Much of the evidence relating food allergies to lupus is anecdotal. Yet throughout the world doctors are making profound connections between the food we eat and the whole family of immune system breakdowns.

It has been shown that a combination of subtotal fasting for 7-10 days plus a subsequent one year vegetarian diet, seems to be a useful supplement to conventional treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (Lancet, 1991; 338: 899-904; Am Rheum Dis, 1983; 42: 45-51).Evidence is also beginning to trickle in about the benefits of a low protein, low fat diet in those with SLE (Lancet, May 1992, Vol 339). It is unfortunate that most of the studies into diet and SLE have been conducted on animals, yet even here there evidence is strong (J Gerson Inst, 1992;8(1-2):22-8). Those studies which do exist in humans have shown a strong correlation between fatty acids and the inflammatory process (Arth Rheum, 1990; 33:810-20). A vegetarian diet has been shown to lower an individual's fatty acid profile (Am J Clin Nutr, 1990; 51:585-95).

In addition, there is research to show that certain amino acids such as phenylalanine and tyrosine can cause flare ups of discoid lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and progressive systemic scelrosis (AMA Archs Dermatol, 1959; 80: 46-77).

This seems to square with the findings of Dr. Chris Reading in Sydney, Australia. He also believes that when someone is highly allergic to grains, milk, eggs, beef and yeast, the substances which actually do the damage are what he calls "subfractions" components of these foods such as the gluten, alphagliaden, alphacasien, secalin and hordein in grains and yeast and alphalactalbumins and betalactoglobulins in milk eggs and beef (see Chris Reading and Ross Meillon, Your Family Tree Connection, Keats, 1984).