If you have spent sometime on this site, you will most likely know by now that Churg-Strauss syndrome is a disease that causes inflammation of blood vessels; When this happens, the flow of blood into organs such as the skin and lungs is restricted. If the condition is not managed, it can cause permanent damage to these organs. Churg-Strauss syndrome mostly affects individuals with a history of allergy or asthma; and numbness, weakness, weight loss, fatigue and inflammation of the nasal passage are some of the key symptoms of this disease. However, the signs vary among different patients, so the only way to accurately diagnose the disease is by going for testing.
While the treatment available for Churg-Strauss syndrome can help alleviate the symptoms, it's important to consume a healthy diet and also take food supplements so as to help handle the side effects that may result from the medication. Vitamin D can be particularly useful since it strengthens the bones and therefore helps prevent possible fractures. Though, it's important for a patient to consult their doctor before starting to use any supplements.
Churg Strauss can lead to mouth sores, poor appetite and diarrhea, and this means that it can greatly impact nutrition. Therefore, any patient experiencing such problems should eat at least every 2 hours to ensure that the body is provided with the required nutrients. Ideally, the meals should have high protein content - foods such as beans, nuts, poultry and eggs can be very helpful. In addition to a protein-rich diet, beverages such as juices, milk, sports drinks and smoothies provide the body with energy, and they can therefore be of great use to someone experiencing fatigue. Fruits and vegetables are also good for patients with Churg-Strauss Syndrome because they help to stabilize blood sugar.
Mouth sores can be quite difficult to deal with since they may hinder the patient from consuming any food, even when they have an appetite. To deal with such a problem, a patient should eat soft foods such as mashed potatoes, creamy soups, yoghurt and smoothies.
While it's important to eat regularly, excessively sweet or spicy foods should be avoided. In addition, as much as patients can experience significant loss of appetite, it's crucial that they do not skip meals because doing so will only make the body weaker. However, fatty and fried foods can worsen diarrhea, therefore such foods shouldn't be incorporated in meals. In the same way, most of the drugs used in treating Churg Strauss syndrome can lead to nausea and vomiting, and this is why it's important for a patient to eat small meals throughout the day, the patient should never stay with an empty stomach. Also, a patient should drink lots of fluids to deal with the water loss that comes with diarrhea.
The diet and supplements consumed can have a great impact on a Churg-Strauss patient's treatment; they can facilitate easier management of the disease. Still, it's important for a patient to exercise in order to keep their body weight in check, mainly because some of the medications for the disease can lead to weight gain. Exercises can also help stimulate appetite. Other than that, any smoker suffering from the disease should quit smoking because a smoking habit already causes bad effects on a healthy system, and it can only make things worse for someone with a health problem. Churg-Strauss syndrome can be fatal, but with consistent monitoring and treatment, the symptoms can be abated.