Ayurveda For Lupus: Can it Help and Why?

Why Ayurveda helps treat Lupus

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How Ayurveda works for Lupus

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Ayurvedic Medicine for Lupus: Treatment Protocol

Ayurvedic treatment for lupus is specifically tailored to each individual’s case and looks at the dominant dosha in their constitution.

However, Ayurvedic treatment for lupus generally involves the following aspects:

A- Purvakarma treatments:

Purvakarma is Sanskrit for “foremost action.” It comprises herbal and oil treatments that loosen the accumulated toxins in the gut. Ayurvedic medicine believes these toxins trigger lupus flares.

Accordingly, purvakarma practices direct the toxins to specific waste and elimination centers in the body. They help prepare people for Panchakarma (detoxification therapies).

Purvakarma consist of three treatments:

1- Pachana (digestion therapy): a practice where herbal treatments are administered to the patient. These herbal formulations help the body digest and eliminate accumulated toxins in the gut that trigger inflammation and cause lupus.

2- Snehana (oleation therapy): a practice where oils, ghee (purified butter), or oils mixed with herbs are applied to the body internally or externally to loosen toxins that cause lupus in the body. Snehana also helps lead the toxins to elimination centers in the body where they are expelled via panchakarma therapies.

The following snehana practice helps people with lupus:

a- Abhyanga (massage therapy): a practice where oils, ghee, or oils infused with herbs are massaged vigorously into the body to loosen the toxins in the body. Abhyanga also helps nourish the tissues and restore balance to imbalanced doshas. It also helps reduce edema in lupus patients and is a part of dinacharya (daily routine).

b- Swedana (sudation therapy): a practice that involves a thermal treatment to help release the accumulated toxins in the blood and muscle tissue through the skin. Swedana also relieves stress, one factor that worsens lupus symptoms.

It typically occurs after oleation therapy as the oils help the body absorb the steam. It can target the whole body (bashpa swedana) or a specific part of the body (nadi swedana).

During swedana, the patient sits in a wooden box or room filled with herbal steam to eliminate the toxins in his or her body by sweating. Ayurvedic practitioners recommend having a warm shower after swedana therapy.

B- Panchakarma treatments:

Panchakarma, which is Sanskrit for “five treatments,” is a five-step detox program in Ayurveda. These treatments help detoxify the body and restore balance to the vata, pitta, and kapha doshas.

The five treatments are:

1. Vamana (medicated emesis)

2. Virechana (medicated purgation)

3. Vasti (medicated enema)

4. Nasya (nasal medication)

5. Raktamokshan (bloodletting)

An Ayurvedic practitioner would manage lupus using the following Panchakarma treatments:

1- Virechana (medicated purgation): a practice where patients are given herbal treatments to induce diarrhea. Virechana helps clear out toxins in the gut and restore balance to the pitta dosha. It helps rejuvenate the tissues affected by lupus. It also helps modulate the body’s immune system, preventing it from attacking various tissues in the body.

2- Vasti/Basti (medicated enema): vasti is a practice where patients are given oils or liquids that help cleanse their colon. Basti is a practice where patients are given oils infused with herbs to eliminate toxins in their colon.

Both basti and vasti treatments help treat lupus because they eliminate toxins in the gut. They help regulate immune system response and reduce inflammation in the body.

C- Additional Treatments for Lupus:

The Ayurvedic management of lupus also involves additional treatments other than panchakarma therapy depending on the person’s constitution. These treatments might include:

1. Seka (pouring therapy): a practice that involves pouring liquids over the skin. These liquids might include milk, milk infused with herbs, oils, or ghee. Seka helps rejuvenate the tissues affected by lupus and regulates immune system function. It also helps relieve stress.

2. Pradeha (ointment therapy): a practice that involves applying ointments and medicated herbal salves to the body. Pradeha helps reduce joint pains and edema in patients who have lupus. It also helps rejuvenate the skin that is often inflamed in lupus patients.

D- Rasayana (Rejuvenation treatments):

In Ayurveda, rasayana, which is Sanskrit for “path of essence,” consists of practices that help rejuvenate and nourish the mind and body.

Rasayana practices include consuming herbal treatments or decoctions and maintaining a healthy and balanced diet. They also incorporate exercise, yoga, and a regular self-care routine (dinacharya) to maintain balance in all aspects of life.

The rasayana practices that help treat lupus are explained in more detail below:

1- Dietary Modifications:

The Ayurvedic diet aims to balance all three life energies or doshas in the mind and body. Patients should maintain a diet that restores balance to the pitta dosha (energy of metabolism and digestion) and other affected doshas to treat or prevent lupus.

An Ayurvedic diet also prescribes eating specific foods as part of Purvakarma (preparatory treatments) before Panchakarma (detoxification therapies). The diet helps loosen the accumulated toxins in the gut that trigger lupus flares.

Patients should maintain the Ayurvedic diet even after they complete Purvakarma and Panchakarma therapies.

2- Herbal Treatments:

Ayurveda prescribes herbs or herbal treatments to treat lupus. The treatments are specifically tailored to the person’s symptoms. Practitioners prescribe different herbs depending on the person’s symptoms.

Some of these herbs include:

- Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia): an herb helps restore balance to vata, pitta, and kapha doshas. It also improves immune system function.

- Amla (Indian gooseberry): an anti-inflammatory herb that contains vitamin C and boosts immune system function.

- Yashtimadhu (Licorice): a bitter herb that has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties and boosts immune system function.

- Haldi (Turmeric): an herb that contains the anti-inflammatory chemical curcumin. It stimulates agni (digestive fire) and helps prevent the accumulation of toxins in the body.

- Nimb (Neem): an antibacterial herb that helps eliminate toxins from the liver. It can be applied to the skin as an oil to help regenerate the skin, one organ affected by lupus.

3- Dinacharya (Routine):

Dinacharya or establishing a routine is one aspect of Rasayana that helps treat lupus and restores balance to the body and the mind.

It includes:

1- Adjusting dietary habits: Patients should eat foods at regular times. They should also eat healthy foods that restore balance the imbalanced doshas to prevent inflammation and the accumulation of toxins in the body.

2- Regulating sleeping habits: Patients need to adjust their sleeping habits and begin sleeping at regular times every night. Sleep helps regulate immune system response, prevents inflammation, and reduces lupus-related fatigue.

3- Exercising regularly: Patients should engage in physical activity every day to stabilize all the doshas. Regular exercise decreases stress and reduces inflammation in the body.

4- Practicing yoga: Patients should practice at least 10 minutes of yoga every day to release stress, one factor that worsens lupus symptoms.

5- Practicing breathing techniques: Patients should practice breathing techniques or pranayama every day to cool the body and reduce inflammation. Pranayama also helps reduce stress, which improves lupus symptoms.

Ayurveda for Lupus: recommendations

- Eat meals regularly: Eating meals at regular times stabilizes the pitta dosha and prevents toxins that trigger lupus flares from building up in the body.

- Exercise regularly: Engage in physical activity for 30 minutes every day to restore balance to all the doshas. Exercise helps reduce inflammation caused by lupus in the body.

- Sleep well: Maintain a regular sleep schedule and get at least 7 hours of sleep. Sleeping well helps regulate immune system function, which prevents lupus flare-ups.

- Practice yoga: Practice at least 10 minutes of yoga, including breathing techniques (pranayama), every day to relieve stress, one factor that worsens lupus symptoms. Yoga and pranayama help improve joint flexibility and reduce inflammation, improving lupus symptoms.

- Practice activities that increase mindfulness: Practice meditation for at least 20 minutes every day. Meditation helps relieve stress, one factor that worsens lupus flare-ups. It also helps the body relax and relieves lupus-related muscle pain.

Foods to eat:

According to Ayurveda, all foods possess certain gunas (qualities). The gunas in the foods are transferred into energies that influence the balance of the doshas in the body.

Lupus patients should eat foods that posses bitter gunas (qualities) to prevent the accumulation of toxins in the body and nourish the affected tissues.

These foods include:

• Fruits: pomegranate, cranberries, melons, citrus fruits like oranges and limes, strawberries, and watermelon

• Vegetables: cucumbers, chicory, kale, endives, beets, pumpkins, and drumsticks

• Dairy products: ghee

• Legumes: all legumes

• Grains: whole grains

• Spices: coriander seeds, cilantro, and turmeric

• Honey

• Coconut water

• Aloe vera gel

Herbs to use:

The following herbs are beneficial for lupus because they are anti-inflammatory. They also improve the function of the immune system.

- Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia): an herb helps restore balance to vata, pitta, and kapha doshas. It also improves immune system function.

- Amla (Indian gooseberry): an anti-inflammatory herb that contains vitamin C and boosts immune system function.

- Yashtimadhu (Licorice): a bitter herb that has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties and boosts immune system function.

- Haldi (Turmeric): an herb that contains the anti-inflammatory chemical curcumin. It stimulates agni (digestive fire) and helps prevent the accumulation of toxins in the body.

- Nimb (Neem): an antibacterial herb that helps eliminate toxins from the liver. It can be applied to the skin as an oil to help regenerate the skin, one organ affected by lupus.

Ayurveda for Lupus: things to avoid

- Don’t skip meals: Skipping meals makes it harder to establish a routine and affects digestion. Undigested food accumulates in the body as toxins that trigger lupus flare-ups.

- Avoid drinking coffee and tea: these drinks aggravate all three doshas and disrupt their balance.  Caffeine particularly affects digestion and can cause toxins to build up in the gut. This triggers inflammation in the body and worsens lupus symptoms.

- Avoid or limit alcohol consumption: alcohol consumption disrupts the balance of all the doshas in the body. It causes toxins to accumulate in the gut. This increases inflammation in the body and triggers a lupus flare.

- Avoid soft drinks: these drinks contain a lot of sugar and aggravate the pitta dosha. Soft drinks cause toxins to accumulate in the body, which triggers lupus.

- Stop smoking: smoking aggravates the doshas and causes the accumulation of toxins in the body. These toxins may accumulate in the gut and cause inflammation, worsening lupus symptoms.

Foods to avoid:

According to Ayurveda, all foods possess certain gunas (qualities). The gunas in the foods are transferred into energies that influence the balance of the doshas in the body.

Lupus patients should avoid foods that possess hot, oily, and spicy gunas (qualities) that might aggravate the pitta dosha (energy of digestion and metabolism). They prevent the accumulation of toxins in the gut, which causes inflammation.

These foods include:

• Vegetables: tomatoes, eggplants, radishes, alfalfa, and garlic

• Grains: refined flour

• Meat: avoid meat products

• Dairy products: milk

• Spicy foods

• Sugary foods

• Salty foods

• Processed foods

Ayurveda for Lupus: precautions

Ayurveda uses natural and herbal remedies to treat diseases. However, if you want to use Ayurvedic medicines, herbs, supplements to treat a particular condition, you should consider the following precautions:

- Consult your Ayurvedic practitioner before taking Ayurvedic products on your own. Let them know if you have diabetes or are taking medication that may affect your treatment plan. They should adjust it to avoid any harmful interactions with the medication you are taking.

- Some Ayurvedic products and practices are banned in the United States. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve or review Ayurvedic products. Some herbal compounds or preparations may contain lead, mercury, or arsenic in toxic amounts.

They can cause serious illnesses in children and may be life-threatening for pregnant or lactating women and their babies. Other compounds from untrustworthy manufacturers may contain steroids, which may cause further health issues.

- Some Panchakarma treatments aren’t suitable for all patients who have lupus. Eligibility for panchakarma is determined by an Ayurvedic practitioner.

People who are classified as having “weak” or lean and thin bodies aren’t eligible for some panchakarma treatments. People who are anemic and pregnant women also aren’t allowed to undergo panchakarma treatments.

WARNING:

- Make sure to disclose to your primary care physician that you are seeing an Ayurvedic practitioner and are taking Ayurvedic formulations. This ensures you stay safe and avoid medication interactions that might cause serious side effects.

- If you are taking medication for diabetes, don’t stop taking them if you begin Ayurvedic treatment unless your doctor approves it.

- Some Ayurvedic practitioners may not be qualified to treat you. Make sure that your Ayurvedic practitioner is well-trained, certified, and has the relevant experience to meet your needs.

- Be careful when buying Ayurvedic herbs or formulas. Don’t buy Ayurvedic products unless they have a GMP (Good Manufacturing Product) stamp on them if you are buying them from India. Be extra careful when purchasing herbs online because online stores may be selling counterfeit products.

Ayurveda for Lupus: side effects

Since Ayurvedic treatments are derived from natural herbs and plants, most treatments do not cause adverse events. However, if you take some Ayurvedic preparations or herbs, you may experience the following side effects.

- Some Ayurvedic products contain toxic amounts of heavy metals like lead, arsenic, or mercury, and they might cause heavy metal poisoning.

- Some Ayurvedic herbal formulations might cause headaches, nausea, gastrointestinal problems, diarrhea, rashes, or allergic reactions.