Friday, September 9, 2011

The Lupus Diet



While surfing the web yesterday for my post Eat this... Dont eat that! I came across a site titled
"Can Lupus, and Lupus Hair Loss be Tamed with a Lupus Diet?". I found this to be very interesting (1.) I have Lupus and have never heard of a Lupus diet, and (2.) My hair is falling out :(

As I began to read the article, I was happy to see that a specific listing of foods was provided to help boost the immune system. I was never one to count calories nor could I rattle off the top of my head what food are enriched in specific vitamins (outside of the obvious- vitamin C- oranges, etc). So the list with specific foods, I found to be very helpful. After yesterdays posting, I was feeling like there werent anything I could eat- and I was hungry. With the list below I now feel like I have options!

Top 10 immune system boosters include, which supply the highest levels of these nutrients, are beets, shiitake mushrooms, avocado, curly kale, grapefruit, blueberry, brazil nuts, soy beans, green tea and garlic.

Other top immune boosters include sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, yams, red bell peppers, tomatoes, rhubarb, pumpkin, chili peppers, avocados.

Cruciferous vegetables, watercress, nettle, spinach, Belgian endive, globe artichokes, arugula, kiwi, pineapple, papayas, mangoes, guava, cantaloupe, passion fruits, citrus fruits, bananas, grapes, berries, rosehips, hazelnuts, apples.

Endive, walnuts, cashews, almonds, pistachio nuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, safflower oil, evening primrose oil, sesame seed and oil, aduki beans, oats, wheat germ, quinona, bulgur, rice, corn, kidney beans, lima beans, green beans, lentils, snow peas, turkey, pheasant, duck, chicken, fresh tuna, salmon, anchovy, mackerel.

Shrimp, yogurt, peppermint, chamomile, rosemary, ginger and turmeric. These foods all contain an abundance of nutrients with antioxidant, immune restoring or anti-inflammatory properties.


I realize I have to get serious about what I put in my body. What amounts are safe and just because I like it, dont mean it ok to eat it. I know all things in moderation is best- but my eating habits are CRAPPY- some things I have and will let go COLD TURKEY!



3 Objectives of The Lupus Diet

Proper diet is required not only for people with Lupus but there are some special considerations when it comes to Lupus dieting. There are three objectives of the diet and these are to counteract steroid therapy, to stock up on your potassium, and to replace the nutrients that you have lost. for you to be able to reach these objectives here are some information that you will have to keep in mind.

Control your fat Intake
For the Lupus diet, you have to control your fat intake. The omega-3 fatty acids that are found in fish oils are also proven to lessen your risk of encountering coronary artery diseases. this Lupus diet is very important to those who are high risk for these certain conditions such as women with Lupus, or those who have hereditary tendencies.

Recommended Vitamins And which to Avoid
Taking in supplements when you are in a Lupus diet should not be done without consulting with your physician. There are certain vitamins that are not recommended for you since these will worsen your condition such as Vitamin a which can exacerbate autoimmunity and Vitamin E which will induce the remission of Lupus. on the other hand, there are helpful vitamins too such as Vitamin D which helps in managing osteoporosis, Vitamin B12 and folic acid that treat some forms of anemia. Herbal supplements too should not be taken without a doctor’s prescription, since there are some that are totally restricted for you.

The food Avoid
Alfalfa is one of the foods that should be totally avoided in a Lupus diet since this one can trigger symptoms that are Lupus-like or more commonly referred to as Lupus flares. these Lupus flares induced by alfalfa can be fatigue and muscle pain, blood test result abnormalities, nephritic problems and changes with how the immune system functions. Researches have found out that L-canavanine, an amino acid that is found in alfalfa activates the immune system, and can aggravate inflammation. Not all Lupus symptoms can be eliminated but many symptoms can be controlled to at least have a normal live.

If you have tried the Lupus Diet- comment and let me know how it worked-or didnt work or you.

Related Articles:

Can Lupus, and Lupus Hair Loss be Tamed with a Lupus Diet?

Lupus Diet – How to Make Your Lupus Symptoms Better

Disclaimer: The information included on this blog is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan.

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The information contained in this blog is MY EXPERIENCE. It is not intended to be used for the diagnosis or treatment of a health problem or as a substitute for consulting a licensed medical professional.Please keep comments clean and friendly. I don't want to send anyone to time out, but any comments that aren't so nice, or are solely for commercial or self-promotional purposes, will be moderated.