This was huge to us considering the food limitations we were already dealing with-free and potatoes/tomatoes were something we could consume regularly . Add that in to the fact that part of nightshades that causes the inflammation (nitrates/nitrites) are major components in preservatives found in packaged foods and you can see our dilemma! Not only were we going to have to eliminate potatoes and tomatoes from our child's diet, but anything with preservatives. (Was there anything left to eat?!?)
It's been an interesting few years of tweaking diet and finding treatment that actually helped our kid and did not further "tear up" his stomach/digestive system. He is an awesome kid thathas dealt with so much in stride.
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So, small lesson on nightshades:
What veggies/fruits to avoid:
- Tomatoes, tomatillo
- Potatoes
- Eggplants
- Pepper (All varieties, except black pepper - including hot peppers, cayenne, paprika, Tabasco sauce, etc)
- Goji berries
- Ashwagandha (berry/herb)
- Cape gooseberries (not the regular kind of gooseberries)
- Ground cherries (nicknamed "Strawberry Tomato", not regular strawberries)
- Garden huckleberries (not blueberries)
- Tobacco
If you want to eliminate nitrates/nitrites in preservatives... well, homecookin' it is! Also, avoiding prepared meats like ham and turkey that have preservatives and additives in "solution" about which you can't always be sure. Some places and now carry preservative free lunch meats, chicken, etc. Also, places like Trader Joes give you alternatives to prepared [boxed] foods with no preservatives/artificial additives.
This author has written a book about this subject here. There are many new websites now about anti-inflammatory diets. Here is one blog about a mother with 2 children with JRA and how diet affects their bodies.
