Lupus Diet and Nutrition Information

Published: 2009-01-13 - Updated: 2018-03-16
Author: Stacey Becker
Peer-Reviewed Publication: N/A
Library: Lupus Publications

Synopsis: Examines some of the food in your diet you should and should not eat if you suffer from lupus.

As someone who has healed Lupus, I often get asked about the importance of diet. Several years ago I was diagnosed with lupus. I could barely get out of bed or walk, had a hard time holding a glass of juice due to joint pain, suffered from all over body muscle aches, endured a constant low grade fever, and itched uncontrollably on my arms with skin rash. I new my life, as I new it, was over. I was petrified.

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On my first (and last) visit to the rheumatologist I asked what I could do to support my health or to avoid a worsening my lupus symptoms. She casually responded "Come back when you're worse and I'll put you on steroids". Straining to get some kind of supportive information I mustered up a question about diet and if there were foods I should eat or avoid. Her response was, "continue to eat whatever you want, it won't make a difference".

After one more attempt at getting something useful to work with to help myself, I realized I was on my own dealing with lupus. In an internal fit of rage toward her cold, aloof attitude I decided right then and there that I would heal my lupus, (with the added bonus to never endure the presence of that 'specialist' again). I did. I don't have lupus anymore.

As someone who has healed Lupus, I often get asked about the importance of diet.

Many people tell me that their doctor also told them diet doesn't matter. To that I ask you to consider does what you eat matter even when you are healthy? Of course it does, and it's far more important when you're suffering from ill health!

In fact, diet matters so much that there are many testimonies of others who have completely healed from a lupus diet alone. Other common serious issues diet has been responsible for reversing also include fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, M.S., migraines, allergies and asthma to name just a few.

Your diet is a powerful foundation for you to work from to support your health, reduce inflammation and pain, and provide your body with what it needs to begin to heal. Below are the top lupus diet do's and lupus diet don'ts you need to know to support your healing.

Lupus Diet Don'ts:

Do not drink alcohol, pop (a.k.a. soda for those in the U.S.!), energy drinks, or other 'acidic' non-healthy drinks, including treated or public drinking water facilities.
Do not eat processed foods, or foods with unhealthy preservatives such as MSG (which include most foods in the center isles of big box food chains).
Do not eat red meat. A little fish such as salmon is great, and chicken. For some even these may trigger flares, so be cognizant of how it makes you feel.
Avoid fatty foods, (such as mono saturated fats, trans-fats, saturated fats, and some polyunsaturated omega 6 fats) found in commonly baked, fried and junk foods.
Avoid the 4 white foods, including salt, sugar, white flour (refined carbohydrates and starches) and dairy.
Avoid spicy foods. Spices are known to trigger flares.
Avoid artificial sweeteners. These are toxic and many believe it to even induce disease (I agree). There is no viable reason to use this product and they do not help you lose weight.

Lupus Diet Do's:

Eat a diet that mostly consists of simple, natural whole foods such as fruits and vegetables in its raw form.
Eat easy to digest foods, such as soaked almonds, soups, fruit/veggie smoothies, and salads based on natural, raw ingredients.
Be sure to drink at least 8 glasses of water throughout the day. This supports the elimination of toxic build up in the body, and a faulty digestive process common with lupus sufferers.
Support your body by supplementing with digestive enzymes and probiotics. Most lupus patients are not absorbing their food and nutrients properly and need extra enzymes to support the healing process.
You must consume enough essential fatty acid (EFA's), or supplement with it. This will support you in reducing inflammation and therefore reducing pain and avoiding flares.
Avoid foods that cause food sensitivities or allergies. You must be tested for this in order to be sure of your bodies specific needs. Some tests do not indicate food sensitivities (such as to sugar, salt, etc.), so keep a journal of your body's reactions to foods. Eat a varied diet, rich with alkaline, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory foods. Always clean your food well, (including organic foods).

The above lists are the foundational principles your diet for lupus must follow. There are many, many other specifics of a lupus diet and nutrition that can and will support your body's homeostasis and the healing process.

As you've possibly experienced, your doctor is not going to provide you with a healing regime so you must find your way to learning how to work with your body in a healing crisis. There are many, many answers that will support you in reducing your lupus symptoms, even reversing them altogether. Your diet for lupus should be the first line of defense.

Some of the benefits you will soon experience from a lupus diet include:

Reduced inflammation, pain and swelling
Decreased muscle pain, tissue damage and strain on organs
Significantly increased energy and stamina
Increased mobility
Reduced body fat
Relief of constipation, bloating and irregularities
Improved memory and cognitive functioning

To name just a few!

There is no question what we eat affects how we feel physically, emotionally and spiritually, and how well our immune system functions in order to help us heal. Support yourself with highly nourishing foods that work with your body and immune system, not against it. A car can run on dirty oil only so long before it burns out. Don't let that happen to your body. The body is better able to heal itself when you eat foods that support the immune system and the healing process, and avoid food that interferes with it. Remember, healing lupus is possible.

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