I drastically reduced my carbs 4 years ago. My joint pain vanished along with the pounds. Arthritis runs very strongly in my family, particularly among the women. My mother and older sister have gnarled fingers. The prediction in our family from my teenage years was that among the sisters, I would have the worst arthritis because I would have bad joint pain on rainy days.

This Christmas I went off low carb and joint pain and mobility loss came back with a vengeance. Lesson learned. Truthfully, the lack of joint pain on low carb is what keeps my eating on the straight and narrow. I don't need a study to know what works for me.

My mother has given up bread and potatoes. Her arthritis has improved. My arthritic sister has not given up the carbs. She's very thin, but she's on high blood pressure meds and has the hands of an 80 year old woman (she's in her mid 50's).