http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20698908,00.html
I do not believe that choosing healthy foods and having good nutrition solves every problem. But if you have not tried to eat a more nutritious diet and to deal with your food sensitivities, you have no idea how much better you might feel.
There are some success stories on life with lupus.
I have removed dairy, gluten, grains, most sugar ( thats a hard one for me) and it has made a huge difference in my general health and how I feel. It is interesting to me that I look at processed food and wonder how I ate it before. This is a process though it has taken a year to change my diet and I am still in the process of making more changes.
Ann A. I think it is OK?? to have sugar or desserts foods that we may choose not to eat every day but on special occasions. It would be impossible for me to think I would never have another piece of cake again or a donut lol. I just love dessert. I am eating Paleo desserts at home and they are not as good tasting but are healthier. I thought I could change my way of eating immediately I am happy and surprised at the process it has taken on.
I'm glad someone brought this up. This has been the key to staying off all those toxic lupus drugs. I've had 3 serious bouts with lupus. I think I could have avoided bouts 2 and 3 if I had got the message about food the first time. What I mean is- I was told about my food sensitivities after the first bout, so I had the info. and I avoided those foods for a year or two then I was traveling so much I just gave up on sticking to my diet and started eating "regular" food again. Including diet coke, which is pretty much poisonous. They say it is easier to change a man's diet than his religion, and for me that is true. I get addicted to the foods I'm allergic to (allergy-addiction cycle, not uncommon). The 3rd time was the charm. I already knew what to do, but now I became willing to do it. So I'm now on zero lupus drugs (after being on 9 drugs plus chemo and transfusions) and recently got off my blood pressure drug as well, after 6 years of being on it. yay nutrition! (I'm gluten free, dairy free, no nutrasweet, no eggs, no pineapples, not too much tomato, no MSG, and have leafy greens every day- the most nutritious food on the planet!)
I was off track for several years things just slipped away I am in the process of getting things straightened out and nutrition was a very big part of my life. I am slowly working on things since it took awhile to mess things up. I actually have an appointment with a nutritionist I no bless her heart she has talked to my rheumy and they have agreed I need to see an allergy Dr . to. We are what we eat.
Thanks for sharing this article Ann. Since I gave up the artificial sweetners, I have noticed an improvement with the confusion and lupus fog. I'm trying to improve my diet, and its progress not perfection.