The foods lupus patients should avoid

People with lupus should aim for a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. It should also include moderate amounts of meats, poultry, and oily fish.

According to Lupus News Today, there is no established diet for lupus. There are certain foods that may improve life while living with lupus, and there are certain foods that can worsen your flares and how you feel.

Cut down on the red meat and switch to fatty fish

Salmon. Picture: iStock

Being high in fat, red meat is not the best type of protein to eat, as it can lead to heart disease. Switch from red meat to fatty fishes, like tuna, salmon, sardines and mackerel.

These types of fish have plenty of Omega-3s, which are polyunsaturated fatty acids that help protect against heart disease and stroke.

Increase your calcium intake

Picture: iStock

Lupus patients may be under medication that can thin their bones as a side effect. Strengthen your bones (and avoid fractures), by eating foods that are high in calcium and vitamin D.

Some of these foods include cheese, yogurt, low-fat milk, tofu, beans, spinach and broccoli (mainly dark green leafy vegetables), among others.

Eat less trans-fat and processed foods

Picture: iStock

Processed foods that are high in trans fats often have elevated levels of steroids, which can make you hungry all the time, leading you to eat more and as a result, causing you to gain weight.

If you have a disease like lupus, avoiding these types of foods is important and can really benefit your health.

Try avoid garlic and alfalfa

Picture: iStock

If you live with lupus, you should definitely try to avoid these two foods. Garlic contains joene, thiosulfinates and allicin, which can mess with your immune system and trigger lupus flares. The alfalfa contain L-canavanine in its sprouts, and this is an amino acid that can also lead to symptom flares.

Lower your alcohol intake

Picture: iStock

You don’t have to give up drinking completely; having a glass of wine or a beer every now and then is accepatable. Wine can actually benefit your heart health.

Despite the benefits, you shouldn’t push it too much when drinking alcohol, since it can interfere with some of the medication you might be taking.

Avoid salt

Salt. Picture: iStock

Eating too much salt is not good for anyone, but it’s even worse for lupus patients. Did you know that eating too much salt can raise your blood pressure and increase your risk for heart disease?

Reducing your salt intake doesn’t mean you have to eat food with no flavor. You can substitute salt with other spices to make your food delicious and full of flavor. Use spices like herbs, pepper, curry powder, or try to use lemon and turmeric to give your food a great taste.

Read the original article on Southlands Sun

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.