The wonder of Beetroot..

[Deborah Rumbles]

style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/aww.gif Hi I have read an article in newspaper that Beetroot can help calm down a lupus flare up, this has something to do with what is in beetroot, and as it is only a vegetable then it wont do any harm to me, so I'm going to try it and report back to you all, there was a study done and 20 sle sufferers have said it definately made their joints less painful,So here goes then with the beetroot diet.. It is worth a try, at least. Obviously this is not a cure and I will continue taking all my other medicines. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/shakehands.gif

[Deborah Rumbles]

style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/doh.gif Well I will have to start again as I've been in hospital with a serious lymph infection, and I had to get a infected lymph duct removed from my armpit, Yuk !! I was also on IV antibiotics for 9 days in hospital and still feel very tired, still taking antibiotics by mouth.I don't know what started it neuther do the doctors just told I was very immune suppressed and infection got big hold, also on methotrexate so my white blood cells were extremly low.I shall try the beetroot again and keep you all posted, style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/flowers.gif

[alobreto]

I'm sorry I've never heard of beetroot. 20 people is not a very large study. Not large enough to draw any accurate conclusion, anyway.

Was it a controlled trial? A double blind trial? These are important questions to know the answers to, particularly if you are planning on basing your own treatment decisions on the results that are reported.

What is the active substance in beetroot? If taken in the recommended amounts, does it affect the way medicines act?

Even innocuous substances can have wide ranging effects when taken in large quantities or to the exclusion of other nutrients. They can also interact with vitamins, medicines, and herbal preparations.

What is the source of this data? Was it done at a university? What are the credentials of the person reporting these results? Does the reporter have a financial interest in the outcome of the study?

Just my 2 cents.
Angela style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/flowers.gif

[Clare.T]

Oh dear Deborah ! style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif

I doubt if there's anything that can substitute for medicines when they are needed especially in such a complex disease and potentially serious disease as lupus, although of course a healthy diet helps maintain general good health and may prevent other diseases developing.

It seems that beetroot contains a particular substance only also found in the prickly pear.
Part of its supposed benefits is treating cancer and AIDS and phrases like immune boosting are used often in the literature. Exactly the opposite of what we want to do because boosting the immune system will promote disease activity.

Here's a recent article that seems very reliable with all anybody could possibly want to know about beetroot

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/S...m/beetroot6.htm (http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Stephen_Nottingham/beetroot6.htm)

I hope you get over this quickly and feel better soon style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/hugbetter.gif

Take good care

Clare

[Karen_L]

There could be something in this, as you know I am suffering with BC atm, one of the district nurses who come out to me mentioned beetroot and all red vegetables and red fruit are supposed to help fight bc but that doesn't mean it couldn't help other illnesses, maybe there is something their not telling us!


Karen style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/umm.gif

[pisspotpooh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Deborah Rumbles @ Oct 18 2005, 04:26 AM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
:nurse: Hi I have read an article in newspaper that Beetroot can help calm down a lupus flare up, this has something to do with what is beetroot, so I'm going to try it and report back to you all, there was a study done and 20 sle sufferers have said it definately made their joints less painful,So here goes then with the beetroot diet..
[/b][/quote]
style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wavey.gif Hi there, I have never heard of beetroot being such a good help in anything, but I will try it as well. I will try anything once. I am 36 and have been diagnosed with Lupus only a few days ago. But I have been checking in here for a few months now, while I had been waiting for a while for test results and I wanted to read all I could about the disease. My father also has SLE. Well I hope you are all well, and cheers for now. Wendy style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif

[Deborah Rumbles]

style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Thanx.gif Hi and thanks for your reply's, I would like to say to alobreto, I am not sure exactly who concluded all the evidence, It was only a report in a local evening newspaper in Aberdeen Scotland, I don't know who gathered the information either, but 20 people who had SLE definately stated Beetroot helped elivate their joint pain, As Beetroot is only a vegetable and won't harm anyone trying it , I felt it was worth a try. Clare T, Hi I never said anything about not taking my usual drugs, I would never do that as I know how important they are in controlling my disease activity.Thanks for finding out the information, The local paper never said that it boosts the immune system, I would of avoided it then as I am well aware how my SLE affects me.I am glad we have the ability to all help and guide each other and your reply was appreciated.I am still feeling pretty awful and my disease is very active at the moment, I will try and find out more about what Beetroot actually does as it maybe making me more suppressed. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/flowers.gif

[Clare.T]

Hi Deborah and All

I realise you didn't say anything about not taking your medicines - my comment was general as many people read who do not ever post.
The link I posted seems to me to be about as informative as anything could be. It does have some reference to the effects of beetroot on the lymph system, I forget exactly what.

I take everything I read in the papers with a large pinch of salt - and I am married to a journalist. We have to remember they like drama and sensation, what sells what appeals to the public. I have never read any article on a topic I know anything about that was an accurate reflection of that topic.
There's also the question of who financed any study !

The list of foodstuffs that are reckoned to reduce inflammation is very long and includes many items that people with lupus related conditions need to be wary of. There's also a very long list of ways to reduce inflammation by avoiding certain foodstuffs.

I love beetroot but admit to a certain prejudice as it once nearly made me die of shock.


style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif

Take good care

Clare

[confused1]

ROFL Clare ,style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif I also nearly died of shock one time. We call it just plain "beets" here in US. The green stuff above it called "beet greens" and you won't get it unless you grow it.

One caveat in all this: beets are not recommended for people with Interstitial cystitis. Irritating to the bladder I think. I have IC and pay zero attention to the diet recommendations most of the time (I'm totally undisciplined and undependable style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif ) but I am careful about beets. I love beets, but an "overdose" certainly will give me an IC flare -- as well as giving me a little scare if I'm not mindful style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/oops.gif .

Hugs and hope you feel better soon, Deb,

Sunny

[Mootie]

Deborah,

That is very interesting, there are some claims that celery and ginger are good for inflammation. I wonder though how the beetroot is prepared as it is usually cooked in a solution of vinegar and sugar. If it has a lot of salycilates in it which could pose a problem to those sensitive to asprin.

It would certainly have a lot of antioxidents in it just like dark chocolate - chocolate versus beetroot, hmmm ok the chocolate wins style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/hyper.gif



Mootie

[Raglet]

I think a beetroot diet sounds like fun. Do let us know if your pee turns red (just a thought).

anyway, I do like beetroot, but i am not all that sure that i could eat enough of them to constitute a diet, but good luck to you


at the moment i would try just about anything, so why not beetroot ?

raglet

[HelenS]

i love beetroot but have read that you should avoid them if you have a history of kidney stones. pickled beets, yum. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/coffee.gif

[Babybelle]

Hi Deborah

How are things going on the East coast of Scotland? I'm on an island on the north west coast. We have awful weather here, gales and rain, but it always seems to be much milder (but colder on the east).

Anyway, I also read an article about Beetroot Juice, being good for Lupus symptoms. It was an articule in the Sunday post or Herald by Dr Jan de Vries back in January of this year. He is very well know in Scotland, so perhaps you have heard of him. I was actually treated by his wife about 10 years ago (complimentary therapy), but I have to say, I was pretty scared of her. As far as I am aware, Jan de Vries now has a clinic running in Glasgow and also in Troon (or just near there). Im sure you would be able to find out more about the Beetroot Juice idea, on his website (not sure what it is though). We writes weekly in the sunday papers (can't remember if it the Sunday post or Herald). I'm sure he will have a website or something.

Take care

style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wavey.gif

[Deborah Rumbles]

style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Thanx.gif Hi and thanks for your reply's, also thanks to Babybell as you have made me realise that I was obvisouly not going mad, as you back me up,Cheers.But as for the Beetroot I am so fed up of it, that if I see another I will chuck..SERIOUSLY. Anyway I'm not very well at the moment and have yet another Alien attatched to me, like before a nasty infection of the skin, Dr now gave it a name "Hidradentis Suppurativa" and I have no energy as I have been on so many antibiotics,hope you are all as well as can be expected. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/highfive.gif And Yes my pee was redishy...