The dietary treatment of inflammatory arthritis: case reports and review of the literature.

Two patients with seropositive inflammatory arthropathies who experienced clinical improvement on the Waianae diet are presented. The scientific literature validates the usefulness of fasting in the control of joint inflammation. Elimination diets are variably successful. Fasting followed by a vegetarian diet can produce a sustained positive response measured clinically and by laboratory variables of inflammation; the efficacy of such an approach appears to hinge on the alteration of fecal flora. Swaying the balance of dietary fats in favor of the omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids has an antiinflammatory effect, but does not appear to correct the basic immunologic processes involved in the development of the arthropathies. Practical guidelines for the application of this information are offered

The Hawaii Diet: ad libitum high carbohydrate, low fat multi-cultural diet for the reduction of chronic disease risk factors: obesity, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and hyperglycemia.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the health effects of a high carbohydrate, low fat multi-cultural traditional diet, The Hawaii Diet, fed ad libitum to an adult population. METHODS: Twenty-two adults recruited from various cultural backgrounds in Hawaii were fed, without calorie or portion size restriction, the Hawaii Diet for 21 days. The Hawaii Diet, based on familiar traditional foods from different cultures, is high in complex carbohydrate (77% of calories), low in fat (12% of calories), and moderate in protein (11% of calories). Participants were encouraged to eat to satiety. RESULTS: There was a significant weight loss on The Hawaii Diet averaging 10.8 lbs (23.8 kg) (P < .0001). Blood pressure was decreased from an average of 136.0/82.7 mm Hg to 125.5/78.9 mm Hg yielding a significant decrease of 10.4 mm Hg for systolic (P < .01). Beginning diastolic levels were normal so decreases in these values were not significant. Average lipid values also decreased with total serum cholesterol being significantly reduced from 205.3 to 156.9 mg/dl (P < .0001); LDL from 125.9 to 94.9 mg/dl (P < .001); and HDL from 38.3 to 31.3 mg/dl (P < .0005). Triglycerides (238.7 to 152.2 mg/dl) and the Chol:HDL ratio (5.8 to 5.2) improved at marginally significant levels (P < .08). There was also a significant reduction in blood glucose levels from 112.2 to 91.5 mg/dL (P < .01). CONCLUSION: The Hawaii Diet consisting of high carbohydrate, low fat ethnic meals appears to have a beneficial influence on weight loss and in decreasing systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, LDL, and blood glucose values. Marginal improvement occurred for triglyceride levels. There was also a significant drop in HDL levels, however, the Chol:HDL was ratio did not increase. Further studies of longer duration with a control group should be conducted to test the effectiveness of The Hawaii Diet in maintaining these health benefits over a longer period of time

Waianae Diet Program: long-term follow-up.

A long-term follow-up was conducted on 82 participants from prior programs based on ad libitum feeding of a traditional Hawaiian diet. Follow-up period ranged from 12 months to 90 months and averaged 33.67 months. An average weight loss of 15.1 pounds was maintained over 7.5 years of follow-up (p < 0.0005) even when stratified over two year intervals, suggesting that this type of program may be an effective long-term weight loss intervention