Symptoms & Reactions

Garlic Reaction in Lupus

Garlic Reaction in Lupus

One thing about living with Lupus is that you just never know when the disease will strike. You could be having one of very few glorious days, then out of the blue, something you do or eat will make you sick. I had been warned about a possible garlic reaction in Lupus, but I never experienced one—that is, until today. **

 

Body

One word to describe my Lupus body today:  Stronger

Which habits and rituals did I practice to soothe my Lupus body?

  • Slept well
  • Ate a clean diet
  • Moved and stretched
  • Got a gentle massage
  • Breathed fresh air
  • Stayed hydrated
  • Protected delicate skin
  • Smiled and laughed

More details about my physical symptoms:
Today was an amazing day. I felt stronger than I have for some time. I’ve been consistently stretching my lower back and riding my new recumbent stationary bike. And it showed during physical therapy today. All was well until I ate dinner. I made baked Asian chicken wings with fresh yellow squash and bok choy in fresh garlic sauce. From the minute I took my first bite of the bok choy, I felt a strange sensation akin to indigestion in my chest. Then, as I tried to ignore it and continued eating, hives came out of nowhere. I’ve been hive free for several months now. Coincidentally, it’s been a while since I’ve eaten garlic—a conscious decision after reading that Lupus patients shouldn’t eat it due to its activation of an enhanced immune response. That’s the last thing those of us with overactive immune systems need, right?

 

Mind

One word to describe my Lupus mind today: Patient

Which habits and rituals did I practice to strengthen my Lupus mind?

  • Managed expectations
  • Focused on the positive
  • Managed stress response

More details and thoughts about how I’m feeling emotionally today:
To say that feeling stronger today boosted me emotionally would be an understatement. It’s been SO long since I’ve felt his good. Despite the blip with the hive reaction to garlic, I choose to remain optimistic and hopeful that my progress will continue….

 

Spirit

One word to describe my spirit today: Content

Which habits and rituals did I practice to nurture my Lupus spirit?

  • Enjoyed sacred space
  • Meditated, prayed, visualized

Thoughts about my spiritual connection and spiritual lessons learned today:
Meditation to the rescue—again! My reaction to night’s dinner was the perfect opportunity to settle my system down to calm the garlic reaction. Couple that with a little prayer of gratitude, and I’m ready for a good night’s sleep. Snoogle, here I come!

 

Meals

Today my meals were:

  • Breakfast: Paleo pancakes, strip of bacon, clementine orange
  • Lunch: Homemade sausage and sauerkraut
  • Dinner: Baked Asian sesame ginger chicken wings, yellow squash, bok choy in garlic sauce
  • Snacks: Mint tea with almond milk
  • Water: 51 ounces

 

Thanks

At least one thing that I’m grateful for today:

  • Physical strength

 

**(This post is based on the format of the Lupus Diary that I developed for keeping track of how Lupus affects my body, mind, and spirit, I check-in here once a week to let you know about the more interesting days of my Lupus journey. To learn more about the Lupus Diary, how I developed it, and why I use it, click here.)

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