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| There was back in the day support for the raw food diet. Who knew? |
When your doctors tell you that your
chronic autoimmune illness symptoms are due to your immune system
attacking you, they are only partially right. And yes, I'm taking a
bit of a break from writing strictly about Lupus love to send a
message to all the chronic autoimmune illness sufferers out there.
Well, honestly though, I do love Lupus and the author of “Goodbye
Lupus” for teaching me this. So, I guess it's still about that
Lupus Love. Anyway, here's the thing:
When you have a chronic
illness/autoimmune disease, your immune system is sick. That's why it
has no idea how to function. When you take immune system suppressant
drugs they do work, though, right? Your inflammation decreases. Your
pain decreases, etc. That's because they calm down your sick immune
system to keep it from slapping you around. But what a lot of
doctors, yes, even your rheumatologist, don't know is that there is a
better way.
Now granted, I'm not a medical doctor.
I'm not telling you to stop taking your prescribed meds in any way.
I'm not trying to replace your doctor. What I am telling you is that
when you take immune suppressants and avoid nutrients that boost
your immunity at the same time, you are very effectively killing
yourself. For real, you guys. Check this out.
This is my understanding of the issue.
There are certain foods/nutrients that keep your immune system
functioning properly. When those things are missing from your diet,
things go very, very wrong. Your sick immune system starts attacking
everything instead of just the “baddies.” And that, my friends is
where autoimmune disease comes from.
Oh, the tendencies can be inherited for
sure. Although, it isn't clear whether this is due to genes or family
eating habits and lifestyles. And once you're already sick, it is
absolutely necessary to take those immune suppressants, at least at
first. However, it's extremely important (and the only way to get off
the meds) that along with following your doctor's orders, you make
absolutely sure that you are getting all the highly nutritional, pure
immune boosters you possibly can.
So, while it may seem counterproductive
to consume foods that boost immunity while taking immune suppressing
drugs, doing so will actually, gradually help your immune system to
heal so that it is no longer attacking your body. And when that
happens, you will no longer need the drugs. And as long as you
continue eating healthy, immune supportive foods, which should be for
the rest of your life, you will be healed, that is, if healing is
even a vague possibility for you.
I say that because for a small portion
of people, there may be no turning back. However, you can still feel
better and prolong your life by boosting your immunity, regardless of
whether you will ever be cured completely.
Immune suppressant drugs are a
deceptive band-aid, although they do work in the short term and can
save your life in an extreme flare. However, nutrient dense foods
(and an active lifestyle) are the real cure.
In other words, don't sit on your butt
all day, downing whatever your doctor prescribes without a second
thought or a minute of independent research, gorging on fast food and
high fat, cholesterol loaded main dishes and high calorie snacks,
feeling sorry for yourself, afraid to eat anything that might jump
start your immune system.
Because it won't work. It's not a cure.
It's may make you feel better for the moment, but it will make you
much sicker in the long run.
How do I know this? Well, again, I am
no doctor/nutritionist, however, I have spent the last 40 + years
actively studying nutrition. This knowledge has also come about
through my personal journey to better health, combined with advice
from two physicians who have backgrounds in nutrition, one of whom
cured her own extremely aggressive Lupus with diet.
Now, about that personal experience. I
am in what I have dubbed “Phase 2” of bettering my health. I was
already going vegan. Now I'm introducing some foods and supplements
that are extremely nutrient dense, a little at a time. As time goes
by and my diet and lifestyle change helps me more and more, I'm
confident that I will be able to “go all the way” and heal
myself.
You may wonder why I don't just do that
now? Well, it's pretty simple, really. By introducing these super
nutrients at a slower rate, my immune system is not crazy powerful at
a time when it's still attacking my system. And yet, I'm still
sending it healing help, so that this will eventually not be an
issue.
And it's working. Right now, I'm taking
10,000 units of vitamin D3 daily, plus, adding chlorella, spirulina,
chia seeds, flaxseed and a “Super Greens” multivitamin/mineral
powder supplement to my morning fruit and veggie smoothie. I have
almost completely eliminated two of my most annoying symptoms (acid
reflux and extreme fatigue) by doing just this, combined with eating
a healthy, balanced, vegan diet the rest of the day and moving a
little more.
I also drink a chai tea with fresh
pressed ginger every morning. I avoid processed foods like the plague
and I drink a crap ton of filtered water. A gallon a day, at least.
My next step is going completely raw
vegan and adding even more anti-oxidant, nutrient dense food to my
plate. Now, I know, you guys. There are no guarantees in life. I may
be saddled with Lupus forever. That's absolutely true. However, these
changes are already improving my life, my health and my chance of
survival. And that alone is good enough for me.
I see many of my fellow sufferers being
put on medicine after medicine that bring about horrendous side
effects and only partially work anyway. My docs were doing the same,
albeit out of true concern. It's not their fault. It's how they were
taught. They are, after all, only required to take 20-25 hours of
nutritional training. I harbor no ill will toward them. I feel they
are genuinely trying to help me.
But these changes I mentioned and that
I am engaged in making, have completely cured many people much worse
off than me of their autoimmune diseases. For instance, the doctor
who wrote the book I just read (and many of her readers and patients)
have now gone completely off their meds with no negative results or
backslides/further flares. The doctor herself has been Lupus free now
for 10 years. And her Lupus was much more progressive than mine.
Anyway.... If you are suffering from an
auto-immune disease, your immune system is not functioning properly.
It needs to be constantly overfed. You need more nutrients than the
average person because before your body can benefit from them, your
immune system needs to heal. Which may be just the opposite of what
your doctor tells you. So take the vitamins and mineral supplements.
Eat the nutrient dense food.
Please, do whatever is in your power to
heal your broken system so that it stops attacking you!
I know that I'm glad I do this every
day. Out of all my sick friends, I am the healthiest one. I know. It
sounds funny/strange, right? But in all seriousness, what I am doing
is working, slowly but surely. I want it to work for you too. Good
nutrition is never harmful and it just might be the proactive answer
to your prayers. So why not try?
You know all that crap you eat is
killing you anyway, immune disease aside. So why not love yourself
enough to stop eating it and start giving your body what it needs to
both heal and thrive? You deserve a better, healthier life. We all
do.
So, thanks Lupus, for teaching me
something about healing that will help not only me, but my friends as
well. Because, Lupus or not, we all can benefit from a healthy, high
nutrient diet, right? Too bad it sometimes takes a huge wake up call
to realize that.
