YOU MAY BE MORE THAN JUST TIRED...

Health and wellness is a very important issue to me. Lupus is especially close to my heart; my mother has it (which she didn't find out until she gave birth to me), one of my linesisters has it, ex-boyfriend's managing editor (white woman) has it, and another linesister's fiance has it.

While Lupus tends to be more common in women of color, as you can see from the people I know, anyone can be born with it. Being tired all the time is just ONE of the many symptoms.

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can affect various parts of the body, including the skin, joints, heart, lungs, blood, kidneys and brain. Normally the body's immune system makes proteins called antibodies, to protect the body against viruses, bacteria, and other foreign materials. These foreign materials are called antigens.

In an autoimmune disorder like lupus, the immune system cannot tell the difference between foreign substances and its own cells and tissues. The immune system then makes antibodies directed against itself. These antibodies -- called "auto- antibodies" (auto means 'self') -- cause inflammation, pain and damage in various parts of the body.

Inflammation is considered the primary feature of lupus. Inflammation, which in Latin means "set on fire," is characterized by pain, heat, redness, swelling and loss of function, either on the inside or on the outside of the body (or both).

For most people, lupus is a mild disease affecting only a few organs. For others, it may cause serious and even life-threatening problems. Although epidemiological data on lupus is limited, studies suggest that more than 16,000 Americans develop lupus each year.

- Taken from the Lupus Foundation of America Website

The Lupus Foundation of America will host its February Webchat on Wed., February 13 at 3 p.m. Eastern. The topic is Women's Heart Health, and the guest moderator is Dr. Amy H. Kao from the University of Pittsburgh.

To learn more about the chat, visit http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_communitywebchats.aspx?articleid=517&zoneid=93.

To submit a question in advance, visit http://www.lupus.org/newsite/pages/submit_question.html.


Until next time. Stay aware of your health, maintain wellness and...

Be Seen at the Top!

xoxo
~Bettina