Is Lupus Genetic?

Dear Carla,
My mother passed away from Lupus and connective tissue disease. I was wondering if Lupus was hereditary. Thanks


Hello!

Thanks for writing in.
I'm so sorry you lost your Mom to lupus.
Not everyone realizes how serious lupus can be.

A lot of research has been and is still being done to attempt to identify a lupus gene.
According to blogger Iris (below in comments section), "The John Curtin Medical Research Institute at ANU has found the gene behind lupus.  They named it "roquin" after the patron saint of plague victims. Normal roquin leads to a healthy immune system, mutated roquin is the cause of autoimmune diseases, including lupus. http://www.sometimesitislupus.com/2013/05/towards-cure.html "

(Thank you Iris for the info!).

However, genes alone do not create lupus. According to the National Institute for Health, "In studies of identical twins—who are born with the exact same genes—when one twin has lupus, the other twin has a 24-percent chance of developing it. This and other research suggests that genetics plays an important role, but it also shows that genes alone do not determine who gets lupus..."

And according to the Lupus Foundation of America, only 10% of people with lupus will have a close relative who has lupus or may develop lupus. That's not a strong case for lupus being genetic.

The next question is: why are these genes mutated? Does it happen at conception or are they damaged during our lifetime? Looks like from the identical twin study we are not born a ticking lupus time bomb- something else has to come into the equation.

Some forward-thinking doctors (such as Mercola, Oz, Hyman) believe that genetics "load the gun" but it's lifestyle that "pulls the trigger." In other words, there may be more potential in a certain family to develop a particular disease, but that disease will only occur if enough challenges are presented to the body (for example, stress, poor diet, pollution, radiation, trauma, accidents, poor sleep, lack of community or good relationships, lack of joy, lack of meaning and purpose in life).

Only 1% of diseases are purely genetic. Meaning if your parents had the disease, you will definitely get it. Only 1%. That's good news, because that means most of the diseases you hear about, including lupus, can be turned around somewhat, or even completely, by lifestyle changes.

I was diagnosed with lupus in 1993. I had severe lupus, with kidney failure, congestive heart failure, anemia, stroke, and all the weakness exhaustion and hair loss that go along with it all. I was helped back to strength by medication but then, unlike many lupus patients, I was able to get off the medication and totally reclaim my health. I did so by making drastic changes in both my line of work and my diet (I am gluten free and dairy free and no artificial sweeteners or MSG, and I eat a lot of vegetables).

In short, if your mother had lupus, even severe fatal lupus, it is not inevitable that you will too. But you will need to make conscious healthy choices to avoid illness. Genetic tendencies run in families, but so do lifestyles and so do food allergies. I'd suggest you check out a few books on lupus, some of which may be available at your local library.

The Lupus Recovery Diet, Jill Harrington
Super Immunity Solution, Joel Fuhrman (not lupus book, but a wellness/ nutrition book)
How Can You NOT Laugh at a Time Like This (my book)
Integrative Nutrition, Joshua Rosenthal (you can download this book for free at www.singingpatientwellness.com It's not a lupus book; it's just about nutrition)

Any of these will give you some ideas on how you can use your kitchen and other choices to keep and even improve your current health.

I wish you all the best!
Carla

Carla Ulbrich

The Singing Patient: Author, Speaker, Humorous Songwriter and Entertainer

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"What Would You Do?"

A reader writes in and asks what I would do in her circumstance.

Hello Carla-

I am 34 year old mother of 3. I've been hypothyroid since I was 18.  I came down with an unknown virus in December that gave me severe leg muscle aches, 102 fever, and chills, followed by an itchy rash. I was given a steroid.  

I still had symptoms coughing up mucus. A "minute-clinic" doctor put me on an antibiotic. I started feeling better but at some point noticed my fingers felt like I had hurt them playing a sport.  I have  stiff feet in the morning and when I wake my feet, knees, and hands are rebelling. I saw my doctor Feb. 2 and she wasn't concerned but ran an arthritis panel, nothing came back abnormal except ANA. 

She said she saw no reason to send me to a rheumatologist if ibuprofen is working because she didn't see anything going on.  In other words, no other symptoms of any autoimmune diseases.  My family and I are now trying to cut out gluten.  I did develop psoriasis after the birth of my second child. 

We are working on my thyroid levels, and waiting to see on the ANA.What would you do?

Hello!
Thanks for writing. I will attempt to be as helpful as I can.
I am not a doctor but I have 20 years' experience living with 4 autoimmune conditions and I have tried everything under the sun- mainstream and alternative, and some of it has helped tremendously.

Looking at the bigger picture, I do see autoimmune, as psoriasis is an autoimmune disease. And some forms of hypothyroid are also autoimmune. (Do you have Hashimoto's?) It is not uncommon, once you have one autoimmune disease for others to appear at some point.

You ask what I would do.
I would do anything for my health, and I have. I've got acupuncture, chelation therapy, had my fillings replaced, chiropractic, massage, lymphatic massage, energy medicine, psychotherapy, prescriptions, physical therapy- the list is long.. But in the end, the long-term things that helped the most (and cost nothing, except for the blood test) were doing chi gung and changing my diet: I cut out gluten and dairy (and nutrasweet, eggs and bananas) after having food allergy tests done. These were not pin-prick tests, which check for immediate reactions, but a blood panel that checks for delayed reactions. If I accidentally eat dairy (party/ restaurant) I know because my tendons flare up. If I accidentally get some gluten, I know because my joints swell and hurt. And if i want a migraine, give me MSG or nutrasweet. Just one life saver with nutrasweet, that'll do it.

I don't know where you live, but try calling/ e mailing Dr. Mark Hyman's office and see if you can get an appointment or a referral to a functional medicine doctor. That kind of doctor will look for and remove underlying causes of symptoms, rather than just relieving symptoms with drugs. Sometimes it's allergies, sometimes vitamin deficiencies. If you can't find a functional medicine doctor, try an osteopath. Ask around for a recommendation. Also try ACAM, http://www.acamnet.org/

Call a yoga studio or health food store if you have to and look for some leads on effective knowledgeable healers. Decide if you want someone to get to the bottom of this. Once you get clear on that, then don't let up knocking on doors and asking questions until you're satisfied with the answers you get.

That is what I would- and did- do, and I got my health back.


I believe we were not meant to suffer. We simply live in an unhealthy environment and we have to learn to protect ourselves and be healthy despite some of the things around us that are working against that.

Well wishes-
Carla

Carla Ulbrich

The Singing Patient: Author, Speaker, Humorous Songwriter and Entertainer

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Guest blogger: Eat to Beat Inflammation and Pain

Today we have a guest blogger, Katie Brind’Amour, on the topic of anti-inflammatory foods.

Eat to Beat Inflammation and Pain

Let’s be honest – swollen joints and aching muscles just plain suck. Modern medicine has a host of helpful treatments for these ailments, but so does Mother Nature. Try chowing down on some of the foods below to reduce inflammation and ease joint and muscle pain, particularly if you suffer from lupus.

Fab Foods to the Rescue

Eat your vegetables and whole grains. Vegetables and whole grains (like brown rice, whole wheat, quinoa, and other grains) can offer a host of antioxidants and nutrients that can help your body fight fatigue and inflammation. In addition, the Vitamin E that naturally occurs in some veggies (like tomatoes, spinach, carrots, and sweet potatoes) may help reduce pain, protect your eyes, and heal weak or damaged skin.

Add some (healthy) fat to your meals. Omega-3 fatty acids are widely touted for their ability to cure just about everyone of everything. What you should care about, though, is that omega-3 fatty acids – like the ones found in fish, olive oil, nuts, and avocados – help reduce morning stiffness, joint pain, and functional limitations in individuals with inflammation caused by an autoimmune disorder.

Snack on nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds are a powerhouse combination of healthy fats, essential nutrients, and powerful antioxidants that will help fight tissue damage, boost energy, and even reduce swelling or pain. Incorporate a small handful of walnuts, pumpkin seeds, or your favorite nut butter into your daily routine for the most benefit.

Don’t forget your dairy. The calcium in milk, cheese, yogurts, and green leafy vegetables (yes, I know they aren’t dairy) can help promote bone health and prevent osteoporosis, which is good news if you suffer from joint pain, bone deterioration, or skeletal weakness. {note: many people with lupus, including me, fare better on a gluten-free, dairy-free diet- Carla}

Bring some citrus into your diet. Early research in animals shows that citrus peels and extracts may significantly reduce swelling and pain (perhaps even better than morphine, which is saying something!). Even if this doesn’t have equally significant effects in humans, it can’t hurt to get some extra vitamin C and antioxidants in the diet.

Watch sodium intake. If you suffer from inflammation or swollen joints because of retained water, sodium may be your enemy. Try cutting back on processed foods like lunch meats, frozen dinners, and canned soups while simultaneously drinking more water – the combination should ease pain and swelling if sodium was aggravating your symptoms.

Make Anti-Inflammatory Foods Part of Your Routine

Try keeping a list of these foods near your refrigerator or in your wallet to remind you about the easy ways to incorporate natural pain management and anti-inflammatory treatment into your diet. After all, everybody eats (I hope), and simply making some trades or tweaks ought to start relieving some pain and inflammation in a few days to weeks.

If you are even more eager to put your new dietary savvy to the test, try keeping a food diary to track what you eat and the type and severity of symptoms you experience. Then discuss the journal with a physician or dietitian to brainstorm on other potential changes you can make to help get the most out of your food (and potentially avoid some unpleasant symptoms).

If you have chronic pain or inflammation, you owe it to yourself to try a few natural treatments for symptoms of lupus or other auto-immune disorders. You may find that personalizing your diet is the key to making your disease more manageable day to day, improving both your short- and long-term health and functional abilities in the meantime. Eat up!

Katie Brind’Amour is a Certified Health Education Specialist and freelance health and wellness writer. She enjoys blogging about friendship and life in the not-so-fast lane while chipping away at her PhD in Health Services Management.

Thanks, Katie, for the great post! I always love to hear about natural ways to decrease inflammation and improve health, especially low-cost practical ways, like adding in new foods. There are lots of great suggestions here. I would only advise caution to people with lupus in regards to dairy. In my personal experience, my inflammation would not let up until I eliminated dairy. For me, and many people with autoimmune disorders, it is an aggravating food. Otherwise, I have to agree with the overall approach to using food to reduce inflammation, because using drugs to control it, over the long-term, can lead to other problems, some of them quite serious. Food journaling is a great tool, and I especially like your tip of keeping a list of good anti-inflammatory foods handy, on the fridge and in the wallet. A helpful hint for implementing these tasty healthy ideas. Thanks again!

Carla

Carla Ulbrich, The Singing Patient

http://tinyurl.com/348hroc - Carla's book

www.singingpatientwellness.com - health coaching- visit this site to get a free e book on nutrition! 

www.thesingingpatient.com tour dates, videos, CDs, books

www.youtube.com/user/carlaulbrich- funny medical songs

Food Allergy Part 2: Food Allergies vs. Food Intolerances

What's the difference between food allergy and food intolerance?

I'm not an expert, but as near as I can tell from reading and researching this topic, here's the difference:

An allergy to a food involves an immune system response. That means when you eat a food you are allergic to, your immune system creates antibodies against that food. If you're unfortunate, some of those antibodies generated may also attack YOU- in other words, an autoimmune response.

According to wikipedia (and several other sources agree), "Food intolerance is negative reaction, often delayed, to a food, beverage, food additive, or compound found in foods that produces symptoms in one or more body organs and systems, but it is not a true food allergy. A true food allergy requires the presence of Immunoglobin E (IgE) antibodies against the food, and a food intolerance does not."

Now here's where the confusion and disagreement begins. Wikipedia, and most other sources, are saying that:

1) an allergic reaction involves an immune response
2) an allergic reaction is defined only by the presence of IgE antibodies.

But what about other antibodies? Specifically, what about IgG antibodies? I'm not a scientist or a doctor, but if you're generating antibodies, isn't that an immune response?

In 1994, I was tested (a blood test) for food allergies by an MD. We did an ELISA test, which measures IgG antibodies created when exposed to a panel of foods.  IgG antibodies, I was told, are the ones that manifest in delayed reactions. So this doctor was testing me for food allergies that create symptoms up to 3 days after eating the food.

IgE just tests for food allergies that show up within about 12 hours of eating the food. I hate to point out the obvious (OK,  I lied- I love to point out the obvious), but if I react to a food within 12 hours of eating it, I don't need a blood test to tell me that. I eat shrimp, I get hives a few hours later. I only need to eat shrimp 2-3 times before I connect the dots. What I need help with is the stuff that shows up long after I've forgotten I ever ate it. And that was the purpose of the ELISA test.

As for the difference between a food allergy and a food intolerance, let's try this again:

 -a food allergy happens within 12 hours of eating a food, and involves an IgE antibody response by the immune system
- a food intolerance is more loosely defined, but I believe it's any delayed negative reaction to a food, and the IgG antibody (also an immune response) has been lumped in with other possibly non-allergic reactions to food.


Some people think the ELISA test is experimental, or a sham, or {insert derogatory term of your choice here}, but it was a tremendous help to me. The blood test revealed strong allergies to wheat, milk, eggs, and cheese. I stopped eating those foods and my lupus tests completely cleared up.

I got tired of working so hard at my diet (have you tried eating at a restaurant and finding something with no wheat or dairy?). I slowly fell off the wagon, and eventually forgot all about the tests and the diet and... oh, look I got sick again. Very sick. Stroke, kidney failure, congestive heart failure sick. "Is she going to make it?" sick.

I've been gluten free this time for about 5 years (Just FYI, I also eliminated aspartame at that time).

After rediscovering my blood test results, I am back to also being egg-free and dairy-free (and still aspartame-free), and my inflammation and autoimmune blood tests are improving again.

So go ahead, various credible sources on the internet and in books, and mock the ELISA test. I will take my "sham" results, implement the diet changes, and enjoy my improved health.

And to you, my friends, there are other ways to discover your food allergies, in addition to the (I believe useful) ELISA test. I will share those ideas and more in future posts. Stay tuned to this bat-channel for more episodes of Fun with(out) Food Allergies!

Carla

*** If you or someone you know would like to live healthier, happier, more balanced life, e mail me for a free one-hour consultation: carla@thesingingpatient.com . I am a holistic health coach! Talk to someone who has been there and is living well now. You've got nothing to lose, and everything to gain! Start living your best life. ***

Carla Ulbrich, The Singing Patient and Health Coach

http://tinyurl.com/348hroc - Carla's book

www.singingpatientwellness.com - health coaching- visit this site to get a free e book on nutrition! 

www.thesingingpatient.com tour dates, videos, CDs, books

www.youtube.com/user/carlaulbrich- funny medical songs

Leaky gut

One of the things that bothered me the most about being diagnosed with lupus (and there were many) was the total lack of answers to the question "why?" Why was my body attacking itself?

Mainstream medicine usually blames genetics, although there really hasn't been much in the way of proof that this disease is genetic. In fact, few diseases are purely genetic in origin. Besides, that whole "it's genetic" thing never rang true to me. I knew in my gut there was more to the picture. And speaking of gut, today's topic is. just that: leaky gut.

20 years after my diagnosis, the mindset is finally starting to shift because no one has been able to definitively prove a genetic cause. Now doctors are saying that autoimmune diseases are "multi-causal" (caused by several or many precipitating factors). Oh, good. Now we know why I got sick... lots of reasons. Glad we cleared that up.

No wonder I went elsewhere to find better answers. As I've spoken to and worked with alternative medicine practitioners over the last 20 years, one theory that has come up repeatedly is Leaky Gut Syndrome. Holes in the gut, or a permeable gut, allow partially undigested food to leak out into your bloodstream, causing the the body to form antibodies in an... oh, look AUTOIMMUNE response. I'm listening.

What causes the gut to start leaking?

1) Use of antibiotics. Our gut is made up of healthy (and unhealthy) bacteria. When we take an antibiotic, it kills everything- the good and bad guys. The good bacteria are what help us digest our food. But now they are gone. So food is leaking out undigested. On top of the absence of good guys, we also now have an overgrowth of bad guys- candida (yeast), which is small amounts is normal. When allowed to overgrow because there are no good bacteria to maintain balance, candida causes a host of problems, including many symptoms that sound a lot like lupus. 

2) stress

3) nicotine

4)other drugs: chemo, NSAIDs (advil, etc.), birth control, antacids, steroids (yes- if you didn't come into lupus with a leaky gut, you'll have one by the time they are done treating you!)

5) alcohol, excess sugar, soda, caffeine, processed foods

6) Various parasites, bacteria, mold and mycotoxins

7) nutritional deficiencies

8) food allergies

9) diseases such as Crohn's where the immune system is attacking the gut.

10) Overconsumption of grains. If you look at cows that eat grains instead of grass, they live much shorter, much more unhealthy miserable lives (see the movie "King Corn"). If you want to get a cow fat really fast, instead of letting her graze for grass, lock her in a stall and feed her corn. Sound pretty much like a day in the life of most Americans- sitting at a desk hunched over a computer, eating something probably made from corn or wheat. Those cows not only have a higher percentage of body fat, but are also very unhealthy and live much shorter lives than their ancestors. (Again, sound familiar?). Look, I love a big fat yeast roll as much as the next guy- I truly do. cake, cookies, donuts, pasta, pizza, yes. Love them all. But even gluten free, they are still grains, and eating too many grains and not enough plants is going to literally tear you up inside. And I mean "literally" not in the way most people use that word, like "really," but I mean literally as in "the literal sense of the word"- actual tears in your intestines. Hard to believe a soft, chewy pretzel could tear anything, but it can and does.

What do you think- Does it ring true to you? 

 This whole "leaky gut" theory sounded like a lot of hokum the first time I heard it, but the more I read and the more I do things to repair my gut, the more I believe it... in my gut...

*** If you or someone you know would like to live healthier, happier, freer life, e mail me for a free one-hour consultation - I am a holistic health coach! Talk to someone who has been there and is living well now. You've got nothing to lose, and everything to gain! Start living your best life. ***

Carla Ulbrich, The Singing Patient and Health Coach

http://tinyurl.com/348hroc - Carla's book

www.singingpatientwellness.com - health coaching- visit this site to get a free e book on nutrition! 

www.thesingingpatient.com tour dates, videos, CDs, books

www.youtube.com/user/carlaulbrich- funny medical songs

 

Great Resource for Lupus info and Support

On October 8, I attended and performed/ spoke as The Singing Patient for the Lupus Summit in Charlotte, NC.

Room full of Lupus Thrivers and their loved ones

I had the pleasure of meeting a bunch of other fabulous lupus patients, and I was doubly impressed. First of all with the patients, and second, with this incredible chapter of the LFA.

The patients. Lupus patients are real survivors. The indignities we tolerate are too many to mention. The chronic pain, the years of being told we're imagining our problems, the disfiguring side effects of the drugs, people telling us we are sick because we have sin in our lives, or they ask weird questions like "isn't that AIDS?".. or they suggest that maybe we'll get better if we get pregnant (never mind that I wasn't married when someone suggested that, and I certainly had no energy to raise a child, AND it turns out pregnancy can actually trigger lupus or make exiting lupus worse- UGH!).

This is a chronic disease, so we're looking at a lifetime of more of these indignities.  It's one thing to survive a plane crash, or any other event that happens in an instant and then is over. That is remarkable and worthy of celebration. But it is another thing entirely to survive day after day and year after year of struggle with illness.

That kind of struggle changes you profoundly. And hopefully for the better. And this, if you survive it all, can make you into a very interesting, strong person, often with a twisted wicked sense of humor. And that is what I love about my fellow lupus patients. The strength, the resolve, and the humor. We are true survivors.

These are the kind of people I met at the Lupus Summit. Women who have been abandoned by loved ones, who have survived multiple miscarriages, stroke, organ failure, and more, and who have often gone on to make their lives better because of these difficult events.

The LFA Piedmont Chapter. 

with Christine John Fuller

When I first went to a support group in 1994, I was depressed by it. It was full of people who were in pain, unhappy, and had no hope. And the moderators shut down any talk of alternative medicine, or even working through emotions. All we could talk about was prednisone and disability lawyers. Thankfully, I decided to look elsewhere, because I did not want to end up in a wheelchair getting all my bones replaced after settling for prednisone as my only course of action. And I found a lot of things that helped me to get back off the prednisone and stay well.

And now, all this time later, I'm happy to say that support groups have changed a lot in 17 years. I'm particularly impressed with the open dialogue, the talk of self-care and dietary changes, and the responsibility I see patients taking for their lives. We can get our dignity back, and reclaim much of our health.

The Lupus Summit is ridiculously cheap- only $15 to attend!! and happens annually in Charlotte, NC. And if you're too far away to attend, you can watch videos of many of their presentations online for *free*. They are archived here (my talk will be archived here eventually, too):
http://vimeo.com/28278431

Kudos to Christine and Elaine for running a stellar chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America. You are making a difference, and I hope other chapters will follow your fantastic example.

with Elaine Neilson

Carla Ubrich, The Singing Patient

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Causes of Autoimmune Diseases

Last time, we discussed possible reasons why more women than men develop autoimmune diseases. In the case of lupus, it's 9 women for every 1 man who is diagnosed with lupus.

Slate.com offered some possible theories for the causes of autoimmune disease, based on the gender imbalance: genetics, pregnancy/ birth leaving another person's cells in your body, and estrogen. Here's the problem with these theories: the new conventional wisdom is that genetics do not really cause disease. As Dr. Oz would put it, "Genetics load the gun; lifestyle pulls the trigger." Wish I had a better, less violent metaphor, but it does get the point across. Genetic tendencies are not our inevitable fate. Just because I'm in a bar, it doesn't mean I'm going to get drunk. (Slightly less violent metaphor?)

Now before I sound like I"m blaming the victim, let me state 2 things. One, I've been living with lupus for 20 years, so I'm talking about me, too. Two, many of us are doing things we *think* are good for us, usually because we've been told that it is, but it turns out to be a problem in the long run. I'm trying to empower us to get better, so please take this not as fingerpointing at the sick person, but fingerpointing at what is possibly making the person sick. I honestly believe that none of us wanted or chose to have lupus.

In my opinion, everyone with an autoimmune disease should be tested for the following:
1) Vitamin deficiencies, especially Vit. D
2) heavy metal poisoning, including mercury
3) Celiac disease and Gluten intolerance
4) other food allergies
5) Candida overgrowth

Any one of these, and certainly a combination of these, is going to cause problems. And if left untreated, the problems will cause problems. Multiplying like rabbits. And not the good cute rabbits who lay chocolate Cadbury eggs on your lawn on Easter. Mean rabbits.

And here's the thing I was talking about before- when we do stuff we think is good for us, like stay out of the sun because we have lupus, we worsen our vitamin D deficiency. We *must* supplement with high quality vitamin D if we are avoiding the sun, or live north of Maryland, esp. between October and May. Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include depression, chronic fatigue, weight loss, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis. http://www.vitaminddeficiencysymptomsguide.com/

There are so many examples of us doing something that's not even fun, thinking we're making ourselves healthier when in fact we're making ourselves worse. You would think if you're going to pay the price for bad decisions, you could at least enjoy yourself along the way. We get a cavity, so we go to the dentist, and he gives us a filling. that's made of MERCURY, a known toxin, extremely poisonous. It can cause rashes, muscle weakness, kidney function, memory impairment, neurological problems, insomnia (is this sounding like lupus to anyone?). BTW, there are non-mercury fillings available.But you need to ask your dentist if (s)he is mercury-free. If your filling is silver in color, it definitely has mercury in it,  as much as 55%. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_poisoning

We think we're being healthy eating whole wheat bread. Sounds like a nice hearty, healthy food. But not if you have Celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Celiac causes malnutrition. If you have Celiac and continue to eat foods that contain gluten, it will kill off all the villi in your small intestine and make you unable to absorb nutrients from your food. You can then stuff yourself and still be starving from malnutrition. Now there's a magic trick I don't want to volunteer to be a part of. Milk products- another food we were told was healthy- is also a problem for people with Celiac. http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/celiac-disease/celiac-disease-symptoms . People gluten intolerance suffer the same symptoms as those with Celiac, but the blood tests come out different. http://gluten-intolerance-symptoms.com/

get tested for other food allergies. 100% of lupus patients have food allergies. 100%?! And food allergies come in 2 sizes: immediate (you know these- you eat shrimp, you have hives a few hours later; you eat peanuts, you can't breathe; me, I eat pineapple and my tongue immediately itches then hurts for 3 days- those kinds of food allergies are obvious); but then there's the delayed reactions- you could eat something then get joint pain that doesn't show up for as long as 4 days later. Who's going to figure that out? Well, a blood test, that's who. Or, alternately, the elimination diet. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elimination_diet . People blame autoimmune diseases and symptoms on genetics, sin, bad karma, or some symbolic psychological issue manifesting itself... Yeah, OK, and maybe I'm just allergic to cheese. On top of whatever I started with, I developed so many new allergies after taking prednisone, I practically needed to live in a bubble. A latex free bubble that is.

Here's another one, and all too common. We get the flu or bronchitis and we go to the doctor- the responsible thing to do- and he gives us antibiotics. Which, if you have a cold or bronchitis, doesn't really help, because those are viruses, not bacteria. But we take it anyway to "avoid getting a secondary infection," but really because that's the only trick the doc has up their sleeve. When the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Well, when you take antibiotics, they kill off all the good bacteria in your digestive system. Yeah, our digestive system is filled with all kinds of cooties, and we need those cooties. Those good cooties are what we need to multiply like (good) rabbits. Once the good cooties are killed off, the bad cooties, especially candida can take over and wreak havoc. And not just the "inconvenience" of having a smelly yeast infection or thrush, which are gross, but I'm talking systemic problems: brain fog, digestive problems joint problems, exhaustion, irritability, headaches, rashes, sugar cravings, and worst of all- zits! oh Lord not zits! http://www.candidasymptoms.net/#candida_symptoms . Know what else causes candida overgrowth? Steroids. Prednisone. Oh the irony.

OK, that's a lot to chew on, even though it's gluten free. And you could just go on a candida diet or gluten free diet without getting tested, but trust me. Both of those diets are so challenging, especially at first, that you'll want to know for sure that you need to be on them. It will help you stay motivated. You can get tested for heavy metals, candida antibodies, celiac and gluten intolerance antibodies, and vitamin deficiencies and most of these tests are just blood tests. The celiac one can involve an endoscopy and that's  a bigger deal, but if you have celiac and find out, it would be a life-changing piece of information.


Until next missive-
Carla

Carla Ulbrich, The Singing Patient
_____________
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"I am reading Carla's book How Can You NOT Laugh at a Time Like This? and loving it. I LOVE Carla's songwriting, so I'm not surprised that her prose writing is as smart, funny, and insightful as her music." - Christine Lavin

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That's inflammatory! Part One: Diet soda

What not to eat if you have autoimmune disease: part one

I know for a fact that lupus is characterized by inflammation. I can only imagine other autoimmune diseases also have inflammation as a characteristic. So wouldn't it behoove us to avoid behaviors and situations that increase inflammation? There are many irritants out there that trigger an immune response.

I can't control the fact that planes fly over my house and pollute the air, or that corporations dump poisons in our water.
And I can't control the fact that much of our food supply is garbage. But I can control what I put in my mouth. I don't have to eat the garbage- that is a choice (though not always an easy one!). And some of the things that are touted as being good for you are actually garbage.

Have you tried to find something healthy to eat in your typical restaurant? Something *not* fried, or laden with fatty sauces, sugar, MSG, salt? I end up defaulting to what I call the "typical girl special": chicken caesar salad with the dressing on the side. To be a true "typical girl special," that would come with a large diet coke. But I have ended my decades- long romance with diet sodas. I tell you, it's like quitting cigarettes. I honestly can't tell you how many times I quit drinking diet soda before I finally succeeded, and I still live in fear I'll fall off the wagon. I just tell myself every time I look at a cold dripping tempting bottle of diet something, "poison." Some sources say that aspartame (a.k.a. "nutrasweet," a.k.a. "Equal," in the blue packet) turns into formaldehyde when it gets into your body. Some say it turns into formaldehyde *before* it enters the body, if the temperature is warm enough. Hawaii tried to ban aspartame (a.k.a nutrasweet) from its food supply, and the US federal government wouldn't let them! (Can you imagine how angry Americans would be if they got to paradise and there was no Diet Coke? "What kind of hellhole is this??! Honey take me home!") There are efforts in other countries to get this stuff out of their food supplies as well, including Ireland and New Zealand. Some theorize that it is a major contributor to Gulf War Syndrome. Others say it causes to birth defects in our children and, in a trial, an 86% *death* rate in monkeys. (http://maintainwealth.blogspot.com/2008/08/aspartame-murders-infants.html ). This "food" has no place in our diets, in our fridges, in our food chain, or in our stores.

I do believe this: there are no casual diet soda drinkers. People either don't drink it, or they chain-drink it like a crack addict, waking up with their first thought being "I gotta have me a hit of diet soda." i have ridden my bicycle to the store in my pajamas to get a diet coke before i would do anything else. It was ruling my day, every day.

I find that getting a monkey off your back is a little more doable if you can find some kind of replacement. I mean I wasn't going to go *caffeine* free on top of ditching the tyrannical nutrasweet. One vice at a time. So, about 9 months after giving up the junk, i am still doing fine drinking filtered or water green tea (which I brew at home) with stevia, a natural sweetener. If I really feel like partying, I have a regular Coke. But I don't do that too often, because it is made with high fructose corn syrup, which is genetically modified (and fattening). I may not be Elle MacPherson, but I am not ready to have my genes modified. And something tells me consuming genetically modified foods is not going to get me any closer to looking like Elle. I hear Mexican Coca Cola is still made with sugar, and there are some natural sodas out there as well, made with juice. And there's seltzer, which is great plain or with a splash of organic juice (read the seltzer bottle- some of it has nutrasweet!!). Of course mankind did pretty well for several eons without sodas to drink.

Many of us with a lupus diagnosis feel like we're being randomly attacked by some mysterious force. But there are some things we can do to limit the likelihood of attack, and one of them is to stop eating garbage.

read more about nutrasweet's dangers:
http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-information.html

coming in part 2: sodium nitrate, vegan diets