Hey everyone!

Have you ever heard of lectins?

Did you know that lectins in food can cause inflammation?

Do you see knowing the foods you eat as a solution to managing pain?

I had never heard the word "lectins" before last year. And most of the people around me have never heard of it.

So I was a little wary when I learned of their existence and the fact that they can cause or activate inflammation in the body.

Pericarditis is an inflammatory disease, and the way the body manages the digestion of certain foods can make pain worse.

I then conducted my own investigations and here is what I found.

Lectins are found in almost all food, but some contain so much that they can increase inflammation and therefore pain.

I have sometimes had pain (was it like flares? I don’t know) for a day or more without understanding why, all of a sudden, my health was deteriorating.

I began to investigate the foods I had just ingested to see if there was indeed a link between lectins and pain levels.

And to my surprise, it was!

I have seen my pain level increased after eating such harmless vegetables as eggplant, bean sprouts, green beans, peas, to name a few, but the most significant to me. Pain starts between half an hour and two hours after a meal, and can last for one, two or three days (especially if I eat leftovers the next day ... Yep, I learned it the hard way!).

So I try now to avoid them. You can easily find lists of foods with the most lectins. For some, I have seen an inflammatory effect. For others (like potatoes, for example), I can just limit consumption to avoid the harmful effects.

I had to cut out some of my favorite vegetables (eggplants, green beans), so a new question quickly arose: what to eat? What is left when you have to eliminate so many ingredients?

I had to use culinary creativity and a spirit of adventure to find new recipes, new foods. So I discovered the parsley roots and yacons. I ate endives and red beets more often. And I was delighted that carrots, broccoli and cabbage in general (green cabbage, white cabbage, Brussels sprouts,…) can continue to be part of my menu.

During the next unexplained pain attack, maybe you'll take another look at what was on your plate?

It’s more of a trial and error process. Keep in mind that we are all different. Our bodies are different and may or may not tolerate certain substances. Adjusting your diet according to your body's reactions is therefore a very personal matter. It takes time and a lot of investigation to know the specific needs of your body.

As always on my blog, I share my experience and my findings with you, hoping that it can help people who are having the same difficulties as me. But nothing that I write is covered by "scientific" research. I am not an expert in nutrition, and I do not work in the medical community. This is just my perspective at one specific moment. In other words, it's up to everyone to do their own research and experimentation. There are enough resources on the internet and in bookstores. Contact the right people! I hope you meet as many of them as possible on your healing journey. Sometimes you don't know which way to look for solutions and I hope this little blog post will help you in your struggle to get healthy again.

KEEP GOING IF YOU FIGHT A CHRONIC ILLNESS!

Pericordially yours,

Vali