Why does everyone else with Lupus seem so much sicker than me?

I'm no Wonder Woman, but I refuse to be defeated by Lupus.

I quite often get comments about how energized or productive I am compared to most people with Lupus and Rheumatoid arthritis. Sometimes I wonder about that myself. Why is it that I am coping so well while others seem to be fading away? Of course, I can't say what others are going through. They may very well be much sicker than I am, for one thing. But aside from that, here are some things I do to make sure I feel as well as I can for as long as I can.

I remain as active as possible.

As I said, some folks don't have a choice. Some days, neither do I. However, when I do feel well, I make sure to get up, move around and get things done. Sometimes I don't feel up to heavy labor. That's OK. I still get up once in a while to stretch or wash a few dishes or do a load of laundry. Before Lupus, I was a very hard working person. With Lupus, I try to keep that up as much as possible. Why? Because a sedentary lifestyle is deadly, whether you have a chronic illness or not.

I sleep when I need to.

I've never been much of a sleeper. However, I've learned that when you have a chronic illness, sometimes you need a nap in the middle of the day. Sometimes, I go to bed earlier than usual. I'm also careful not to drive when I'm tired because that can be deadly with Lupus. So, in other words, I work hard with Lupus, but I also know when to quit and rest.

I'm not a defeatist.

I try to see the bright side. Yes, there is one. I even blog about it in my “LupusLove” blog. Doing so keeps me focused on the positive. I feel that when people define themselves by their illness, confine themselves to a limited life, complain about it constantly and basically focus on their problems, it's self defeating.

Once again, I realize that some people have no choice in the matter. But as long as I do, I will focus on creating positive energy and solutions, rather than bemoaning my lot in life.

I take a crap ton of vitamins and I eat my veggies.

I believe a healthy diet can help improve many health issues. That's why they call it a healthy diet. Your body is designed to function normally when it has everything it needs. Granted, Lupus can be hereditary. Mine is and it's not going away, no matter what I eat. Still, eating junk instead of food can make it much worse. Therefore, it follows that eating right can help keep symptoms minimal.

I take a massive amount of Vitamin D. In fact, I take 10,000 units of D-3 daily. Doctor's orders, if it makes you feel any better. I did have a continual prescription until I found out it was cheaper to buy 5000 unit capsules over the counter and take 2 a day.

I take other supplements too. Among them are flaxseed oil and chia seeds for Omega proteins. I'm also on a mostly vegan diet, as meat and dairy can worsen inflammation and slow down digestion. I get the rest of my protein from nuts and legumes. I'm not all that into tofu, but I do eat it from time to time.

I eat mostly fruits, veggies, nuts, legumes and whole grains. I avoid GMO's whenever possible. I also buy organics whenever possible. I grow a lot of my own veggies to offset the cost of groceries and up the quality of the food I eat. Quality in = Quality out.

I have selective listening when it comes to medical advice.

What I mean is, I don't take everything my doctors recommend as the unvarnished truth. I don't just let them hand me a prescription and a pamphlet. I do my own research before taking any medication.

That's because in the past, I have had them give me a chemo drug without telling me that's what it was. It made me violently ill and actually worsened my symptoms. I've also had them give me other medications, assuring me they were safe, only to do the research and find they were risky as all get out and not safe at all.

I have also had doctors tell me that good nutrition wasn't really going to make a difference in the way I feel with Lupus or Rheumatoid. Seriously? They really need to start having doctors take more than the required 20-25 hours of nutritional training. Human beings need the proper fuel in order for their bodies to function properly. That's the whole reason for eating, after all. DUH!!!!!

Sick humans need even more nutrition in order to heal. This is just common sense to me. How about you?

So there you have it.

With Lupus, I remain as active as possible and eat well. I educate myself on the effects of my prescription meds. I take supplements for my particular nutritional needs and deficits. I sleep whenever I need to, even in the middle of the day. But I absolutely refuse to just lay around like a blob, waiting for the grim reaper. I have a life to live. And more importantly, I remain positive. Because once you lose hope, you lose your life.