Thoughts on whole food plant based diet

Hi Everyone,
I recently watched the documentary "Fat, sick and dying" on netflix. It followed the journey of a man doing a juicing cleanse of sixty days. Not sure if I could last that long. To get to the point though, Joe(the man in the documentary) has an auto-immune disease at the beginning of he film. He is most of the meds that I take for my lupus like prednisone. By the end of the movie he has lost a lot weight, but even better he come of most of if not all of the meds. Of course tonight I am watching another documentary "Forks over Knives" that talks about a plant based whole food diet. I am considering giving it a try. At this point I figure I don't have anything to lose if I try. I was just wondering if anyone else had tried this type of diet and what your experience was like or anyone else has researched this type of diet or tried. Looking forward to hearing what others with Lupus think about it. Thanks

Any diet, mind you even safe diets, needs a doctor (primary) to make sure it is ok for you and your health. In medications, certain foods sometimes needs avoided or you may need something a little extra. A plant based diet would lack much needed protien and calcium and there would be the need of taking supplements to counter act of what you are not eating. For example: I am a lactose intolerant aka I can't have dairy. I have to take calcium pills to counter act my lack of calcium. Also, not eating meats can put you at risk for a few things like anemia. In some cases, a person can be hospitalized for something being really low. For example, I was anemic and had real low calcium and vitamin b12. I was hospitalized and given IVs of this and thats til my bloodwork came back normal.

So please think about it very carefully and talk to your doctor about it

Post Edited By Moderator (Lynnwood) : 1/18/2012 8:59:02 PM (GMT-7)

I just did a juice fast for a day (I know I know it's definitely not 60 days like the documentary!) and I'm really glad I did it. I really do believe in the healing power of food and even though I'm not sure if a juice fast like that will help me, I've decided to start juicing on a regular basis (I'm trying to drink 5 glasses of mostly veggie juice a week). If you do decide to do it, please let us know how it goes-I would be so curious!

One of my fav things is the V8 fusion drinks. It has a full serving of vegetables and fruits in it. Due to my chemotherapy, I found its easier for me to drink fluids than to have some food. Also, it tastes like juice, so its kinda a way to trick your body in thinking you don't have veggies

Please remember to eat protein in what ever diet you get. If it is protein from greens or meat but it is highly important. They can fix a lot of vit deffencies we might cause by diets with pills, but once you get low on protein, you have to eat tons and tons of it. I am now supposed to eat 90 or more gms of protein each day and let me tell you, it is almost impossible. When you become low in albumin (protein serum in the body) people tend to have more hosptial visits and longer stays because their body isnt strong enough to be healthy.

SO please be careful on what diet you might choose.

I wonder how someone would know they were allergic to beans when they weren't before? Most lupus pts are allergic to beans? I'll have to pay attention to what my wife eats and try to find a pattern. On the bean note, I read somewhere (Maybe that book I mentioned) that even soy should be avoided by lupus pts.

I thought I Should give everyone an update. I spoke with my doctors and have started a modified version of the "reboot your life" diet. I will spend the next two weeks weaning myself off all the things that are not allowed. Has far has the protein that everyone keeps mention goes, I spoke with the nutritionist and discovered that there are an abundance of vegetables (not only beans) that contain protein. If you do a google search of bing search you can download or print very detailed charts that give you the protein amounts and other nutritional value for the various vegetables. What have noticed just in this period of weaning my self off of most of the animal products(the only animal product I have had this week is broiled fish) is that I feel the best that I have in two years. I didn't notice right away. However by day five I have noticed that I have been off all of my narcotics for 2 days that has been unheard of for at least the past year. The past three nights I have been able to sleep all the way through the night without waking up every hour because the joint pain is so intense. I can't remember the last time that happened and because I slept at night I feel so much better throughout the day. I am thinking of doing a video blog has I progress further on this adventure. I am not sure if the success will continue. All's I know is it is working right now and so for now I will stay on course and keep you updated on my progress. Documenting the good and the bad. Like the the first 24 hours I spent with diarrhea. The nutritionist warned me that could happen. So I suggest if you try this, start on a weekend or when you know you can be home close to the bathroom. What I realized is those 24 hours weren't that bad and my goodness what have I been carrying around in my colon. Since then it has been great. So has I said I don't know if the success so far is a fluke or if it will continue. I will go back to the doctor in a few weeks and he will review my meds and see if there is anything that we can reduce and of course that will be the true test. So hear is too health.

Hello everyone. I have tested positive for autoimmune but not for lupis. My doc says I may have a mild case or that it could develope into lupis SLE in the future if I start living an unhealthy lifestyle. He was quite shocked by how healthy I was given my numbers and that I had PCOS, Hpylori. As part of my diet I do a cleansing system that includes shakes, vitamins, organic, ect. But besides those products Just resently For a two month period I also cut out all land animal meat, dairy,soy, gluten, caffeine, alc, nightshades, simple sugars, simple carbs, and only salted things with unprocessed salt. I already felt great on a day to day basis before but I noticed a big difference in how I felt. My skin Is healthier, less water retention, and more mental clarity. SO overall my body liked the changes.

Also on a separate note, anytime you want to know something about diet, nutrition, exercise, ect.. Please consult a nutritionist, dietitian, holistic Dr, or someone with a background in the field you have concerns or questions. Regular MDs do not get training in those fields. A doctor will also advise against anything they don't know enough about. Never assume the word Doctor means person who knows everything.

Post Edited (doodleface) : 12/6/2012 9:45:57 PM (GMT-7)

Also wanted to add that I read somewhere that lupus patients should not eat too much protein. And that animal fats were not good for auto immune diseases.

Doodleface-Could you please tell me what your symptoms are and what blood work you have had? I am going to a rheumy on Jan 23rd. I had a negative ANA and low SED rate in late August. But I think my hair is falling out more then it used to, so I am worried. I also have gotten a rash in the sun and then had red cheeks for almost a week in Oct. I have mild joint pain also. I have no swelling, except my heel was red and swollen for a day or two, then it went away. I have other mild symptoms that I have had for many many years.

Scaremom2 - there is nothing to suggest we shouldn't eat protein!!! Protein is the building block of our bodies, helps us heal, etc. Usually (women) don't eat enough! Try to avoid over-processed meats, stick to 'cleaner' items like fresh chicken, fish, turkey, eggs, milk products.

Marif - see reply in your post.