lupus diet

does anyone know a good "lupus diet"? to stay healthy etc.
i know we are supposed to eat healthy (low fat, etc) but more specifically are there any foods that anyones has found to make you feel better/worse? i have heard that alfalfa sprouts are the worst for people with lupus but i was wondering if there were any other foods we should avoid to maintain a relatively "healthy" immune system or prevent flares...

I've been told by my doc that its important to follow a heart healthy diet. He recommends the same standards as the American Heart Association. Watching your cholestorol and bad fats are very important as you know your heart is at increased risk with SLE. I agree with Hippi about the nightshade plants which includes alfalfa can aggravate your Lupus. I have been pretty good with my overall diet in the last few months, although I have to admit that I cheat here and there but mostly I have been good.

Whew! Here I thought I was just a weak-willed fattie!

I've heard or read that we shouldn't eat too much soy because it strengthens our immune systems. I had always eaten a lot of edamame but have cut way back.

Lynnwood, the info about legumes is news to me. I really need to buy Daniel Wallace's book and read it cover to cover. I'm cooking a pot of lentils right now, so if tomorrow I feel bad, I'll know why. I would never have made that connection. I hope I find that I'm not allergic, because I love lentil soup, split pea soup, black bean soup, etc. They're low in fat and healthy. And tasty.

hmm its a shame that nightshade veggies are bad for us becuase I LOVE tomatoes, bell peppers and eggplant...

does anyone eat a lot of sushi? I really like sushi too and apparently fish is good for you but since I am on immunosuppressants (cellcept) is it risky for me to eat raw fish as it would put me at a higher risk of infection? I dont really like cooked fish as much...

Hi misscali--
I agree with the posts on lower carbs higher protein, and being careful about sugars and artificial sweeteners. I use splenda, nutrasweet has caused me problems with my bladder over time. I try to eat salmon once a week too. I feel this is very important. I love sushi and raw oysters, but there is a risk. I only eat sushi that has been previously frozen as it kills any flukes that may be in the fish, and i haven't been eating it as much. I shouldn't eat it at all. Baked salmon with orange zest and ginger really does it for me. Greens are really good for you, I eat a lot of fresh greens, either stir fried or pressure cooked. You probably know about pressure cookers and steamers vs other cooking methods, how they preserve the vitamins, while microwave and boiling and freezing sap them. I don't like the heart healthy diet because it contains not enough protein and iron containing foods for me and way to many carbs and trans fats like margarine. There is a special diet for epilepsy called the ketogenic diet where you eat tons and tons of fats, so my son and I, I need to eat a moderate to high amouht of fats for my liver, eat real butter, avocados and other verry fatty things. As for carbs, oatmeal is really good for you, even if you are diabetic, because fiber undoes the damage of carbs and it is high fiber. I also choke on beans and don't care for them. I also take omega 3 fatty acids by pill and flax seed oil at times, sometimes using it as a healthy alternative to butter, it is very buttery. I eat meat and vegetables primarily due to diabetes, with a little dairy--cheeses and probiotic yogurts--and bananas because of my HCTZ diuretic. Berrys as fruit, occasionally melons. I was starting to get into soy but it hurts my urinary tract for some reason, so there that goes. Also, I drink milk. Dont know if this helps, I have bladder and diabetes restrictions, and gi restrictions. I have never had anemia thanks to my dietary restrictions though my ferritin is often high.

Hippi--
Don't feel bad, many cows and pigs get to live at least a few years because of the fact we eat meat and use hides. And the hides don't sit in landfills like plastic or make us dependent on fossil fuels, or produce or need toxic chemicals to be made. No one would own a cow just for the fun of it and I remember playing with the farm animals we ate and that they had a good life. Many do, many don't. I'd just hate it if the only place I could see a cow or pig or chicken was the zoo. Whats really nice is if you can go to the meat mkt and find out where they are getting the stuff from and how the cows are raised. We did and ours were grain fed but also pastured on rich pasture and were not pent up in tiny stalls. I guess I like to try to reward responsible ethical farmers when I can. We raised and slaughter our own chickens and they had a great life, in the end, free ranging. If I had more energy I'd have my own cow and then slaughter it, so it lived good. I cant eat soy either anymore, or any beans either, so I know how that is. I'll have to chek out dr. wallace too.

What are nightshade plants or foods?? And why do they call them nightshade?

kitty

That is a really good idea about cutting down on calories. I was watching a tv show about a diet in which you can eat all the foods that you love, just in smaller portions so it is along the same lines.

Kitty: I looked up what the "nightshade" veggies are and they include bell peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant etc. They are the "vegetables" that are acutally fruits. I do not really know why they are not so good for people who have lupus though. I love all of these veggies and eat tons of tomatoes....so far i do not feel any different or worse when i eat any of these veggies but i wonder if i would feel eve better if i completely took them out of my diet.

I am also going to try to eat more fish and less fatty meats.

is it better to eat chicken or beef? i think beef might be a fattier meat but it has more protein and iron doesnt it?

I believe that the nightshades reference is that alot of those nightshades listed above can actually aggravate and irritate arthritis symptoms and imflamation - so that would make sense in the Lupus catagory.

I'm a firm believer in marshmallows and twizzlers myself.  Which diet does that fall under?