Author Archives: StaceyP

Can Lupus Be Cured Naturally? Examining the Evidence

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Faking a Smile

Is anyone really prepared for the struggles that come from hearing the words YOU have a chronic diagnosis?

For years I have watched loved one’s struggle with the what can feel like crushing walls of pain. Inescapable and unavoidable are the challenges that may come…In this blog I want to talk about LUPUS.

Often a diagnosis of lupus is tagged with common phrases such as:

“incurable”
“lupus is a form of cancer”
“men don’t get lupus”
“you can’t get pregnant if you have lupus”

Doktorinternet, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Is there TRUTH to these statements???

One particular skill that I have noticed for individuals living with a chronic diagnosis such as lupus is that they develop BIG protective mechanisms to hide what they are truly feeling. This may sound strange BUT I have witnessed many times the down playing of symptoms due to reasons such as:

“I’m FED UP of talking about it”
“I FEAR the challenges of being given unwanted advice”
“I find it VERY difficult talking about my lupus when the other person really has no clue
I feel and won’t every completely understand my struggles”

So where do people turn when faced with these internal struggles???

Media can be used as a helpful resource but it can also lead individuals down unhealthy roads or worse yet pull them away from treatments that are proven effective. This blog seeks to examine PERSONAL TESTIMONIES of individuals that have been diagnosed with lupus and attest to being CURED! The choice rests solely on the individual and how they decide to treat their diagnosis.

YOU be the JUDGE! Remember….Always access the information fully and make the best decision for yourself!

Understanding Lupus:

Mikael Häggström.When using this image in external works, it may be cited as:Häggström, Mikael (2014). “Medical gallery of Mikael Häggström 2014”. WikiJournal of Medicine 1 (2). DOI:10.15347/wjm/2014.008. ISSN 2002-4436. Public Domain.orBy Mikael Häggström, used with permission., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 FDA Approved Lupus Treatments:

Anti-Inflammatory medications (used for internal/external inflammation)
Corticosteroid cream (used for skin rashes)
Methotraxate (Cancer drug used for lupus)

So now that we have some facts about lupus let’s look at the world of media….

Are these testimonials FACT or FICTION?

#1 Lupus CURED with Prayer

“Boy Completely Healed from Lupus without Medicine” (2016), details a father’s journey with his 8-year-old son diagnosed with lupus. The father proclaims the power of prayer and faith in God in his son’s miraculous healing. Blood tests confirmed what was already evident to the naked eye. This boy who had increasingly worsening symptoms began to see his symptoms disappear completely over the course of 3 days! After watching this YouTube video multiple times, it was clear to see the conviction and passion while listening to the father’s words describing his son’s journey. I sought to find evidence-based research to confirm this story or debunk it.

Results: FICTION

  • Researcher Richard Sarnat claims to have “witnessed a sheer number of MIRACULOUS HEALINGS” (2016)
  • Study only utilized 1 participant
  • Currently there are no other case study on the use of prayer

Continued research needs to be conducted however in my opinion these particular testimonies speak loudly to faith in God and healing through prayer! A future including additional research as it relates to these claims will certainly be a game changer to see!

#2 Lupus HEALED after using Ayurvedic Treatments

 

Rachel Winard proclaims Ayurveda healed her from taking medications for her lupus (Wizard, 2018). After a cycle of 15 doctors and years of treatments using conventional methods, she found herself in India working with a doctor on a “natural treatment” for lupus. These intense months of self-testing the research concluded with her returning to the New York feeling the best in her life since being diagnosed. Blood tests came back normal with zero signs of lupus.

What is Ayurveda?

  • Originated in India more than 5,000 years ago
  • Oldest continuously practiced healthcare system in the world
  • Addresses the body, mind, and spirit through holistic approaches

Ayurveda Lifestyle Changes Include 

  • Consuming a Raw Diet of vegetables
  • Avoidance from all forms of refined sugar, fruits, nuts
  • Practicing Yoga & Meditation
  • Exercising Regularly

Results: FICTION

Research shows Ayurveda is beneficial in relieving many of the symptoms of lupus (V.S et al.). Challenges currently exist when using Ayurveda methods and current healthcare warning exist pointing individuals towards working with their doctor while using this method of treatment for lupus.

Potential Dangers of using Ayurveda Treatments (Paudyal et al., 2019):

  • Exposure to harmful amounts of heavy metals
  • Decreased blood flow to the heart
  • Depression
  • Diarrhea
  • Increased Gastric Acid

#3 REVERSAL of Lupus using Plant-Based Nutrition

Dr. Brooke Goldner (Goldner, MD, 2019) claims to have healed her lupus diagnosis with the use of a plant-based diet within 3 months!

Symptoms Dr. Goldman claims disappeared after using a Plant-based Diet

  • Migraines
  • Random Joint Pain
  • Skin Rashes
  • Unexplained Fevers
  • Fatigue
  • Hair Loss
  • Sun/Light Sensitivity

6 Steps to Healing with Dr. Goldman’s Plant-based Diet (Goldner, MD, 2019)

  • Add What You are Missing
  • Start IMMEDIATELY
  • Celebrate Every Win
  • Focus on Your Why
  • Find a Supportive Community
  • Social Media

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Results: FICTION

Research found by (Knippenberg et al., 2022) examined plant-based diets. The data showed promising results in managing lupus symptoms. Yet, unfortunately, and seen multiple times throughout this blog….there needs to be more conclusive studies before a “cure” can be confirmed.

This video was certainly encouraging at the very least! I look forward to the additional research studies in the future which may lead to turning this myth into a FACT!

So we’ve reached the end of my discussion on lupus. When I started this blog, I was still determining where the end of the road would lead me. I found myself VERY hopeful at moments in finding a cure for lupus. So often, the vast scariness that swirls around a new diagnosis or one you’ve been dealing with for a lifetime begins to weigh you down. I hope the conversation will continue toward looking for a lupus cure. The evidence was the strongest with following a plant-based diet, and perhaps one day, the final keys will be turned towards unlocking a cure!

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, June 28). Lupus in women. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/lupus/basics/women.htm#:~:text=Lupus%20is%20most%20common%20in,risk%20of%20other%20health%20problems.

Goldner, Dr. B. (2021, December 20). Goodbye lupus: Reversing autoimmune disease with plant-based eating with dr. Brooke Goldner. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVJmbAaCeUQ&t=303s

Goldner, MD, B. (2019). Six Week Raw Vegan Nutrition Protocol rapidly reverses lupus nephritis: A case series. International Journal of Disease Reversal and Prevention, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.22230/ijdrp.2019v1n1a47

Knippenberg, A., Robinson, G. A., Wincup, C., Ciurtin, C., Jury, E. C., & Kalea, A. Z. (2022). Plant-based dietary changes may improve symptoms in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Lupus, 31(1), 65–76. https://doi.org/10.1177/09612033211063795

Paudyal, B., Thapa, A., Sigdel, K. R., Adhikari, S., & Basnyat, B. (2019). Adverse events with Ayurvedic medicines- possible adulteration and some inherent toxicities. Wellcome Open Research, 4, 23. https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.15096.2

Sarnat, R. (2019). Miraculous healing and long-term medical remission of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) – the role of divinity within the future of medicine. Journal of Yoga and Physiotherapy, 7(3). https://doi.org/10.19080/jyp.2019.07.555711

V.S, D. A. R., Shenoy, D. S. R., & K.A, D. S. N. (n.d.). An insight to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) through ayurveda. JETIR. https://www.jetir.org/view?paper=JETIR2212264

Wizard, R. (2018, April 24). Rachel Winard on lupus and ayurveda: How she healed. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fokxDKsEOI

YouTube. (2016a, March 4). So what now what. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvuF-Y3SpSg

YouTube. (2016b, November 22). Boy completely healed from lupus without medicine. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNgaW7ID0AM&t=96s