Originally Posted by Bob-a-rama

Hi Calianna, the doctor has long since retired, so I can't answer any of the questions with authority.

I know that arachidonic acid is very inflammatory, and this is an anti-inflammatory diet. Other than the nightshades, it has nothing to do with food sensitivity and everything to do with inflammation.

There are Arachidonic Acid charts available on the 'net, and they might be helpful for you.



I think even though grass-fed has a better omega 3 to 6 ratio, it still has omega 6 (AA). I have no idea what a lean enough cut is. I eat beef once or twice a week, either a burger or a tenderloin steak.



I am getting ground beef from Publix now, it's Florida grass-fed and tastes better than Aidi's. It's a bit more expensive, but life is short, I've given up so many foods, I don't mind spending a bit more.

For steaks I get grass-fed and trim the fat off before putting it on the grill.

100% grass-fed doesn't have the fat marbling through it (less fat) and to my taste buds tastes better, a little sweeter.



I eat lots of pork, including bacon. I introduced the bacon slowly after I was pain free and it didn't bother me. For pork chops, I trim the fat off before cooking and I eat leaner cuts of ham. Pork cutlets are nice too.



I'm very low carb (less than 20/day). I eat no oatmeal and there are only two "breads" that I eat (1) a millet and flax flatbread and (2) a zero carb almond flour bread I get from netrition. It's a little pricey so I don't eat it often.

Every once in a while my DW makes either faux pancakes or macaroni with almond and/or coconut flour. It reminds me of the 'good old days' when I could eat starchy stuff.



Peanuts are not nuts, but neither are almonds, pistachios, pecans, walnuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, or macadamias. Most of these are seeds from drupe fruit or other seeds. Culinary they are all classified as nuts, but botanically the only true nuts people eat are chestnuts, hazelnuts, and acorns.

I'm always amused at the "Peanuts are not a nut" meme, when neither are most of the other ones. Who knows how those memes get started.



I hear you there. Chicken and eggs are the top sources of arachidonic acid in the diet—an omega-6 fatty acid involved in our body's inflammatory response. I looked this up a long time ago, and I think weight for weight chicken and eggs have many times more AA than beef.

After I became pain free, I tried introducing foods one at a time. Both chicken and egg yolks brought the pain back. That makes sense since they have many times the AA that other foods do.

For me that's sad, because I love them both, but I love being pain free even more.



I don't drink milk. The heavy whipping cream in my coffee is grass-fed organic. I do eat a lot of cheese, but it's either European or Australian because it's A2 which is less inflammatory and the artificial hormones are banned there. When it's available I get 100% grass-fed cheese. KerryGold has some nice ones.

The whey protein I drink comes from grass-fed jersey (A2) cows, but thankfully a USA product.



I have no idea. I don't think it was meant as an exhaustive list, but a general guideline.

One more thing, before the diet I was taking glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, SAMe, and rubbing emu oil products like Blue Goo on myself. I ditched them all except the glucosamine. The doctor said it helps to keep me supplied with sulfur which the joints need.

You might do what I did, follow it strictly until you become completely pain free (assuming it works for you), then introduce one food at a time and see what the results are.

Bob