How restoring nutrients, rebuilding digestion, and removing food antigens helped one woman taper off steroids and normalize her inflammation: a story of resilience through the Vitalist lens.
Snapshot
| Client | Female, 66 |
| Main issue | Rheumatoid Arthritis with systemic inflammation and steroid dependence |
| Duration of care | December 2021 – May 2022 |
| Team | Client, Herbalist, Rheumatologist, Acupuncturist |
| Goal | To wean off prednisone without rebound inflammation |
When Inflammation Took Over
She first came to the clinic in late 2021, exhausted by almost two years of unrelenting inflammation. Diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in 2020, her joints had swollen so severely that even lifting a cup was painful. Prednisone had become her lifeline and was effective but unsustainable. Each time she tried to taper below 5 mg, her symptoms would return with force.
She was pale, underweight, and deeply fatigued. Her skin was dry, her feet scaly, her hands and ankles cold to the touch. She wore scarves even in summer, always guarding her neck from drafts. Her body told a clear story of depletion and deficiency, a perfect terrain for chronic inflammation to persist.
Tracing the Terrain
At the time of onset, she had been under heavy emotional strain: helping a close friend through the dying process and navigating the pandemic. She was also renovating her musty basement. Mold may have helped stir up a severe immune response.
She first sought care with a highly regarded acupuncturist, meeting three times a week. This was unhelpful and he suggested her inflammation was systemic. She then saw a rheumatologist, who prescribed steroids, initially at 5mg, which wasn’t effective. 15mg finally brought down her swelling and pain.
Prednisone can save lives in acute inflammation but, over time, weakens connective tissue and suppresses the adrenals’ natural rhythm. Her goal was clear: she wanted to heal her autoimmune arthritis without the aid of steroids. My goal was to restore her body’s terrain so her physiology could resume the work the drug was doing.
Phase 1 — Rebuilding the Foundations
Restoring Nutrient Reserves
She began a nutrient repletion plan centered on warmth, protein, and gentle digestive repair:
- Protein: At least 65 g per day, with 25 g at breakfast.
Collagen powder in warm oatmeal became her morning anchor. - Magnesium glycinate (400 mg) — to ease chronic tension and support muscle and bone repair
- Vitamin D/K (5000 IU) — to regulate immunity and strengthen connective tissue
- Fish oil (2000 mg EPA/DHA) — for inflammation and joint lubrication
- High-quality multivitamin + 2500 mg vitamin C — to restore B vitamins, zinc, and antioxidant tone
- Gut-healing powder (Marshmallow, Calendula, Plantain, Cinnamon, Fennel) to heal leaky gut and soothe dryness
Movement was equally essential. She continued Pilates and began 30-minute daily walks to circulate lymph and reawaken vitality.
After one month, her neuropathy had completely disappeared for the first time in two years. Her skin softened, her mood brightened, and she described feeling ‘alive again.’”
Phase 2 — Removing Obstacles to Cure
Listening for the Hidden Antigen
As her strength returned, we turned to diet. She agreed to eliminate nuts and seeds for four weeks, which had been heavy in her raw vegan diet. When she reintroduced them, there was no flare — but she still felt “puffy.”
The deeper issue revealed itself in a conversation about bread. She admitted that giving up gluten “would be hard emotionally,” even though she’d easily let go of meat, dairy, and eggs.
That resistance was the clue. She agreed to remove gluten and oats for six weeks, replacing oatmeal with nutrient-dense buckwheat.
Within weeks, inflammation and morning stiffness began to fade. Her body felt less reactive, her energy more steady.
Phase 3 — The Steroid Taper
With her doctor’s oversight, she began reducing prednisone by 1 mg every three weeks. We supported the process with fish oil (increased to 3000 mg) and an anti-inflammatory honey paste of turmeric, rose, plantain, and anise.
Her first taper brought mild stiffness — but no major rebound.
By the time she reached 3 mg, her pain and swelling were nearly gone.
A reformulated paste with turmeric, frankincense, and ginger became her favorite evening tea, and compliance improved dramatically.
“You know they’re healing when they start to believe they no longer have their diagnosis.” — Heather Luna
Phase 4 — Freedom from Medication
By May 2022, she had successfully weaned off prednisone.
At her rheumatologist’s follow-up, all inflammatory markers were normal — CRP < 1 mg/L — and bone density had increased by 4%. Her doctor was astonished.
She continued her supplements, walks, and fish oil.
When she tried reintroducing gluten, her inflammation quietly returned.
What This Case Teaches
“Simple Vitalist techniques can defeat even the scariest disorders.”
- Removing food antigens (in her case, gluten) can dramatically calm autoimmune activity.
- Re-nutrification and gut restoration are prerequisites for recovery.
- The vital force rebounds when warmth, nourishment, and rhythm return.
- Gentle steroid tapering must be paired with deep tissue rebuilding.
This is the essence of Vitalist medicine: not fighting disease, but restoring the conditions for life to flow.
Vitalist Principles for Vibrant Health
| Principle | Description |
| Identify and remove obstacles to cure | Food intolerance, toxic exposure, emotional stress — clear what impedes healing. |
| Nutrition | Well-digested, assimilated food appropriate to the person builds true resilience. |
| Rest and Sleep | Regular, restorative rest anchors recovery. |
| Exercise | Movement circulates the vital force and awakens the tissues. |
| Breath | Deep breathing, especially through movement, renews vitality. |
| Sense of Purpose | Alignment with meaning and calling nourishes the deepest layers of health. |
Begin Your Own Healing Journey
If you’re navigating chronic inflammation or autoimmune conditions, begin with a Deep Case Intensive — a 120 minute consultation designed to map your terrain and restore balance from the inside out.
Not medical advice – educational only. This story reflects one person’s experience under clinical and medical supervision. RA and autoimmunity are complex .Your care should be coordinated and individualized with your prescribing clinician, especially for any medication changes.