Diet and Lupus

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sarah999999
sarah999999 Posts: 1
in Food and Nutrition
Hi, I'm 22f and I was just diagnosed with lupus. The cause is partly hereditary even though no one in my family has Lupus specifically, and may be part caused by other factors (stress, hormones, etc). I'm trying to change my diet and exercise more. I was healthy when the disease started, but changing what i eat could help. Does anyone know how much of an effect diet can have?preventing flare ups and keeping the kidneys healthy especially.

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  • LiviLou2011
    LiviLou2011 Posts: 437 Member
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    My cousin has lupas, shes had it for a few years now, she exercises like normal just everything everyone else does, when you have bad days just make sure you rest, ive seen how hard it can be and rest is very important on those days.
  • mccarol1956
    mccarol1956 Posts: 422 Member
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    http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_learnliving.aspx?articleid=2281&zoneid=527 sorry this was the best I could find. It says there is no special diet for lupus..
  • bmacholiday
    bmacholiday Posts: 296 Member
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    I don't know the answer to your question, but I would be interested in finding out myself.
  • ChristineW82
    ChristineW82 Posts: 116 Member
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    I'm have border line lupus ... never really understood this, but I have MS too. The best advice I can offer is first talk with your doctors and second take the time to find out what works best for you. Rest when you need to rest.
  • peachprl
    peachprl Posts: 119 Member
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    Hi. I was diagnosed with lupus in October of 2010, so I understand how you want to keep your flare ups in remission- believe me. There is a wonderful book that you might want to pick up that I have read called "The Lupus Recovery Diet" by Jill Harrington that talks a lot about autoimmune disease and diet approaches that help patients manage their symptoms. I have followed much of what the book has suggested and have found that this and exercise has helped my flare ups a great deal. I went from having days that I could barely walk or bend my fingers and was literally crying in pain and needed pain patches to now working out daily and am in better shape than I have been in my entire life. Please feel free to add me as a friend and I will be happy to talk to you more about things. I'm also a nurse so as a patient AND a health care provider- I completely understand a lot of what you are going through and can offer you a lot of support. Hang in there!
  • hilsen
    hilsen Posts: 7
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    Hey,
    I have been diagnosed an autoimmune rare disease very related to Lupus in 2008 and ever since have been struggling with food since it has become abvious to me that food is a huge inflammation trigger in my case and many many autoimmune conditions.
    There are plenty of books about the anti-inflammation diet, which is basically the diet I have been following ever since.
    I can not stand sugars, any forms of it - including fruits. I barely get fruits, just tiny amounts once or twice a week.
    The anti-inflammatory diet is based on no sugar consumption (sugar is a strong inflammation trigger), no whlte refined products (no pasta, bread, white rice but ok to *real* wholefoods bread, pasta etc... ), low IG foods (again, whole foods, pulses, cereals in grain forms - try oat in grains, millet, quinoa... beans), no processed food at all, lots of vegetables, Omega-3 rich foods (fish and nuts), high protein.
    Basically this is how the antinflammatory diet also suggests to stay away from Omega-6: This fatty acid worsens inflammation. It can be found in shortening, some oils (eg. sunflower oil) and bread.
    Do eat more Omega-3: This fatty acid is anti inflammatory. Most people take this in pill form, and you can take as much as 2-3 grams a day. It's naturally found in fat fish like mackerell.
    Stay away from artifical trans-fat: It worsens inflammation and disturbs the natural way omega 3 and 6 are distributed in your body. Trans-fat can be found in cookies, baked goods that you buy at the store, deep fried products.
    Eat little carbohydrates that are high in GI: This is just a fancy way to say; Stay away from sugar and starch (like white rice and pasta). This is because lots of carbohydrates will increase insulin in your body, and this in turn increases inflammation.

    Eat enough protein: Protein balances you diet and will make sure you don't have huge blood-sugar-swings (because those gives you high production of insulin). Protein rich foods are meat, fish, shrimps and other shellfish and eggs.

    Eat plenty of anti-oxidants: This ensures that fat and other food doesn't "turn harsh/old" in your body and it protects cells. Anti-oxidants are naturally found in spices, herbs, berries, vegetables, fruit, nuts and cocoa.

    - Do eat plenty of extra virgin olive oil - it's rich in anti-inflammatory and painkilling ingridients. Make sure that it's cold pressed/extra virgin.

    Good foods:
    All vegetables (salads, baked, wok, stew etc)
    Berries (without sugar)
    Herbs, spices
    70% cocoa
    Fat fish
    Lean fish
    Extra virgin olive oil
    Raw nuts, seeds and almonds
    Chicken, hen, turkey
    Beef, pork chops, roast beef, ham
    Eggs
    Cottage cheese
    Shrimps and shell fish

    Ok to eat:
    Beans, peas, lentils
    Whole seeds
    Soy flakes
    Sour milk (not milk that has gone bad! but the one that's good for you)
    Youghurt that doesn't have sugar
    Butter
    Yellow cheeses
    Some cream
    Boiled potatoes
    Brown rice, wild rice
    Juice made from fruit and berries
    Drinks without sugar
    Fructose, some honey, splenda (artificial sweetner without aspartam)

    Things to avoid/eat less of:
    Sugar
    Soda, iced tea, soft drinks, juice with sugar
    Candy (all kinds)
    Cookies and store bought cakes
    Fries, mashed potatoes (from a bag), salty snacks
    Deep fried food
    Baguettes, chiabatta, fine bread
    Pizza, pai, pita, pancakes
    Sausages
    All kinds of shortening, also in liquids
    Regular soy oil, sun flower oil, corn oil
    Kaviar, majo, salads with majo
    Yoghurt to drink, sugared yoghurt
    Chocolate milk and other sweetned milk
    Pasta and regular rice
    Brown cheese, jam, chocolate spread
    Beer, non-alchol beer, light beer, sweet drinks, liquer and spirits

    Eat eggs, fish, raw nuts and soured milk everyday in addition to other "good foods".
    I do feel the differences a lot and if it seems hard...Think about what you are giving yourself instead of what you are depriving yourself of.

    Good Luck.

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