Best Natural Remedies for Sjogren’s Syndrome

Sjogren’s Syndrome is a chronic disorder in which the immune system attacks saliva and tear glands. But most people don’t know that Sjogren syndrome has natural treatments, too.

As it is an autoimmune disorder, the immune system attacks the healthy cells and tissues and causes skin, lip, mouth, and eye dryness. You can manage the symptoms by following a healthy diet. However, some foods might aggravate the condition. When organic meat, omega-3 fatty acids, fruits, and vegetables are healthy foods, red meat, artificial sweeteners, high glycemic foods, and trans fats are detrimental.

The worst thing about this autoimmune disorder is that there is no permanent cure and the best part is that you can manage most of the symptoms at home. We will cover all the possible ways to reduce the symptoms of this autoimmune disorder. We will discuss both healthy and unsupportive foods, and we will enable you to understand this condition more so that you can prepare yourself for all the challenges ahead.

Sjogren Syndrome Natural Treatments

Here are the natural remedies you can consider for different symptoms of Sjogren’s disorder.

USE COCONUT AND FLAXSEED OILS

You can use organic coconut oil to heal itchy and dry eyes. The oil will moisturize your skin and treat the condition naturally. However, you will have to avoid rubbing your eyes since rubbing can scratch the cornea. You can add omega-3 fatty acid foods to your diet to treat eye dryness and itching. You can eat one tablespoon of cold-pressed, organic, and high-quality flaxseed oil every day and get relief from inflammation. Also, you can apply medical-grade fatty-acid oils to the itching area. Oils will prevent dryness and can help with immediate benefits.

PREPARE YOUR MINT BALM

You can have dry lips due to Sjogren’s Syndrome, and dry lips can cause discomfort and pain. The lack of saliva causes dry lips, and you can make a lavender lip balm to cure this condition. The solution is all-natural, and you can get immediate soothing relief. You can prepare your lip balm with shea butter, beeswax, coconut oil, peppermint essential oil, and lavender essential oil. Besides, you need a few steps to make your natural solution. Get a small pot and use it over medium-low heat. The heat will melt coconut oil, shea butter, and beeswax. Once melted, remove the mix from heat and add peppermint and lavender oil. Mix the ingredients properly and pour the homemade lip balm into a thick glass or metal container. Allow it to cool down, and you can use it for your dry lips.

DRINK CINNAMON OIL, HONEY, & LEMON TEA

As supported by research studies, cinnamon oil has excellent anti-candida properties, and it can be the best for candida infections. You can make it more effective by adding honey and lemon. You can add lemon, cinnamon oil, and honey to your tea and drink a couple of cups every day when the symptoms are persistent. While preparing tea, use warm water, not boiling water. Allow the lemon slice to sit in your tea for four to five minutes. Stir your tea, remove the lemon slice, and add six to eight drops of cinnamon oil and one teaspoon of raw honey.

AVOID SMOKY AND WINDY SPACES

You might have realized that smoke and wind aggravate the symptoms of Sjogren’s disorder. However, you can avoid those spaces and use a humidifier at your workplace and home. It will help to maintain indoor moisture. Moreover, you will have to limit your exposure to the screen since screen exposure can cause eye dryness and itching. The symptoms will be more when you will have Sjogren’s disorder. Clean your eyelids regularly and wear sunglasses while exploring outside.

CONSIDER AROMATHERAPY

According to study reports, aromatherapy can improve skin health, reduce fatigue, and address sleep issues. You can use some essential oil in your humidifier to get this benefit. While using oil for improved sleep, you can consider lavender. However, you can use rose oil and lemon oil for your skin health. Most of these oils will boost your mood and mental clarity. You can combine a few when looking for more benefits.

SAY NO TO ACIDIC FOODS

You will have to sip water whenever possible to maintain moisture inside your mouth. This simple step can be helpful for a dry mouth and similar conditions. Moreover, you can avoid acidic foods and beverages, including coffee, sports drinks, alcohol, and colas. All these are harmful to your mouth and can aggravate dry mouth symptoms. Acidic foods can be detrimental to your oral health and can harm enamel. However, you can consider moist foods, including soups, to preserve your saliva. You can sip beef bone broth throughout the day to maintain moisture inside the mouth. These steps will improve your GERD symptoms, relieve inflammation, and support healthy joints and skin.

PRACTICE OIL PULLING

A dry mouth can impact your oral health and lead to other complications. It will damage your gums and tooth enamel, and you can develop gum diseases and cavities. You will have to maintain good oral hygiene to prevent such conditions. Moreover, you can practice coconut oil pulling to detoxify your mouth. You can do oil pulling every day to maximize the benefits. This simple practice can treat and prevent tooth decay, reduce inflammation, kill bad breath, and cure throat and mouth dryness.

FOLLOW A HEALTHY DIET

As stated earlier, the diet will have a determining role, and you can minimize the impact with a healthy diet. You can increase the consumption of omega-3 fatty acid foods and fight inflammation and dryness naturally. As supported by study reports, omega-3 fatty acids can improve mood, reduce muscle and joint pain, and boost heart health. While having Sjogren’s syndrome, you can add ground flaxseeds, natto, walnut, and wild-caught salmon to your diet.

EAT VITAMIN C

You will have to increase your Vitamin C intake to 1,000 milligrams. Vitamin C and healthy fatty acids together can reduce the symptoms of this condition. They can improve dry mouth and dry eyes in patients.

GET PLENTY OF SUNLIGHT

According to a study report, vitamin D deficiency in Sjogren’s syndrome patients can increase the risk of some diseases, including lymphoma and neuropathy. Both these conditions are life-threatening, and you will have to prevent them by adding an adequate amount of vitamin D to your diet. Some vitamin D-rich foods are mackerel, salmon, and wild halibut. Also, you can have plenty of direct sunlight every day.

WHAT IS SJOGREN’S SYNDROME

As discussed earlier, it is an autoimmune disorder. Your immune system will cause this condition and lead to inflammation and dryness. You can experience this disorder when your tear glands, saliva glands, and other exocrine glands produce less saliva and tear. When there is less saliva and tear production, you will have dryness in your upper respiratory tract, nose, skin, eyes, vagina, and mouth. Systemic lupus erythematosus, primary biliary cholangitis, and rheumatoid arthritis make more susceptible to this condition. Yes, other autoimmune disorders will increase your risk.

Additionally, Sjogren’s has two types, primary and secondary. You can have the primary Sjogren’s without the autoimmune disorder, but the secondary condition can come alongside other issues. The symptoms of both types are the same, and the earliest and the most noticeable ones are dryness in your mouth and eyes.

Sjogren’s has no cure, and it can lead to severe complications without proper treatment. The objective of treatments is to manage symptoms and enable patients to live a quality life without being much affected by this autoimmune disorder.

You can get Sjogren’s at any age, but the risk is more after forty years, and women are more susceptible to this condition. More than ninety percent of patients are female, and some men can have this condition without being aware of it.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS

The symptoms will vary from person to person. However, the most common symptoms are dry and itchy eyes, dry and burning mouth, tooth decay and gum diseases, dry skin and rashes, and dry lips.

Other symptoms are lung infections, difficulty in swallowing, and mouth sores. You might experience heartburn, dry cough, and dryness in the mouth. Every patient will not get the same symptoms, and some symptoms might resolve without any treatment.

CAN FOODS MANAGE SYMPTOMS & IMPROVE CONDITIONS

Yes, some foods can reduce the symptoms of this disorder, and a few can worsen your condition. Therefore, you will have to be careful about your diet to manage inflammation and dryness. As discovered by studies, around ninety percent of patients experience gastrointestinal challenges, and they keep struggling since there is no cure for this condition. You can follow a healthy diet to minimize the impact. Here are some foods you can add to your diet while having this autoimmune disorder.

ORGANIC MEAT

Organic meat has healthier fats, and you can go with grass-fed bison and beef to get more inflammatory properties. It is worth mentioning that Sjogren’s causes inflammation, and you can add some anti-inflammatory foods to your diet to manage symptoms naturally.

OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS

You can get omega-3 fatty acids from olive oil, avocados, nuts, and fish. All of them have anti-inflammatory properties.

COLORFUL FRUITS & VEGETABLES

You will have to add many colorful fruits and vegetables to your diet. Some of the best examples are green, orange, red, and yellow fruits. Also, they will have anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. All these will address inflammation and dryness.

SPICES

Some spices, including turmeric and garlic, have anti-inflammatory properties. You can have them in your diet to reduce symptoms related to gastrointestinal issues.

HIGH-FIBER

You can have some high fiber foods, including oats, quinoa, kidney beans, and lentils, in your diet. You will get the required amount of fiber and nutrients. Also, these foods can ease inflammation.

These foods can reduce symptoms of Sjogren’s, and you can experience fewer complications. However, some foods can affect negatively and worsen your conditions.

Foods To Avoid With Sjogren’s Syndrome

TRANS FATS

Most fast and fried foods will have trans fats, and you need to avoid them in your diet. Trans fats will increase the risk of heart disease and worsen the symptoms of your autoimmune disorder. These fats will have noticeable inflammatory effects, and you will experience many health issues.

RED MEAT

Red meat will have arachidonic acid, and it is a kind of fat with inflammatory properties. You will have to replace it with organic options. The grass-fed options will have healthy fats. As a result, you can expect anti-inflammatory benefits.

HIGH GLYCEMIC FOODS

Some foods will have a high glycemic index that can spike blood sugar levels quickly. As a result, you can experience more inflammation from Sjogren’s.

ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS

If you have this autoimmune disorder, you will have to avoid artificial sweeteners. They will trigger inflammation and cause pain and dryness. Therefore, you will have to limit yourself to natural sweeteners.

DAIRY

Dairy products can cause inflammation in those having autoimmune disorders, including Sjogren’s. Lactose and saturated fat in dairy products can lead to inflammation.

Apart from a healthy diet, you can consider some natural remedies for Sjogren’s disorder. The benefit of natural remedies is that you will not experience any side effects. Also, you will find home remedies easy to follow and cost-effective.

WRAPPING IT UP

There is no cure for Sjogren’s, but you can improve the quality of your life with a few simple and natural steps. Make sure that you are following a healthy diet, and this is a must if you want to avoid complications. Otherwise, you might have cavities, vision problems, neuropathy, lymphoma, and cornea damage. A few patients get lymphoma, and you will have to be careful to avoid such a deadly complication. If you notice any abnormal swelling in your neck, face, and underarm glands, evaluate it by a doctor immediately. Early treatment will prevent further complications and reduce medical costs as well.

Use natural eye drops and lip balms, and you can prepare a tea with cinnamon oil, honey, and lemon. Also, sip water throughout the day and use a humidifier in your room. Increase the intake of omega-3 fatty acid foods, vitamin C, and D. A few simple steps will improve the quality of your life.