me that that is no longer true!!!!  That is amazing.  I don't get it, but I'm loving it!

Anyone else notice something similar?  I'm wondering if it has something to do with some kind of reduction in inflammation??????

[CarolS]

Hmm, now that you mention it.  I do yoga so it seems like I am always sore.  Not the most flexible person in the world.  But now that you mention it, I was weeding for 15 minutes yesterdy and didn't make that groany noise when I straightened back up.  Maybe your on to something 

[spacehoppa]

Hi Ann,

I've got rheumatoid arthritis and take a pretty hefty drug for it (Humira) so it's hard for me to tell what's the drug and what's the oil. That said, I was able to cut out my steroids altogether and reduce my anti-inflammatory intake by half a few weeks into this diet  . Also, my damaged joints feel less clicky and grindy. I am, quite simply, better oiled!

I think it's making a tremendous difference to me, although whether it's an anti-inflammatory effect, or just coating the ends of the joints somehow is hard to say. In any case, it's not a cure for RA by any stretch of the imagination, but it is very welcome  !

[patsi]

I have osteoarthritis and have been creaking around since I was 29 now at 64 I am not creaking anymore. What a benefit not have the pain everytime I start to move.
patsi

[Ann]

oh - forgot about creaking!  My right knee had been making a popping sound for the last 2 months - all the time- practically everytime I moved at all.  Didn't hurt, but was driving me crazy, and my mother said that hers had been doing that for years and years, so I figured I would just have to get used to it.

But that is also GONE!  Haven't heard a pop in a long time! 

What is THAT all about, Seth?

[Seth Roberts]

I think lots of Americans don't get enough of certain components of fat.

[Isara]

I think you're right, Seth. It seems as if we've all become so afraid of fat that that is the component that gets all the blame for society's ills. What if it's the other way around...?

I remember being *so* free when I was on Atkins (except that I love being able to enjoy a variety of foods, which made Atkins too hard after a year and a half). My hypoglycemic mood swings went away, I was probably 150% more active (like I was on crack or something), and was able to survive just fine on 5 hours of sleep a night.

Hooray for fat! Now get offa my body

[frenata]

I have a feeling that's especially true of animal fats, and saturated fats in general, which have been vilified as unsafe and unnecessary. I wonder.

Didn't I read somewhere recently that the fat on a steak is chock full of CLA, the stuff that not only helps regulate appetite but increases loss of abdominal fat? Many people ate the fat off their steaks (sounds urpy to me), and beef in general was once prized for being well-marbled with fat. The leaner beef of today is, incidentally, nowhere near as tasty and tender, too.

[patsi]

When I was a child my Father was a meatcutter we had the most wonderful marbled meat, to have pasta was such a treat. We ate only butter and real cream in those days (the olden day's) our milk was delivered in bottle's and in each bottle there was at least 3 inches of heavy cream at the top.
There were very few heavy people where I grew up it wasn't until the processed foods hit the shelves did they start to multiply.
patsi

[frenata]

There were very few heavy people where I grew up it wasn't until the processed foods hit the shelves did they start to multiply.

I was born in 1960. In school, there was always one fat kid per class (and we were all horrible to him/her). I only knew one fat adult. She was my best friend's mom, and she made pocket money baking and decorating cakes. With Crisco frosting.

Go look at the newsreels. Or the sitcoms. Right up until the late '70s, Americans were whipcord thin people.

Some days, I think I'm the only person who remembers this. Then I take my medication and I feel better.

[scrappier]

I really think everyone is hitting on something here.....

I think people did eat more fat  (back then)and were therefore more satiated so in turn they ate less often and were maybe thinner overall as a population.  After spending the weekend in Chicago I do think we are "overly carbed" to death...I mean I had enough Krisy Kremes, pizza and Aunt Annies pretzels to last me into the next millenium...

Also has anyone else notice that when you eat the "lower fat" whatever item I think you eat more to taste for flavor thus inducing more calories cause it 'cause it has so little fat i.e. flavor....I've read stuff like this on "the path" website which purports the eating of higher fat stuff cause you really end up eating less.  French eating.. Look at the Tour de France too....exercise more than ingesting of calories automatically equals in loss weight.  These athletes can ingest 9000 (Yes, thousands of calories) and still lose 10-15 pounds by the end of the Tour cause their cycling 6 hours a day, burning the calories up....simple math...I think the oil saitients the body cause to me people didn't start getting fat till we started with all this reduced calorie crap..Stoneyfield has higher (full fat) yoghurt in the brownish containers..tastes rich therefore more fulfilling sooner...I almost think we not even used to it..now to us it can taste too rich..

[scrappier]

ORIGINALLY got into this thread as I've been having stiffness in the last week and I've not been so good with my Lipitor (I have a 165 for cholesterall but take it cause it keeps plaque flexible and other bene's) and have been having real stiffness lately and after sitting a bit (like thru a dinner) and wondering if oil will help with that.  When in hosp for stroke they told me they could tell with marker in blood I'm prone to arthritis..which I now see with 77 year old mom....got caught up with the fat thing...

[Ann]

hmmm....not so sure about the idea that we need more fat in our diet.

i was on atkin's for a 18 months.  LOTS OF FAT, trust me.  Had hundreds of hamburger patties w/cheese....thousands of deep fried chicken wings...steaks marbled with lots of fat....and no relief from stiffness at all.

Of course, that was all animal fat and the ELOL isn't.

Anyway, I sure do love how I'm no longer the Tin Man (Woman!)

[Seth Roberts]

Ann, that's good to know about the effects of adding a different kind of fat. I think it supports my idea that it is fish-type fat that is making the difference, as I discuss in my latest blog post ("Brain Food"). Although ELOO is low in omega-3 compared to other oils, it has more omega-3 than beef and chicken fat.

[spacehoppa]

Just to add quickly that it might be my imagination, but I'm feeling more robust the past few days. This is hard to quantify but is very significant to me. I'm feeling less fragile and have more balance.

Come to think of it, Seth, you put this in your blog didn't you. I am now stomping round the house (like a normal person), instead of creeping carefully down the stairs and I'm putting my feet down surefootedly. (Just to remind people, I've got long-standing rheumatoid arthritis and lots of joint damage in most joints.)

I wonder whether my ability to stand on one leg has improved too? I might try it when putting my pants on tomorrow morning and see if I can tell a difference. I usually sit down to do this as my balance is awful.

I think they use balance as a measure of agedness don't they? I've read it somewhere I'm sure. I always thought, well, by that measure I'm about 85  . Mind you, by a lot of measures I feel pretty decrepit .

I also did a lot more things with my baby son today and carried him round more than usual and I feel fine, not too tired at all, so my energy is up as well. I do tend to have good days and tired days though, so I can't tell much from one good day.

I *think* my arthritis may have improved as well. I'm going to try coming off my anti-inflammatory at the weekend and see how I do. I tried to come off it a week ago today and failed miserably... I had to take it by mid-morning I was in so much pain, so if I can manage without it, I'll know there's been a change for the better. I'll make sure to post to this thread to tell you how I do.