The
Nightshades [Solanaceae] and Arthritis
I have just come back
from a trip to Paris, a treat for me from my wonderful daughter. We stayed in a
spa hotel in Passy [16th arondissment] – just across the river Seine
from the Eiffel Tower, and an easily walkable distance.
For
once we actually went to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Many years ago I went up
the Tower to the first level, which was the only level available to the public
at that time. While it had to be done I was somewhat underwhelmed. It is not a
cheap experience but, going to the top is quite something, if only for the view
and to feel the tower swaying under your feet in the wind!
It
was dusk when we started on our climb [well it wasn’t really a climb as we took
the lifts] but the Tower lit up the sky above us as the lights came on.
Considering
it was virtually midwinter and not the best time for such an exposed perch, the
Tower was fairly crowded and the queues for the lifts lengthy. I don’t think I
would have enjoyed it much in the main tourist seasons.
We
were only in Paris for a couple of days and a trip to Boulevarde Haussman was
essential – to the iconic Galeries Lafayette and Printemps. Actually we only
made it as far as Galleries Lafayette – there are 3 of them in the same area.
It was stunningly Christmassy – the Christmas tree in the centre of the main
department store, reaching up into the stunning glass dome was by far, the most
spectacular I have seen.
The
trip was however, rather hard on our credit cards!
If
you are interested in visiting the stores the Metro Stations closest to them
are Chausée d’Anton La Fayette
or
Havre Caumartin.
My
main reason for writing this, however, is that Paris is really a very
unsuitable city for people who may have difficulty getting around whether that
is because they are disabled, in wheel-chairs, with infants in pushchairs or
like me, just have increasing problems with arthritis. There are steps and stairs
everywhere; lifts in only a few places and although there are some escalators,
most of those are only set to go up. I didn’t see any anywhere we went where
they descended and on one occasion the ascending escalator was certainly too
narrow for a push-chair. At one station
on the metro the platform was a good 30cms or 1 ft from the floor of the train.
Please
don’t let this put you off a visit to Paris if you are able bodied – it is a
wonderful and very beautiful city.
My
daughter passed on to me some information she had been sent by a friend on the
affects of the family of Nightshade plants [solanaceae].
aceae
If
you suffer from the debilitating pain of arthritis do have a look at the
following site:
The
nightshade list
- tomatoes (all varieties, including tomatillos)
- potatoes (all varieties, NOT sweet potatoes or yams)
- eggplant (aubergine)
- okra
- peppers (all varieties such as bell pepper, wax pepper, green & red peppers, chili peppers, cayenne, paprika, etc.)
- goji berries
- tomarillos (a plum-like fruit from Peru)
- sorrel
- garden huckleberry & blueberries (contain the alkaloids that induce inflammation)
- gooseberries
- ground cherries
- pepino Melon
- the homeopathic "Belladonna" [note: this is highly precautionary as homeopathics contain virtually no measurable "active" chemical]
- tobacco
- paprika
- cayenne pepper
The condiments black/white pepper and pepper corns
are not nightshades
Clearly, several of these [ eg. gogi berries,
sorrel, huckleberries and blueberries, cherries] are not members of the
nightshade family but, contain the same damaging alkaloids.
If you feel there may be
something worth considering in these claims have a look also at the following
sites:
However it is also important to give the other side
of the argument – the following from The Arthritis Foundation, debunking some
of the myths around the pain of arthritis.
For me cutting many of these foods from my diet
would not be a problem. I could live happily without all of them except for my
favourite food – potatoes and chillies which I use by the hundreds
in the pickles, ketchups, spicy jellies and chutneys which I make every year
usung my own chillies.
However, I now find that arthritis is preventing me
from doing many of the things I like to do and I am prepared to give three
months to an experiment of leaving all of these foods out of my diet to see if
it makes any appreciable difference to the condition.
I will report back of my findings. If anyone else
has any thoughts on this I would be interested to hear from you.
There seems to be some evidence that rosehips
[syrup,etc.] may have a beneficial effect on arthritic pain in both osteo and
rheumatoid. Rosehips ( rosaceae – rosa canina
or dog rose) contain high levels of Vitamin
C and antioxidents although it is the polyphenols and anthocyanins that should
ease the pain of arthritis.
If planning to give it a try do be warned that there
may be some side effects which could include heartburn, constipation or
diarrhoea or may givean allergic reaction.
Again, if you have any thoughts on this or have any
experience of using this please contact me.
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