When the legendary Venus Williams was diagnosed with Sjogren’s in 2011, it sent shock waves throughout the tennis industry and the world.
Seems Venus is doing well these days, which is good to hear, but it occurred to me:
How are the other five million Americans getting on? And what about the approximately three million other Americans who have yet to be diagnosed? Why do doctors think it’s on the rise?
And is the tragic standard American diet responsible for the increase?
Turns out that while there isn’t a cure for Sjogren’s syndrome, there are treatments available to help control the symptoms which include:
- vaginal, eye, and mouth dryness
- numbness and tingling in the extremities such as the hands and feet
- muscle aches and pains
- word retrieval issues
- fatigue
While there are other symptoms, with these alone it’s easy to see why Sjogren’s is often mistaken for multiple sclerosis and other auto-immune diseases like lupus.
So back to the standard American diet—which I really do think is tragic—and responsible for the vast majority of what ails us. I found some really intriguing information from the Clark’s Nutrition website.
Surprisingly, you’ll not only find nutritional information about what’s really considered a “healthy diet,” but you’ll also find lifestyle tips, protocol and alternative medicines, and disease information.
Who knew, right?
After all, it was Hippocrates who said, “Let food by thy medicine and medicine by thy food.”
Do you think that poor nutrition – processed foods and trans-fats – play a role in the development of Sjogren’s? If you have been diagnosed with Sjogren’s, I’d welcome your feedback—especially if you’ve had luck in treating your symptoms by adopting a whole foods, plant-based diet.
