In a message dated 3/7/2011 9:35:08 AM Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
I have a family member and a dear
friend who each have the condition and are on prednisone. I want to
recommend paleo diet, but the standard medical advice is that there's no
dietary aspect to the cause, and I haven't been able to find even any
anecdotal reports on the internet.
Have your family member and friend get their thyroid levels checked.
Symptoms of all sorts of myalgias are frequently untreated or undertreated
hypothyroidism. Don't fall prey to tyranny of TSH only test - "normal" range is
far too wide. Symptomatic people with TSH of over 1.5 likely have a
problem. Free T3 and Free T4 levels as well as all antibodies should be checed as
well. A short trial course of natural thyroid such as Armour or
Naturthroid etc (not Synthroid or other T4 only synthetics) to see if symptoms
improve is far safer (and cheaper) than longterm prednisone. Not convinced? Read
Broda Barnes' MD's classic book on this topic as well as Mark Starr MD's
newer classic. Barnes also advocated a low-carb (albeit not necessarily
paleo) diet for hypothyroid conditions.