I asked my rheumie if diet could help my condition (i.e. lupus symptoms, quality of life, inflammation); I explained that I knew there wasn’t a cure for lupus. I was just wondering if diet could help. He said, no. He said no studies have been done to support this idea. I wasn’t surprised by his answer. He’s a very good doctor, a very good old-school doctor. However, my DH and I believe that what you put into your systems has a direct correlation to your health. We decided it was time to see a Naturopathic doctor–a state-licensed medical doctor who combines conventional medicine practices with an array of natural and holistic treatment approaches. Here is a recount of our first meeting.

I took a nap in the doctor’s office lobby—bonus! Actually, I arrived very early for my appointment, and the lobby had some big cushy sofas in them. I was the only one there. It was cool. My leg was elevated. I slept.  It was for about 10 or 15 minutes, and it was much appreciated.

I then met my Naturopathic Medicine doctor. She was really cool. She introduced herself as Dr. J.  Unpretentious, down to earth. Half way through our session, she asked for a favor—if she could excuse herself to go use the restroom—“My bladder is about to burst!” Funny and comfortable around her patients.  She was honest about opinions regarding my current medical care and treatment. Based on my labs, she said that there hadn’t been any testing of my thyroid. This concerned her, so she ordered some tests for my thyroid and a few other things.

She met with me and my DH for 2 hours. She asked me quite a few detailed questions. She did a physical exam. We talked about treatment and the next steps. So much of autoimmune diseases deal with the gut.  And since my most recent severe flare was in my gut, it made complete sense to me that that is where we would begin our focus. We are going to start a 3-week program (RepairVite) that focuses on a specific meal plan that cuts out a lot of foods that are known to cause allergies.  I am also going to be taking natural supplements that will help heal my gut. We are basically looking to help my GI-tract heal itself. I have heard the term leaky gut before, and this is what I am dealing with.  

Here is a summary of the foods I can eat and what I need to avoid:

 It’s pretty restrictive. Dr. J described it as being a cross between a Paleo diet and the Mediterranean diet.

I think my DH is going to do this with me. It is doable with some serious planning. I am going to need time to do some meal planning and then do some grocery shopping.

Note: This entry is part of my food elimination diet series. These posts are based on my personal journal entries during this period. Subsequent related entries will be posted chronologically but may not be posted on the same dates they occurred.