Eating for Autoimmune Diseases/Conditions

Your body’s immune system is supposed to defend your body against bacteria, viruses, and any other invaders. However, there are certain situations in which that immune system causes or perpetuates illness, which is known as an autoimmune disease. It is when the body’s defense system turns on its host. As far as treatment is concerned, certain medications can be used to suppress the immune system and, therefore, control overactive immune responses.

They can also reduce the pain and inflammation associated with autoimmune diseases and conditions. However, the key to minimizing these conditions is through a proper diet for autoimmune disease.

Medical Conditions Caused By Autoimmune Diseases

The list of autoimmune diseases is quite long and includes conditions such as:

• Lupus
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Vitiligo
• Scleroderma
• Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Most of these medical conditions can be quite devastating. However, one of the best ways you can heal autoimmune diseases or, at least, ease the pain is by eating the right diet.

The Best Diet for Autoimmune Disease

Research has shown that a diet supplemented by nutrient-rich foods helps benefit people with an autoimmune condition. The trick is to consume foods that do not trigger inflammation in your gut. Therefore, by keeping inflammation down, you reduce the time between autoimmune attacks.

Here are some foods you can eat to make it easier to live with autoimmune disease.

Broccoli

Studies have shown that people with autoimmune disorders have a diminished glutathione status. Luckily, broccoli has high levels of the oxidant glutathione, which helps alleviate autoimmune diseases. Glutathione tames chronic inflammation and protects against oxidative stress.

Green Tea

Green tea gives you EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate), which is a compound known to enhance the differentiation of T cells. The dysregulation of these cells has been shown to be a significant factor as far as the development of inflammatory diseases resulting from autoimmune diseases. You can try mixing brewed green tea with coconut milk and bananas and then freeze the mixture.

Turmeric

Turmeric is a highly popular spice that contains curcumin, which has the healing power to alleviate symptoms such as:

• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Psoriasis

Curcumin has what it takes to regulate inflammatory substances in your body.

Sauerkraut

Keeping a healthy gut plays a vital role in regulating autoimmune disease. Sauerkraut is rich in probiotics which help improve the barrier function in the intestines, thereby offering protection against autoimmune disorders.

Foods To Avoid To Stay Healthy

Since it is essential to eat the right foods to reduce the impact of autoimmune disease, it is also critical to know what foods to avoid altogether. It’s all about avoiding foods that increase your inflammation response. Here are some foods to avoid to stay healthy.

Fried Foods

Fried foods are cooked at a very high temperature. This high temperature causes the food to produce acrylamide, a neuro-toxic chemical that can cause cellular damage.

Refined Carbohydrates

Refine carbohydrates are white flour products which break down pretty quickly during digestion. This can lead to a spike in your blood sugar, which, in turn, can stimulate an inflammatory response that is quite aggressive.

Processed Meat

Meat cooked at very high temperatures such as beef jerky, bacon, sausage, and ham contain very high levels of AGEs (advanced glycation end-products). Studies have linked AGEs to the rapid development of diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, kidney failure, and heart disease.

In summary, reducing the inflammatory responses in your body is crucial to dealing with autoimmune disease. The right dietary choices can take you a long way towards achieving this. These are just some of the foods you should include in your diet or try to avoid as much as possible.