emb_ s replied: "Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus) is a chronic autoimmune disease that is sometimes fatal as the immune system attacks the body’s cells and tissue, resulting in inflammation and tissue damage. SLE can affect any part of the body, but most often harms the heart, joints, skin, lungs, blood vessels, liver, kidneys and nervous system. The course of the disease is unpredictable, with periods of illness (called flares) alternating with remission. Lupus can occur at any age, and is most common in women, particularly of non-European descent.[1] Lupus is treatable symptomatically, mainly with corticosteroids and immunosuppressants, though there is currently no cure.
Signs and symptoms
SLE is one of several diseases known as the great imitator[4] because its symptoms vary so widely it often mimics or is mistaken for other illnesses, and because the symptoms come and go unpredictably. Diagnosis can be elusive, with patients sometimes suffering unexplained symptoms and untreated SLE for years. Common initial and chronic complaints are fever, malaise, joint pains, myalgias and fatigue. Because they are so often seen with other diseases, these signs and symptoms are not part of the diagnostic criteria for SLE. When occurring in conjunction with other signs and symptoms (below), however, they are considered suggestive.
Dermatological manifestations
As many as 30% of patients present with some dermatological symptoms (and 65% suffer such symptoms at some point), with 30% to 50% suffering from the classic malar rash (or butterfly rash) associated with the disease. Patients may present with discoid lupus (thick, red scaly patches on the skin). Alopecia, mouth, nasal, and vaginal ulcers, and lesions on the skin are also possible manifestations.
Musculoskeletal manifestations
Patients most often seek medical attention for joint pain, with small joints of the hand and wrist usually affected, although any joint is at risk. Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, SLE arthropathy is not usually destructive of bone, however, deformities caused by the disease may become irreversible in as many as 20% of patients.
Hematological manifestations
Anemia and iron deficiency may develop in as many as half of patients. Low platelet and white blood cell counts may be due to the disease or a side-effect of pharmacological treatment. Patients may have an association with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (a thrombotic disorder) where autoantibodies to phospholipids are present in the patient's serum. Abnormalities associated with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome include a paradoxical prolonged PTT (which usually occurs in hemorrhagic disorders) and a positive test for antiphospholipid antibodies; the combination of such findings have earned the term "lupus anticoagulant positive". Another autoantibody finding in lupus is the anticardiolipin antibody which can cause a false positive test for syphilis.
Cardiac manifestations
Patients may present with inflammation of various parts of the heart, such as pericarditis, myocarditis, and endocarditis. The endocarditis of SLE is characteristically non-infective (Libman-Sacks endocarditis) and involves either the mitral valve or the tricuspid valve. Atherosclerosis also tends to occur more often and advance more rapidly in SLE patients than in the general population.[5][6][7]
Pulmonary manifestations
Lung and pleura inflammation can cause pleuritis, pleural effusion, lupus pneumonitis, chronic diffuse interstitial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary emboli, pulmonary hemorrhage.
Hepatic involvement
See autoimmune hepatitis
Renal involvement
Painless hematuria or proteinuria may often be the only presenting renal symptom. Acute or chronic renal impairment may develop with lupus nephritis, leading to acute or end stage renal failure. Because of early recognition and management of SLE, end stage renal failure occurs in less than 5% of patients.
Histologically, a hallmark of SLE is membranous glomerulonephritis with "wire loop" abnormalities.[8] This finding is due to immune complex deposition along the glomerular basement membrane leading to a typical granular appearance in immunofluorescence testing.
Neurological manifestations
About 10% of patients may present with seizures or psychosis. A third may test positive for abnormalities in the cerebrospinal fluid.
T-cell abnormalities
Abnormalities in T cell signaling are associated with SLE, including deficiency in CD45 phosphatase and increased expression of CD40 ligand.
Other rarer manifestations
lupus gastroenteritis, lupus pancreatitis, lupus cystitis, autoimmune inner ear disease, parasympathetic dysfunction, retinal vasculitis, and systemic vasculitis.
Other abnormalities include:
Increased expression of FcОµRIОі, which replaces the sometimes deficient TCR О¶ chain
Increased and sustained calcium levels in T cells
Moderate increase of inositol triphosphate
Reduction in PKC phosphorylation
Reduction in Ras-MAP kinase signaling
Deficiencies in protein kinase A I activity
Causes
Despite the dramatic rise in Lupus research in recent years, the exact cause of the disease remains unknown. Indeed, consensus is still lacking on whether Lupus is a single condition or a group of related diseases. SLE is a chronic inflammatory disease believed to be a type III hypersensitivity response with potential type II involvement,[9] characterised by the body's production of antibodies against the nuclear components of its own cells. There are three mechanisms by which lupus is thought to develop: genetic predisposition, environmental triggers and drug reaction (drug-induced lupus).
Diagnosis
Some physicians make a diagnosis on the basis of the ACR classification criteria (see below). The criteria, however, were established mainly for use in scientific research (i.e. inclusion in randomized controlled trials), and patients may have lupus but never meet the full criteria.
Anti-nuclear antibody testing and anti-extractable nuclear antigen (anti-ENA) form the mainstay of serologic testing for lupus. Antiphospholipid antibodies occur more often in SLE, and can predispose for thrombosis. More specific are the anti-smith and anti-dsDNA antibodies. Other tests routinely performed in suspected SLE are complement system levels (low levels suggest consumption by the immune system), electrolytes and renal function (disturbed if the kidney is involved), liver enzymes and a complete blood count.
Formerly, the lupus erythematosus (LE) cell test was used for diagnosis, however those LE cells are only found in 50-75% of SLE patients, and are also found in some patients with rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, and drug sensitivities. Because of this, the LE cell test is now performed only rarely and is mostly of historical significance."
What is the best diet for people with heart disease,stroke and blood disorders? I have been considering changing my diet to vegetarian because of my personal and family health history including heart disease, strokes and blood disorders. My boyfriend is overweight and has heart problems and diabetes. What diet would be best for us?
derik w replied: "Low fat vegetarian."
Lisa L replied: "http://eurheartj.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/18/1/18.pdf
It is NOT a low saturated fat diet. You need a NUTRIENT RICH diet. Have red meat untrimmed, berries, green vegetables, yellow vegetables nuts
Do NOT eat things that SPIKE blood sugar which is exactly what the farcical low saturate dfat diet does..
Our diet we evolved on the PALEOLITHIC diet.
A handful of berries and green leafy vegetables everyday.
And get moderate exercise (some lifting , brisk walking) for nitric oxide ( a gas ) production to DILATE the arteries and maintain flexibility and anti clotting
Just clear the exercise part with your doctor."
Linda replied: "Low soduim, low fat diet. Stay away from processed food, fast food. Eat lean meat stay away from red meats. Try to bake your food not fry it. Do not add salt. Eat plenty of green vegies"
DKT replied: "Good for you for making this important decision. I hope your boyfriend is "on side" and supports your efforts... for your sake and for his!
Lifestyle changes, as you are considering, can be difficult to maintain. It takes time to adjust to new routines and to make that commitment "stick".
It is important to have some good resources at your disposal that can assist and guide you along the way. To this end I would suggest you bookmark this website:
From there you can browse to information about diet, exercise, risk factors, lifestyle changes and much, much more. There is also a free bulletin you can sign up for that provides periodic information on a variety of topics.
Good luck as you embark on this new chapter in your life!"
Lady B replied: "Low fat, low carbs, no/low salt and plenty of exercise."
maheswari m replied: "This Patient Guide is written for the loved ones of heart patients who are dealing with the short-term stress that comes with a test, procedure or recent diagnosis of heart disease. It explains why support is so important to a loved one with heart disease. It also offers practical strategies on how to support a loved one while also taking care of yourself."
I am 32M & want to know about the best diet for preventing Heart Disease. How much sex is good for Heart? My family has a history of Heart disease and diabetise. I am not married and have no girl friend.
kittyrogers replied: "Oh for pete's sake, go to the doctor on this one! If your family has a history of HD and diabetes, then you NEED to see a doctor pronto and not waste your time here. As for sex, give me a break! Worry about your family history first and see a doctor! Geesh!!!!"
slim baller replied: "man...have as much sex as u can while ur alive...."
navyhm1983 replied: "Your basic standard diet with REDUCED fats, & cholesterol, will be a fine diet for any one with out any know medical condition.
Have as much sex as you want!!! Besides being the national pass time IT IS A FORM OF EXERCISE !!!
OR should I say SEXERCISE"
wtf replied: "if your family has a history of heart dis and diabetes, then this could be a serious one. your should focus on low salt and low fat diet to maintain a low blood pressure. if u have diabetes, the high level of glucose on your blood will cause ur blood to become thick, thereby raising your blood pressure and at the same time it also can form plaques on your blood vessels.
having sex will help a lot on preventing heart disease bro, but i advise that u should consult your doctor now before it's too late."
n_xray replied: "dont smoke-thats a big factor right there-eat food high in fiber and get your cholesterol checked along w/ blood pressure-sometimes when you have a family hx it doesnt matter what you do-if all those tests come back high you may need a prescription to help lower your cholesterol and bp-talk to your dr"
i need Help finding a diet for a person with heart disease and diabetes? My mother has a heart disease on top of diabetes and is trying to find a diet that suites her. She is on different medications that disable her from eating certain things or how much she eats of it...if anyone can help with a good diet please let me know.
Heart replied: "My two favorite websites for Diabetes and Heart Disease are these two:
and
Both sites are set up to offer great advice for diets as well.
Good luck!"
Fluffy Ewe replied: "I follow loosely the South Beach phase 2 diet. If you watch the amounts of fats in this it is excellent for both lowering glucose levels and for portion control. I have not gained any weight from the amount of meds required for both these diseases."
Is it really possible to reverse heart disease? (with diet)? My friend told me that a vegetarian diet reverses heart disease. Is this true?
Well, she just got it off the peta website... I highly doubt that it is true.
eliminist replied: "thats what they (vegos) want you to think, but i seriously doubt it."
sweetpea replied: "No."
Rhianna replied: "No. You can help PREVENT heart disease with a healthy diet, but you can't really undo any existing damage.
Excluding meat won't necessarily mean that your diet is healthy- a vegetarian diet can be unhealthy too, particularly if one eats too much cheese etc."
Eddie replied: "are you talking about diseases or stuff like high cholesterol or high blood pressure, if you talking about controlling cholesterol or high blood pressure then yes diet will lower the chances of heart problems.
If you are talking about actual disease then a proper diet with medication will help with a person survival but it will not cure it."
Judie replied: "No that is not true but a healthy eating plan would slow any further damage."
Fater45 replied: "If she says it does then there is no reason to doubt her. There are a lot of health problems that medical experts claim there is no cure for, yet proper diet and supplementation do bring about cure. It should be noted that most illnesses come about as a result of unbalanced diet. (By a balanced diet I mean a diet that will enable the body to maintain its average pH of 7.35 - 7.45) Therefore proper diet would correct such ailments.
We need to recognize that our body was made to repair itself. Therefore under the right condition cure can come about. Even though I do not know your friend, based on my personal experience I believe what she says. Depending on what was the cause of her heart disease, and the extent of damage done to her heart, it is possible for heart disease to be reversed with the use of proper diet."
Tim D replied: "possibly."
What's the best diet to prevent heart disease/stroke in 40-50 year old women? South Beach, Weight Watchers, Sugarbusters, what?
sunpekes replied: "All vegies, get rid of the acid body, get it changed over to alkiline. Acid feeds cancers and all meats contribute to it. Fruits part of the day,Vegies on the other end.
Cut out sweets!"
Firewind replied: "I'd say Dr Ornish's Diet. It is the only diet that I know of that has been proven to even reverse heart disease. It includes diet and lifestyle changes. For instance, it is also about managing your stress level. Many drs now recognize that the way we do or don't manage stress is not only important to our emotional and mental health; but to our physical health also. And, of course, exercise.
My mom and I also just began taking a baby aspirin a day, Dr Oz(You, The Owners Manual) says 2 baby aspirins a day. It does so much good for so many things."
replies2news replied: "I think much of the answer is to stay away from PROCESSED foods.
I think that's what is causing the early heart disease and diabetes problems in our country.
I look at our ancestors and they ate a lot of 'not so great foods' too - bacon and eggs etc.. but they also worked farms or real 'labor' jobs..
Look at us today and we eat fast food, boxed food that is prepared.. all the preservatives etc..
I am myself going to start growing my own sprouts... the nutrition on these things is outstanding and BETTER than any 'veggie' we can get in the supermarket.. take some time to read this stuff - it's astounding! I figure if they don't taste great - I'll spice it up ;)"
My dog has CHD(heart disease)and needs to be on a low sodium diet. Any recommendations other than hill science? My dog doesn't seem to like Science Diet because it's too mushy, any other recommendations for a low sodium canned food. Anyone know anything about wellness dog food and if any of them have low sodium? He refuses to eat dry food so canned is my only option and preferably something I can buy at Petco or Petsmart. Oh and he is a 12 1/2 year old Lhasa Apso male.
I guess I left out some essential details but he was diagnosed with circulatory heart failure exactly one week ago and he underwent a couple of x-rays and tests and he has been put on two medications one for his heart and lasix for the fluid build up in his lungs and it's because of the way the lasix medication takes toll on his kidneys that I have to have him on a low sodium diet. Besides the CHF he is a very happy and joyful dog and I want to make sure I get him the right food so he can stay as healthy as possible and thanks for all the answers so far :)!
JC replied: "I don't know if Wellness is low sodium, but I used to work at a high end pet store and wellness was one of the most recommended brands. Science diet is crap. It's pushed by vet's because Hills makes all of the vet school literature so they pretty much brainwash vets into thinking it's so great. Consider the raw food diet."
catkeypurr replied: "I had a dog with kidney disease I used to cook for. She loved it! I cooked once a week & froze it in single servings. My recipes came from Dr. Pitcairns book Natural Health for Dogs and Cats but I'm sure if you check the library there's lots more info/ diets available.
Good luck!
>^..^<"
Joy replied: "if he has lived that long with chd then I would let him eat what he wants and the vet could give him water pills. My dog was so bad with his chd that he was put on water pills, he died when he was only 7. Check at petsmart with the "Blue" foods, they are excellent, I do not know about the sodium, check out their website and read up about it, it is an excellent food for sure.
okay, so he is already on the water pills, good. Blue probably has a line with low sodium, I havent checked on that. Good luck, Im glad you are taking such good care.
whomever gave the thumbs down had no reason, that was ignorant
edit: I found a low sodium recipet for you for dogs
Ingredients
Вј lb. ground round or other lean beef
2 cups cooked white rice without salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons dicalcium phosphate
Directions
Balanced supplement which fulfills the canine MDR for all vitamins and trace minerals.
Cook beef in skillet, retaining fat, stirring until lightly browned. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Keep covered in the refrigerator. Yield: 1lb.
Nutritional Analysis
Protein - 6.3%
Fat - 5.5%
Carbohydrate - 17.6%
Moisture - 68.5%
*Sodium - 0.1%
Metabolizable Energy - 660 kCal/lb.
*This diet contains approximately 50 mg. sodium/100 gm. dry diet."
panache replied: "You need to do your homework,pick some good to excellent foods,then email for the sodium content in the food.My chf dog was on wellness senior kibble,it is lower sodium but I didnot check their canned food."
What kind of foods cause heart disease? I need help making a hypothesis for the question "Does bad diet cause heart disease?" so probably what foods prevent it too.
foods high is cholesteral?
What? replied: "Peanut butter, Big Macs, sugar colas and pizza for a few. Mom told me, but I will not give up the pizza no matter what happens. Pizza with everything and hot! Skateboarders need power food like pizza. Love it, and I am usually full cheese."
storys of are champion replied: "were did that guy get peanut butter from?, its fattning but all of the fats are healthy fats which helps against heart disease"
serious lee replied: "then you should drop everything but fresh fruits and veggies.. remembering to keep the beans in there...
drop dairy and meats... that is the big ones... forget eggs... each egg has 200mg of cholesterol.
still want milk? get soymilk.
that's the diet i'm on... a vegetarian.. if not my cholesterol would give me another heart attack.
my cholesterol is 89 now.. from 519.
fresh fruits and veggies.. NOT from frozen, canned or any processed element.
and forget packaged foods that are processed.. no fast food.. no snacks no junk... nothing processed.
simple as that."
chattterus replied: "None as long as you eat in moderation, get the appropriate amount of fluid, and exercise. Food doesn't cause heart disease and the whole cholesterol bit is for people looking for a magic pill to solve all of their health concerns.
It is when you are lazy that bad diet can cause problems. For people who stay active, in a healthy lifestyle, their body will flush all of that bad stuff out."
Heart disease? I am 22 years old and I just find out that I have heart disease. What kind of diet should I go on and what kind of food should I eat?
* I meant found and not find... above.
amani replied: "I dont know but my guess is stay away from fatty foods buy things like cheese and yoghurt's (lite) but still try and cut down and eat more fruits and vegetables and do daily exercises and keep your body weight down, and dont smoke....
All the best...
Here is a link that has some good information on what you should eat to prevent heart disease but i think is helpful for people who have it...
"
ARROW replied: "low salt diet"
paki_7 replied: "id suggest you to visit
follow the food pyramid. This website also has options for each individual. Basically you enter all you info and they come up with a food plan for you"
