A Healthy Lifestyle could be Key to Better Managing Hidradenitis Suppurativa

In several scientific reports it has been observed that part of the means a person with hidradenitis suppurativa has, to manage their symptoms, is to make alterations to their lifestyle and diet. With a balanced hidradenitis suppurativa diet that means maintaining a healthy weight, cutting out sugars and dairy and cutting back in saturated fats, alcohol and foods in the nightshade family like tomatoes. In a study that looked at changes to the diet in the last 6 months, three-quarters of participants said they made changes to their diet. 31% said it made a noticeable difference. As well as dietary changes recommendations include quitting smoking, regular exercise and stress management. Here is a look at one person's lifestyle changes and what its impact was.

Every person with HS makes different changes with different degrees of success. In this case, a woman with HS, made changes to cut out all processed foods. She ate fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, lean meats. Foods she no longer consumes, or only rarely as a treat are things with gluten in them, dairy foods, added sugars, junk and fast foods and grains. If you would compare it to other diets out there it would look similar to a Paleo diet. After a few months of this kind of eating she reported having fewer flare-ups, and when they happened the symptoms were less severe.

Since being overweight exacerbates the symptoms she also exercises regularly. At first that was more limited as the symptoms were worse so movement was harder. Small steps, and building it up each day was the answer. Later she was able to head to a gym. She had to learn which exercises caused her flare-ups to return,  and which did not. While she was never a smoker she also started practicing other examples of healthier self-care actions. Limiting stress or learning to manage it, getting enough sleep, socializing to connect with people, talking to a therapist. As a result, along with the hidradenitis suppurativa diet she felt mentally stronger, had more energy and better physically than ever before.

There are a few diets that can reduce inflammation in the body. AIP is one example, Autoimmune Paleo Diet. This is like Paleo but has even more restrictions, and is about cutting out foods that cause inflammation and eating more foods that reduce it. This HS warrior has not yet tried AIP as a hidradenitis suppurativa diet but could see herself making a move to it as it is just a stricter version of what she eats. Should the flare-ups start getting worse again that will be her next step.

There is no one diet for everyone. Even when you find something that helps you manage your symptoms, the watching is not over. Keep going though and find what is right for you! 

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