Natural Treatment for Lupus

Lupus is an inflammatory disease that occurs when the immune system attacks its own tissues. The chronic condition can damage nearly any part of the body, including the organs, joints, and skin. Although treatment for lupus can help, the disease cannot be cured and generally lasts for years or can be life-long. While anyone can develop lupus, women are most at risk. The condition is more common in African American and Hispanic women. Although there has been much research performed on lupus, the exact cause of the condition is still unknown.

Symptoms of Lupus

The symptoms of lupus can vary from person. However, the most common symptoms include pain or swelling in the joints, fever with no known cause, muscle pain, chest pain when taking in deep breaths, and red rashes (most often on the face which is known as a butterfly rash). Some people will also experience other symptoms, such as sensitivity to the sun, hair loss, mouth ulcers, purple or pale fingers or toes, swollen glands, swelling around the eyes or in the legs, or an intense feeling of fatigue. Symptoms of lupus will usually come and go. When symptoms worsen, it is known as a flare. Flares can range from mild to severe.

Treatment for Lupus

The goals of lupus treatment should be to prevent flares, reduce organ damage and similar problems, and to treat flares as they occur. Traditionally, medications are given to patients to reduce pain and swelling, reduce flares, aid the immune system, and prevent damage to the joints. People with lupus often suffer from related illnesses that can trigger flares, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and infection. Treating these underlying conditions is crucial to help better manage lupus symptoms. Natural treatments are also available and can be used on their own or in combination with traditional treatments.

Building a healthy gut is often one of the first lines of defense against lupus symptoms. By creating good gut health, you can help prevent toxins from further damaging your system. There are a number of things you can do to defend yourself against toxins, such as supplying your gut with probiotics, immunoglobulins, and prebiotic foods. Many people with lupus also find success when on an alkaline detox diet. This type of diet involves eliminating dairy and all processed foods from your diet. As legumes, gluten, and grains can be inflammatory, these foods should also be eliminated.

Lupus can cause extensive stiffness and pain in the muscles, joints, and nerves. While it can cause discomfort, it is important to maintain an active lifestyle. A 15 minute walk, gentle yoga, or Tai Chi can also be useful activities to keep the body active and to help flush away dangerous toxins. Remember; when you sit for long periods of time the inflammatory chemicals in the body become stagnant which can result in more inflammation. By keeping your body active you can help minimize stiffness and keep toxins out of the body.

Certain supplements and natural herbs have been found helpful in lessening lupus symptoms. As many people with lupus also experience leaky gut, finding new ways to boost nutrition is even more important as leaky gut causes malabsorption issues. Support your immune system by adding certain supplements to your diet, such as omega-3 fish oils, vitamin D, probiotics, multivitamins, curcumin, glutathione, and multivitamins. Intravenous glutathione can be especially useful as oral glutathione is often broken down by enzymes and stomach acids during the digestive process. To learn more about natural treatments for lupus or to schedule a consultation, contact a naturopathic doctor today at Vitalia Healthcare in Vancouver.

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