Autoimmune and reversing
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adchak
Posts: 62 Member
I am 5ft 7 inches, 43 yr old Indian female experiencing severe hair shedding for the last 3-4 months. All myblood work came back normal except ANA was positive and the doc said I tested positive for double strand DNA. Other than hair loss my only other symptom is cold sweats every now and then. I have good energy levels, no skin lesions or rashes. I sleep well. I looked up lupus and other than hair loss dont have any other symptoms.
Any advice on nutrition to help reverse this? I really want to try usingnutrition to reverse this.
Any advice on nutrition to help reverse this? I really want to try usingnutrition to reverse this.
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Replies
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I know pretty much any autoimmune disease can be reveresed eating a very, very clean and sugar free diet. It’s hard to do, but it is possible. You might want to check that out if you are nervous you are suffering from one45
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arilukaszewicz1 wrote: »I know pretty much any autoimmune disease can be reveresed eating a very, very clean and sugar free diet. It’s hard to do, but it is possible. You might want to check that out if you are nervous you are suffering from one
How exactly do you know that? Can you point us to the research?12 -
I am 5ft 7 inches, 43 yr old Indian female experiencing severe hair shedding for the last 3-4 months. All myblood work came back normal except ANA was positive and the doc said I tested positive for double strand DNA. Other than hair loss my only other symptom is cold sweats every now and then. I have good energy levels, no skin lesions or rashes. I sleep well. I looked up lupus and other than hair loss dont have any other symptoms.
Any advice on nutrition to help reverse this? I really want to try usingnutrition to reverse this.
Are you currently dieting? If so, how much weight are you losing? Are you getting enough protein and fat? Is there anything unusually stressful going on in your life right now?
Is there a reason you're assuming the hair loss is due to an undiagnosed autoimmune condition?4 -
I am 5ft 7 inches, 43 yr old Indian female experiencing severe hair shedding for the last 3-4 months. All myblood work came back normal except ANA was positive and the doc said I tested positive for double strand DNA. Other than hair loss my only other symptom is cold sweats every now and then. I have good energy levels, no skin lesions or rashes. I sleep well. I looked up lupus and other than hair loss dont have any other symptoms.
Any advice on nutrition to help reverse this? I really want to try usingnutrition to reverse this.
"The anti-dsDNA (anti-double stranded DNA) antibody test is a blood test that looks for antibodies to double stranded DNA. The anti-dsDNA antibody test is a very specific test for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). That’s because Anti-dsDNA antibodies aren’t found in any other autoimmune disorders other than SLE."
And a postivite ANA test indicates an autoimmune disorder. Lupus is an autoimmune disorder.
You should go back to the doctor or get a second opinion because autoimmune disorders are not joke and can bring a lot of health issues if not treated.
Eating healthy and keeping your weight under control is a plus but not a treatment that could reverse the problem.6 -
arilukaszewicz1 wrote: »I know pretty much any autoimmune disease can be reveresed eating a very, very clean and sugar free diet. It’s hard to do, but it is possible. You might want to check that out if you are nervous you are suffering from one
Totally incorrect!!14 -
arilukaszewicz1 wrote: »I know pretty much any autoimmune disease can be reveresed eating a very, very clean and sugar free diet. It’s hard to do, but it is possible. You might want to check that out if you are nervous you are suffering from one
I can guarantee this is not possible.14 -
I find eating anti inflammatory foods, and avoiding inflammatory foods, can help avoid AI symptoms, or minimize them. Sugars and refined carbs, gluten, and night shades can be an issue for some AI diseases, and may ecerbate symptoms. I don't think diet can get rid of AI diseases, but it can reverse symptoms in some, up to a certain point. Ymmv.
For instance, as a celiac, gluten caused digestive issues, migraines, fatigue, hair loss, and arthritis in me. Going GF mostly stopped my symptoms, but it did not make my hair regrow in, or reverse my arthritis. Those symptoms did not get worse, and my pain improved, but the damage slowed or stopped. Since you may be early in this diagnosis (and I hope it is wrong) you may be able to take some dietary steps to slow or stop its progression.
The Wahls Protocal is a book developed my an MD, who had a whole foods based diet to help with MS. The Paleo Protocol is another whole foods diet that has helped some. LCHF and Keto have been shown to help others, and there is emerging anecdotal carnivore experience now.
I am sure there are other specific dietary protocols which have been shown to help. I would research any you choose though. Some dietary recommendations are just repeated blather, and others will not apply to you.
I have found a ketogenic to carnivore diet to be the most helpful for me, GF of course, followed by a diet with only carbs that are unrefined and very low in sugars or any type. Ymmv
Good luck.
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arilukaszewicz1 wrote: »I know pretty much any autoimmune disease can be reveresed eating a very, very clean and sugar free diet. It’s hard to do, but it is possible. You might want to check that out if you are nervous you are suffering from one
Seriously? Ever heard of celiac disease or hemochromatoma? Hashimoto's? Just a few of the auto-immune diseases that run in my family, none of which can be reversed by eating "clean" (whatever that means) or reducing sugar.15 -
arilukaszewicz1 wrote: »I know pretty much any autoimmune disease can be reveresed eating a very, very clean and sugar free diet. It’s hard to do, but it is possible. You might want to check that out if you are nervous you are suffering from one
No. No. NO. if it could, I wouldn’t be injecting myself every week just so that I can hold a pen or wipe my own bum. This comment annoys me.
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If only I could reverse my celiac, Hashimoto's, and psoriatic arthritis diseases with diet.
I could just as easily wish away my brain tumor.
I manage my celiac disease by avoiding gluten. I manage my Hashimoto's and psoriatic arthritis with proper medical monitoring and intervention, maintaining a healthy weight, good sleep hygiene, a healthy diet, and regular exercise.17 -
arilukaszewicz1 wrote: »I know pretty much any autoimmune disease can be reveresed eating a very, very clean and sugar free diet. It’s hard to do, but it is possible. You might want to check that out if you are nervous you are suffering from one
Good lord. NO NO NO NO! This is so incorrect and could be dangerous.9 -
I recently (a little over a month ago) went mostly vegetarian (I still have dairy) to try to help my RA/lupus symptoms and am starting to see some results in swelling in my hands. BUT i also inject one medication weekly and another every other week and take daily meds but am looking at veg lifestyle to supplement NOT fix my AI issues. I don't appreciate the very ignorant comment.7
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I recently (a little over a month ago) went mostly vegetarian (I still have dairy) to try to help my RA/lupus symptoms and am starting to see some results in swelling in my hands. BUT i also inject one medication weekly and another every other week and take daily meds but am looking at veg lifestyle to supplement NOT fix my AI issues. I don't appreciate the very ignorant comment.
I'm an ovo/lacto vegetarian too. I'm on Humira for psoriatic arthritis.
I find that when I get a LOT of veggies in my day, I feel my best. It's usually easier to do this by meal prepping and planning ahead. It's worth the effort!1 -
I was one who walked miles a day and ate very healthy compared to some. I went to the doctor the first of the year. I was fatigued. No amount of sleep or rest helped. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune (connective tissue disease). I wish eating healthy would cure it. I know, as someone said, I can eat to reduce the inflammation but not cure it. I do my best to do as much as possible on my good days and rest on my bad ones. I also started losing hair once I started the plaquenil. After taking it a couple of months, it slowed down. I agree with someone else with protein intake, fat and calories. When I first began mfp back in 2014, I ate very low calories (around 1000) and little protein. It made my hair fall out. So I learned my lesson.4
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Just wanted to post my progress here for the benefit of anyonegoing through similar symptoms.
Allmyblood work came bck normal- total blood count, sedimentation rate, c reactive protein, thyroid antibodies, RF Quantitation, C complement proteins, complete metabolic panel. So the 2 things that were positive were ANA and Anti double strand DNA (this was 31 normal is <10)
I am seeing a holistic care integrative doctor (naturopath) and will move to an internal medicine doc as well as a Rheumatologist appt in 4 weeks. My naturupath doc put me on vitamins and supplements- Curcuplex 95 500 mg (2 capsules) to reduce inflammation, Magnesium Citrate 100 mg 3 capsules, Phosphatidylserine, Probiotic, Vit B12 5000 mcg. I am also continuing my Multuvitamin, Keratin, Biotin forhair. After abt 3 weeks my hair loss is less. I am relieved. I also started having agreen smoothie daily and its done wonders to my gut health. Ihave suffered from constipation since I was 5!
It could bethat my autoimmune is in remission hence the symptoms are less severe and I am hoping the vitamins, clean diet is helping my inflammation.
Hair loss that happens unexplained needs to belooked into. If I hadnt insisted on gettg answers I would have never found out abt my autoimmune disorder. Trying to be on aclean diet and being watchful of all other symptoms. Thishas beena wakeuo call forme!0 -
I'd recommend starting with something like Autoimmune Paleo (AIP) diet and perhaps Wahl's protocol if you want to go that extra step. Another poster mentioned both. Those are what most people I know have usually settled on as the most effective and also the most doable/sustainable for autoimmune issues. Even just the intro phase of AIP for a minimum of a month or two to learn what foods aggravate your symptoms is extremely helpful.0
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arilukaszewicz1 wrote: »I know pretty much any autoimmune disease can be reveresed eating a very, very clean and sugar free diet. It’s hard to do, but it is possible. You might want to check that out if you are nervous you are suffering from one
Incorrect
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease....no chance of eating clean curing that!4 -
Thanks for the suggestions whoamI67.
I have been following the AIP plan for the most part. My gut health hasdrastically improved as I mentioned since I started my green smoothie everyday (rainbow swiss chard, half banana, half green apple, cilantro, parsley, cinnamon, turmeric, collagen peptides). I’ve cut out all grain, dairy andeven seeds for the most part. If course as my hair loss hasreduced I have had my cheat day (once aweek) where I ate out, had dessert (my biggest weakness). Symptoms didnt come back or get worse after that.
My rheumatologist appt is in Jan, hoping it goes well!0
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