Keeping Chickens When You Have Arthritis.

[pennyJo1960]

oh ya Micro cost is out of this world I had the caregiver to have the added insurance but oh well

 

[Kfults]

I'm gonna seem out of place here because I'm 23 but I have a joint disorder that makes my joints not cooperate with me. They hurt, pop out of place, etc and I constantly fight horrible fatigue.

I try to do a little stuff, then rest. So if I know today I need to feed, water, clean pens, buy feed, etc, then in the morning I might buy feed then rest for a few hours. Then unload the feed and rest. Then clean and feed. I avoid lifting bales of hay and use a furniture dolly instead but I still carry feed sacks on my shoulder one at a time.

If you hurt too badly or become overly fatigued rest. Finish the task tomorrow if it's a large task like cleaning a coop. I don't keep as many as you do, so I have less to maintain. I have serama, which are manageable for me, and keep them inside. I can work with them pretty much anytime. I do have a small outside flock of bantam cochins and I clean the pen on nice days and try to stay hydrated. Don't kneel, sit on a stool- I get stuck down there!

What you are describing is “pacing”. I went to a counselor for emotional support when all this started and she actually specialized in pain management. She taught me about pacing myself and how I could get more done and have better quality of life if I made a point to break up tasks and take frequent rest periods!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Many of us older folks are not smart enough to pace ourselves
work from dawn to dusk

 

[Kayla's Lunch]

I am not exactly in the same pain "boat" as many of you. I have Hashimotos and with that comes fatigue and joint pain and some other things. I found that diet plays a huge role in how I feel. I started following the Autoimmune Protocol diet (Sarah Ballantyne wrote a book and has a website) and that took quite a bit of the pain away. Unfortunately, it is a hard diet to follow and I haven't been following it lately. I have 3 kids and homeschool, so I am always busy. The day runs out before the things on my "To Do" list run out. I also use essential oils and they have been very helpful with some of my pain and getting better sleep.

 

[microchick]

Is that the low sugar low carb diet? I'm trying to get into that. I've cut my morning ration of coffee to one cup, eat low carb in general due to the fact that I'm trying to loose weight. I also have IBS so I have to eat a bowl of bran flakes every day. Bout the only way I can choke them down is if I sprinkle a handful of something like Cap'n Crunch over them. No more regular low fat ice cream for me. Now it's no sugar added only. Does it help? Doesn't hurt. Plus the low carb, no white bread, whole wheat only lot's of veggies is conductive to healthy weight which lessens pain. It's just a real hard diet to adhere to. I figure if I can come close it's a go.

Pacing is good. Part of my daily routine most of the time. We all have days where we are on the go from the time our feet hit the floor till the time we fall into bed at night. Those are the days where the next day I really feel the pain.

 

[Kayla's Lunch]

It's not necessarily low carb. For most people with Hashimotos, you need carbs. It has you remove a lot of different foods that are known to cause inflammation in people. Then you slowly add foods back in until you can determine which foods cause you problems. "Healthy" foods can cause problems. I discovered that I can not eat peppers or tomatoes. For years I had problems falling asleep at night (or if I sat too long) because my legs would bother me - pain/discomfort. I would have to keep re-positioning my legs. After starting this diet, I discovered that I only had that problem if I ate tomatoes or peppers. Very sad to no longer be able to eat salsa! But better than not being able to fall asleep at night because my legs hurt. I drink raw milk, or had been. I also have a problem with dairy. I get a rash on my hands. So, even though it was pastured raw milk, I just can't have it. Prior to trying this AIP diet, I was low carb, no grains, no sugar for a couple of years and I didn't really see any improvement. That was why I tried the AIP. I thought for someone who eats in such a healthy way, I should be healthier.

 

[Kayla's Lunch]

Another interesting diet is the Wahls Protocol. Terry Wahls is a doctor who was diagnosed with MS. She got progressively worse and realized the medical community had nothing to help her. She started doing her own research and went from being in a wheel chair to biking many miles a day. She regained her health when she had been told she wouldn't be able to. Her diet is mostly low carb, lots of veggies, and an emphasis on coconut oil. Her diet is supposed to be very good for neurological issues.

 

[Chickassan]

I just have an irish coffee before I tend the birds. Best medicine iv'e found, the chickens like it too probably a little too much. Cutting red meat and hfcs from my diet has helped loads with inflammation and stiffness.

 

[microchick]

Where I have a major problem with diets like Paleo is that most of these 'healthy' diets include the use of nuts a lot in the meal plans. I have an allergy to tree nuts. Lots of GI upset, nausea and diarrhea even with small amounts of nuts. I can sneak by a little coconut oil but if I do too much of that I will truly feel it in a most unpleasant way.

I do seem to feel my best on the low carb higher protein diet though. Problem is I love my carbs. I'm to the point with it all tho that I can't afford NOT to stick with it this time around. Especially with the confirmation of the fact that I do have an inflammatory joint disease.

 

[ronott1]

Where I have a major problem with diets like Paleo is that most of these 'healthy' diets include the use of nuts a lot in the meal plans. I have an allergy to tree nuts. Lots of GI upset, nausea and diarrhea even with small amounts of nuts. I can sneak by a little coconut oil but if I do too much of that I will truly feel it in a most unpleasant way.

I do seem to feel my best on the low carb higher protein diet though. Problem is I love my carbs. I'm to the point with it all tho that I can't afford NOT to stick with it this time around. Especially with the confirmation of the fact that I do have an inflammatory joint disease.

The key too is that the diet has to be sustainable.