As much as I wish I could say otherwise, despite all the dollars dumped into medical care and all the technological advancements we’ve made, as a society we are getting sicker and Sicker and SICKER. 

One of the disease types that is literally spiraling out of control is autoimmune diseases. 

With autoimmune diseases, your body sees its own cells as enemies and wages war against itself.  Your immune system becomes hypersensitive and strikes out against your healthy cells, harming your tissues and eventually causing impairment or loss of normal bodily functioning.

And one autoimmune disease in particular that is affecting increasing numbers of people (especially women) is lupus.    

Now, back in the 1950s and 1960s, lupus was basically unheard of.

But just like all the 80 + other forms of autoimmune diseases that have been identified so far, that’s changing rapidly.  According to the Lupus Foundation of America, 1.5 million US citizens and 5 million people worldwide currently suffer from lupus, and the majority (90 percent) are women between ages 15 to 44.

There are actually four different kinds of lupus:

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)

SLE is the most common form of lupus, and can affect different organs and areas, including your veins, lungs or digestive system.  It can also cause kidney damage.

You may suffer multiple symptoms, such as fatigue, sensitivity to sunlight, pulmonary hypertension, joint pain and rashes.

Drug-Induced Lupus

This type of lupus is caused by medications.  Its symptoms are similar to SLE, but it’s only temporary and the symptoms usually go away after several months. Here are the drugs that are known to trigger lupus and what they are used for:

• Hydralazine: high blood pressure
• Procainamide: irregular heart rhythms
• Isoniazid: tuberculosis
• D-penicillamine: metal poisoning
• Minocycline: acne
• Anti-TNF: rheumatoid arthritis

Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (CLE)

CLE is a form of lupus that only affects the skin, and is characterized according to the type of rash it creates:

• Chronic Cutaneous Lupus (CCLE)—causes disc-like rashes on the face. Scarring and hair loss may also occur.
• Subacute Cutaneous Lupus (SCLE)—causes red, scaly patches that resemble psoriasis (another autoimmune disease!).
• Acute Cutaneous Lupus (ACLE)—this type leads to sunburn-like rashes on the cheeks as well as the limbs and torso. Sensitivity to light is also common. 

Neonatal Lupus Erythematosus

This rare condition affects unborn infants.  Typically, only the baby’s skin is affected and symptoms go away several months after birth.

Fight back!

The typical treatment for lupus is medications including NSAIDs, anti-malaria drugs, immunosuppressive medications and steroids, all of which can cause a plethora of side effects over and above your lupus symptoms and bodily impairments.

But the good news is there are natural measures that can be a big help!

To help minimize your chances of facing lupus or another autoimmune disease (or help fight back if you’ve got one or more) you can encourage your immune system to stay strong AND act appropriately by giving it help in these ways:

Support a healthy gut environment

Concentrate on gut-friendly foods like fresh vegetables and fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut. 

At the same time, stay away from processed and fast foods and especially refined sugars, as they feed the harmful microbes in your gut. 

In addition, probiotic supplementation with a full-spectrum, multi-strain formula like Super Shield can help repopulate your supply of friendly intestinal microbes and support a healthier flora balance that can protect you, as well as be a good home to your immune system.

Of special importance is Super Shield’s superstar probiotic strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus because it helps to strengthen gut-barrier function and has been shown to have a beneficial impact on autoimmune conditions!  

Ease those inflammatory actions with vitamin D

Supplementation with a top-quality vitamin D formula like Optimum DK Formula with FruiteX-B can go a long way in helping to counteract the overzealous inflammatory immune responses seen with autoimmune conditions.

Vitamin D is a very common deficiency (especially in the Northeast this time of year), so supplementation is the best way to ensure your body has what it needs, 365 days a year.   

Use good old-fashioned soap and water

Coming into contact with germs and bacteria is how your immune system develops itself and “smartens up,” so by using antibacterial soaps and hand sanitizers, you are actually crippling your immune system in the long run and encouraging it to be hypersensitive.

Ditch the antibacterial garbage and use regular soap and water for washing your hands and body. 

Carefully weigh the risks and benefits all medications, including vaccines

Most medications, including vaccines and especially antibiotics, can harm your gut health and affect your immune function. 

Read package inserts for ALL drugs, use medications only if absolutely necessary, and talk to your doctor about alternatives.  If he or she is unwilling to discuss the matter with you, find another who will.

Nutrient support

When you have lupus, it’s more important than ever to have a healthy diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables.  In addition, coconut oil has been shown to help support healthy skin, and skin is an area commonly affected by lupus.

The calcium from dark green leafy vegetables can help, as well as nutrient-rich homemade broths (beef or chicken).  Note that my Great Taste No Pain system has a yummy recipe for homemade chicken soup that is the bomb! 

Omega-3 essential fatty acids are important, as they are Nature’s anti-inflammatory and lupus is a VERY inflammatory condition.  Eating wild Alaskan salmon and supplementing with a top-quality, pharmaceutical grade fish oil formula like VitalMega-3 can ensure your body has enough of these crucial nutrients!

VitalMega-3 has been helping ease inflammation for tens of thousands of our customers over the last 8 years, and that includes yours truly.  (I do karate with full contact sparring and would be loaded with inflammation if it weren’t for VitalMega-3!)

There is definitely hope for people with lupus (and other autoimmune diseases), and you can make a big difference in how you feel by supporting your precious immune system and your body’s nutritional needs.

To your health,

Sherry Brescia