Did you know that 1.5 million Americans have been diagnosed with Lupus? Not only that but there are 16,000 new cases diagnosed each year! When more than 5 million individuals struggling with Lupus worldwide you would think more people would know about it. However, with Lupus being ranked as one of the top 20 leading causes of death in females ages 5 to 64 it is something that needs to be discussed.

Enemy Thy Name Is Lupus

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that comes with a variety of health issues. Some of the most common symptoms are fatigue, fever, joint pain, shortness of breath, chest pain, dry eyes, headaches, memory loss, white or blue fingers when cold, and the most well-known a butterfly face rash. However, it also affects the lungs, skin, kidneys, blood cells, joints, brain, and heart in a number of ways. Unfortunately, because so many of the signs and symptoms are extremely common for numerous health issues it makes diagnosing Lupus extremely difficult to diagnose.

Warning Signs To Look Out For

Given that these signs and symptoms, when left untreated, start to break down our kidneys, liver, lungs, and blood cells, and more early diagnosis is critical to prevent any damage. Lupus is an autoimmune disease that affects women more than men. This is largely due to the fact that estrogen increases our body’s immune response. As women naturally cycle and produce their own estrogen, their levels are already higher than men. However, with all the estrogen-based chemicals we are now exposed to the majority of us are experiencing estrogen dominance within our bodies. This has resulted in an increase in all autoimmune diseases.

Along with the high estrogen exposure, other risk factors can increase the odds of developing Lupus. Some of the most common contributing factors are medications such as blood pressure medication and antibiotics. Frequent infections can also put individuals at a higher risk of developing Lupus. Unfortunately, individuals dealing with multiple infections, including colds and flu, are much more likely to take antibiotics which can do even more damage to your body.

How to Help Your Body

So what can we do to leave and prevent developing Lupus? The best part is that doing one thing can check off all the boxes for preventing and supporting your overall health! Detoxing regularly helps your body purge any excess chemicals or hormones that have accumulated in your body. The best way to detox is by using primarily foods to help your body transition from season to season. One of the downsides to living in the United States is that we have access to food year-round. While it is nice to be able to get what you want when you want it. Forcing foods to grow outside of their normal season depleted them of nutrients. It also costs a lot more to produce.

Secrets Revealed 

Have you ever noticed how Europeans have much lower obesity and chronic illness rate? This is largely due to the fact that seasonal foods like fruits and vegetables are marginally higher than processed foods. These processed foods are slowly killing us and they are filling our bodies with chemicals designed to look like foods that further break down our bodies until we can no longer keep up the fight. The only thing we can do is eliminate as many toxins as possible from our bodies while preventing additional toxins from coming into our systems. We can do this by detoxing every other month and eating seasonal foods that are whole foods, meaning not processed. Detoxing through nutrition is by far the best way to assist our bodies and support our health with ease. Our bodies are designed to detox themselves, however, when they become overtaxed or overworked, they need help to do so.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas

Gluten-Free, Vegan, Serves 10

• 10 gluten-free vegan corn tortillas
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• 3 cups sweet potatoes cubed skin on
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 cups kale chopped
• 1/4 cup red enchilada sauce
• 2 Tbsp water
• 15 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed

Toppings:

• 3 cups red enchilada sauce
• 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
• 1/2 cup vegan sour cream
• 2 avocados sliced

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Roast sweet potatoes in oil, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until tender and slightly caramelized. Steam kale with 2 Tbsp water for 4-5 minutes and set aside. Add black beans to sweet potatoes and kale and stir to combine. Wrap tortillas in a damp cloth and microwave for 30 seconds. Coat the tortillas in 1/4 cup fill with 1/3 cup of the filling. Roll and top with more sauce. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350. Top with cilantro, sour cream, and avocado.

Chicken Fajita Pasta

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Serves 5

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast cubed
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 red onion sliced
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 7 oz gluten-free pasta
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 10 oz can Ro-Tel diced tomatoes & green chilies
• 2 bell peppers sliced
• 1/2 cup vegan sour cream
• 1 avocado cubed
• 2 Tbsp cilantro

Directions:

In a large skillet heat oil. Add in the chicken and seasonings. Cook until browned (5-6 minutes) stirring as needed. Remove chicken and add more oil, onions, garlic, peppers, salt, and pepper. Cook until soft and transfer to plate with chicken. To the pot add, broth, tomatoes, and pasta. Cook for 15 minutes or until tender. Transfer chicken and vegetables back into the pot. Heat for 2 minutes and stir in sour cream and cilantro. Top with avocado.

Date Squares

Gluten-Free, Vegan, Serves 16

Filling:

• 2 1/2 cups Dates pitted and chopped
• 1 cup water
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 Tbsp brown coconut sugar

Crisp:

• 1 3/4 cup oats
• 3/4 cup brown coconut sugar
• 1 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup vegan butter, softened

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. In a pot, bring the dates, water, lemon, and filling sugar to a boil. Add baking soda and simmer for 5 minutes, making sure to stir constantly. Continue to cook until the dates have fallen apart. In a bowl, combine oats, flour, sugar, and baking powder. Add the butter and combine. Spread half of the crisp in the baking dish and press down. Layer with the filling and cover with the remaining crisp. Press down lightly, before baking for 55 minutes or until the crisp is golden brown. Let cool for 4 hours before removing from dish to cut into 16 squares.

Curry Roasted Fennel Salad

Gluten-Free, Vegan, Serves 4

• 1 bulb fennel thinly sliced
• 5 cups salad greens
• 1 Tbsp curry powder
• 2 cups crispy chickpeas
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 6 Tbsp water
• 1 1/2 Tbsp coconut amino
• 1/2 Tbsp rosemary chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss fennel in oil, curry, salt, and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes or until golden brown. In a blender, combine all ingredients for dressing and pulse until well combined. To a large bowl add all the ingredients and toss (except for the dressing). Once combined portion out and dress the salad. For an added crunch you can add toasted walnuts to the mix.

Get Started Today

Keeping your body free of toxins and free radicals is necessary to maintain a healthy life and a healthy mind. There are tons of foods you can add to your regular diet to help your body with its critical detoxifying processes. If you are looking for a safe and all-natural way to detox your body at home be sure to check out my Balancing Abundance Program. Because detoxing is so important and realistically everyone should be doing it on at least a seasonal basis I have taken the time to put together a program to help you do just that. Here’s the thing, I know working with me one-on-one can seem difficult to get into (due to limited space) and I wanted to be able to give everyone an additional solution that has no limits. You deserve to be happy, healthy, and successful at everything you do so here are some recipes to help set you up for success!

 Need A Hand?

A happy and healthy life is closer than you may think. We all have to deal with our health daily, and when we don’t feel our best, it shows. If you are tired of just making it through your day, you NEED to start investing in your health today! You are not alone on this journey. If you ever need any help, I am always here to do just that. Even if it is something as small as acting as a sounding board, do you have any questions or concerns I can help you with? Feel free to contact me directly at [email protected], or you can even book a one-on-one call with me. Be sure to subscribe to gain access to tons of free goodies and check back daily for more great recipes and information!