Let’s talk about Lupus

When the immune system malfunctions there are two different types of reactions that are observed. One is where the body lacks the ability to fight infections which occurs due to a weak immune system. This leads to frequent illnesses. And the other major type of immune system malfunctioning is where the immune system is overactive and attacks the body’s own cells similar to fighting pathogens. This damages the cells and leads to inflammation, swelling, rashes, and other symptoms. This condition is called an autoimmune disorder. There are various types of autoimmune disorders and Lupus is one among them.

Types of Lupus

  • Neonatal Lupus – this is where the antibodies from the mother’s body are transferred to the fetus in the womb. This causes the baby to be born with Lupus characterized by rashes on the skin and lowered blood cells.
  • Cutaneous Lupus – as the name indicates this one occurs on the cutaneous layer or attacks the skin. Rashes might appear with raised edges or even appear scaly.
  • Systematic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) – this is the most commonly occurring types of lupus. These target specific organs like the kidney. And there are rashes, joint pain, and other such effects.
  • Drug-induced lupus erythematosus (DIL) – this is the type of lupus that is caused as the side effect of some drugs. Symptoms continue to worsen until the drug administration is continued. In most of the cases stopping the medication can put an end to this type of lupus.

Risk factors

  • Women are known to be at higher risk for developing lupus than men of similar age group
  • Caucasians are less likely to acquire lupus while people of color are more vulnerable to it.
  • Lupus is likely to occur in those in the 15 to 44 age group.
  • If you have a family history the chances are slightly high for you to develop lupus.

Causes

The genes have a prominent role to play when it comes to the occurrence of such autoimmune diseases. There are 50 different genes that are said to increase the risks of lupus and so if you have one or more of these genes then you are at risk. Hereditary factors slightly increase the chances but if there is one member who has it that doesn’t always mean that the genes are passed down. There are several environmental factors associated with this condition as well. Prolonged exposure to UV rays, certain types of infections and drugs can all lead to lupus. Finally, even the hormones in the body have a role to play. These are essential for keeping the immune system functioning normally. A surge in the levels of specific hormones could also lead to the malfunctioning of the immune system.

Symptoms

Rashes might be the most prominent symptoms associated with lupus. These are not always itchy. There are butterfly-shaped rashes that are prone to occur on the face. Such distinct rashes send the first warning signals. Besides these, exhaustion, dryness in the eyes, pain in the joints and even headaches are common in those with lupus. For a more detailed look at the symptoms and to see real examples, watch this video:

Symptoms of Autoimmune Diseases

When you are experiencing chronic stress the visible signs start showing only when the condition gets worse. The effects of stress can be felt by your physical health and mental health. It can also weaken your immune system. The natural process is that your body’s immune system fights pathogens and foreign agents so as to initiate quicker recovery. But when the response action is taken against your body’s own cells then it is called an autoimmune disorder. This is the condition where instead of protecting your body from diseases the immune system causes diseases of different types. There are various triggers that can lead to different autoimmune disorder conditions. Inflammatory bowel disease or IBD, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, diabetes mellitus- Type I, myasthenia gravis are all types of autoimmune conditions. Depending on the type of autoimmune disease you experience your body might be sending out different signals. Know the risk factors and the symptoms so that you can identify and get treatment for autoimmune diseases at an early stage. This will make treatment simpler and more effective.

Here are some of the risk factors commonly linked to autoimmune diseases-

  • Women are at a higher risk of acquiring autoimmune diseases than men.
  • There are some types of autoimmune disorders that are also known to be hereditary. So if you have a family history then make sure that you look out for any warning sign.
  • Most of the autoimmune diseases target the younger generation and the middle-aged.  
  • Certain types of infections and even some medications can make your body more vulnerable to autoimmune diseases.

Below are the common symptoms that should send a red flag and grab your attention. If you notice any of these symptoms have a word with your Doctor to carry out the appropriate diagnostic procedure.

  • Pain in the joints should never be ignored. Sometimes you might experience pain after strenuous activities. But the pain that does not get better with rest and the pain increases or keeps coming back might indicate an early stage of autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.
  • If your skin suddenly appears too sensitive, if you notice rashes on your skin and if the rash appears often then it could indicate issues with your immune system. These have been cases where you might notice that even short exposure to sunlight causes burns and blemishes.
  • Unexplained fatigue which is persistent could indicate an onset of autoimmune disease.
  • Muscle pains, swelling and soreness accompanied by redness could also be triggered when your immune system is causing unwanted inflammation in an area where no injury had occurred.

Based on the type of autoimmune disease that the body is experiencing two or more of the above symptoms can occur. The severity of the symptoms might indicate the severity of the condition. So if you experience any of these signals get your body diagnosed to ensure that your immune system is healthy.

The Route to Younger Skin

We are all prone to Skin aging and premature aging is something that you should know about, so as to avoid it. There are several daily habits that might cause your skin to age sooner than the natural process. Aged skin is prone to damage, lines, and wrinkles. Skin aging that is caused by exposure to harmful UV rays is also linked with melanoma. Here are some factors that can lead to the premature aging of the skin on the face –

  • Use of skincare products and cosmetics that contain harsh chemicals
  • Prolonged exposure to harsh sunlight
  • Lack of hydration of the skin
  • Stress
  • Smoking and alcohol consumption
  • Poor sleeping habits
  • Unhealthy or nutrient deficient diet

Ignoring the signs of skin aging can also put your skin at risk for future damage and even skin cancer in some extreme cases. Getting a young looking radiance on your skin is not a difficult task. All it takes is a few little changes to your diet and lifestyle. You would be pampering your skin with the mildest and the safest skin care products and therefore be able to keep skin conditions at bay. There are different kinds of anti-aging products and skin care routines recommended for different skin types. So make sure that you start by understanding whether you have oily skin, dry skin or combination skin.

Kitchen ingredients that slow down skin aging

One of the most influential methods to carry out in order to obtain a younger skin is to work on your diet plan. Make sure that you put together a meal plan that includes lean proteins, healthy fats, and all the essential micronutrients as well. Include as many portions of fresh fruits and vegetables as possible and include variety in your meal. Here are some of the food items that are known to slow down skin aging –

  • Avocados
  • Broccoli
  • Red wine
  • Green tea
  • Pomegranate
  • Flax seeds

There are plenty of anti-aging face masks and skin scrubs that you can prepare at home with simple ingredients. These work by cleansing the skin thoroughly and healing the skin from the inside. They also help restore the collagen levels so as to keep the skin nourished and young.

Everyday habits that make your skin look and feel young

Your gym is your best friend if you wish to have skin that always looks healthy and young. Sports and exercises of all types that make you sweat and burn calories also help you eliminate all the damage causing factors that make your skin look old and tired. When your body releases sweat the toxins inside are also expelled. And the free radicals in your body are kept in control and this means that you would not have to worry about skin aging.

If you have the habit of going to bed at a different time each day or if you use your phone for long periods and therefore sacrifice your sleep which all has a negative impact on your skin. When you improve your sleeping habits, you will notice your skin problems vanish one by one.

Lupus Is A Systemic Autoimmune Disease

The body is working on the basis of different types of elements. Some organs or elements are working by fulfilling the requirements, and some are fighting for it. If we talk about the protector of the body, then the immune system is playing that particular role.

It strengthens the body and helps in fighting against various diseases or serious infections. The lupus is a kind of specific disease which affects the body immune system. When the immune system gets affected, then the body starts facing lots of issues.

Know more

Mainly the disease creates confusion for the immune system by which it starts affecting the health instead of protecting it. When it comes to lupus, then there are different types of diseases are covered under the group. From all the diseases, if we talk about the common one, then SLE appears.

SLE stands for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, and it is a kind of chronic disease. For living a good life by avoiding the health issues, the patients need to consider the way of proper treatment.

Symptoms of SLE

Everyone is not able to know that they are facing Lupus diseases or not. It can be detected by considering the way of some specific symptoms. These symptoms are –

  • Joint pain
  • Headaches
  • Anemia
  • Hair loss
  • Joint swelling
  • Severe fatigue
  • Blood clotting issues

These are some major symptoms those may definitely be faced by individuals while suffering from such issues. Some of these symptoms are also representing numerous other issues. Here, the individuals need to make sure that they are considering the way of an efficient specialist.

In case the doctor is not able to get caught the disease properly then it may lead to wrong treatment. All these factors are leading to more health issues instead of getting previous improved ones.

Causes of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

There are lots of reasons available by which SLE or other lupus diseases appearing in the body. Here, the individuals are required to focus on such factors and be careful regarding health. Following are some major causes –

  • Changes in hormones or sex – if we talk about the experts’ views then lupus is affecting women health more as compared to men. Mainly the symptoms are occurring during the menstrual periods or pregnancy time.
  • Environmental factors – the environment is full of different types of elements. Everything does not good or beneficial for the humans. Ultraviolet rays, viruses, trauma, certain medications, emotional or physical stress, these are some environmental factors that may cause lupus.
  • Genetics – in case anyone has affective family background regarding Lupus then he/she should consider proper diagnose. For the diagnosis, the experts are choosing the way of a complete physical exam which examines the complete body.

Here the individuals need to be serious. You should be focused on all these factors and details carefully. If you are facing such kind of issues or introduced to these elements then consider a doctor quickly.