I remember meeting a lot of people who had Lupus while I served a church-related service mission for 2 years.  I was in Cleveland, Ohio and met a lot of people – men, but mostly women, who had Lupus.

I didn’t know much about it then, but have learned more about it since that time.  It turns out that 35% of the population with Lupus are also Obese and are in desperate need to lose weight because of Lupus.  It also turns out that about 5 million people in the United States have some form of Lupus.

It’s not entirely clear which came first – Obesity and then Lupus or Lupus and then Obesity.  In various studies, Obesity and Lupus are almost always co-morbidities; that is, they usually appear together.

So, in this series, we’ll investigate the Lupus condition, the people affected by it, how Obesity is involved, how to manage it, and also stories from people suffering from Lupus.

Specifically, in this series on Obesity and Lupus, we’ll cover:

1. What is Lupus?
2. Causes of Lupus
3. Treatment of Lupus
4. Economic Impact of Lupus
5. Demographics of Lupus
6. Lupus and Women
7. Lupus and Men
8. Lupus and African Americans
9. Lupus and Children
10. Lupus and Skin
11. Lupus Medication and Lupus Drugs (Human Genome Sciences)
12. Lupus and Natural Remedies
13. Lupus and Side Effects of Medication
14. Lupus Support Groups
15. Lupus and Obesity
16. Lupus and Exercise
17. Lupus and Quality of Life
18. Lupus and Depression

Each of the topics above will be an individual well-researched blog post.  We want to provide the best available information on Lupus so you can better manage and take full control over your situation.

I’m hoping that as I learn more about Lupus, it wide-ranging effects and the relationship between Lupus and Obesity, you will come to learn also and benefit from these articles.

Our aim at ThriveBetter.com is to empower you to choose health and to choose happiness.

What is Lupus?

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disorder. It may affect the skin, joints, kidneys, and other organs.

Symptoms vary and may come and go.  Lupus might affect one organ or body system at first.  Others may become involved later. Almost all people with Lupus (SLE) have joint pain and most develop arthritis.  Frequently affected joints are the fingers, hands, wrists, and knees.

In general, Lupus symptoms might include the following:

• Arthritis
• Fatigue
• Fever
• General discomfort, uneasiness or ill feeling (malaise)
• Joint pain and swelling
• Muscle aches
• Nausea and vomiting
• Pleural effusions
• Pleurisy (causes chest pain)
• Psychosis
• Seizures
• Sensitivity to sunlight
• Skin rash — a “butterfly” rash over the cheeks and bridge of the nose affects about half of those with SLE. The rash gets worse when in sunlight. The rash may also be widespread.
• Swollen glands
• Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease:
• Abdominal pain
• Blood disorders, including blood clots
• Blood in the urine
• Coughing up blood
• Fingers that change color upon pressure or in the cold
• Hair loss
• Mouth sores
• Nosebleed
• Numbness and tingling
• Red spots on skin
• Skin color is patchy
• Swallowing difficulty
• Visual disturbance

Stay tuned.  Our next article will discuss the possible Cause of Lupus.