Lupus Is Not A Barrier During Holidays, Here Are 5 Tips to Prevent Relapse

When relapses, lupus can cause several symptoms at once. Starting from the body sluggish, rashes, shortness of breath, to high fever. If you are on vacation, these symptoms certainly have an impact on your activities. The good news, there are a number of simple steps you can take to prevent lupus from recurring during the holidays.

Symptoms of lupus occur when the body’s immune system, which is supposed to fight disease, actually attacks healthy body tissue. Lupus can recur without symptoms. However, when symptoms appear, this disease can inhibit your activities.

To prevent this, here are a few steps you need to take:

1. Reducing sun exposure

Not all people with lupus are sensitive to sunlight. However, a study in the journal Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine found that sunlight is a factor that quite often triggers lupus symptoms.

Therefore, lupus sufferers are advised to reduce exposure to sunlight to prevent lupus from recurring during the holidays. If you really have to do activities under the hot sun, don’t forget to use a sunscreen with SPF 50 or more.

2. Avoid foods that trigger lupus symptoms

Culinary tourism during the holidays is fun, but lupus sufferers need to be careful. You should avoid consuming garlic and alfalfa sprouts.

The reason is, both contain compounds that can stimulate the work of the immune system and exacerbate lupus symptoms.

In addition, people with lupus are also advised to limit their consumption of saturated and trans fats. Both can increase cholesterol and trigger inflammation. Instead, multiply the consumption of fruits, vegetables, fatty fish, and nuts.

3. Protect yourself from exposure to poisons and chemicals

Cigarette smoke, pollution, and chemicals from the environment are some of the poisons that you might encounter while on vacation. Some of them can trigger lupus symptoms. To prevent lupus from recurring during the holidays, try to avoid locations that are exposed to the poison.

Also avoid building construction areas or locations that have a lot of sand, stone and soil. This area is usually full of silica dust. When inhaled, silica dust can enter the lungs and trigger an immune response.

4. Avoid the consumption of certain drugs

About 10 percent of lupus sufferers relapse due to consumption of certain drugs. Types of drugs that quite often trigger lupus attacks include sleeping pills like melatonin, and antibiotics in the form of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole.

However, every lupus sufferer may experience a recurrence due to other types of drugs. To prevent lupus from recurring during the holidays, try to consult with your doctor about the types of drugs that you need to avoid or take.

5. Manage stress well

During the holidays you are not completely free from stress. Stress can arise due to traffic jams, long ticket lines, and so forth. Although it is natural, stress is also a trigger for lupus attacks in some sufferers.

When stress strikes, take a break and find a comfortable place to sit. Place your right hand on your chest and left hand on your stomach. Inhale, then exhale slowly. Repeat several times until you feel better.

Lupus can have a big impact on your activities during the holidays. Even so, you can prevent lupus from recurring while on vacation in a few simple ways. Focus on avoiding the triggering factors.

Every lupus sufferer can have different triggers, so do you. Before going on vacation, identify and record the factors that trigger your condition. If necessary, consult your doctor to find out what these triggers are.


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