Alternative Therapies for A Difficult Condition – Lupus Disease

  Lupus is a very distressing and fairly common auto-immune disease. Families may have a genetic pre-disposition to lupus or it may be a response to environmental factors. It’s more common in people of African descent.

The symptoms of lupus are many and various, and include aching joint, skin eruptions, swelling of the hands and feet, extreme fatigue, fever, hair loss, ulcers in the mouth and nose – a whole host of unpleasant symptoms which can be in the background or can suddenly flare up. And lupus can lead to degradation of the organs, bones to cancer and to death. It is a very serious disease indeed.
Conventional medicine as yet has no cure for lupus. There has been no new drug for lupus available for over fifty years, although researchers are working hard for treatments. As a result, conventional medical practitioners are often very agreeable to working with patients to explore alternative therapies. Alternative therapies and medicines do seem to offer relief of symptoms to many people, and are well worth considering.
Here are some of the most significant:

• Stay out of the sun or use sunblock, and avoid fluorescent lighting indoors. Both sunshine and fluorescent light can cause skin flare ups.
  Get plenty of rest. It’s often difficult for lupus patients to rest well, but mild relaxants like camomile tea can be of help.
• Exercise can really help with symptoms like swollen joints, especially swimming if that is a possibility.
• Give up smoking. This is great health advice for anyone, but in particular, it can bring relief for the lupus patient.
• Make sure you have a healthy, well balanced diet. Fish seems to be helpful, but make sure you go for wild, not farmed fish. Alfalfa sprouts, generally thought of as a very good food, should be avoided, as they may cause an increase in inflammation. Keep you diet low in salt and sugar, in particular if you are taking corticosteroids.
• Increase your Omega 3 intake, by eating oily fish like sardines and mackerel, or by taking flax seed oil supplements. This can give aching joints a lot of ease.
• Anti-inflammatory herbs such as ginger and turmeric may well be of use. Try ginger tea, and using turmeric as a tasty spice with bean dishes, or in pickles.
• Some drugs used for lupus, such as corticosteroids, can thin the bones, so consider taking a calcium and vitamin D supplement.

Because lupus is such a debilitating illness, it is important that you keep your spirits up. Build a good support network around you, and try to focus on the positive. When you have a good day, enjoy it to the full. Figure out what you can still do and enjoy, and make sure you do plenty of that. For example, is you love art, on good days, plan to go to a new art exhibit, or buy some good art materials and create your own work. If you enjoy being outside, find ways to get out and about whatever the weather. And importantly, have as much interaction with other people as you can.
Remember that even if you feel conscious that your joints are stiff and swollen, or you have a rash, other people probably don’t notice, or care, as much as you think. To avoid self consciousness, when you meet someone new, you can briefly explain that if you seem a bit stiff, or your skin is blotchy, or your hands are swollen, it’s because you have lupus, which isn’t contagious in any way. Then just move and and be yourself.