Nutritional Therapy for Autoimmune Diseases: How Diet Can Help Manage Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, and Other Conditions
When you or someone you love are living with an autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or multiple sclerosis, you may be all too familiar with the symptoms. From how frustrating they can be to how they can sometimes be debilitating. They can cause joint pain, fatigue, brain fog, digestive issues, etc. which can significantly reduce the quality of life.
There is currently no cure for autoimmune diseases, there are ways to manage symptoms and ways to improve your overall health. One of the most powerful of these tools that you easily have access to is in your house. Right in your kitchen even! Food.
Nutrition’s Role in Managing Autoimmune Diseases
That's right! Nutrition can play a critical role in managing the symptoms of autoimmune diseases.
By making dietary changes, you can reduce inflammation, boost your immune system, and improve your overall health and well-being. But with so much conflicting information out there, it can be tough to know where to start. In this blog post, we'll explore the topic of nutritional therapy for autoimmune diseases and how it can help you manage your symptoms. So, let's dive in!
What are Autoimmune Diseases?
Autoimmune diseases are conditions that are grouped together due to them all being conditions where the body’s own immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. Normally, the immune system would not do this as it is designed to protect the body from harmful invaders. This would be viruses and bacteria but in autoimmune diseases, the immune system becomes confused and sees the healthy tissues as an invader.
Common Autoimmune Diseases
Some common autoimmune diseases are lupus, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and celiac disease. These are just a few as there are more than 80 known autoimmune diseases that can affect any part of the body. These diseases can also cause a wide range of symptoms depending on which part of the body is affected. The symptoms can range from frustrating and uncomfortable to debilitating and life-threatening.
How Does Diet Play a Role in Autoimmune Disease Management?
Diet can play a huge role in managing your autoimmune disease symptoms. This is due to certain foods triggering inflammation and worsening symptoms. Whereas others can help reduce the inflammation the autoimmune diseases cause and improve your overall health. By making these dietary changes, you can reduce the inflammation you may be experiencing, help to boost your immune system, and improve your health.
Nutrient Rich Diets Can Be Beneficial
Additionally, research has even shown that nutrient-dense diets can be especially beneficial for individuals with autoimmune diseases. These are foods like leafy greens, berries, fatty fish, nuts, and seeds. This is due to them being rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that help to reduce inflammation and boost the immune system. On the other hand, popular foods that people eat such as processed foods, sugar, and refined grains can trigger inflammation and make symptoms worse.
What is Nutritional Therapy for Autoimmune Diseases?
You may be wondering what nutritional therapy is and how it could help manage your symptoms. Well, let's break it down! Nutritional therapy is a healthcare approach that uses food and supplements in a way to support your body and its natural healing processes. The key is working with a trained practitioner who can help you find and address any nutritional imbalances that may be contributing to your autoimmune disease symptoms.
Your practitioner will work with you to create a personalized plan with recommendations based on your health history, current symptoms, and your nutrient status. This customized approach is completely tailored to your needs, preferences, and lifestyle. The goal is to find the right balance between eating nutritious foods, avoiding trigger foods, and supplementing with healing nutrients to reduce inflammation.
So, What Exactly Does Nutritional Therapy Involve?
It's really all about you eating the nutrient-dense foods that your body needs that are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. These foods have immense health benefits for anyone, but they are especially beneficial for individuals with autoimmune diseases. Additionally, your practitioner may also have you avoid certain foods that are known to trigger inflammation.
Your practitioner might recommend things like:
Eating a rainbow of colorful fruits and vegetables
Incorporating healthy fats like olive oil, avocados, and nuts and seeds
Choosing high-quality protein sources like grass-fed meat and wild-caught fish
Avoiding processed foods, refined grains, and added sugars
Your practitioner at Chronic Hope Counseling will be monitoring your nutrition, so depending on your needs, if you are still having some gaps in your nutrition, your practitioner may also recommend certain supplements to help fill in any nutritional deficiencies. These supplements could include probiotics, omega-3 fatty acids, or vitamin D.
Nutritional therapy is a holistic and non-invasive approach to managing symptoms related to your autoimmune disease. By helping you to identify and manage your nutritional gaps, your body can gain additional support in healing and reducing your symptoms. Your body will thank you for improving your overall nutrition and you'll be amazed at the difference it makes in your health.
Interested in Nutritional Therapy in Raleigh, NC?
Dealing with uncomfortable, frustrating, or debilitating symptoms can really take a toll on your quality of life. By improving your nutrition you could help manage your symptoms and improve your overall health. At Chronic Hope Counseling our skilled team of therapists has first-hand knowledge and personal understanding of chronic pain so we want the best for our patients. We want to support and guide you to find the best treatment plan that works for you and your body. Follow the steps below to get started on the road to living your best life.
Get to know our team of caring therapists.
Book an appointment on our convenient contact form.
Begin improving your nutrition and feeling better!
Other Counseling Services Offered at Chronic Hope Counseling in North Carolina
In addition to Nutritional Therapy, we also offer a variety of other services that are geared toward people who exist within the world of chronic illness and pain. These include Chronic Illness Counseling, Chronic Fatigue Counseling, Long Covid Counseling, Ehlers Danlos Counseling, Family and Relationship Counseling as well as Caregiver Counseling and Support. If you are hurting, we see you and care. Reach out to us today!