Lupus

Lupus disease is a modern medical mystery that affects men and women of all ages and ethnicities. Although much research has been done on this autoimmune disease, we still are not sure on what causes this ailment.

What we do know is that lupus flare ups can be extremely uncomfortable for sufferers and while there is no known cure, there are many home remedies that can be useful in reducing the discomfort of Lupus.

A chronic inflammatory disease that affects various parts of the body, especially the skin, joints, blood, and kidneys, Lupus, is an autoimmune disorder in which the body’s immune system, which produces antibodies to protect itself from foreign substances called antigens, loses the ability to distinguish the difference between antigens and its own cells and tissues. It builds up the immune complexes in the body to the point that they build up in tissue and cause damage to tissues, cause inflammation, and pain.

For most people, lupus is a mild disease affecting only a few organs. For others, it may cause serious, and even life threatening, problems. More than 16,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, with up to 1.5 million Americans currently having been diagnosed with the disease.

Causes of Lupus

Lupus is an autoimmune deficiency disease where the body attacks its own tissue.

There has been a general consensus that lupus is caused by a mixture of variables that can include genetics and hereditary factors, hormone imbalances, viruses/bacterial infections, medications and environmental stresses such as exposure to ultraviolet light and toxic chemicals.

Symptoms of Lupus

The tell-tale signs of lupus are the bright red rash marks that frequently appear as a ‘butterfly’ shape across the cheeks and nose.

The main feelings that are experienced during a flare up are similar to the flu: fatigue, loss of appetite, fever, aches and pains, swollen glands and nausea. Some people also experience hair loss and depression as a result of lupus.

Home Remedies and Natural Cures for Lupus

If you suffer from lupus but do not want to resort to costly prescriptions that can have ill side effects, using alternative therapies and natural cures may be a good choice for you.

The list of natural cures for lupus flare up discomfort includes reiki, acupuncture and homeopathy, but there are also many things that you can do at home to try and ease the condition are listed below to help with discomfort.

Glutathione

Glutathione is an anti-oxidant and detoxifier. It is a natural supplement that can be purchased at the health food store. No other anti-oxidant is as important to overall health than glutathione. It is the regulator and regenerator of immune cells, and the most valuable detoxification agent in the human body, and is located in the liver, which is the body’s detoxifying organ. It is an amino acid, and is available in supplement form. The problem is that there is some disagreement as to how much of the supplement ever actually makes it into the liver, where it can be used.

Glutathione is the best supplement to get glutathione into your liver, allowing it to work better, and more efficiently detoxify your body. When your liver is able to work optimally, and detoxify your cells, toxins will stop poisoning your body, boost your immune system, and give you immune system a chance to effectively act against lupus. Glutathione also has the benefit of increasing the potency of vitamins C and E, which are also antioxidants. Glutathione comes as a capsule in 2 ounce bottles and can be taken each day as a supplement. Take on an empty stomach and follow manufacturer's recommendations. If you experience muscle cramps, reduce your dosage. Muscle cramps may also be reduced by consuming banana's or taking supplemental potassium.

Whey Protein

One method of getting the glutathione into the liver, is consuming un-denatured whey protein. The amino acids in it can be used to produce glutathione, but the process works slowly.

Progesterone

Progesterone cream has also shown to improve the natural regeneration of cells in the body. Natural leaf sterols have also shown in double blind studies to have superior results in boosting the immune system and providing extremely impressive results for patients who have lupus.

Food

Many lupus patients find that a great natural cure to reduce lupus flare ups is to exclude refined foods from the diet, most notably white sugar, salt, white flour, white pasta, and dairy.

It is also believed that eating a diet that reduces acidity in the body is an effective home remedy to lupus flare ups. To reduce acid in the body, include plenty of fruits, lean protein, ginger, garlic and vegetables.

Dietary Supplements

Lupus patients have difficulty absorbing vitamins and minerals from food sources, which can make symptoms worse.

Give your body a boost in fighting a flare up by taking dietary supplements that include calcium, natural B complex, vitamin e, vitamin c, vitamin d, zinc, magnesium, biotin, potassium, selenium and beta carotene.

Herbs and Supplements

To reduce inflammation, supplements that contain omega 3 fatty acids (also found in oily fish), flaxseed oil or cat’s claw are useful.

Natural herbs that have proven successful in alleviating the symptoms of lupus are:

  • Cat’s Claw
  • Cayenne Pepper
  • Condonopsis Root
  • Flax
  • Licorice
  • Borage
  • Gotu Kola
  • Horse Chestnut
  • Pine
  • Nettle

Stress Reduction

Lupus flare ups occur more frequently in times of stress; therefore it is wise to do at least one of the following activities to keep stress levels down:

  • Exercise (yoga and tai chi are recommended)
  • Get lots of rest
  • Meditation