Introducing Myself

[Primal Pete]

Hello to everyone, I am Peter from the UK and I am 46 years old. I have followed the discussion on this site for a number of years but never became a member. I feel now I must tell my story as there has been a major change in my life and health. I have suffered with Iritis for 20 years and over that time I have had so many attacks of this condition that I have have lost count. My first attack was the most severe as it was mis-diagnosed initially then treatment became intermittant as I first felt relief then would stop the medication thinking I had recovered only for the Iritis to come back with a vengance. My doctors never explained the seriousness of the illness. I spent 8 days admitted to the hospital eye ward as it was so severe I nearly lost my sight. I have learned to manage this illness much better over time, recognising the early onset and treating it swiftly with the standard medication of Predfort or Dexamethasone. I can honestly say that I would get 3 attacks per year on avarage. I have gone through all the normal investigative assessments to see if they could find a reason for my my illness but without success. My GP doctor (previously an eye specialist) got to know me by very well. I have always been a very active person with a passion for health & fitness. I have always followed the convensional wisdom advice on healthy eating and exercise. I have always kept my weight within the "healthy range" and tried to be involved in a many sports as possible that I enjoy. The Iritis sometimes made this very difficult for me.
Last year, I went to see my doctor following another attack of Iritis and he carried out a routine medical assessment as well looking into my eye. It was noted at the time that my blood pressure was elevated and my cholesteral level was above the "healthy" markers (The diagnosis followed several consultations) My doctor prescribed me statin medication with a view to starting blood pressure treatment as well. As you can imagine, for a guy that has tried to do everything to stay fit and healthy this was a major blow to me.
I refused, at 46 years old, to accept that I would be reliant on so much medication at a relatively young age. I started to research diet options that would be benificial to getting my markers down without the use of these drugs. The drugs never got used. My research into healthy diet options led me down a kind of Paleolithic (caveman) diet route and bought several books to help me. I have stuck to this diet and exercise routine now for 12 months and the benifits to my health and well being have been staggering. I have lost 28 pounds in weight (I am 6'4" male) and I have never felt better. I have eliminated all processed food, sugars and grain based foods from my diet. My energy has sky rocketed and I feel in the best shape of my life. Oh, the iritis, I have not had a re-occurrance of my eye problem since I started down this route. I have been inflammation free for over a year and I cannot see this being a coincidence ( In my case anyway). I am expecting a call from my GP as he has not seen me in a while. My deep research into the pro-inflammitory effects of certain foods on the so called healthy "food pyramid" has convinced me that this has been a major factor in my illness over the years. I am aware that there are some very educated people that contribute to this site that believe diet does contribute to Iritis however I believe that in certain individuals it does. I suppose being Iritis free for 12 months does not guarantee that I am cured from my condition however I feel so healthy at the moment that I feel that it will not return (Bold statement). There are many support networks out there in this field of dietary strategy you will be amazed at what illnesses the western diet is responsible for. This is an option for people to consider that could run hand in hand with their routine treatment and I would happy to help anyone if they choose to give this option a try. You've got nothing to lose.