Lupus: Fish, Omega Vitamins, Soy Milk

Diet and nutrition guidelines for people with lupus are not different than for anyone else. In general, people with lupus should try to eat a nutritious, well-balanced, and varied diet that contains plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, moderate amounts of meats, poultry, and oily fish.In order to increase the amount of omega 3 fatty acids in your diet, there are alternatives to fish. Walnuts/walnut oil or flax seeds/flax seed oil are some of the best sources. In fact, these foods are as good as fish!

Soy products are high in isoflavones, a type of phytoestrogen, and have estrogenic activity in the human body. There is relatively little research on the effects of a soy diet on lupus. One animal study from Japan that was conducted within the past several years found that mice put on a diet high in soy had a worsening of the clinical course of lupus, but another more recent study (also in mice) found that not only did soy isoflavones not lead to worsening of lupus, the disease may actually have been improved. What this means is that the "jury is still out" on the effects of a diet high in soy. Keep in mind that the studies mentioned here were conducted in animals; not humans. So while there is the potential for large quantities of soy to contribute to a worsening of your disease, smaller amounts are probably OK. Talk with your health care provider about your specific situation though.

Lastly, it is common for people with autoimmune diseases such as lupus to be anemic (low hemoglobin). In general, foods high in iron should be included as a regular part of your diet. Specific recommendations may vary depending on your particular disease, but the best sources of iron are red meat (other meats are good too), legumes, iron-enriched breads and cereals, and green leafy vegetables. Iron absorption is increased if you consume it along with a vitamin C source – try an enriched cereal with orange juice in the morning!

If you still want to know more about diet for lupus or related information about complications of lupus, you can send us an email to doctornickzhang@hotmail.com or you can leave us a message.