Sponsored Ads
A New Free Report - What Is Lupus?
This fascinating new report from UK-based publishing house Health Research Today answers some of the most-asked questions about this baffling disease :
- What is the medical definition of lupus?
- What are the symptoms of lupus?
- What tests are there for lupus? How do you get a diagnosis?
Fill in this form and we will send you the report immediately, which you are welcome to send on to friends or family!
Treating Lupus With Nutrition
This article is an extract from the ebook Freedom From Lupus!
Detrimental Foods
Just as there are foods that can help people with lupus cope with symptoms and remain as healthy as possible, there are also foods that can create health problems for patients. Some foods can trigger inflammation. Others can create hypertension and even promote immune system activity.
There are several foods that promote inflammation, some of which can be completely avoided in the diet while others only need to be minimized. Junk food and fast food tend to have very detrimental effects on the body overall. These foods use unhealthy fats in processing, which can lead to inflammation and heart disease.
Protein, while an essential food group, can also be detrimental to people with lupus. Everyone needs protein to survive, and not all protein sources are harmful. However, protein sources like red meat and eggs can exacerbate inflammation due to the arachidonic acid they contain. Arachidonic acid is essential for health, but too much of it can cause uncomfortable inflammation. Red meat and eggs also have an effect on cholesterol levels, so their intake should be minimized.
Starchy carbohydrates can also make inflammation worse. While wheat flour contains arachidonic acid, white flower is a refined starchy carbohydrate that can also cause inflammation. Junk foods contain large amounts of processed sugar, which can worsen inflammation.
The nightshade family of fruits and vegetables are notorious for causing inflammation due to their concentration of an alkaloid called solanine. Solanine is found in vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplant. Solanine does not cause inflammation in every patient, but if patients experience pain and swelling after consumption, they may want to minimize their intake of these vegetables.
Stimulants can also create problems in people with lupus. Soda should be avoided, because it helps to contribute to osteoporosis. Many of the medications lupus patients take also contribute to the disease, so avoiding soda can keep from exacerbating the disorder.
It is also important to avoid high fat foods. Foods that are high in fat can increase inflammation in patients. They also worsen heart disease. However, another risk they pose for lupus patients is the worsening of renal disease. When a high fat diet is combined with foods that are high in sodium, potassium, and protein, the kidneys are put under a lot of pressure. At the same time the high fat diet is increasing artherosclerosis (where fatty deposits build up in the arteries) causing high blood pressure, heart attack, or stroke.
There are also certain foods known to worsen lupus symptoms, that is because they also stimulate the immune system. For instance, alfalfa sprouts are notorious for increasing inflammation and other lupus symptoms. It is because they contain the chemical L-canavanine. There are other foods that also contain L-conavanine, but not in such high concentration. It is also the reason why you should check food labels, because some foods will contain alfalfa, but it may not be obvious unless you look at the ingredient list. Also foods containing zinc and echinacea also increase the immune system.
Food Allergies and Sensitivities
Food allergies are not uncommon in lupus patients. In fact, there seems to be some question whether or not lupus is actually caused by an allergy. While this assertion has never been proven, it does bring about the fact that lupus patients tend to be more susceptible to allergies and sensitivities.
Some lupus patients experience delayed reactions to food, which make pain and inflammation worse. The problem is usually faulty digestion or over consumption of certain foods. The more common allergy-inducing foods are milk, dairy, wheat corn, eggs, beef, yeast, and soy. For the most part these foods are healthy, but in some people they cause inflammation or gastrointestinal upset.
One substance that commonly causes problems for patients is gluten. This protein found in bread, pasta, cookies, and more can trigger what is known as celiac disease. It is an immune reaction occurring in the small intestine. The result of celiac disease is damage to the surface of the small intestine and the body’s inability to absorb food via the small intestine. Eventually celiac disease can cause problems in the brain, peripheral nervous system, bones, and liver due to malnourishment. Common signs of celiac disease include weight loss, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, gas pain, bloating, weakness, foul-smelling and grayish stools, and osteoporosis.
Another common sensitivity is lactose intolerance. Lactose is the primary sugar found in milk. Some patients have difficulty in digesting the sugar resulting in nausea, cramps, gas pain, bloating, and diarrhea. While milk is most commonly associated with lactose, the sugar is also found in cereals, salad dressings, candy, ice cream, and even some prescription medications. You should read nutritional labels to determine if lactose is present.
Another substance that has come under great attack is aspartame. There is a debate as to whether or not aspartame is a cause of lupus, with scientists on both sides of the debate. However, the Lupus Foundation of America has stated that, at this time, there is no scientific link between aspartame and lupus.15 However, they do recommend speaking with your physician before making any changes in your diet.
One substance lupus patients should avoid is alcohol. Alcohol changes the way the body metabolizes medication and foods. In fact, it can increase the speed of medications so more of the medicine ends up in the system faster, causing intense side effects or even death. Besides the creating problems with medications, alcohol also causes the body to lose nutrients, which are essential in people with chronic diseases like lupus.
Read the rest of this article in Freedom From Lupus!
© Health Research Today
