This is a guest post by Brittany from NewLifeOutlook. In this post, she is sharing tips on daily living with lupus, which range from dealing with skin rashes to coping with the reactions of others. I hope you find it useful and educational.
Living with lupus sometimes requires you to slow down and take one day at a time. There’s no sense in pushing yourself so far that you become fatigued.
Yes, there will be some days where you’ll have to spend more time in bed, and there will be other days where you have so much energy you may not know what to do with it, or you’ll want to do everything all at once.
You have to take it one day at a time with lupus, and that includes managing both the condition and the symptoms.
Living with Lupus: How to Manage Lupus on a Daily Basis.
Learning to take one step at a time is important – especially when you have an autoimmune disease. However, there are some ways to manage living with lupus on a daily basis from maintaining a healthy diet to practicing gratitude.
Eating a Healthy Diet Is Important.
Eating a well-balanced diet that consists of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, meats, fish, and poultry may help reduce inflammation, keep a healthy weight, and fight off heart disease.
It’s possible that eating the right foods could reduce lupus symptoms. Although studies haven’t proven this theory, many doctors feel that inflammation-fighting foods may be able to fight off lupus symptoms – especially inflammation.
Not only can eating right help your symptoms, but it can also improve your energy and mood. Sometimes when you eat healthy, you just feel better.
Using Medication or Traditional and Alternative Treatments.
There are many different types of treatments to help manage your lupus symptoms, from traditional medicine to alternative or natural treatments – the options are endless.
Don’t be afraid to dabble in natural approaches if you’re looking to manage specific symptoms without medication. On the other hand, if you find it physically challenging to manage your condition with alternative treatments – go with a medication approach.
How to Prevent Pesky Lupus Skin Rashes.
The appearance of a lupus rash can appear at times you wish it didn’t. These type of rashes and cause anxiety, stress, depression, and lower self-esteem. However, you shouldn’t allow this outbreak to ruin your day, week or month.
There are a few steps you can take to either help clear up your rash and your emotional well-being. You can start with:
● Drink plenty of water every day.
● Avoid or limit dehydrating fluids like coffee and/or alcohol.
● Do not smoke.
● Invest in mild soaps.
● Consider using high SPF make-up.
● Moisturize often with a moisturizer that contains SPF.
● Use sunscreen daily and avoid tanning salons.
● Limit bath/shower time, which can dry out your skin.
● Steer clear of scented products.
Photo via Flicker licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Dealing with Unnecessary Comments.
If you’ve met people who are ignorant about lupus, you have probably heard them say to you at one point, “At least you don’t have this condition or that disease.” Living with lupus is painful and distressing in its own right, and it’s not a competition about which condition is worse than the other.
Dealing with personal comments can be miserable, so, how do you address this comments in the best way possible?
You may want to snap back, cry or laugh it off, but just know this, there is a large lupus community out there to support. They’ve faced the same type of comments as yourself, so confiding in other lupus warriors can help you overcome these negative comments.
Dealing with Day to Day Illness.
As if lupus wasn’t enough to manage, there are always colds and viruses to contend with too.
You may find when you catch a cold your immune system goes berserk. The cold is gone in a few days, but you’re left coping with aching muscles, ulcers, and a flare-up.
The best tip on how you can prevent those pesky colds – frequent hand washing!
Accepting Your Diagnosis.
It’s worth remembering that it’s okay to have off days, stay in bed during a flare, eat what you like and relax, but it’s important to get back on the horse and do what you can because depression and anxiety are genuine illnesses. If you can’t pull yourself back up after a flare or feel overwhelmed, it’s essential to tell your doctor.
As with all serious conditions and diseases, taking it one day at a time is important, and certainly during bad flares. It’s all about what you can manage today rather than what you can manage tomorrow. Breaking down a lifetime of lupus into a daily routine makes it more manageable, and those everyday baby steps make you stronger.
What tips do you have for living with lupus? Share them in the comments!
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About NewLifeOutlook.
NewLifeOutlook aims to empower people living with chronic mental and physical health conditions, encouraging them to embrace a positive outlook despite unfortunate circumstances.
Our articles are full of practical advice from people who have firsthand experience of lupus, and as a result truly understand what our readers are going through, and our community members are welcoming, understanding and supportive.
