@boomerexpert @auntnanny Hello...Pardon for butting into your conversation but had to voice up. I had a profound experience with arthritis. MY hands were becoming almost crippled, unable to make a fist, scruff my cats, pick up things... I bumped into this by chance. I eliminated all milk products from my diet...not for health reasons but because of the intense cruelty to the cows in the dairy business. Anyway..in short order my hands were like that of a teenager. Truly! I then went on a juice fast for 4 days and at the end of my fast I had eliminated the painful bursitis in my shoulder. So my intolerance or allergy to Gluten and Milk were behind all of this inflamation in my body. I did not have RA but Osteo, but I see many articles linking Milk etc to RA in the body. What I just came up with by googling RA and milk is sort of startling...they are talking about MYcobacterium Avium in Cows.... Is this co-incidence? https://www.healthline.com/health-news/beef-milk-bacteria-may-have-negative-impact-on-rheumatoid-arthritis I do not remember the time period from the elimination of milk to total relief but I believe it was no more than a few weeks...worth an experiment maybe??

Allyecat,I've given up milk products for the same humane reason. The cruelty is horrible. I realized I felt sick when I ate ice cream or made a smoothie with milk. Now, I use Flax Seed milk,... in many stores, and I like it better than Almond Milk. It's encouraging to read about improvement by taking control of one's health.

@alleycatkate, Hi. After reading Dr. Weil's books about 10 yrs ago, I too gave up dairy and gluten. I saw a marked difference in the amount of phlegm I produced. I then paid attention to food triggers such as dyes. The yellow dye in Mountain Dew really messed me up, as did the colors on the M&M candies. I love that we have a mix of members on here that lend Naturapathic input.

@alleycatkate @auntnanny You're right, Kate...dairy is a known source of inflammation...I have been dairy free since my RA dx in 2009...when I have a bit every once in a while as a treat (pizza with light cheese) I do so knowing I'll feel it the next day...I always do. I, like you, eschew all animal-based foods from agri-business/factory farms as the torture endured by these social, sentient, intelligent beings is inexcusable and I couldn't count myself as a true animal lover while supporting such egregious practices. Glad to know you fell the same way.

@america as I mentioned, you can get CBD oil legally via the internet...that's without an Rx or doctor...I recommend Charlotte's Web Advanced

@boomerexpert ...always lovely to find a like minded spirit! To me there is nothing more evil on this planet then factory farming.On a nicer note...I am glad you experienced a similar positive result from elimination of dairy. All we need now is to eradicate this darn MAC!! Good luck to you on your journey. Kate

boomerexpert so glad to read your words. It is exactly how I feel about animals. Difficult to understand why more folks don't feel the same.

@flib...I will have to try the Flax seed milk. Thanks! I am also glad for your compassion!

@flib most disconcerting is those who claim to be, and I'm sure really believe they're animal lovers, yet don't care how food animals are being abused for higher profit and a bit lower cost to uncaring consumers. I inform folks of the terrible conditions and they just shrug...or their eyes glaze over...either way they simply do not wish to do something for the animals...

My experience also. I think people are afraid they will have to give up meat and food is very front and center for some...don't mess with it. And, if they let themselves know how truly awful, some of it is,beyond belief, they will feel guilty and a pleasure will be taken away. Thus, head in the sand. But so many of the meat products are bad for health. What goes around.....