I have tried various holistic approaches, but with limited success. I was advised by my naturopath to try an anti-inflammatory diet, but have found it to be too limiting. What I have done is cut my intake of the top inflammatory foods -- i.e. red meat and sugar -- which I feel helped quite a bit. I've also cut way back on my salt consumption. However, this didn't prevent me from having a flare of PMR symptoms when I tapered from 10 mg down to 9 mg of prednisone. I had to go back up to 11 mg for a while to get the flare under control, and am back down to 10 mg again. I also take MSM, which is supposed to help with PMR, according to some articles I've read, although again, it didn't prevent me from flaring. I can't say if the flare would have been worse, or the prednisone tapering more difficult, if I wasn't doing these other things. but I honestly don't feel that holistic approaches on their own would be enough to get PMR under control. Unfortunately, prednisone seems to be a necessary evil.

I also tried two different homeopathic remedies, neither of which did anything to help.

One thing I have discovered is that stress is a huge PMR trigger for me. And it doesn't take much. Just having new neighbours move in a few weeks ago caused me stress, which I believe contributed to the flare I had. So I really have to watch my stress levels, and try to take steps to reduce them when changes are occurring and/or something is making me anxious or tense. Meditation helps quite a bit. As does staying away from the news.