why don't more doctors rheumatologists and autoimmune Specialists discuss the link between diet and managing Ana positive lupus in this video I'm going to break down the most effective dietary strategies for managing Ana positive autoimmune disease from the perspective of a gut microbiome expert and a surgeon over the past decade I've worked closely with patients dealing with lupus and the insights that I'm about to share with you have been lifechanging for many of them if you are someone you know is struggling with lupus stick around this information can make a significant difference [Music] hi I'm Dr chanu doer a surgeon dedicated to addressing the root cause of chronic inflammation by focusing on gut health My Method known as the Mind gut immunity approach has evolved over 12 years of helping patients overcome autoimmune conditions like lupus by focusing on gut microbiome balance we've helped countless individuals regain control over their symptoms without relying heavily on medication might sound surprising but when you look at lupus through the lens of gut health the results are often remarkable if you're interested in learning more about how this approach works and hear about real patient success stories check out the link in the description below or visit MGI clinic.com to schedule a discovery call with me I'll walk you through the Practical steps you'll need to take in order to improve your health you'll also find additional resources like patient testimonials and more content that can provide you valuable insights tailored to your unique situation all right let's dive in here's a 20 23 study that  evaluates the influence of dietary factors on the regulation of epigenetic modifications which can positively impact patients with SLE this 2022 study compared the gut microbiota alterations in Lupus patients compared to healthy family members and looked at the link between the microbiome diet and lupus symptoms in this video we're going to dive into the ideal diet for managing lupus whether you're struggling with daily symptoms or looking for ways to prevent flare-ups navigating the best food for Lupus can be overwhelming especially if you're trying to avoid heavy Reliance on medication over the years I've worked with numerous patients  who have drastically improved their lopus symptoms and overall Quality of Life by focusing on nutritional and gut health optimization but what makes this approach so effective most Specialists will tell you that lupus is chronic unchangeable and medications are the only way to fix them however based on clinical experience and emerging research it's clear that this conventional approach often overlooks critical factors in this video I'll break down the optimal diet for Lupus common mistakes people make and how you can take control of your health recovery  all right here's the first key point the importance of phytonutrients numerous studies highlight the significant role of phytonutrients in managing lupus here's a 2019 study of the effect of circumin a natural polyphenol compound and how it attenuates lupus symptoms this 2015 study explores the connection between Diet gut microbiome and lupus focusing on how specific dietary components like fibers and polyphenols influence gut bacteria in Lupus patients and this one from 2022 EV evaluates the role of probiotics in modulating the gut microbiome and their potential therapeutic benefits in managing lupus you've probably heard how crucial phytonutrients are for managing inflammation especially in autoimmune conditions like lupus there's a lot of research to back this up but let's cut to the Chase and focus on what really matters phytonutrients are natural compounds found in plants think fruits vegetables herbs and spices you might recognize them by names like antioxidants flavonoids or superfoods these compounds play a significant role in reducing inflammation which is essential for managing lupus the more your diet is loaded with these the better your body can fend off flare up  phytonutrients are categorized into groups like Turpin phenols chlorophyll and prebiotics each offering unique benefits to help your body maintain balance many people with lupus are deficient in these vital nutrients which can disrupt the delicate connection between your gut immune system and overall health that's often where the trouble Begins the goal for someone with lupus is to maximize the variety and quantity of these nutrients in your Meals by doing so you're equipping your body with the tools it needs to keep inflammation under control if your diet is low in phytonutrients managing lupus becomes a greater Challenge on the flip side a diet rich in these compounds can make a huge difference in minimizing symptoms and minimizing medication I  strongly recommend incorporating as many phytonutrients as possible into every meal think of every meal as an opportunity to nourish your mind heal your gut and support your immune system and skipping these opportunities can leave you vulnerable the key takeaway is that phytonutrients are your allies in managing lupus it means you can come off of steroids methot hydroxychloroquine if your diet is lacking these it's no wonder you're still dealing with persistent symptoms that require medication but with a nutrient dense diet you're giving your body a better shot in controlling inflammation and staying on top of your condition the  second point I want to make is there are specific nutritional needs and macro counting that needs to occur in individuals with lupus over the last few years intermittent fasting has become widely popular with many claiming its anti-inflammatory effects but I'm here to tell you that for conditions like lupus intermittent fasting isn't the miracle that it's made out to be and in fact it may do more harm than good a recent 2024 study even found that intermittent fasting increased the risk of cardiac death by 91% that's a steep price to pay for just skipping meals despite these risks many people including those with lupus still believe that fasting is the answer in the short term it may seem like an effective solution because you're not feeding the bad bacteria in your gut that drives inflammation but over time with continued fasting issues start cropping up you can easily calculate your BMI  using this BMI calculator on our website and by entering your height and your weight if your BMI is below 18 and you have Lupus you're at serious risk I've treated patients with BMI as low as 13 which can be quite severe and when you have low BMI and lupus it means your body is in a catabolic State breaking down protein rather than building it up leading to more severe symptoms and slower recovery the key to managing your gut health and reducing lupus flares isn't about cutting out food it's about eating in a way that supports your body's healing process too many people give up on finding the right foods and end up skipping meals which only worsens the situation ation when it comes to figuring out the best macronutrient  balance for managing lupus focus on fats carbs and protein if reducing inflammation is your goal aim for about 50% of your daily calories from healthy fats with the other 50% split evenly between carbs and protein this ratio is based on years of experience in patient outcomes rather than a one- siiz fits-all approach now if you're looking to lose weight you might need to adjust those ratios by lowering your carbs and fats while increasing your protein conversely if you're aiming to gain weight increasing your calorie intake and balancing carbs fats and proteins is essential tracking your Macros might take some time getting used to but it's worth the effort by fine-tuning your nutrition you can not only boost your energy levels but also give your body what it needs to manage lupus symptoms more effectively in the long run so the impact of macronutrient ratios on Lupus and gut health is quite evident balance of macronutrients carbs fats and proteins plays a critical role in your gut microbiome which directly impacts how well you manage lupus the microbes in your gut thrive on sugars starches and fiber all of which are carbohydrates  so here's the tricky part you have bad bacterian fungus which digests sugars carbs and fiber which leads to inflammation simple sugars like glucose and fructose fuel the growth of harmful bacteria and fungi driving inflammation and worsening lupus symptoms processed starches like those found in refined flour also do the same on the other hand complex or resistant starches promote beneficial bacteria growth and fiber can selectively encourage good bacteria to flourish this can get complicated and you might wonder why not just eliminate carbs altogether well well that's what the carnivore diet comes into play the  carnivore diet for Lupus consists entirely of meat eliminating all fiber and including some electrolytes 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 lupus flare ups when inflammation is at its peak but here's the catch while the carnivore diet can be used 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 phyton nutrient-rich diet that I typically recommend so while going carnivore might help reduce inflammation during a flare it may not be the best long-term strategy for maintaining the healthy G microbiome and I've covered this topic in more detail in another video so be sure to check that one out if you're interested Beyond carnivore there are other diets that focus on cutting out specific carbohydrates to help manage inflammation one option some people explore is the specific carbohydrate  diet the SCD 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 SCD eliminates complex carbs like disaccharides and polysaccharides which can contribute to bacterial overgrowth and flare ups I've also put together another video comparing the SCD with phytonutrient Rich diet that I suggest for managing lupus and in my experience it's far more effective to tackle gut microbiome issues with targeted probiotic supported by a wide range of phytonutrients the SCD diet lacks precision and often doesn't deliver consistent result another diet that  often comes up for managing gut rated conditions like lupus is the low FODMAP diet this diet is specifically designed to limit certain fermentable carbohydrates and can trigger gut discomfort and inflammation let me break it down for you fodmaps are short chain carbs and sugar alcohols that are poorly absorbed in the small intestine leading to fermentation and gut issues they can include fermentable oligosaccharides found in foods like wheat onions and garlic disaccharides found in lactose containing foods like milk and yogurt monosaccharides found in fructose rich foods like apples and honey you can also have polyols found in sugar alcohols and certain fruits like cherries and plums there's an elimination phase of this diet which is helpful if you're in a lupus flare where all the high fodm mat foods are removed for like four to 6 weeks to achieve symptom relief and then there's a reintroduction phase based on your individual food triggers but with  so many diets that restrict carbs and fiber you may be wondering which ones actually work for inflammation in the gut microbiome the challenge 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 overgrowth and the production of harmful byproducts this is common in conditions like sibo candida resulting in elevated histamine levels inflammatory cyto kindes and symptoms like fatigue bloating brain fog and lethargy symptoms of Lupus that I've disced discussed in other videos you have a dysfunctional gut microbiome plus carbs sugar and fiber which leads to lupus inflammation the diets that I've mentioned so far address the carbohydrate sugar and fiber components but they don't tackle the root causes long-term gut microbiome Health essentially these diets are temporary fixes that delay the real issue that brings me to my third point and that the ideal lupus diet should be microbiome  specific simply avoiding carbs doesn't get to the heart of the issue gut microbiome dysfunction the only way to effectively manage this is with targeted f nutrients and specialized probiotic formulations creating the perfect phyto diet requires a strategic approach and a deep understanding of how the gut works this is where the Mind gut immunity approach comes into play we start by recalibrating the gut microbiome with Precision probiotics and these aren't your typical store-bought probiotics they're clinically backed and designed specifically for gut related issues you don't need High cfu counts multiple strains or Refrigeration all you need are four precise strains that establish a protective bofilm in the G helping to keep bad bacteria in check to maintain these healthy colonies phytonutrients are key and they're mostly found in  plant-based food certain proteins can trigger immune responses in lupus leading to inflammation for example some complex proteins May provoke flare ups so it would be wise to be cautious with them however it's easy to take these dietary approaches way too far for example a vegan or strictly plant-based  diet might seem beneficial but is usually too extreme for individuals the vegan diet is a plant-based regimen that excludes all animal products including meat Dairy eggs and honey and it focuses on a variety of plant-based foods to meet nutritional needs when looking at the vegan diet for Lupus the major issue with this diet is that many people don't consume enough protein leading to protein calorie malnutrition a serious issue when trying to address inflammation in your gut your body needs amino acids and protein and they should make up about 25% of your daily caloric intake additionally many vegan foods are highly processed with additives and fake meats that don't provide the nutrients needed for long-term health and this approach rarely delivers the results that my Lupus patients are looking for a more balanced and sustainable option  could be the Mediterranean diet the Mediterranean diet is based on traditional eating patterns from countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea you have whole unprocessed Foods prioritizing plant-based ingredients healthy fats lean proteins one limitation of the Mediterranean diet for Lupus is that it doesn't provide a consistent way to track your phytonutrient intake additionally it's crucial that 50% of your daily calories come from Omega fats which are essential for maintaining gut microbiome health and while the Mediterranean diet for Lupus includes many beneficial Foods the inconsistency in nutrient tracking can  be an issue for my clients we use a more precise approach by focusing on phyton nutrient-rich diets we meticulously track carbs fats proteins and micronutrients daily to ensure that the diet fully supports and optimizes the gut microbiome this level of targeting is essential for effectively managing autoimmune inflammation and promoting long-term healing fourth concept is  keeping a food diary and food sensitivity testing for Lupus fourth key concept is understanding when it comes to managing lupus the right diet must consider your personal food triggers I have an entire video dedicated to food sensitivity testing for Lupus covering which tests are the most effective and how to interpret the results it's essential for any diet plan to address personal food aversion sensitivities and allergies the simplest and most effective way to track these triggers is by keeping a food diary and I know this might seem tedious but it's non-negotiable step for all our clients one thing to keep in mind is that during a flare up almost every food food might seem problematic however as you begin to heal you may find that you tolerate foods that were previously Troublesome this is why it's important to regularly Monitor and update your food sensitivities because they can change over time as your condition improves  there are basically four different types of sensitivity testing for Lupus you can get the traditional skin prick test which is a allergy test you can get a serum IG test which is also an allergy test but they take your blood you have an serum igg4 test which is sensitivity and a serum mediator release test which is the newest test which also Texs for sensitivities to Foods I frequently review these tests for Lupus clients guiding them through what the findings mean for their diet and overall health if you're interested in a deeper dive into understanding food sensitivity test for Lupus I have a detailed video on that topic as well in it I cover the different types of diets their pros and cons the best time to get tested and for instance it's not ideal to test during a flare due to the high likelihood of false positives testing when you're in a more stable condition provides a clearer picture of what's truly causing sens sensitivities so the last couple diets I'll mentioned have to do with these  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 eliminating 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 night shades 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-inflammatory 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 low 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 individual since every person has different triggers I have several videos comparing the phytonutrient diet to each of the individual diets I mentioned 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 the key key points of a low histamine diet include avoiding High histamine foods 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 Tomatoes strawberries eggplants spinach avocados certain nuts and then you also want to avoid foods that have biogenic amines and these are things like bananas chocolates and certain Citrus food these inhibit histamine degradation all right just to  recap the principles of an ideal lupus diet include phytonutrients I like the phyto diet nutritional requirements meeting your Macros microbiome  specificity and food sensitivity at the Mind G 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 Focus solely on medication we teach people how to manage their diet from home offering meal plans food guides recipes and grocery list this support ensures our clients are never lost and can manage their condition effectively from anywhere if you struggle with lupus and have found certain foods that help or certain foods that worsen your symptoms comment below I would love to hear about your experiences all right this wraps up the session be sure to check out my other videos comparing different lupus diets to the phyto diet and how they measure up and if you found this video helpful please share it with others and don't forget to like And subscribe for more content such as this this is Dr chanas with the Mind G immunity Clinic thanks for watching and I'll see you next time [Music]

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