The Wolf Inside - How I Would Manage Lupus
In response to a post on Twitter @halsey made regarding her battle with #lupus. I love helping people so I hope you all can glean something from this post. @LupusResearch
Lupus - The Wolf
This is an attempt to get the wolf out of your house.
Medical Definition:
According to WebMD, Lupus is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the tissues of the body.
Most Common form is Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).
(AKA: Wolf running amok through your entire system causing reddish colored facial lesions)
Most common symptoms include the following:
Achy joints (arthralgia)
Fever higher than 100 F
Constant or severe fatigue
Ankle swelling
Pain in your chest when breathing deeply (pleurisy)
A butterfly-shaped rash across your cheeks and nose (malar rash), which may appear dark purple or dark brown on dark skin but red or pink on light skin
Sensitivity to the sun or other lights
Mouth or nose sores
Pale or purple fingers or toes when you’re cold or stressed (Raynaud's phenomenon)
Source: WebMD
My Observations:
Key Terms:
Acid- anything that has an acidic nature. Can be food, chemicals, drugs, lifestyle, emotions, hormones, waste. AKA the Wolf.
If we were to break the symptoms down and try to find some ways to address the issues the Lupus would be no more.
Lets go through these symptoms from a naturopathic point of view.
Achy joints (arthralgia)
If your joints ache then there is most likely some systemic acidosis going on which could lead to inflammation. When something is inflamed it is a sign that there is not enough hydration in the area to buffer the acid that is in circulation.
Fever higher than 100 F
In Naturopathy, when a person detoxes from the acid/waste in the body there is usually what is called a “Healing Crisis”. This crisis can manifest in several different ways but the most popular are Cold/Flu symptoms. These symptoms are your body's attempt to get the waste out.
Your body has to send hydration to the inflamed joints in order to keep the acid from harming the joint. The more acid in the area the more hydration is sent there. If you don't have good circulation or elimination the area swells.
Constant or severe fatigue
You are tired because your thyroid and adrenal glands may be weak. They affect sugar metabolism and the pancreas which affects digestion/nutrition/energy.
The skin is a major eliminative organ. When your kidneys are not functioning properly then the skin will take on their work as much as it can. This can lead to the skin releasing toxins and acid waste. When your skin is red that means acids are there.
Ankle swelling
Same as “Swollen joints”. See above.
Pain in your chest when breathing deeply (pleurisy)
Your lungs can remove waste as well so they may be feeling the pressure from the sudden release of mucus and or waste.
A butterfly-shaped rash across your cheeks and nose (malar rash), which may appear dark purple or dark brown on dark skin but red or pink on light skin
Same as “Skin rash”. See above.
When your skin is releasing high amounts of acids, toxins, and waste it can damage the follicles. This is almost like the hair removal cream Nair being sweated out of your skin.
It can also be a weakened Thyroid/Parathyroid since they control calcium utilization and affect bone/connective tissues.
Sensitivity to the sun or other lights, Seizures
Acid waste stuck in the brain. If left uncleaned can result in brain/nerve damage.
Mouth or nose sores
Same as “Skin Rash”. See above.
Pale or purple fingers or toes when you’re cold or stressed (Raynaud's phenomenon)
Weak thyroid can affect body temperature.
Remedies (Consult with your medical professional before trying):
Allow the detox/healing crisis when its safe to do so.
When you feel like fevers are getting too high you can cool down with a cold bath, cold towels or slow the whole detox down by eating some cooked veggies.
Stay Hydrated with juice from fresh fruits or veggies, and water.
Practice limiting the intake of highly acidic foods like processed foods, meat, dairy. I know it may taste good but your body may not be able to tolerate it at your current health.
Try some of these herbs in Herb, Tincture, or Capsule form to help with fever and open up the main elimination channels (Kidneys, Skin, and Lymphatic system), Thyroid/Parathyroid, and Circulation:
Slippery Elm Bark
Marshmallow Root
Plantain Leaf
Red Clover
Dandelion Leaf
Parsley
Hawthorne Berry
Lupus to me is your body's attempt to show you where the acid/waste is stuck and how you can help open up the channels.
Please let me know if this helps or not so we can continually get better at helping each other through problems like Lupus.
References:
https://www.webmd.com/lupus/arthritis-lupus
The Detox Miracle Sourcebook - Robert Morse, ND