Lupus affects many middle-aged women. Read more about what it is and whether is bone broth good for lupus or not!
What is Lupus?
Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks its own healthy tissues and organs. The immune system only attacks foreign organisms that invade the body in a normal body, like viruses, bacteria, and germs. But in a person who has lupus, the immune system cannot differentiate between harmful organisms and healthy tissues.
Lupus affects women more than men and occurs mainly in the 15-44 years age group. It is not contagious. Lupus is of several types, systemic lupus erythromatosus (SLE), Discoid lupus, drug- induced lupus and neonatal lupus. SLE is the most common type, and it affects the entire body. It goes through cycles of symptom-free periods and then acute flare-ups. Every case of lupus is unique, as is also the progress of the disease.
Symptoms
It is very difficult to diagnose lupus as many of its symptoms mimic those of other diseases. The most conclusive symptom of lupus is a facial rash that resembles a butterfly’s wings across both cheeks.
The common symptoms of lupus include:
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Inflammation
- Swelling in the leg lymph nodes and around the eyes
- Joint and muscle pain
- Mouth ulcers
- Skin rashes
- Fever
- Headache
- Chest pain
- Hair loss
- Arthritis
- Sensitivity to the sun
- Dry eyes
- Discoloration of fingers and toes due to cold or stress
- Damage to the skin, kidneys, joints, blood, heart, brain and lungs.
It can lead to other complications like UTIs, respiratory infections, yeast infections, herpes, salmonella, and shingles.
Physical examination, family history details, and blood tests are needed for your doctor to make a diagnosis of lupus.
Causes
What causes lupus is still not very clear. One theory is that changes in genes that govern the working of the immune system could trigger autoimmune conditions like lupus. Other theories opine that when cells that die naturally are not eliminated from the body, they release substances that cause
the immune system to malfunction. Factors that aid the development of lupus are hormones, gender, age, genetics, including race and family history, environmental factors including smoking, medication, sunlight exposure, viral infections, and gut microbes.
Remedies For Lupus
Lupus has no cure, but you can only manage the disease with medication to treat the symptoms. It requires lifestyle and diet modification. Medications include steroids, immune suppressant drugs, and monoclonal antibodies that suppress the activity of white blood cells that make autoantibodies.
Is Bone Broth Good For Lupus?
Bone broth is produced by cooking bones and connective tissue of chicken, lamb, cow, or fish in water for 24 to 48 hours. This process releases the nutrients from the bones, namely minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, iron, zinc, selenium, manganese, and vitamins A and K. The
collagen in the connective tissue turns into gelatin which has amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. Two amino acids namely, glycine and proline, are the most important components of connective tissue that hold the cells of our organs and muscles together. These amino acids are
easily assimilated by your body thereby, making bone broth a healing tonic that helps heal damaged tissues in our bodies. But is bone broth good for lupus?
Lupus and other autoimmune diseases like it are suspected of developing due to systemic inflammation and a leaky gut in the body. Protein deficiency also lowers immune response. Glycine in bone broth has both anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating properties which treat the
disease. It also improves digestive health and aids the production of antioxidants in your body. It promotes sleep, mental clarity, improves mood, boosts memory, and relieves stress. The amino acid proline helps your body metabolize proteins. Bone broth further keeps your body hydrated and is easily digestible.
General Advisories For Lupus
Follow your doctor’s advice and stick to the prescribed drugs and dosage.
Regular visits and follow-ups with your doctor are a must. Communicate and clarify doubts with your doctor.
Get in-depth knowledge about the disease and encourage your family to learn about it too. Stay active and have a regular exercise schedule.
Quit smoking, get sufficient sleep and rest, eat healthy food, plan a pregnancy only with your doctors, go ahead, avoid stress and sun exposure. By taking care of these things, you can reduce your chances of getting affected with lupus.