Lupus Illness

The most common form of Lupus is systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Inflammation of connective tissue typically the joints coupled with a butterfly-shaped rash on the face across the nose, cheeks and forehead is typical symptoms of the autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) up to nine times more common in women than men, typically affect those between twenty and forty years of age. As well as inflammation of the joints, the palms of the hands may become reddened, muscle aches, nausea, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, weight loss, chest pain, bruising, mouth sores, hair loss, seizures, and extreme tiredness may set in and a fever might occur.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease, this is when the immune system attacks the body instead of protecting it, in the case of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the kidneys, lung, and vascular systems are at danger which can potentially be life-threatening. The exact cause of Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is unknown but it has been linked to the taking of drugs such as hydralazine, methyldopa, procainamide, and chlorpromazine, industrial emissions, environmental pollution and chemicals such as hydrazine and the food dye tartrazine and the ultraviolet radiation from the sun can trigger the lupus that affects the skin. Other elements which are risk factors for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are free radicals, low blood levels of antioxidant nutrients especially beta-carotene, vitamin A and vitamin E, family history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), asthma, menstrual irregularity, other collagen diseases and exposure to toxic chemicals.

The symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can be improved by diet, eat a vegetarian style diet but include plenty of oily fish such as mackerel, herring, pilchards, trout, salmon and tuna and flaxseed and linseed, avoid alcohol, sugar and caffeine. If you are a smoker, give up smoking and it is also best to avoid taking the contraceptive pill and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). There has been a link to food allergies and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) especially allergies to dairy products, it may be worth cutting down on dairy products in your diet.

Good supplements to take for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are milk thistle, flaxseed, evening primrose oil and fish oil.

The following supplements may help if you are suffering from Lupus.

B group vitamins

Carotenoids

Evening primrose oil

Fish oil

Flaxseed oil

Hemp seed oil

Milk thistle extract

Selenium

Vitamin C

Vitamin E

By Stewart Hare