Sugar and PMR

The dramatic response my body has is mind blowing.
Pain really was my final motivator.
I have a long list of things to consume that reduce inflammation, and they are more difficult to evaluate.

I have really high CRP when I have flares, like well over 100. I gave up refined sugar 2 years ago, I really have not noticed any difference between eating sugar and being off of it. However I went organic 20 years ago and gave up processed foods, so I don't read labels because there are very few of them in my house. I know sugar is naughty so giving it up was not a hard decision to make, doing it causes withdrawal for about a month. Now I really don't even want it. Like I said it is hard for me to say I can feel a lot better, but I know it was the right thing to do. I did not lose weight, but my friend who gave it up also lost about 15 pounds.

There are so many food additives in highly processed foods that it is hard to know what interacting/interrupting your body normal physiology. Plus, if you are on several medications it is hard to know what is interacting with whatever. Have we gotten too far away from our ancestral diet of fueling ourselves to be resilient and strong?

Sugar seems to be the culprit for a lot of ailments. I noticed that around this past holiday meaning (Thanksgiving thru new years) that my hands and the tops of my feet were sorer than usual. Almost like neuropathy, (never had neuropathy so it’s only my opinion). The research I did pertaining to PMR relates a lot to diet especially sugar. In my opinion you are correct that when you cheat a little on sugary items that it must raise your numbers and flare up some pain. Not that I was much of a sweet eater prior to getting PMR but have noticed a link that sugar is not my friend.

See the book Change Your Diet Change Your Mind.
Author's last name is Ede.
I'm following her direction on eating and have found that not only is my mind more alive, but also my whole body. I'm taking 5 mg prednisone for PMR at this point and hope to be able to be off it in the not too distant future. Yes, I know--have to go slow for the adrenals to kick in.
Blessings to all!

I have read that getting sunlight upon awakening and perhaps delaying coffee until a little later in the morning can reset your circadian rhythm and boost your adrenal function. I have also read that Vitamin C and Bromelain 1 gm each daily can support the adrenals. I think I get enough Vitamin C in my diet. Bromelain is highest in pineapple which I eat less frequently because of its high sugar content.
Anyone else found anything to help support the adrenals and help our natural cortisol production? I’m looking for any functional and natural supportive means to get off of Prednisone effectively.

That's awesome. I totally agree that morning light stimulus, activity, and diet stimulates Cordisol.
However my new Endocrinologist was able to clarify for me that the body when in a healthy state requires a little less than 5mg
of Cordisol. So Clinically
speaking, as long as the
Prednisone is supply 5 mg or
more, whatever we stimulate
won't be generated. However
he stated that "instinctively" he
would anticipate that a
minimal Cordisol is produced,
and more significantly, that
cordisol producing activities
keeps those pathways open and
stimulated for when we do get below 5mg and want to see the body take over.
Dr. Andrew Hubberman is a Neurologist/Optomoligist who discussed the neural transmitters in the back of the eye that stimulate Cordisol.
Here are two of his videos, and two from a "Dr. C" that I believe are credible and helpful:

Hubberman...
Circadian Rhythm affect on the daily Cortisol curve, stimulated by morning light

Same topic but very long lecture

Dr C
Mythology of Adrenal Fatigue

Thanks, stevieb! I’ll look these up. It’s hard to get sunlight in the morning. We live in such hermetically controlled houses and it becomes hard to walk outside in the morning when we can just sit inside and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea. I bet our ancestors didn’t deal with circadian irregularities. They also probably didn’t have the prevalence of PMR.
Thanks for your input. Now I just have to put this into practice.

For me, I get up early before sunrise, and go to bed ridiculously early.....
So I try to go ahead and turn on lots of lights in the morning, and as I work at home with several computers, not be "that guy" I'm the dark room in the first part of the day, but allow less lights ASF the day progresses.... And before bed turn down the lights and try not to stare at a bright phone screen in bed, but elect to listen to an Audible with lights off.
I choose to believe that "Circadian Slope" (high Cordisol stimulus early ramping down to low/no Cordisol stimulus late in the day) .... Is really the most critical factor we have some control over.

As soon as I got PMR i put myself on a 0-carb diet, eating meat and eggs only. It's been 3 months since I started this. The pain is less.... and it will take a few months to get rid of it, I know I will because others are doing it!. But 45 days into eating 0 carb I decided to cheat with 3 slices of sourdough bread and one huge chocolate chip cookie. Let me tell you!! the next day it was a very scary day because the amount of pain went to the roof!!! It took me 3 min to go from my bed to the bathroom!!... I could move my feet like an inch at a time. I learned my lesson! Not eating carbs again until this is gone and even then, the carbs will come from a simple salad, once in while. I will stick to this diet for the rest of my life! it has not taken the PMR away, but it has cured my gut and I lost 20 pounds, all I needed to lose. No more fatty liver, no more bloating no more pain in my gut!