and it sounds like doctors don't know squat about what causes it. Well guess what, most don't know squat about diet and nutrition either. It's not in their training, and it's not in their treatment protocols, and they look at the pieces without understanding the whole. Very few are interested in preventive medicine unless they can prescribe a drug or invasive treatment for it. Otherwise there's no money in it, and it's not covered by insurance, and very little research goes into it because the money is in drugs and medical equipment and treatment. It's not that they don't mean well, or that they don't care about their patients -- it's that they just don't know what they don't know, and it's outside their view -- they know other things, have educated opinions, and there's little or no incentive or curiosity to pursue it.

Created by white blood cells run amok? Sounds a lot like an auto-immune disease. Most auto-immune disease can be reversed or reduced by a plant-based diet. Watch the FORKS OVER KNIVES video. It's 90 minutes and you can stream it on Netflix or Amazon. It will give you food for thought. (pun intended)

Also, my wife is a registered dietitian and dentist, and she has read all the books and articles she can get her hands on regarding holistic health and nutrition. I showed her this thread and she said she'd be happy to speak with you if you wish. She recommends a whole-food plant-based diet. This means avoiding meats/dairy and processed and fried foods as much as possible also, minimizing oil and cooking only with vegetable oils. We eat a lot of flavorful recipes with spice influences from around the world. (Asian, Indian, Latin American, Moroccan, etc.) Our diet is not boring!

I don't miss meats and dairy, we're just cooking different things that are themselves interesting and flavorful. If you don't eat super-rich foods you stop craving them. But I do like the flavors and once in a while I'll have a nibble... If I'm with other people I might have a few bites of meat or calamari, or a small amount of something sweet if it's served at dessert. But that isn't a daily occurrence and I don't gorge on it.

The key is that either you or Rey have to be willing to cook. We eat our best meals at home or on the boat these days, when Jan cooks for us. I'm not much into cooking, but I do the cleanup. What's difficult is eating out because there's not a lot on the menus, but most restaurants will work with you: An Italian restaurant will serve a pasta primavera with a fra diavolo sauce, or ask them to use every type of olive and peppers and whatever veggies (and beans to add plant-based protein) to top a pizza without cheese, or you can order veggie fajitas without cheese or sour cream in a Mexican restaurant, as examples. Asian, Indian, Moroccan restaurants have more to offer.

(edit) PS- I'm not saying I know this will solve your issue -- just saying I know it MIGHT solve your issue, and there's little downside, lots of upside and no risk to trying what I'm suggesting. Watch Forks Over Knives