Keto Heals: {Inflammation & Joint Pain}

Welcome to the sixth installment of my eight-part blog series – “Keto Heals”.  This series highlights the top health markers improved, reversed, managed, or completely healed through my Keto and Intermittent Fasting lifestyle.  

When I started out on my journey, I absolutely loved reading success stories.  The stories, like mine, on Diet Doctor kept me going throughout my entire journey.  I hope my story will inspire you on your journey to better health and wellness.

(Disclaimer: I am not a health care professional.  I am writing about my personal experiences to encourage others to research a low-carb lifestyle.  You should always work closely with a health care professional to manage your health.  I work with three MDs to manage my health: functional medicine, cardiology, and sleep/pulmonology. They treat my metabolic dysfunctions along with monitoring my important blood markers routinely.  Keto or LCHF may not be an appropriate way of eating for your metabolic health or other health needs.  Please check with your personal health care professional before making any changes in your diet.)

In recent years I’ve seen my peers going through knee surgeries and I cringe!  First, because I can empathize with their pain.  Second, because I knew I would be there in no time.  The thought of surgery is less than desirable.

My knees ached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Truth be told, my whole body ached – especially with exercise.

I visited an orthopedic specialist about 10 years ago.  He told me what I already knew.  Lose some weight or look forward to some knee replacements. Maybe even hip replacements.

Besides the pain, I look back and recall my entirely inflamed body.  Viewing older pictures is hard.  I had such a carb-puffy face.  A big puff ball.  Think of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man in “Ghostbusters” circa 1984.  I can relate to that big guy!

Within a very short period of time following my Keto and Intermittent Fasting lifestyle, I eliminated the pain and reduced the chronic inflammation. My knees no longer ached.  I could go up and down stairs.  My face, hands, and feet were no longer puffy!

Right before I discovered Keto, we were planning a major bedroom shift in our home.  My husband and I were going to move our bedroom to the main floor and move my daughter up into the large bedroom occupying our entire upstairs story in our Cape Cod home. My daughter couldn’t wait to move to the “big” bedroom.  I wanted to do it to eliminate the need for going up and down stairs to get to my bedroom.  My knees hated those stairs!  The move just kept getting put off, for one reason for another.  Eventually, I didn’t need to make the move.  Much to my daughter’s dismay, she’s still in her smaller bedroom on the main floor.  She doesn’t pay the mortgage here – so it’s all good!

I can celebrate no more pain while driving my Jeep Wrangler, too!  I have a manual shift Jeep Wrangler.  I purchased it in May 2016 – before I found Keto. Using the clutch did cause me quite a bit of pain some days and I wondered why I purchased a manual shift (oh yeah, because my daughter asked me to get a manual shift, so she could learn. Plus, who buys a Jeep Wrangler automatic?)?  Driving my Jeep no longer is a pain in my knees!  In fact, I think the shifting is probably good range of motion exercise.

Does sugar cause chronic inflammation?  I’ve always heard it does – and now I’m sugar free, I’m convinced of this truth.  There’s new information in the Keto world every day with all that’s being written and studied about chronic inflammation.  Here’s just a few articles I found interesting, and science-y geeky:

This Just In: Over Consumption of Sugar Leads to Muscle & Joint Pain

How Can Ketogenesis and Ketones Treat Inflammation?

Like my previous post on migraines and headaches, I’m sharing my N of 1 (personal) experiment.  You can really go down a huge rabbit hole in the world of Keto if you want to learn how chronic inflammation will destroy your health and how Keto can HEAL.  Think gut health.  Think heart health.  The diseases all point to inflammation.  I’ve linked here a few of some of my favorite blogs.  I always encourage everyone to read, read, and read some more!

Since I’ve lost almost half my body weight, I am confident I won’t be getting any metal joint replacements any time soon.  I can also move up and down stairs without pain and go about my day without it ending in aching knees and hips.  Best part is cruising in my Jeep Wrangler without destroying my knees.

No, no – wait!  The best part, and I’ve shared this before –hiking 11 miles in the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland and not having one bit of joint pain and suffering as a result.  Keto Life for the win!  Keto kicks the butt of chronic health issues of a high carb diet once again!

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