Can I eat my way to health?

" I followed my heart, and it led me into the fridge"
                 - Unknown
​

The start of January is usually the start of "a new and healthier life", but unlike previous years, there is a much bigger driving force behind it this time. During Christmas,  I ordered a book called "A new look at autoimmune diseases - use food as medicine" and today it has arrived. I will not be able to eat the lupus away, but maybe I can influence the disease in a positive direction by focusing a little more on the food I consume. It gives me a feeling of taking back some of the control, and becomes something concrete and tangible I can do for myself. That I am actively doing something to get better.

It turns out that it is not actually a cookbook I have bought, but there's a lot of interesting information in it. Especially what is written about the immune system, autoimmune diseases and leaky gut. Following the steps in the book vigorously is not very tempting. It is a little too strict, and some of it goes a little against what my rheumatologist said about focusing on lean food. I don't want to impose an unnecessarily strict regime on myself. I have to live a little too. So even though it suggests garlic and vegetables from the nightshade family is good thing to avoid, it doesn't have to be the first thing I try. Cutting out garlic, peppers and tomatoes? No,way. 

I decide on some points that make sense to me in addition to the steps I have already decided to take to counteract the side effects of prednisolon

Switch to a glutenfree diet
Using olive oil, butter and coconut oil instead
Start making broth
Cut alcohol

Sources:
Berit Norstrand, beritnordstrand.no/betenelsesdempende-mat/
Healthline, www.healthline.com/health/lupus/diet-tips#fats
Hexeberg, S. & Hexeberg, E. (2019). New look at Autoimmune disease - Use food as medicine. Cappelen Damm
John Hopkins Lupus Center, www.hopkinslupus.org/lupus-info/lifestyle-additional-information/lupus-diet/
​Lupus Foundation of America, www.lupus.org/resources/diet-and-nutrition-with-lupus#