Nightshade vegetables — which include tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplant — have gotten a bad rap when it comes to lupus because they're believed to trigger inflammation.
Can any foods make lupus worse? You may have heard to avoid “nightshade vegetables,” which include white potatoes, tomatoes, peppers (sweet and hot), and eggplant. While there isn't any scientific evidence that directly links them to inflammation, you may find they trigger symptoms for you.
Whole grains: People with lupus should aim to eat whole grains instead of refined ones. 6 Whole-grain options to include in a lupus-friendly diet include rice, barley, bulgur (cracked wheat), oatmeal, quinoa, and whole-grain breads, pasta, and/or cereals.
Eat lots of fruits and vegetables — try to make half your plate fruits and veggies. Choose whole grains — like whole-wheat bread and pasta, oatmeal, and brown rice. Get a mix of healthy proteins — like lean meats, poultry, seafood, beans, nuts, and eggs.
Fresh vegetables should be consumed daily, as well as at least one fruit per day. Fresh fish also play a beneficial role in SLE patient's diet and should be added to the personalized diet, as well as cold pressed oil. Patients can supplement the diet with flaxseeds, pumpkins, carrots, nuts, oranges or apples.
Eating cocoa-rich dark chocolate that contains flavanols may help reduce inflammation, which people with lupus experience. However, there is no conclusive scientific evidence that eating chocolate benefits people with this condition. Instead, experts advise people with lupus to eat a balanced diet.
Eat Diverse Plant Foods
Foods like onions, asparagus, seeds, lentils, and apples help maintain adequate fiber in your diet. However, in lupus patients with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), these foods containing high FODMAPs may cause digestive discomfort.
Recommended food choices for a healthy diet include low-fat milk, low-fat / low-sodium cheese, lean beef, turkey, chicken, fish, fresh or frozen vegetables, fresh fruit and high-fiber / low-sugar cereals.
Summary: A new study from Virginia Tech reveals a healthy bacteria found in yogurt could reduce some lupus symptoms. The study expands on earlier work from the researchers, noting a lack of Lactobacillus in both mice and humans with lupus. Source: Virginia Tech.
There are no foods that cause lupus or that can cure it. Still, good nutrition is an important part of an overall treatment plan for the disease. In general, people with lupus should aim for a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Nightshade vegetables, such as potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplants, contain solanine. This substance may increase the leakiness of the intestines and affect the gastrointestinal microbiota, indirectly increasing the inflammation relating to arthritis.
Nightshade Vegetables
Eggplants, peppers, tomatoes and potatoes are all members of the nightshade family. These vegetables contain the chemical solanine, which some people claim aggravates arthritis pain and inflammation.
Potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, and other nightshade vegetables are off-limits for patients with autoimmune disease. This is because these vegetables contain compounds such as the toxic glycoalkaloids that cause the immune system to overreact and induce inflammation.
Protein should be reduced to just 6 to 8 oz/day, sodium should be limited to 2-3 g/day, and potassium should be reduced to 2000mg/day. Foods that are high in potassium include bananas, oranges, dairy, cheese, legumes, and chocolate. Additionally, phosphorus in the diet should also be reduced.
Eating foods like fish, nuts, seeds, tofu, tempeh, and eggs may be helpful. You may also have some new food challenges because of the medication your doctor has prescribed. A corticosteroid, for instance, can cause weight gain and high blood sugar.
Sugar has been linked to significant health issues, many of which are especially important to those living with lupus: Sugar is known to cause inflammation. This is an obvious problem for those living with lupus who are already dealing with an overactive inflammatory response.
Foods to avoid are 2% and whole milk, which contain a large amount of fat and cholesterol. If you do not or cannot consume milk, choose lactose-free milk, soy milk, and almond milk that are fortified with calcium and Vitamin D. Aim for three or more servings a day.
To this end, these studies have found that coffee intake can reduce the risk of Rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune thyroid disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, autoimmune liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and systemic lupus erythematosus.
Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) are autoantibodies to the nuclei of your cells. 98% of all people with systemic lupus have a positive ANA test, making it the most sensitive diagnostic test for confirming diagnosis of the disease.
We investigated the effects of magnesium on the APTT and found that the addition of magnesium shortened the APTT of lupus anticoagulant-positive patients.
Try not to eat garlic and alfalfa
If you live with lupus, you should definitely try to avoid these two foods. Why you ask? Garlic contains joene, thiosulfinates and allicin, which can mess with your immune system and trigger lupus flares.
Flares are an unfortunate part of living with lupus, but lifestyle changes can reduce your risk of flares. Eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, avoiding stress, and staying out of the sun will help.