**BEST** Diet for Scleroderma (ANA+): Top 4 Triggers, Food to Avoid (PhytoDiet by Dasari MD)

have you ever wondered why so many doctors and Specialists rarely mention the ideal diet for scleroderma in this video I’m going to break down the best dietary practices for managing Scleroderma from the perspective of a surgeon and gut microbiome expert over the past decade I’ve worked closely with patients dealing with Scleroderma and the insights I’m about to share with you will be a GameChanger for struggling with symptoms like skin tightening digestive issues or joint pain these tips are designed to provide real practical Solutions so stick around you don’t want to miss [Music] this hi I’m Dr Chan OAS a surgeon focused on reversing inflammation driven by gut microbiome imbalances over the past 12 years I’ve refined a method called The Mind gut immunity approach which has helped thousands of patients overcome autoimmune disease and connective tissue disorders without relying on medication you might find this surprising but when you view autoimmune inflammation through the lens of gut health it becomes clear that gut microbiome dysfunction is often the root cause of conditions like Scleroderma if you’re curious about how we approach this and want to hear real success stories click on the link in the description below or visit MGI clinic.com the schedule a discovery call with me I’ll share some practical tips to help you get started let’s dive in here’s a 2023 study that examines the link between gut microbi Iota and GI symptoms in Scleroderma finding that patients with severe symptoms had lower species diversity and higher levels of harmful bacteria here’s a 2017 study that looks at how a specific nutritional therapy can help people with Scleroderma reduce symptoms and make a positive difference in managing digestive problems and muscle loss here’s a 2021 study that examines the nutritional challenges faced by patients with Scleroderma and highlights the value of tailored nutritional plans given the significant links between Di diet disease severity and malnutrition risk in this video we’re diving deep into the ideal diet for managing Scleroderma whether you’re dealing with chronic symptoms like skin tightening and joint pain or navigating digestive issues that often come with the condition discovering the right foods can be tough especially if you’re trying to avoid heavy medications or immunosuppressants like corticosteroids over the years I’ve worked with numerous patients who have successfully reduced Scleroderma symptoms and improve their Quality of Life by focusing on nutritional and gut health but what makes my Approach different well many specialists will tell you that Scleroderma is something that you just have to live with managing symptoms as they come from both a research and a clinical experience I can confidently say that a lot of this advice is incomplete in this video I’ll share with you the best dietary strategies for managing Scleroderma common mistakes to avoid and how to take control of your health Journey okay my first major point is the importance of phytonutrients there’s plenty of research highlighting the critical role phytonutrients play in managing and healing Scleroderma here’s a 2020 3 study that looks at the gut microbiome disbiosis and potential interventions based on prebiotics and focused probiotics and dietary modifications in the treatment of Scleroderma here’s a 2024 study that looked at particular herbs with polyphenols for treating skin conditions there’s well documented anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties here’s another study from 2023 looking at polyphenols in Scleroderma revealing its ability to reduce fibrosis and inflammation there are countless studies just like these showing the impact of phytonutrients on overall health and inflammation especially in conditions like Scleroderma I could easily spend hours diving into the science behind each and every one of these particular chemicals but let me just give you a quick rundown of what really matters phytonutrients are powerful plant compounds found in foods like fruits vegetables and herbs that have a significant impact on reducing inflammation these include antioxidants flavonoids and other micronutrients that play a critical role in skin and connective tissue Health when it comes to Scleroderma optimizing your intake of these phytonutrients can be transformative in managing symptoms like skin tightness joint pain and digestive issues phytonutrients are grouped into several key categories you have tpes phenols polyphenols prebiotics among others each of these groups helps your body combat inflammation and support healthy tissue function unfortunately people with Scleroderma have deficiencies in these essential compounds which can disrupt the balance between the skin the gut and immune system leading to more pronounced problems the goal is always to maximize and diversify your phytonutrient intake from everyday foods and by doing this you can provide your body with the tools that it needs to combat the root causes of Scleroderma a diet low and phytonutrients leaves you vulnerable to chronic inflammation more severe flareups and ongoing tissue damage on the flip side a diet rich in these compounds can naturally help you reduce inflammation and promote tissue healing that’s why I’m such a big fan of the five diet I highly recommend incorporating phytonutrients into every single meal think of each meal as an opportunity to nourish your skin heal your gut and support your immune system this is especially important for those struggling with Scleroderma because the right foods can help balance your gut microbiome which directly influences your immune response and connective tissue Health the takeaway here is simple phytonutrients are key players in modulating your body’s inflammatory response giving you a better chance of effectively managing Scleroderma if your diet is lacking these compounds it’s no surprise that your symptoms will persist a healthy gut microbiome is crucial for fing inflammation and supporting tissue repair and phytonutrients are a big part of achieving that balance here’s the second Point nutritional needs and macro counting in recent years intermittent fasting has gained a lot of attention as a strategy for reducing inflammation but I’m here to tell you it’s not all that is cracked up to be especially when it comes to autoimmune conditions like Scleroderma fasting for extended periods of time can do more harm than good in fact a recent 2024 study shows that intermittent fasting increases the risk of cardiac death by an alarming 91% people are literally dropping dead by not eating yet there are still plenty of people even those struggling with Scleroderma who believe that fasting is the answer sure in the shortterm skipping meals might seem helpful because you’re not feeding the pro-inflammatory bacteria in your gut but as the weeks and months go by new problems start to emerge you’ll get muscle loss and weight loss you’ll get thyroid dysfunction you’ll have elevated stress hormones like cortisol you’ll get sleep disturbances you also have nutritional deficiencies that slow down the healing process you’ll have digestive issues and severe and ongoing fatigue bloating decrease in appetite even when these problems develop and you start eating more that can be a challenge you may feel bloated gassy lethargic and low energy after you eat meals and these symptoms can deter you from eating adequately in the future creating a vis cycle that’s difficult to break especially if you’re underweight being underweight with a body mass index of 18 or lower can be particularly problematic you can easily calculate your BMI using a BMI calculator like we have on our website by entering in your height and your weight if your BMI is below 18 and you have Scleroderma you’re at serious risk and I’ve treated patients with BMI as low as 13 which can be very severe when you have a low BMI and Scleroderma it means your body is in a catabolic State breaking down protein rather than than building it up which makes it harder for your tissues to heal the solution to managing Scleroderma and fixing your gut microbiome isn’t to avoid food it’s to address the inflammation first and then maintain a balanced nourishing diet unfortunately many people give up on finding the right foods for the condition and end up skipping meals altogether which just makes things worse so when it comes to figuring out the ideal macronutrient balance for scleroderma we’re focusing on fats carbs and proteins if reducing inflammation is your goal I recommend getting about 50% of your daily calories from fat 25% from carbs and 25% from proteins while this ratio isn’t backed by specific studies it’s based on my own experience working with countless people who have seen positive results if you’re looking to lose weight reducing carbs and fats while increasing protein can be effective on the other hand if you need to gain weight increasing your overall calories and finding a better balance between carbs and fats is key tracking these macronutrients might take some effort but it’s worth it by dialing in your nutrition you can significantly improve your skin and connective tissue Health as well as your overall well-being in the long run the balance of macronutrients fats carbs and proteins plays a critical role in your gut microbiome which directly impacts how well you manage Scleroderma the microbes in your gut thrive on sugars starches and fibers all of which are carbohydrates and here’s the tricky part simple sugars like glucose and fructose feed harmful bacteria and fungi worsening inflammation and aggravating Scleroderma symptoms processed starches like those found in refined flowers can do the same but on the other hand when you have complex or resistant starches or Fiber you can selectively encourage good bacteria to thrive I get it this sounds complicated and you might just be wondering why not just eliminate carbs all together well there are some people that buy into the carnivore diet this diet is essentially all meat no fiber whatsoever and includes some Electro es you have red meat white meat organ Meats fish and seafood animal fats and eggs the diet cuts out all carbs including fiber lactose starches and sugars if you’re doing it properly unlike keto or low carb diets that might still include some problematic carbs a strict carnivore approach eliminates them entirely when followed strictly the carnivore diet removes all sources of dairy and fiber creating a gut environment where harmful bacteria struggle to survive due to lack of sugar carbs and fiber to feed on this approach can be particularly effective during Scleroderma flare-ups when inflammation is at its peak but here’s the catch while the carnivore diet can be useful for short-term relief it’s not necessarily sustainable for everyone in the long run the original paleo diet which eventually evolved into the carnivore diet was more plant focused with occasional meat aligning better with the phytonutrient rich diet I typically recommend so while going carnivore might help reduce inflammation during a flare it will not be the best long-term strategy for maintaining a healthy gut microbiome and I’ve covered this topic more in detail in another video so be sure to check that out if you’re interested Beyond carnivore there are other diets that focus on cutting out specific carbs to help manage inflammation one option some people explore is the specific carbohydrate diet the SD diet the SD aims to reduce inflammation by eliminating types of carbs that are difficult to digest and often ferment in the gut leading to bacterial overgrowth the SD eliminates complex carbs like disaccharides and polysaccharides which can contribute to gut imbalances and flareups I’ve actually put together a video comparing the SCD with a phytonutrient rich diet that I recommend using for managing Scleroderma in my experience it’s far more effective to address gut microbiome issues with targeted probiotics and support them with a diverse range of phytonutrients the SCD diet lacks the Precision needed and often delivers inconsistent results in my opinion another diet that often comes up for manag gut rated conditions like Scleroderma is a low FODMAP diet this diet is specifically designed to limit certain fermentable carbohydrates that can trigger gut inflammation and discomfort let me break it down for you during the elimination phase you will exclude High fodm mat Foods these can include things like apples pears mangoes and cherries but also things like garlic onions cauliflower mushrooms and beans and lentils most dairy products are also off the table fod maps are short chain carbohydrates and sugar alcohols that are poorly absorbed in the small intestine leading to fermentation and gut issues the fermentable oligosaccharides are found in foods like wheat and onions and garlic and they’re present in lactose containing foods like milk and yogurt in the form of disaccharides you can also have monosaccharides found in fructose rich foods like apples and honey and polyols which are sugar alcohols and certain fruits like cherries and plums have a lot of these during the reintroduction phase you slowly reintroduce some of these items and see what specific triggers and tolerance you see you might be wondering with so many diets that restrict carbs and fiber which ones actually work for inflammation in the gut microbiome the issue with many of these diets is that they don’t directly address the root cause which is gut microbiome dysfunction at the core you have bacteria that process carbs leading to an overgrowth in the production of harmful byproducts this overgrowth is common in conditions like sibo and candida resulting in elevated histamine levels you get inflammatory cyto kindes and symptoms like bloating fatigue brain fog lethargy symptoms I’ve discussed in my other videos so far the diets that I’ve discussed address the carbohydrate sugar and fiber components but they don’t tackle the root cause of the problem and the long-term issue is gut microbiome Health essentially these diets are temporary fixes that delay the real issue kicking the can down the road third point the ideal Scleroderma diet should be microbiome specific simply avoiding carbs doesn’t address the root cause gut microbiome dysfunction the only way to effectively manage this is through targeted phytonutrients and specialized Precision probiotic formulations creating the perfect phyto diet requires a strategic approach and a deep understanding of gut health this is where the Mind gut immunity approach shines we start by recalibrating the gut microbiome with Precision probiotics and these aren’t your average store-bought probiotics they’re clinically backed and designed specifically for gut rated issues you don’t need a high cfu count multiple strains or Refrigeration all you need are four precise strains that establish a protective bofilm in the gut helping to keep harmful bacteria in check to maintain these healthy colonies phytonutrients are key and they’re predominantly found in plant-based Foods inflammatory foods and complex protein Theory certain foods can also trigger immune responses leading to inflammation for instance some complex proteins May provoke flareups so it’s wise to be cautious with them however it’s easy to take these dietary approaches too far take for example a vegan or strictly plant-based diet while it can be beneficial it can also be too extreme for some people the vegan diet is a plant exclusive regimen that excludes all animal products including meat Dairy eggs and honey it focuses on a variety of plant-based foods to meet nutritional needs the biggest issue I see is that many people don’t consume enough protein leading to protein calorie malnutrition a serious problem when you’re trying to heal inflammation especially in the gut your body needs amino acids and protein should make up roughly 25% of your daily intake of calories another Pitfall is relying too heavily on vegan or plant-based foods that are often loaded with unhealthy processed ingredients like fake Meats fake cheeses and additives with harmful chemicals this approach doesn’t deliver the results that my clients need Mediterranean diet is based on traditional eating practices of countries across the Mediterranean Sea and it focuses on whole unprocessed Foods prioritizing plant-based ingredients healthy fats and lean proteins the nice thing is that Omega fatty acids are emphasized in the form of fresh fish and you also have a large amount of herbs and tea as part of this regimen the herbs and the tea also have a lot of phytonutrients which are very helpful for modulating the immune response now one limitation of the Mediterranean diet is that it doesn’t provide a reliable way to track your phytonutrient intake additionally it’s crucial that 50% of your daily calories come from Omega fats which are essential for gut microbiome Health while the Mediterranean diet features many beneficial Foods the inconsistency in nutritional tracking can lead to imbalances that hinder progress for my clients we use a more precise approach by focusing on phytonutrient diets we meticulously track carbs fats and proteins and micronutrients daily to ensure that the diet is fully supporting and optimizing the gut microbiome this level of precision is essential for effectively managing autoimmune inflammation and promoting long-term healing okay the last concept is understanding and tracking your individual food sensitivities when it comes to managing Scleroderma the right diet must consider your personal food triggers and I have an entire video dedicated to food sensitivity testing for scleroderma covering which tests are more effective and how to interpret the results it’s crucial for any diet to address personal food aversions sensitivities and allergies the simplest and most effective way to track these triggers is by keeping a food diary and I know that seems a little bit tedious but it’s pretty much non-negotiable step for all of our clients one thing to keep in mind is that when you’re experiencing a flare up almost every food might seem like an issue however as you heal you may find that you tolerate foods that were previously problematic this is why it’s important to regularly Monitor and update your food sensitivities because they can change over time as your condition improves the different types of food sensitivity tests fall into four broad categories you have the classic skin prick test at your allergist office then you have the serum IG test which tests for allergies you can also have a blood igg4 test which tests for sensitivities and the newest test is called a serum mediator release test I frequently review these test results for clients guiding them through what findings mean for their diet and overall health if you’re interested in taking a deeper dive into interpreting food sensitivity tests for scleroderma I’ve got a detailed video on that topic as well in it I cover the different types of test their advantages and disadvantages and the best times to get tested for instance it’s not usually ideal to test during a flare D the due to the high likelihood of false positives testing when you are in a more stable condition provides a clearer picture of what’s truly causing the sensitivities the AIP diet is designed to help manage autoimmune diseases by reducing inflammation and promoting gut health it’s a stricter version of the paleo diet and focuses on limiting potential dietary triggers of inflammation and autoimmunity the diet typically progresses through several phases first you have an elimination phase where you’re eliminating all the foods that may cause inflammation or immune reactions these can include things like rains legumes Dairy eggs nuts seeds nightshades and then you have a reintroduction phase where you gradually reintroduce these eliminated Foods one by one to identify which triggers are present for your symptoms and this helps personalize the diet to each individual person then there’s a maintenance phase where you can maintain a diet and avoid the triggers while focusing on nutrient-dense anti-inflam atory Foods same is also true for a low histamine diet the only reason I’m mentioning it here is that it often makes its way into conversations about inflammation and the idea here is that you avoid foods that trigger histamine commonly but as I’ve mentioned previously the gut microbiome is the main producer of histamine in the body so things like bacteria candida and sibo are all things that need to be addressed the lwh histamine diet spends a lot of time trying to avoid common trigger foods but it doesn’t address the gut microbiome component and it’s not specific to each IND individual since every person has different triggers I have several videos comparing the phytonutrient diet to each of the individual diets I mention here today so check out the description below to see those videos because I go way in depth into some of these diets and why they fail and what you can look out for like aged cheeses fermented foods processed Meats alcohol vinegar certain fish and avoiding histamine liberators which are foods that release histamine stored inside of it which means avoiding foods that release histamine stored in the body such as as Tomatoes strawberries eggplants spinach avocados certain nuts and then you also want to avoid foods that have biogenic amans and these are things like bananas chocolates and certain Citrus food these inhibit histamine degradation at the Mind immunity Clinic we spend considerable time developing custom plans for each individual based on these principles we also provide coaching to ensure accountability and compliance which is why we achieve consistently great results compared to practices focusing solely on medication we teach people how to manage their condition from home offering meal plans food guides recipes and grocery lists this support ensures our clients are never lost and can manage their condition effectively from anywhere if you struggle with Scleroderma and you found that certain foods that help or maybe certain foods that worsen your symptoms comment below I would love to hear about your own experiences that wraps up this session be sure to check out my other videos comparing different diets to the phyto diet and see how they measure up if you found this video helpful please share it with others and don’t forget to like And subscribe for more content like this this is Dr dosser with a mind G immunity Clinic thanks for watching and I’ll see you next time