When I first started having problems with arthritus, I spoke with an
older friend who had trouble. He told me about the nightshade family -
potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, green peppers - plants that have toxic leaves;
and specifically, that these plants would cause inflamation in some people,
and that I should avoid them.
   I found the idea of giving up potatoes absolutely impossible. However,
the pain in my fingers was continuing to annoy me (I was in my 50s) and
nothing seemed to help, so I vowed to give it a try.
   Sure enough, after about a week of no potatoe (no chips, no baked, no
mashed, no fried) the pain in my finger joints went away, and has not
returned. Now that doesn't mean I don't occasionally have a french fry, but
I restrict my intake of the nightshades. Corn meal became my friend -
tortilla chips became my favorite.
   Yet, I haven't seen this mentioned here in this newsgroup. Or did I miss
such a posting?