Diet is something most of us with Lupus SLE are interested in. Can food can have had an impact on our immune systems- good or bad?

L-tryptophan is an amino acid dietary supplement that can help aid sleep and depression, but it was withdrawn from the market in 1989 in the USA when it was linked to an outbreak of eosinophilia-myalgia an autoimmune disorder. The ban was eventually lifted in 2005 and seemed to be due to a particular source of L-Tryptophan and in some patients it was found that they metabolized the drug in a different way and this triggered a dramatic autoimmune response.

Another amino acid L-canavanine is found in all legumes (beans and peas etc), but is highly concentrated in alfalfa spouts and testing has shown that it is capable of provoking an autoimmune response similar to lupus, so it is recommended that lupus SLE patients avoid alfalfa sprouts (especially alfalfa seed products) and limit legumes in their diet. 

Other immune stimulating supplements like echinacea or gingko that help the body to fight of illness and infection should be used with care in people with lupus SLE.