Were you diagnosed with Guillain-Barré? Only one to two per 100,000 people end up with this rare syndrome.
It can cause devastating effects on a person’s physical and mental well-being. Fortunately, nutritional changes can improve your quality of life.
Read on to learn more about this disease and how to implement the Guillain-Barré syndrome diet.
What Is Guillain-Barré Syndrome?
Guillain-Barré syndrome is an autoimmune disorder. This means that the body recognizes its own cells’ antigens as foreign.
With this syndrome, your own antibodies attack your nerves. It leads to pain, weakness, and often paralysis.
Guillain-Barré Syndrome Symptoms
A set of specific symptoms come with this disorder.
It begins with pins and needle sensations in the extremities as the nerves are under attack. This may turn into excruciating pain. As the nerves get damaged, you will experience weakness.
Enough damage to the nerve plexus leads to partial or full paralysis. If the diaphragm becomes paralyzed, it makes breathing without life support impossible.
What Causes Guillain-Barré Syndrome?
Nobody knows why the body’s immune system turns on its own cells with this disorder. But, we do know some of the triggers.
Falling ill with the flu or other respiratory illness may bring it on. Guillian-Barré syndrome also occurs in some cases after a diarrheal infection with campylobacter.
Treatment and Prevention
No cure yet exists for anyone receiving a Guillain-barré syndrome diagnosis. But, Guillain-Barré syndrome treatment can help stop the progression and even reverse many of the effects. Prevention strategies can also improve your outlook and help prevent relapse.
Plasmapheresis
This Guillain-Barré syndrome treatment essentially cleans out your bloodstream. Plasmapheresis separates and removes the plasma, which is the liquid portion of your blood.
A colloid fluid then replaces it. This removes the antibodies attacking your nerve cells.
Immunoglobulin (Ig) Therapy
Plasma contains immunoglobulin cells that help fight infection. With Guillian-Barré syndrome, your body makes enough, but they turn against you.
Ig therapy fills your blood with these special cells from a healthy donor. This can help your immune system to function normally on stop the nerve attack.
Guillain-Barré Syndrome Diet
Food provides chemicals that the body needs to develop and function. When we eat, digestion breaks it down into basic units that attach to specific receptors and drive everything.
Health often suffers when the food we eat does not match our needs. Changing your diet may help your immune system heal and prevent a relapse of Guillain-Barré syndrome.
The attack on your nerves can lead to painful inflammation. Foods that reduce inflammation include hot peppers, turmeric, and olive oil. Reduce foods that cause inflammation, like simple carbs, soda, and red meat.
Fruits and vegetables provide water, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals that help your body remain healthy and fight off disease.
Eat a variety and make your diet colorful. Each color provides a different set of nutrients and phytochemicals to nourish your body.
Improve Your Quality of Life
Guillain-Barré hits out of nowhere and can cause physical devastation. It also indirectly impacts your mental well-being, as it creates great struggles and fear. The Guillain-Barré syndrome diet can help you feel physically better while easing your mind.
Recovering from this syndrome also requires physical efforts to rebuild strength and motion. Find tips on our fitness page that may help you move forward with your recovery!
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