In fact, more than 200,000 American citizens suffer from the autoimmune disease known as systemic lupus erythematosus, commonly referred to as lupus, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at NYU Langone Health.
This is the first study to assess the prevalence of this debilitating disease in the United States. Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, the lead author of the study, states: "Our immune system is trained to recognize what is not part of our body and to attack it. Unfortunately, it can misdiagnose part of our body as an external invader and attack itself. This is essentially what we mean by autoimmune diseases, which include over 100 different health conditions." Dr. Teitelbaum, a leading expert in autoimmune diseases and creator of the popular mobile app Cures A-Z, notes that there are over 80,000 chemicals released into the environment with no safety testing. He emphasizes that our body’s defense systems are often overburdened and confused, which is why we are witnessing a slight increase in the outbreak of autoimmune diseases like lupus. He added, "Our immune systems also suffer from nutritional deficiencies because essential dietary enzymes are destroyed by food processing, and we experience a loss of stomach acids due to excessive use of acid-blocking medications and bacterial imbalance in the gut due to the consumption of bleaching agents and various intestinal inflammations."
Additionally, Dr. Teitelbaum pointed out that lupus is a common prototype of autoimmune disorders, and some natural remedies may help alleviate and stop it. Following are some of his suggestions:
1. **Fish Oil:** To help reduce the inflammatory response, it has been shown that taking a tablespoon of fish oil daily as a dietary supplement until the condition improves, or for two months, then reducing the dosage to a teaspoon daily can be an excellent treatment method for lupus. Alternatively, consuming salmon or tuna at least four times a week can also yield similar results.
2. **Herbal Supplements:** Such as curcumin daily along with two tablets of Boswellia and willow bark three times a day.
3. **Natural Cortisone:** Typically, individuals suffering from lupus are given steroids to suppress inflammation, which can lower the adrenal production of cortisol in the body. However, taking dietary supplements like Cortef, a brand of bioidentical natural cortisone, may help maintain cortisol levels and alleviate lupus symptoms, but consult your specialist before taking it.
4. **Dehydroepiandrosterone Hormone Supplements:** Dr. Teitelbaum states that many studies show that taking 200 milligrams of dehydroepiandrosterone helps lupus patients recover from the disease and may reduce the necessary steroid dosage. It is noteworthy that taking high doses of this dietary supplement can have skin-related side effects, so discuss this with your doctor before starting.
