Questions About GCA and Diet

Might be more comments about GCA on the Polymyalgia Rheumatica thread. It goes with PMR.

Hmmmmm. Interesting. I record my GCA dx just a year ago, began ACTEMRA infusion (400 mg every four weeks for a year, then 6 more for a year every eight weeks) eleven months ago, remain symptom free, have made no adjustments in diet, just ordinary, healthy and balanced...my medical team has made no reference to0 what you list here, hence my "Hmmmmmm"....to date, doing fine, the end result will be clearer in another year when infusions end. My doc says 60% of people on this protocol emerge with total remission...I "plan" on being part of that 60%....but ya never know...BTW, I'm 89 and otherwise in very good health...
I am especially sad to learn of your heading to blindness, don't know what to say about that...
My best, in any event.
Wayne Ewinbg

Hate these word fill programs! That's supposed to be "received" not "record"!

Maybe this isn't an issue for you, but I've read that high fat meals can cause inflammation in your blood vessels. Here is some google AI information:

"Yes, high-fat meals, particularly those high in saturated fats, can rapidly impair blood flow and artery function, sometimes within hours of consumption. These meals cause arteries to constrict, reduce the ability of vessels to expand, increase inflammation, and can trigger, causing blood cells to become distorted, which hinders circulation.

Impact on Blood Flow and Vascular Health:
Reduced Vascular Reactivity: A single, high-fat meal can impair the endothelium's (inner lining of blood vessels) ability to expand, which limits blood flow.
Reduced Blood Flow Flow: Studies have shown reduced arterial function and blood flow within 2 to 3 hours of eating a high-fat meal.
Increased Inflammation and Blood Pressure: High-fat meals can increase inflammation in the blood vessels, causing them to constrict, and may lead to higher blood pressure.
Impact on Blood Cell Structure: High-fat meals can cause red blood cells to become "spiky," potentially damaging blood vessels.
Long-Term Effects: Frequent, high-fat meals can lead to chronic issues like plaque buildup, atherosclerosis, and an increased risk of heart attack or stroke.

Key Findings:
Saturated vs. Polyunsaturated: Meals high in saturated fats are more detrimental to vascular health, while meals high in polyunsaturated fat (like nuts or olive oil) may not cause the same issues.
Rapid Effect: The negative effects of a high-fat meal on blood flow are almost immediate, often seen 2-6 hours after the meal.
Reversibility: While the acute, short-term changes in blood flow may reverse after a few hours, the cumulative effect of a diet high in saturated fat can lead to chronic damage.

To maintain healthy blood flow, it is advised to limit intake of saturated fats and focus on healthy fats. "

Given your health issues, it sounds like you need to avoid saturated fat.

Something else I've wondered about for you is whether a statin would help, assuming you're not already taking one. Here is another quote from Google:
"Statins reduce inflammation in the arteries in addition to lowering cholesterol. These drugs lower C-reactive protein (CRP) and other inflammatory markers, stabilize plaque to prevent ruptures, and improve vascular function. "

One other thing I've thought about too. Do you take a daily aspirin? I take a small one every day as recommended by my rheumatologist. He recommended it because of the vision problems I had at the time of my diagnosis of GCA.

These are some things you can think about and discuss with your doctor.

Well I love bread too. And I also try to eat an anti-inflammatory diet overall. The thing about white flower, where the husk has been removed from the grain, is that it converts quickly into sugar in the body. So if your doctor told you to avoid sugar, white flour, white rice, are sort of in the same category. One of my favorite nutritionists distinguishes between slow food and fast food: whole grains slow down the body's intake of sugar and contain vital nutrients and fiber; whereas processed grains turn quickly into sugar and contain few nutrients or fiber. I don't know about the gluten versus no gluten thing, since both whole grains and processed grains contain gluten. Maybe that is a personal thing. I actually find all baked goods very addicting and have to watch my intake. Overall, the anti-inflammatory diet can be very helpful in controlling inflammation. Kind regards LL