The following article is written from my viewpoint/experiences and for information only. You should consult a dietician or medical professional if you have food issues/allergies/intolerances.
When a new patient asks for advice one of the first things I say is treat your body well, it needs your help. High up in the list of things I personally think is very important for your body (whether you have lupus or not) is good nutrition.
As we say in our section on diet there’s no particular one diet that is recommended for lupus but there are foods that can help your lupus, or the reverse - make you sick.
One of the things I tend to avoid is over/ultra processed food and I have always done this. We are now all warned that these foods are bad for everyone and to eat in moderation, if at all. I used to occasionally eat white rice and white pasta but after I got lupus I noticed that my stomach used to feel bloated and very painful after eating them and a lot of other lupus patients have also told me the same thing. This is because we can develop intolerances to certain foods and ‘white foods’, which are over processed are a common cause, so now I never eat them and have changed to wholewheat rice/pasta and wholewheat or sourdough bread.
Researchers now believe that gut health is strongly linked to lupus as in this study, so it seems sensible to be careful about what we eat and try to keep our gut health as good as it can be.
Lupus can slow the digestive process, and this can cause a wide variety of GI issues. Digestive problems may be the direct result of an attack by the immune system or from medications to treat lupus. These digestive difficulties include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, or constipation.
Lupus is also linked to acid reflux, it can cause inflammation in the oesophagus and weaken the muscles you use to swallow. When the muscle that connects your oesophagus to your stomach is too weak, it can cause acid reflux (stomach acid moving backward to the oesophagus). Acid reflux that lasts for a long time is called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and many lupus patients suffer from this.
Peptic ulcers can also occur, often due to certain medications used in lupus treatment, including NSAIDs and steroids.
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I have experience of this myself. About 18 months ago I got what I thought was some sort of catarrh, my symptoms were:
a constantly blocked nose.
feeling like there's a lump or something stuck in my throat.
a frequent need to swallow or cough to try to clear your throat.
a feeling that mucus is slowly dripping down the back of mythroat (postnasal drip)
blocked ears
And finally, a feeling like my head was stuffed with cotton wool.
I tried over the counter medication for catarrh (as the symptoms were pointing to that) but nothing worked, I was feeling really miserable. On top of all this my stomach was grumbling and churning really loudly, especially when I lay down. Eventually, after much research, I found people describing these symptoms and calling it ‘silent reflux’ - the medical term is laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR), it doesn’t have any symptoms in the chest so it’s not immediately obvious as some other forms of reflux are. I was sent for a gastroscopy before I figured out what I had and that came back clear, which was a relief as I was very concerned about my oesophagus being damaged by lupus as it can do that. One of the things you can do for silent reflux is alter your diet to low acid, which is the route I have chosen and it has vastly improved my symptoms.
I now have to avoid acidic foods, so lots of foods including my favourite garlic/tomatoes/lemons/hot spices etc (that I added to nearly every meal!) were out, as was coffee which can weaken the protective sphincters at the top and bottom of the oesophagus.
I’ve always been someone that glanced through ingredients before buying something and if I didn’t recognise a word or there was a list a mile long I didn’t buy the food. I now have to really scrutinise labels as food manufacturers seem to slip in all sorts of unecessary things.
Most of us are aware of the high sugar content of most breakfast cereals etc, but sugar is added to lots of other foods which you may not know. I discovered that what I thought were ‘good, safe foods’ such as roast chicken and smoked salmon have sugar added! Sugar can cause inflammation so you might be eating/drinking it without realising, processed sugar appears to be one of my triggers and I thought I was avoiding it but I was actually eating it without knowing, so now I check all ingredients.
Added sunflower oil (and other things). Look for oats, water and maybe salt and that’s it.
I’ve changed to non dairy milk as dairy can be a problem with acid reflux, nearly every milk alternative has added oil and sometimes added sugar as well. It does make me wonder how much this all contributes to the fact people are becoming sicker and struggling to lose weight. It would definitely account for why our guts are not very happy.
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So my advice, check ingredient lists and avoid anything with more than a couple of ingredients, definitely consider it carefully if manufacturers have added extra oil or sugar. Try reading labels when you next do your shopping, it’s pretty shocking what you’ll discover added to food.
Avoid things such as fizzy drinks as they are not good for anyone. Widespread evidence indicates that sugar-sweetened and diet fizzy drinks can contribute to weight gain, tooth decay, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular problems. According to the American Kidney Fund, a study suggests that drinking two or more carbonated sodas (diet or regular) each day may increase your risk for kidney disease and can also cause damage to your liver. Carbonated and energy drinks have both been linked to the formation of kidney stones. Once it reaches the liver, the sugar in beverages can get converted into fat that's stored in liver cells.
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You may be wondering if there are foods that can specifically cause problems with lupus. Luckily there are very few. Two of these are alfalfa sprouts & echinacea, both can cause flares. Check bagged salad as alfalfa sprouts are sometimes added to them and check things such as cough medicines as echinacea is often added to that, neither are apparent unless you read the ingredients list.
Some people say garlic causes them problems, so may be worth cutting it out to see if that makes a difference. You may have also heard to avoid “nightshade vegetables,” which include white potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and aubergine. Whilst there isn’t any scientific evidence that directly links them to inflammation, you may find they trigger symptoms for you.
People with lupus nephritis should use caution when eating bananas as they are a high-potassium fruit, so you'd be better off choosing apples, citrus fruits or berries instead.
If you take steroids this is worth bearing in mind. Steroids can cause thinning of the bones. When you have thin bones, you are much more likely to fracture or break one from a fall or other type of accident. The easiest way to protect yourself from fractures and broken bones while taking steroid medication is to consume more calcium-rich foods since calcium strengthens bones.
If you take Warfarin, a blood thinner that works by decreasing vitamin K in your body, certain foods like leafy vegetables can affect how this medication works. You should also avoid green tea, grapefruit and cranberry juices. Further information is here.
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In conclusion my advice would be to look after your gut, become an avid ‘label checker’ for hidden sugars/fats/salt and other things you should avoid. I know that cake looks inviting and ok why not have it occasionally if you can tolerate it, but you need good nutrition on a daily basis and the reward will be a happy gut and hopefully calm lupus.
I cook from scratch then I know exactly what’s in every meal, I often do several portions at a time so that I have things ready in my freezer on days I don’t feel like cooking. Frozen vegetables are great, they’re quick and nutritious, all I need to do is pop some salmon or other protein into my airfryer and the meal is ready very quickly, frozen veg also makes great soup!
I add as much nutrition to every meal as I can, I sprinkle things such as chia seeds on my breakfast and seeds/nuts on my other meals like fairy dust. I often resort to a smoothie if I feel I haven’t packed as much good nutrition into my day as I’d like to. I again try and add as much goodness to it as possible by way of vegetables and some fruit and yet more chia seeds!
If you suffer from any stomach issues you should not automatically assume it’s caused by lupus and ignore it, please consult your medical professional.
Angie Davidson
The content on this blog should not be seen as a substitute for medical advice. If you have, or think you may have lupus, always seek advice on a qualified physician. Find out more in our Terms of Use.
