We discuss in this podcast:

• Palindromic rheumatoid arthritis and its peculiarities
• The immediate effect of the two-day cleansing
• RA and social interactions
• How to reintroduce foods in our diet
• The Linden Method for anxiety
• How Gagan went into remission after one year on the Paddison Program
• Paddison Program and medications
• Mindfulness meditation and yoga
• How to distribute meals throughout the day

On this week’s podcast, we were joined by Gagan from the UK to find out more about her successful story of RA recovery. Gagan is a member of our Rheumatoid Support community. She was diagnosed with palindromic rheumatoid arthritis, a Sero-positive case with positive rheumatoid factor and anti-CCP markers. During the podcast, she revealed how she not only eliminated the symptoms of her condition but also reversed the anti-CCP markers in her blood work. 

Gagan’s Health Journey

Gagan began experiencing mild symptoms after the birth of her second child in August 2014. Initially, she didn’t associate them with any chronic condition. She experienced lower back, knee, heel, and hip pain, but it wasn’t debilitating. However, these symptoms persisted for a couple of years. Then, in October 2017, Gagan contracted a viral stomach bug that left her extremely unwell. Despite her best efforts, she couldn’t fully recover from it.

By Christmas that year, she could not walk more than 100 meters, climb stairs, or perform simple tasks. She experienced extreme fatigue and pain all over her body. Gagan became severely depressed and anxious, and her neck was in constant pain. Her condition made her a danger to others, and she could no longer drive or do the school run for her two small children. She slept 12 to 14 hours daily and could barely move around the house.

Gagan’s Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis

Gagan visited her GP during Christmas after experiencing debilitating symptoms. After some basic blood tests, her GP informed her that her inflammatory markers were elevated, and she had low vitamin D levels. The GP recommended Gagan see a rheumatologist. However, Gagan had to wait for an NHS appointment until March of the following year. During her visit to the rheumatologist, Gagan’s blood tests showed positive rheumatoid factor, positive anti-CCP, and elevated CRP levels, leading to a diagnosis of palindromic rheumatoid arthritis.

The rheumatologist recommended aggressive early action in the form of a steroid injection, prescribed hydroxychloroquine, and asked Gagan to return in a few months. During this appointment, Gagan’s husband asked if diet played any role in managing the condition. Still, the rheumatologist confidently replied that it would not make significant changes and that medication was the only effective treatment. With limited personal experience with rheumatoid arthritis, Gagan and her husband’s knowledge of the condition was scarce.

Gagan’s husband, who had a chemistry background, started scouring the internet for solutions. Finally, he came across Clint’s TED talk, which offered some hope. It was a turning point for Gagan, who was struggling with depression and brain fog. They learned that diet could play a crucial role in managing the condition and decided to take action based on the information they had found. 

Starting the Paddison Program

During the Easter weekend, Gagan and her husband decided to start the Paddison Program, part of Rheumatoid Solutions. They sent their children to their grandparents’ place for practical reasons and started the detox. Within days of starting the program, Gagan noticed that her body was shrinking, and her knees and hip swelling were reduced. Her fatigue and pain also decreased, and she felt like it was magic. Gagan also gained newfound predictability in her daily life as she could now anticipate her symptoms, which was impossible earlier with RA. Despite the simplicity of her foods, Gagan found the program highly effective, transforming her life.

Gagan was prescribed hydroxychloroquine immediately after her diagnosis. Two weeks later, she began the Paddison Program, part of Rheumatoid Solutions, which had a three-week overlap with the medication. However, due to the significant improvement, she experienced with the program, Gagan decided to drop the medication and give the program a chance to work independently. She wanted to be sure that any improvement was due to the program alone and not a combination of medication and the program.

RA Recovery: Adding Food Variety

After staying on the baseline part of the program for two weeks, Gagan and her husband decided to add some variety to their diet and ordered amaranth, one of the basic pseudo-grains. However, Gagan strongly reacted to the amaranth and experienced intense pain in the center of her right hand. This indicated that the program was working, and Gagan realized that the system was sensitive to introducing new foods. She decided not to try amaranth again and slowly added sweet potatoes to her diet, which was a great addition. She continued to stick with the grain mix and greens.

After a few weeks, Gagan found it difficult to continue eating the same foods for an extended period. Her weight had dropped, and she struggled to consume enough greens. Fortunately, her husband found a Rheumatoid Solutions podcast detailing green smoothies, which was a life-changing discovery. Gagan began making and consuming one liter of green smoothie daily for about nine months. While consuming the same drink for a long time was challenging, she slowly introduced new foods to see how she would fare. Despite the challenge, the green smoothie became a staple in her diet, bringing about significant changes.

Lucky for Gagan, at this time, the season had changed to summer in England, making it much easier to drink green smoothies compared to the winter when it could get quite cold. As a result, the green smoothie became a staple for her, enabling her to start going out and about again, even if it meant taking her lunch with her. This marked the beginning of her reintroduction to society after spending nearly six months at home, unable to do much or go anywhere due to her health condition.

Focus on Mental Health Recovery

After a few months of consuming one liter of green smoothie daily, Gagan’s physical symptoms had significantly improved. However, towards the end of the summer, she noticed her mental health was suffering. Despite feeling less physically ill, Gagan was still experiencing social anxiety and struggled with her reintroduction to society after being isolated for so long. So when she went to see her GP, she was referred to group therapy for people with chronic conditions called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). 

The Linden Method

Gagan’s husband also learned about the Linden Method via one of the Rheumatoid Solutions podcasts, which Gagan completed and found helped her mental health significantly. The Linden Method program is an online video series that helps retrain the brain to deal with social anxiety. It can be done from home and purchased online. The program consists of videos that progressively teach different ways of viewing life and utilising creative intelligence to overcome anxiety. 

Gagan’s Successful Story of RA Recovery

In February 2019, Gagan revisited her rheumatologist and was told she had entered remission. This was a pleasant surprise as it had only been a year since she had started the Paddison Program, part of Rheumatoid Solutions. Gagan was thrilled and gained more confidence from this news. Her rheumatologist did not prescribe any medication and instead encouraged her to continue doing what she was doing, as it was working. Gagan had also been practicing hot yoga three times a week and combined it with green smoothies. As she improved, she reduced her yoga sessions to twice weekly and now practices ad hoc.

Gagan’s rheumatologist suggested she return for a follow-up appointment in a few months. Gagan believed that the Paddison Program, part of Rheumatoid Solutions, was responsible for her improvement, and the rheumatology nurse was very supportive of her approach. Although her rheumatologist did not ask many questions or show much interest, the nurse was interested in what Gagan was doing and encouraged her to continue. Gagan felt that the nurse was pleased to see her success as many people with the same condition struggle to cope.

Reintroducing Foods

Gagan continued with the reintroduction of foods while also incorporating mindfulness and meditation into her routine. She found a guided meditation from The Chronic Illnesses group particularly helpful. Additionally, she increased her interest in yoga and mindfulness practices to manage her stress levels. Finally, she slowly began reintroducing grains such as white rice, lentils, and oats, significantly impacting her overall well-being.

Gagan decided to try freezing some fruit for her children as a healthier alternative to ice cream. She found that frozen watermelon was an excellent substitute for ice cream on a hot day and did not cause any adverse reactions in her body. She also tried freezing bananas and berries, which worked well for her. Although she does not understand the science behind it, Gagan discovered that she could tolerate frozen fruits such as bananas, watermelon, and raspberries better than their fresh counterparts, allowing her to incorporate them into her diet without experiencing any adverse reactions. As a result, she got the nutrition she needed while avoiding any potential adverse side effects. 

Gagan’s Remarkable Journey to Rheumatoid Arthritis Remission

In December 2019, Gagan had another appointment with her rheumatologist. She hoped to extend the time until her next visit to a year instead of every six months. The rheumatologist reviewed Gagan’s bloodwork and physical examination and was pleased with the results. Gagan’s anti-CCP had reversed, and no signs of inflammation or any symptoms were present. The rheumatologist then surprised Gagan by saying that she could be discharged. Gagan was thrilled to hear this news and felt like the ground had opened up beneath her. She was pain- and medication-free and could now live without worrying about her condition.

Gagan mentioned that around the same time she was discharged, she began to feel strong and more resistant, as if she were ten years younger. She felt that her previous nightmare with arthritis was over, and she was open to trying new things. While she didn’t try everything, she was mentally prepared to accept and try new foods. Gagan didn’t have as much fear of rejection as she did in the early stages of her healing journey because she had already experienced a lot of healing. She felt confident that her body could handle new foods and was excited to continue her healing journey.

Overcoming RA Recovery Setbacks

However, her journey wasn’t without its setbacks. When Gagan tried to reintroduce oats into her diet six months into the program, she had an adverse reaction and was knocked out for three days. This unexpected setback made her hesitant to try oats again, but on her third attempt, she was successful. She also found that reintroducing oats made it easier for her to incorporate lentils, pulses, and beans into her diet. By the summer, she could reintroduce oats successfully, and by the winter, she had reintroduced all of these foods into her diet.

For Gagan, having porridge every day is still a daily practice, as it has become an essential part of her diet. She believes that if she misses porridge for a day and opts for toast instead, the day will not go as well. Her daily porridge recipe consists of one cup of oats and half a liter of oatmeal, which she considers a good portion of her body’s needs and wants. She mentions that having porridge gets her through to lunch without snacking. She usually has it around 7:00 in the morning and then doesn’t eat until midday.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Remission: Gagan’s Thankful for Her Husband’s Support

Gagan expresses her gratitude towards her husband and talks about his support throughout her health journey. She believes that she couldn’t have done it without him. He has helped her with research and finding activities like hot yoga and the Linden Method to support her health. Gagan also acknowledges that managing a young family can be challenging, but her husband has always been there for her in a logistical way. Gagan shares that she is about to start yoga teacher training next week, which she finds very exciting. She credits yoga for changing her life and doing so much for her, and she is eager to share its benefits with others. She believes it will all be worth it if she can help just one person by teaching yoga.

Summing Up

This podcast has delivered a remarkable insight: helping others is contagious and has the power to benefit both the giver and the receiver. Gagan’s inspiring story proves this, as she transformed her health and shared her knowledge with others. Let’s not underestimate the impact of lending a hand to others, regardless of where we are in our journey. It’s a surefire way to spread joy and fulfillment all around. Let’s consciously try to find ways to help others today!

If you or someone you know is struggling with rheumatoid arthritis, discover more at Rheumatoid Solutions. The Rheumatoid Solutions community offers a comprehensive approach to healing that includes diet, lifestyle, and mindset shifts. Remember, helping is contagious, so share this information with someone who may benefit from it.