I’ve binned my painkillers and lost two stone

JANICE BRYANT, 59, is a retired business analyst from St Ives, Cambridgeshire, who first noticed problems in her knee.

Janice, right, says: ‘About five years ago I noticed that my right knee had swollen up, and I had pain when I went up or down stairs.

‘After a couple of months I decided to go to my GP, who diagnosed osteoarthritis and drained the knee of fluid. But within a day or two it would balloon up again. I was regularly taking painkillers and assumed I’d just have to live with my arthritis, which was depressing.

‘Predictably, it spread to my other knee, and also to my hands. Getting out of bed took several minutes and stairs became almost impossible.

‘Knowing I had to do something, about four years ago I decided to overhaul my diet. In particular, I wanted to increase my intake of healthy fats, so filled my shopping basket with oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and tuna, lots of unsalted nuts – brazil nuts, cashews and peanuts – and avocados.

‘I also loaded up on a variety of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, and pretty much cut all meat out of my diet.

‘I was conscious of lowering my calorie intake too, but by filling up on healthy foods and ditching sugary snacks, I never actually felt that hungry. Within a few months I started to notice a difference – I could manage stairs slowly, and getting out of bed was less of an ordeal.

‘Within two years of my new health drive, I completely binned my painkillers and had lost two stone. I still have slight arthritis symptoms, but I can function on a day-to-day basis with no problems at all. And I genuinely enjoy my food more now, so it’s win-win.’