New Hope for People with Lupus by Theresa Foy Digeronimo

Author:Theresa Foy Digeronimo [DiGeronimo, Theresa Foy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-80921-6
Publisher: Harmony/Rodale
Published: 2011-11-16T00:00:00+00:00

I try to be kind to my kidneys, knowing they’re vulnerable in lupus, by avoiding food substances that make them work too hard.

—KAREN KAUFMAN, M.S., C.C.N.

So how does Karen do it? “My diet now is primarily vegetarian and I eat only whole-grain products (no white flour or white sugar),” she says. “This is not a prison sentence; I do cheat sometimes, but this is always my goal. I also eat some fish, particularly salmon, sardines, and some tuna for the omega-3 oils that can block the inflammation process. But I definitely eliminate foods like chicken, turkey, and red meats that contain the saturated and trans-fatty acid fats, and also processed foods that contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. These all promote inflammation. I’d rather get my fats from the nut group and from olive oil because they contain monounsaturated fats, which are not involved in the inflammation process. I do drink skim milk, but only an organic brand because I figure that bovine growth hormones and estrogen that are found in nonorganic dairy and meat products can’t be good for a disease that is mysteriously linked to hormones. Also, I can’t stress enough the importance of using whole-wheat and grain products over white flour products. The vitamins, minerals, and fiber that are taken out of white flour products are just too important to do without and most are not put back in even when the label says ‘fortified with essential vitamins and minerals.’

“I try to be kind to my kidneys, knowing they’re vulnerable in lupus, by avoiding food substances that make them work too hard. Excess protein (from red meats, chicken, and cheese) taxes the kidneys and ultimately can speed up kidney failure. I also limit salt intake; salt retains fluid in the body and this taxes the kidneys. For people who are taking steroids, salt restriction is especially important. These medications can cause diabetes and hypertension, which are aggravated by the way salt retains fluid. For people with lupus, this is just bad. If you give up salt, you’ll lose your salt appetite quickly. After four days of no salt, you’ll be shocked how salty a potato chip tastes! There’s salt in lots of products you have to look out for. If, for example, I eat Chinese food with soy sauce, I know I’ll wake up in the morning with swollen joints; the salt in soy sauce retains that much fluid.”

Karen supports her diet with some daily supplements. “I take 4 grams of ground flax per day because there is scientific data to support its ability to eliminate lupus nephritis and so I consider it preventative. I also take DHEA (100 milligrams daily) to help maintain normal levels; I think this works particularly well for my degree of lupus which is not quite mild, but not life threatening either. I also take antioxidants and I take a good multivitamin. I also take an iron supplement because I have anemia, but you have to be careful here because some people with

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