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9 Key Lifestyle Changes to Support Autoimmune Health
Improve Your Diet and Gut Health
Improve Your Diet and Gut Health
Embrace an Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Choose whole, nutrient-rich foods to combat inflammation. Incorporate fruits, vegetables, proteins (like wild-caught fish), healthy fats (such as olive oil, avocados, nuts), and omega-3 sources (e.g., salmon, walnuts). Steer clear of ultra-processed foods, refined sugars, and trans fats. Some find relief with specific diets like the Mediterranean, Carnivore, Autoimmune Protocol (AIP), Wahls Protocol, Plant Paradox, Paleo, 4R Protocol, or Vegetarian as they all eliminate trigger foods (e.g., gluten, sugar, dairy, nightshades), they limit size portion, and impose time restricted eating.
Support Gut Health
The gut-immune link is vital for managing autoimmune conditions. Include prebiotic and probiotic foods (e.g., yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, bananas, garlic) to foster a healthy microbiome. Avoid gut-disrupting foods like artificial sweeteners and excessive alcohol. Consult a healthcare provider to test for food sensitivities or leaky gut.
Manage Stress Effectively
Improve Your Diet and Gut Health
Chronic stress can exacerbate autoimmune symptoms by increasing inflammation. Practice stress-reducing techniques like mindfulness meditation, yoga, deep breathing, or progressive muscle relaxation. Even 10-15 minutes daily can make a difference. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or journaling may also help.
- The 4-7-8 breathing technique is a simple method that can help relieve stress and anxiety by engaging the body's natural relaxation response. It involves inhaling for 4 seconds, holding for 7, and exhaling for 8, helping to regulate the nervous system and promote a sense of calm
Get Enough Quality Sleep
Adequate sleep is critical for managing inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and gout, as it helps regulate the immune system and reduce inflammation. During sleep, the body repairs tissues, balances cytokines (proteins that modulate inflammation), and lowers stress hormones like cortisol, which can exacerbate inflammation when elevated. Poor sleep disrupts these processes, increasing inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein, which worsens joint pain, swelling, and fatigue in these conditions.
- Patients with autoimmune conditions should get 7-9 hours of good-quality sleep each night
Be Active
Nurture Healthy Relationships and Social Connections
Physical activity is crucial for people with rheumatic diseases as it helps reduce joint stiffness, improve mobility, and decrease inflammation, while also boosting mental health and overall well-being.
Low-impact exercises like swimming, walking, yoga, and tai chi are ideal, as they minimize joint stress while enhancing flexibility and strength. Cycling and gentle stretching can also support joint function and reduce pain. Aim for 20-30 minutes most days, but avoid overexertion, which can trigger flares.
If you don't have the time for a formal exercise program, you can still find ways to move throughout your day. Try these tips:
- Park as far as you can from the door
- Hand-wash your car
- Clean your house
- Walk on your lunch break
- Gardening
Avoid Environmental Triggers
Nurture Healthy Relationships and Social Connections
Nurture Healthy Relationships and Social Connections
Environmental triggers of autoimmune diseases in genetically susceptible individuals include:
- Infections: Viruses (e.g., Epstein-Barr) and bacteria may trigger diseases like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
- Chemicals: Toxins like silica or pesticides can increase risk.
- Diet: Gluten or high-salt diets may worsen conditions like celiac disease or multiple sclerosis.
- Stress: Chronic stress can exacerbate lupus or RA.
- UV Radiation: Sun exposure may trigger lupus flares.
- Smoking: Linked to RA and lupus.
- Hormones: Estrogen or endocrine disruptors may influence lupus.
- Vaccines: Rarely, vaccines may be associated with conditions like Guillain-Barré syndrome and other autoimmune diseases.
- Vitamin D Deficiency: Low levels increase risk of RA or multiple sclerosis.
- Gut Health: Leaky gut may contribute to RA or lupus.
Nurture Healthy Relationships and Social Connections
Nurture Healthy Relationships and Social Connections
Nurture Healthy Relationships and Social Connections
Strong social connections benefit arthritis patients by reducing stress, improving mental health, and encouraging physical activity, which help manage symptoms. Support from friends, family, or groups lowers stress hormones like cortisol, reducing inflammation and pain, while social activities promote movement, enhancing joint mobility and reducing stiffness.
Consciously build your network of friends, family, and community. Engage in spiritual activity, volunteer, meditate, do yoga, join to a club, keep a journal of your daily emotions.
- Blue Zones research states that the healthiest, longest-living people in the world all have something in common: they put their families first and they are deeply connected to their community.
Manage Weight
Consider Complementary Therapies
Explore Intermittent Fasting
People who are overweight or obese, or who have extra weight in the abdominal area have increased risk for more inflammation. Fat cells located in the belly area produce and secrete compounds that can contribute to inflammation. Fortunately, even modest weight loss of 10% of body weight can help to reduce inflammation.
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Explore Intermittent Fasting
Consider Complementary Therapies
Explore Intermittent Fasting
The 2023 study published in Autoimmunity Reviews (PMID: 37572827), titled "Intermittent fasting: A promising dietary intervention for autoimmune diseases," explores the potential benefits of intermittent fasting (IF) for conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. It suggests that IF, which involves alternating periods of fasting and eating, may reduce inflammation, modulate immune responses, enhance gut microbiota health, and promote cellular repair through autophagy (the body's process of clearing damaged cells). These mechanisms could help alleviate symptoms of autoimmune diseases. However, the study emphasizes that clinical research on IF's effects on these conditions is limited, and further studies are needed to establish its safety and effectiveness.
Consider Complementary Therapies
Consider Complementary Therapies
Consider Complementary Therapies
Complementary therapies can help rheumatology patients manage pain, inflammation, and stress alongside medical treatments. Always consult a healthcare provider before starting.
- Acupuncture: Thin needles reduce pain and stiffness in arthritis; may improve sleep.
- Massage Therapy: Gentle massage eases muscle tension and stress, lowering inflammation. Avoid during flares.
- Mind-Body Practices:
- Yoga/Tai Chi: Gentle movements improve flexibility, balance, and pain in arthritis; chair options suit seniors.
- Meditation: Reduces stress and pain perception, aiding lupus and gout. Start with 5-10 minutes.
- Hydrotherapy: Warm water exercises or soaking relieve joint pain and stiffness, ideal for all rheumatic conditions.
- Supplements: Omega-3s or turmeric may reduce inflammation (consult a doctor). Combine with diet strategies like intermittent fasting for gut health.