Effective Lifestyle Tips for Lupus Patients

Reduce Stress to Avoid Flare-Ups

Recent clinical trials show that increased stress can really worsen the symptoms. Effectively managing the stress is highly beneficial to manage with lupus in daily life. One big way to start is by identifying the cause of stress.

Some recommendations to deal with stress are:

• Don’t hesitate to ask for help when your symptoms get worse
• Take up activities that help you stay relaxed and calm
• Take out time for yourself more often during the week

Maintain a Healthy Diet for Your Heart

Research shows that lupus leads to a risk of heart disease. It is important to maintain a diet that is heart healthy. Your diet should incorporate more of:

• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Protein like fish and poultry
• Whole grains

Getting plenty of calcium and limiting sodium intake in diet is also very beneficial.

Improve Your Sleep

One of the most common symptoms of lupus is chronic fatigue and the worsening of symptoms can really make it hard to fall sleep. It is recommended to get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep and also rest from time to time during the day.

Avoid Too Much Sunlight

Majority of lupus patients have high sensitivity to ultraviolet light. Spending too much time out in the sun can give rise to a flare-up. It is also observed that lupus medications can heighten the body’s sensitivity UV light. It is essential to wear a sunblock when going out in the sun.

Exercise More

Lupus affects the joints of the body and exercising on a regular basis is a great way to keep the joints healthy, promote stronger muscles, avoid stiffness, control weight and also help control fatigue.

Make sure to consult with a doctor prior to any exercise routines as some specific exercises can cause swollen joints and pain.

Exercise also improves your mental health. Dealing with a condition like lupus often leads to clinical depression. Exercise can help improve the symptoms. Research shows that people who engaged in any kind of simple kind of physical activity had lower levels of depression.

Almost 90% of studies suggest that exercise can reduce fatigue, including exercise in your daily routine can really help with the symptoms of lupus like feeling run-down and sluggish by increasing the body’s energy levels.

Another benefit for increased exercise is improving the side effects caused by medications. Lupus medications have various side effects, most common of which is weight gain. They can also increase your blood pressure, sugar and cholesterol. Taking steroids also increases the appetite.

Below are some tips to exercise safely and under medical advice.

• Take it slow
• Talk to your doctor
• Participate in low impact exercise
• Keep an exercise journal