If you have scleroderma, in this article we will introduce you to substances that you should never consume. Scleroderma (systemic scleroderma) is a chronic autoimmune disorder in which the patient experiences hard, thickening, and tightening of the skin; in scleroderma, a person’s immune system mistakenly destroys tissues in the body, and when rebuilding damaged tissues, it does a lot of collagen production, which in turn leads to tightening of the skin.
what you will read next :
Clinical signs of scleroderma
These symptoms include the following:
- Skin changes that characterize systemic scleroderma: The skin becomes thick and shiny
- Calcium deposits and white lumps under the skin
- hair loss
- Raynaud’s phenomenon:
Severe contraction of small arteries in the fingers and toes, causing paleness, bruising, and redness of the fingertips in the face of stress and cold.
- joint’s pain
- Telangiectasia:
It contains small vessels under the skin that can be seen from the surface of the skin.
- Dry cough
- Shortness of breath
- Gastrointestinal symptoms:
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Difficulty swallowing
Types of scleroderma
- Systemic scleroderma:
- Limited type:
The skin is involved from the elbows and knees down as well as the head and neck
- Diffuse type:
In addition to the skin, other parts of the body can also be involved: lungs, all joints and especially the gastrointestinal tract
- Limited scleroderma(No organ involvement):
- Type Morpheus A: !!??
There are firm plaques on the skin
- Type Linea: !!??
There is linear firmness of the skin (sword wound) and sometimes only the skin of one half of the face tightens
Treatment of scleroderma
There is no complete cure for this disorder, but medications such as methotrexate, azathiopurine, and caffe cyclofosfamide can improve a person’s quality of life. Oxygen therapy for wounds is also used. People with scleroderma are better to avoid certain substances, which we will discuss in more detail
What substances should I avoid if I have scleroderma?
Clinical manifestations of scleroderma are the result of genetic interaction, the activity of your immune system, and environmental factors.
The exact cause of the symptoms in scleroderma is still unknown
Consumption of any oral agent that aggravates your symptoms should be discontinued. If you have scleroderma, it is best to avoid the following:
- Citrus
- tomato
- Cabbages
- broccoli
- Fresh peppers:
Perhaps the reason for avoiding the above is the richness of these foods in vitamin C. Vitamin C is required to make collagen.
- Garlic
- Onions, especially raw onions
- Peppers, especially raw peppers
- Eggplant
- Beans and any factor that causes bloating and increased gas production in the intestines
- Foods containing food colors
- Foods containing industrial preservatives
- Frozen food
- Fatty and fried snacks, chips and fast foods
- Sugar
- Limit caffeine intake
- Stop drinking alcohol and smoking
What are the important points in the consumption of foods in patients with scleroderma?
- Increase the number of meals per day and reduce the volume of each meal
- Drink water and keep yourself hydrated
- Use fresh food
- A person with scleroderma may have gastric acid reflux: In that case, stop drinking alcohol and smoking
- Do not eat fatty and spicy foods
- Eat two to three hours before bedtime and do not sleep immediately after eating
- Choose small meals and increase the frequency of meals, not the volume of meals
- If you have scleroderma and have difficulty swallowing:
- Replace soft and nutritious purees with solid and hard pieces.
- In general, it is best to talk to your doctor about your diet to prevent weight loss following loss of appetite and indigestion during scleroderma.
- Avoid nervous and emotional stress
- In not so cold weather, be sure to use warm clothes and thick and warm gloves to prevent Raynaud’s phenomenon.
- Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight