Britishgal Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 This time round has been harsh. Massive allergic reactions to what they think was trace amounts of wheat from handling my son's food and now this morning I woke up with swollen knees, aching fingers and an ankle so stiff I can barely walk on it. Though I had stills disease as a child (includes juvenile arthritis) I haven't had joints like this since I was 13....and I'm 40. For the first time in 27 years I had to plunge my hands into cold then warm water a few times to get my fingers moving. The only thing I ate yesterday that I normally don't eat was white potatoes. Could there be any link? Im a bit down...I've fought so hard the last 35 days but it seems I'm just getting sicker! I've never had such problems in a whole30 or whilst eating this way (plus dairy) for years in my late 20s/early 30s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmcbn Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Oh no, that's not good for you - sorry to hear that.I'd have thought the opposite though. Potatoes are high in potassium, and many arthritis suffers are recommended to take potassium supplements. Unless it's the starch content? White potatoes in particular are very high in starch, and are actually a very common allergen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loulabelle Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 White potatoes are nightshades which are thought to aggravate arthritis. Are they something that you would normally avoid? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britishgal Posted August 4, 2015 Author Share Posted August 4, 2015 I don't usually eat them as I kind of lost the habit years ago whilst on low carbs...but I really wanted a baked potato and ate two yesterday Oops! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bet Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 What Lulabelle said, white potatoes are nightshades and can cause inflammation, especially if your arthritis is the auto-immune type. Other nightshades are tomatoes, eggplant and peppers (not black pepper). Also tobacco. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmcbn Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 I didn't know that about the nightshades thing - every day's a school day! I guess that's why potassium supplements are recommended for arthritis sufferers! That said, having googled a bit there doesn't appear to be any conclusive scientific evidence for this, only anecdotal, which would lead me back down the allergy route.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britishgal Posted August 4, 2015 Author Share Posted August 4, 2015 I can't possibly be allergic to potatoes too...life is too unfair! I've no problem with tomatoes or aubergine. I'll avoid them then add them back in September to test with the other things I'm planning...I'm not necessarily bothered about eating them at home but going out without being able to eat dairy, wheat or potatoes would be nigh on impossible. Though if they only cause join pain it'll be doable occasionally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmcbn Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Yep, my son couldn't tolerate potatoes until he was about 4 - now he can eat them in small quantities. Fingers crossed for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loulabelle Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 You are right that there is no definitive scientific proof of a connection between nightshades and arthritis but there has been speculation about it in medical journals since the early 1990's. Personally as someone with joint problems and a type of arthritis I am having to experiment with which nightshades effect me as not all of them do. I didn't know that about the nightshades thing - every day's a school day! I guess that's why potassium supplements are recommended for arthritis sufferers! That said, having googled a bit there doesn't appear to be any conclusive scientific evidence for this, only anecdotal, which would lead me back down the allergy route.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlaccini Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Were you potatoes peeled? The reason why I mention this is I am okay with peeled potatoes, but potatoes with peels do give me some minor inflammation. Eggs and Eggplants are the big culprits for me causing inflammation. And tomatoes I can only consume cooked. Everyone is completely different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeadowLily Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 CEO (Chief Eating Officer), Whole9 Whole9 Team 12 posts LocationSalt Lake City, UT Posted 09 April 2012 - 10:57 AM It's not that nightshades are explicitly wonderful or terrible; context matters. For some people (maybe 1 in 10), nightshades are generally poorly tolerated and can exacerbate inflammatory (especially joint-related) conditions. So from that perspective, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant (etc.) are all in the same "category" of poorly-tolerated foods. (Shameless plug: our upcoming book, It Starts With Food [http://bit.ly/iswfamazon], details an autoimmune-specific protocol if that is an additional factor for some folks.) So potatoes *may* be problematic from a inflammatory perspective. But the arbitrary exclusion of them has more to do with changing habits and patterns on your Whole30, and choosing very nutrient-dense foods the most often. Since most Western eaters consume potatoes as fries, chips, or mashed/baked potatoes (all of which are notoriously easy to overconsume), we encourage folks to find and eat more nutrient-dense veggies on their Whole30 (and beyond!). Emily's comment here already demonstrated our point with potatoes pushing other veggies off the plate, which we think is generally a suboptimal choice. Best of luck!Dallas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeadowLily Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Advanced Member Members Posted 01 December 2014 - 11:49 AM On the other hand, many do not eat the peelings of white potatoes. Saponins derive their name from their ability to form “soap” like foams when mixed with water. Chemically, certain potato saponins are commonly referred to as glycoalkaloids. Their function is to protect the potato plant’s root (tuber) from microbial and insect attack. When consumed by potential predators, glycoalkaloids protect the potato because they act as a toxin. These compounds exert their toxic effects by dissolving cell membranes. When rodents and larger animals, including humans, eat glycoalkaloid containing tubers such as potatoes, these substances frequently create holes in the gut lining, thereby increasing intestinal permeability. If glycoalkaloids enter our bloodstream in sufficient concentrations, they cause hemolysis (destruction of the cell membrane) of our red blood cells. The figure below shows how glycoalkaloids and saponins in general disrupt cell membranes leading to a leaky gut or red blood cell rupturing. These compounds first bind cholesterol molecules in cell membranes, and in the series of steps that follows, you can see how saponins cause portions of the cell membrane to buckle and eventually break free, forming a pore or a hole in the membrane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britishgal Posted August 4, 2015 Author Share Posted August 4, 2015 I ate the potato skins...I may try some without the skins in a week or so to see if the flesh is as big a problem... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.