The pain of osteoarthritis in my hands has increased so suddenly I am sure it is related to hormonal changes. It hasn't been a big thing until now. Arthritis does not run in my family and my hands aren't swollen at all; but they hurt, giving sudden flashes of pain at the thumb joints, and somewhat around the wrist and up the forearm. While doing laundry my hand bumped against the washer, just at the wrong spot, and it was awful. I yowled.

I realized I'm already avoiding writing longhand, I can't pull apart some food package inner bags, and need two hands to hold a slightly heavy cup full of liquid. At Starbucks when I buy an IBC root beer, I ask the cashier to take the screwtop cap off for me. This is as bad as I want it to get.

So after some research I think I'd better pay a lot of attention to my diet and try to help this. I'm finding out things I didn't know, like that fatty foods, artificial sweeteners, alcohol and caffeine are all bad for arthritis.
If I am having osteoarthritic pain now, I had better follow a diet that prevents bone loss as much as possible.

So I'm going to cut out more of the fatty foods, most caffeine, and reduce the artificial sweetener (diet soda). And make sure I take the calcium supplement 2 or 3 times daily, multiple vitamin, extra B vitamins, and eat a whole lot more dark leafy green stuff which has vitamin K.

But my nighttime brandy stays...!