Time to Thrive in 2025!

“Our job is not to deny the story, but to defy the ending-to rise strong, recognize our story, and rumble with the truth until we get to a place where we think, Yes, this is what happened. This is my truth.  And I will choose how this story ends.” - Brene Brown, Rising Strong 

With a new year comes new opportunities to make positive choices that will help improve our emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. Here are some areas to consider, pulled from our favorite reliable sources (WHO, CDC, LFA, and lupusencycopedia.com)

Don’t smoke: Smoking tobacco can cause fatal conditions such as lung disease, heart disease, and stroke. Smoking also increases the risk of SLE inflammation, more organ damage, and earlier death from lupus. Certain medication benefits, including the “lupus life-insurance policy” hydroxychloroquine, are canceled out when tobacco is introduced to the system, making patients more susceptible to systemic organ inflammation like nephritis.  Lastly, tobacco kills not only the direct smokers but even non-smokers through second-hand exposure.

Clean your hands!   Lupus affects the immune system, sometimes limiting the body’s ability to fight bacteria, viruses, and other microbes that can cause illness. Also, many people with lupus take immunosuppressive medicines to control their overactive immune system. These drugs can limit the ability of your body’s immune system to respond and can leave you more open to infectious agents. Unfortunately, influenza A, B, and norovirus are still affecting people at an alarming rate this season. Hand hygiene is critical not only for health workers but for everyone. Clean hands can prevent the spread of infectious illnesses. You should handwash using soap and water when your hands are visibly soiled or hand-rub using an alcohol-based product. 

Take Vitamin D:  Make 2025 the year you commit to treating Vitamin D like a life-saving medication…. because it is.  Low levels of Vitamin D are associated with worse disease outcomes, depression, and even more significant COVID-19 symptoms and fatality! Lupus patients are prone to deficiency, so it's time to dial up the D! Vitamin D deficiency is extremely common in lupus patients, with more than 50% of lupus patients having deficient levels and severe deficiency levels (less than 10ng/ml).   There are many suspected reasons for this, including how lupus primarily affects people of color, and darker skin is associated with lower vitamin D levels.  Also, lupus patients who are overweight due to chronic steroid use and inactivity tend to have lower levels as well because fat cells can dissolve vitamin D.   Lastly, and this is a big one, most lupus patients have some level of photosensitivity, and the avoidance of the sun can cause those already low vitamin D numbers to sink even lower.

“Exercise is as important to living as eating and sleeping.”  - Don Thomas, Jr. M.D., author of The Lupus Encyclopedia

Try moving. The benefits of safe and effective exercises not only include weight control but also can decrease blood clots, decrease bad cholesterol, increase good cholesterol, lower blood sugar, improve lung function, help maintain healthy blood pressure, increase muscle mass, support bone density, improve sleep, reduce anxiety and depression, help with pain associated with joint stiffness and muscle cramps, help your lymphatic system, and even help your gut! 

Common Questions About Lupus and Exercise:

• Will people think I’m cured if they see me being physically active? This is something we never talk about.  But, let’s go there.  Public opinion can be Public Enemy No. 1 which stops you from becoming or staying physically active if you live with lupus.  People ALREADY have a hard time understanding an “invisible illness” like lupus.  What will they think if they see you or learn that you are (ominous chord) WORKING OUT?!?  Here’s the bottom line.  You have one life to live.  And you cannot squander it trying to make other people understand your life.  As Taylor Swift says, “The haters are gonna hate.” This is true.  People are going to say what they are going to say.  And don’t you dare feel guilty about taking care of yourself.  If they ask, hit them with the facts.  Exercise is life-enhancing and lifesaving.

• Am I going to make myself sicker if I work out? Based on studies by the NIH not likely! Studies have shown that patients with low physical capacity were less physically active, exercised less, and had more pain and depressive symptoms than those who reported a high capacity.  In another study, the effects of an exercise training program on lupus cells were assessed in response to exercise in women with SLE and women without SLE. After a 12-week aerobic exercise program, there was a noticeable difference in some individuals, which revealed that exercise benefits the immune system and does not trigger inflammation in lupus, even if the individual is going through a flare-up.  That being said, obviously, you know your body best and it is important to listen to your body's signals.

• If I cannot afford a gym, how am I going to get in shape? You can build a stronger body and have more energy—no gear required! Low-impact exercises are effective and less stressful on the body and can be done from the convenience of your own home!  Here are some great exercises to try, that won’t cost you a thing.  Confession… I don’t have a gym membership.  I dance, stretch, and strengthen… in my dusty old garage. It is free and just fine.

  
  

Use Sunscreen: Photosensitivity is listed by the American College of Rheumatology as one of the 11 criteria associated with a lupus diagnosis. It is defined as a varying sensitivity to ultraviolet rays (UVA/UVB) that come from the sun and other sources (i.e. fluorescent lights, tanning beds, nail salons). It is estimated that two-thirds of people with lupus have increased sensitivity to ultraviolet rays, either from sunlight or from artificial inside light.

Photosensitivity can affect those with all forms of lupus, but according to the National Institute of Health, primarily exacerbates symptoms in widespread cutaneous lupus erythematosus and systemic lupus erythematosus.  A high percentage of lupus patients live with photosensitivity. It is imperative to ALWAYS guard yourself with a safe and effective form of sunscreen to ensure those UVA and UVB rays are not causing damage to your skin or flaring your lupus.  Most doctors would recommend using at least an SPF of 70 or above that blocks both UVA and UVB rays. 

It is essential to apply a generous layer of sunscreen (shot glass full) every 60 minutes, especially if you are in and out of water.  According to the American College of Dermatology, it takes approximately 15 minutes for your skin to absorb the applied sunscreen.  So apply indoors and set a timer, because your skin will not be protected until absorbed and you can get burned. 

Remember, your skin is at risk from those harmful UV rays every time you venture outside, even if there is cloud coverage, so this summer, no matter what the forecast, make sure you wear sunscreen. Regarding the right brand, it is always important to speak with your doctor about your skin and what will work best for you.

I like this one from Neutrogena.  

Read "The Lupus Encyclopedia" By Dr. Don Thomas, M.D., FACP, FACR:  Every lupus patient must have a copy of this book.  This is the BEST comprehensive guide for patients and families.  In my opinion, it is worth its weight in gold.  Make this the year that you have this exceptional resource by your side to help guide you thrive in 2025. 

“Gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” - G.K. Chesterton 

Start A Gratitude Journal: Being grateful is the antidote to getting stuck in a suffering mindset in 2025.  Research on gratitude has shown that people who regularly practice gratitude experience improvements in their physical, psychological, and social well-being. These benefits include stronger immune systems, reduced stress, decreased depression, lower blood pressure, better sleep, and increased feelings of joy, optimism, and happiness.  Take a moment every day to count your blessings and not your calamities. Here is a great template to get you started.  

Improve Your Sleep Hygiene: Struggle with restless sleep? You are not alone. More than half of SLE patients have a sleep disorder that can cause fatigue. Most people fall into certain sleep habits that may be hindering good sleep hygiene.  For more tips on improving sleep hygiene, check out this blog from www.lupusencyclopedia.com 

“I wasn’t unnatural after all; the cultural attitude that taught me so was the real abomination.  My body, I realized, was an opportunity.  It was political. It moved the world just by existing.  What a gift.”

Read “More Than a Body.” Let 2025 be the year that you ROCK WHAT YOU’VE GOT!  You are given one life to live, and too many of us squandered our days away in 2024 hiding ourselves because we were ashamed of the unsatisfactory image, we think we reflect.  We think we cannot start living until we reach a certain goal weight, our skin clears up, or our hair grows back.  We are constantly rejecting ourselves.  Enough is enough.  Time to shine. 

Be Intentional with Your Time and Energy: “Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.” - William Penn.   We have a finite number of days on this earth, and it is up to us to use them wisely.  Time is our most valuable commodity. Use it well.  And remember that it’s quality not quantity that counts.  Keep it simple and connect with your loved ones in a way that makes sense for your lifestyle and relationships.  Share mealtime together, play a game, be silly, have conversations without technology interruptions.  It is important to take technology time-outs:  In the past decade, since the innovation of the smartphone and social media platforms, there has been an increase in depression and anxiety.  We are constantly in stimulus overload, and it can cloud our minds and pick away at what’s really important.  REAL relationships.  Time to take a technology time-out.  Put your phone away for a few hours a day.  Go outside and get some fresh air and leave the iPhone indoors.

Eat The Right Foods for Your Body!  Try keeping a food journal and tracking how you feel after meals.  Think about trying the Mediterranean Diet! This meal plan is high in fruits and vegetables, as well as healthy fatty foods like fish, nuts, and olive oil.  Research has shown that the traditional Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of heart disease.  Since cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in SLE, it is important to be proactive in protecting your heart.  

Improve Your Health Literacy: If you want to take an active role in managing your illness, it is important to have a basic understanding of what is happening to your body.  It is also important to understand what medications you are taking, potential side effects, and research lab results.  Improving your health literacy helps improve communication between you and your healthcare team.   If you are looking for ways to improve your health literacy, start here.

Find the things that bring you joy!!!! Is there a class you have been yearning to take?  Reconnecting with an old passion or taking time to improve a craft or skill is not only a stress reliever but life-giving!   

Today is the first day of the rest of your life! Time to put the joy back where it belongs.  Your lupus should not be a deterrent - it should be a catalytic reminder to not waste a single day of your one wild and precious life. Happy New Year!!! 

Written By:

Kelli (Casas) Roseta

 **All resources provided by this blog are for informational purposes only, not to replace the advice of a medical professional. Kelli encourages you to always contact your medical provider with any specific questions or concerns regarding your illness.   All intellectual property and content on this site and in this blog is owned by morethanlupus.com.  This includes materials protected by copyright, trademark, or patent laws. Copyright, More Than Lupus 2025.

January 2025