Navigating Dietary Choices with Autoimmune Disorders

This chapter explores the intricate relationship between dietary habits and autoimmune disorders, highlighting the difficulties individuals encounter with processed foods. It underscores the significance of healthier food alternatives and the need for professional dietitian support to maintain nutritional health despite restrictions.

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In this episode of the Bendy Bodies Podcast, Dr. Linda Bluestein welcomes Dr. Kara Wada, an allergy and immunology expert, to explore Sjogren’s disease and its connection to hypermobility, dysautonomia, and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). They discuss why Sjogren’s is one of the most underdiagnosed autoimmune conditions, its symptoms beyond dryness, and how it intertwines with POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) and EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes). Dr. Wada also dives into Sjogren’s diagnostic challenges, emerging treatments, nutrition strategies, and the role of inflammation in fatigue and pain. Whether you’re navigating autoimmune symptoms or looking for practical tools to manage them, this episode is filled with expert insights and actionable advice.

Find this episode's transcript here:

https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/sjogrens-misdiagnosis-dr-kara-wada/

Takeaways:

Sjogren’s is Massively Underdiagnosed – Up to 75% of people with Sjogren’s remain undiagnosed, in part because its symptoms extend far beyond dryness and don’t always present in a textbook way.

Autoimmune Conditions & EDS Are Connected – Sjogren’s, POTS, and MCAS frequently overlap due to their shared impact on the immune and nervous systems, making diagnosis and treatment complex.

Dryness is Just the Beginning – Sjogren’s can cause neuropathy, fatigue, dysautonomia, gastrointestinal issues, and even a higher risk of lymphoma, making it more than just an inconvenience.

Current Treatments Are Limited but Improving – There are no FDA-approved medications specifically for Sjogren’s, but promising treatments are currently in phase 3 trials, offering hope for better management

Nutrition & Lifestyle Matter – Avoiding ultra-processed foods, prioritizing hydration, and incorporating anti-inflammatory nutrients can help manage symptoms and support immune function.

Connect with YOUR Hypermobility Specialist, Dr. Linda Bluestein, MD at https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/.

Thank YOU so much for tuning in. We hope you found this episode informative, inspiring, useful, validating, and enjoyable. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to level up your knowledge about hypermobility disorders and the people who have them.

Past Episodes:

https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/linking-mast-cell-activation-autoimmunity-and-eds/

https://www.drkarawada.com/podcasts/becoming-immune-confident/episodes/2148563154

Join YOUR Bendy Bodies community at https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/.

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Learn about Dr. Karen Wada

Twitter: @CrunchyAllergy

Instagram: @immuneconfidentmd

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FB: @KaraWadaMD