What to Eat on an Autoimmune + Sjogren’s Diet

While there’s no definitive diet for Sjogren’s, an anti-inflammatory diet may help. Learn what foods to eat to help you thrive with Sjogren’s & other autoimmune diseases.

This post on what to eat for a Sjogren’s diet is near and dear to my heart, as I was diagnosed with Sjogren’s in 2003. I’ve learned a lot through research, plus trial and error, about what to eat for Sjogren’s.

My goal with this post is to encourage and empower you to explore the potential benefits of nutrition as a complement to other medical therapies, so you can thrive with Sjogren’s and other autoimmune diseases too.

Please note this post is not meant to treat or diagnose any medical condition. You should always consult your healthcare provider to determine the best treatment.

What is Sjögren’s?

Sjögren’s (pronounced SHOW-grins) is a systematic autoimmune disease that affects the entire body. Hallmark symptoms of Sjögren’s include dry eyes & dry mouth, along with joint pain and fatigue.

My Sjogren’s story is slightly different, as I didn’t develop the dry eyes and mouth hallmark. Instead, my primary symptom was neuropathy, plus severe muscle aches, body rashes, exercise intolerance, and extreme fatigue.

In addition to these symptoms, Sjögren’s can lead to organ dysfunction. And those affected have a higher-than-average risk of developing lymphoma.

Even though it is relatively unheard of, Sjögren’s is one of the most common autoimmune diseases, affecting upward of 4 million Americans, mostly women. (Tennis superstar Venus Williams has Sjögren’s).

And, because symptoms often overlap with other autoimmune diseases, like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis, Sjogren’s usually takes 3+ years to be diagnosed.

As I share in my story, I feel INCREDIBLY fortunate to be in good health despite being diagnosed with Sjögren’s. But, many women {and men} suffer from extremely debilitating symptoms that greatly impact their daily living and quality of life.

Why Autoimmune + Sjogren’s Awareness is SO Important

• The NIH {National Institutes of Health} estimates that 23.5 million Americans have an autoimmune disease. This is slightly more than those with heart disease {up to 22 million}. And, ~ 2 1/2 times more than those with cancer {up to 9 million}.
• Despite this statistic, NIH funding for research for Sjögren’s and other autoimmune diseases {$591 million in 2003} falls way behind that for heart disease {$2.4 billion} and cancer {$6.1 billion}.
• BOTTOM LINE: We need more traditional and complementary research so better treatment options are available to help people affected with Sjögren’s and other autoimmune conditions thrive and live their healthiest lives.
• More awareness also brings more compassion. Most people living with an autoimmune disease will tell you their friends & family, although well-intentioned, don’t “get it”. Or, even worse, may not even believe they really are sick. The stress from this can add to symptoms and make things even worse.
• I hope that as more and more people learn about Sjögren’s and other autoimmune diseases, there will be more collaboration amongst healthcare professionals working with this population. And that this will lead to more funding to find better treatments for those affected.

What to Eat on an Autoimmune + Sjogren’s Diet

It’s not hard to imagine that, with a lack of funding in general, there is very little in the way of research on the best diet for Sjogren’s and other autoimmune diseases. Having dealt with this firsthand, I want to empower people to find the best diet for them. No one diet fits all.

1. Eat an Anti-Inflammatory Diet.

The Mediterranean Diet , DASH Diet, and MIND Diet are three diets that are anti-inflammatory and delicious too!

• Eat more of these foods: Vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, olives/olive oil, avocado, fatty fish {i.e. wild salmon}, legumes, and whole grains.
• Include these foods in moderation if desired. Eggs, poultry, cheese, & yogurt.
• Limit these foods. Refined grains, sweets, trans fats, and red or processed meat.
• Choose whole, minimally processed foods as much as possible. Although research is preliminary, food additives, like sugars, salt, emulsifiers (i.e polysorbate-80), and microbial transglutaminase, are being studied for their potential role in developing autoimmune disease.

Tip! When buying ready-to-eat foods, read ingredient labels, and choose foods with ingredients you would cook with at home.

2. Test for celiac disease, try a gluten-free diet.

Although no research suggests a gluten-free diet will help all autoimmune diseases, following a gluten-free diet has done wonders for my health. Studies do show that celiac disease is far more common in Sjögren’s {up to 15%} than in the general population {~1%}.

And many other autoimmune diseases are associated with celiac disease. This includes Addison’s Disease, Type 1 Diabetes, Autoimmune Thyroid Disease, and more.

In addition, a very small study conducted in Sweden showed a possible link between Sjögren’s syndrome and non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Hopefully, more studies will be done on gluten intolerance /sensitivity and autoimmune disease in the near future.

Bottom Line: It is my personal opinion that anyone diagnosed with an autoimmune disease consider testing for celiac disease. It’s also VERY important to test for celiac disease BEFORE trying a gluten-free diet. This is because gluten needs to be in your diet for results to be accurate.

In my case, my blood test was negative but positive for HLA-DQ2, a genetic marker for celiac disease. It’s important to note that 30-40% of the U.S. population carries this gene, so having it doesn’t rule in celiac disease.

On the flip side, if you don’t have any genetic markers for celiac, you can be over 99% sure you will never develop it.

Because there is no current FDA-approved test for gluten sensitivity, you test for it by 1st ruling our celiac disease or wheat allergy.

Next, try a gluten-free diet for at least a month or longer (It took six months on a gluten-free diet for most of my symptoms to fully resolve). After that, add gluten back into your diet, and see if symptoms return.

If you decide to try a gluten-free diet trial after testing for celiac, I highly recommend you work with a dietitian specializing in gluten-free diets. S(he) can help you optimize your nutrition and ensure you get all the nutrients you need.

3. Check for other food sensitivities.

Leaky Gut Syndrome, aka increased intestinal permeability, and food sensitivities often go hand-in-hand. Historically, leaky gut has been dismissed by most mainstream healthcare professionals.

Recently, however, more physicians and clinicians, both alternative and conventional, are acknowledging that leaky gut syndrome is a real diagnosis.

Much of the research on leaky gut syndrome focuses on zonulin, a protein that regulates intestinal permeability. Zonulin secretion is modulated by not only gluten but also alcohol, infectious organisms, systemic inflammation, & stress.

Several autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes, Crohn’s disease, lupus, and ankylosing spondylitis, have been linked to leaky gut syndrome.

In addition, non-IgE-mediated food hypersensitivity and intolerance have been linked with the leaky gut syndrome.

If you decide to try a food-elimination diet, please work with a dietitian trained in food intolerance and food sensitivities to help guide you through the diet in the most nourishing way.

4. Nourish your gut microbiome.

Gut health and the microbiome (microbes, both helpful and harmful, including bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses that reside in our bodies) is a key area of research currently underway. Not only for overall health but also for autoimmune disorders.

Researchers have begun investigating microbiome alterations in Sjogren’s Syndrome, not only in the GI tract but also in the eyes and mouth. And preliminary studies suggest microbiome dysbiosis may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of Sjogren’s.

This is a very exciting area of research! So, stay tuned for more on the role of prebiotic and probiotic foods and supplements that may help regulate intestinal permeability, inflammation, and immune dysregulation in Sjogren’s and other autoimmune diseases.

Learn more: The Best Foods with Probiotics and Prebiotics to Boost Your Health

5. Choose supplements wisely.

Lastly, although I utilize a “food first” approach with nutrition therapy, certain dietary supplements may help manage Sjögren’s syndrome and other autoimmune conditions. Like diet, there is no “one size fits all” approach when it comes to supplementation.

Two supplements I usually start with include vitamin D, which research suggests may provide protection against autoimmune disease, and omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, probiotics and prebiotics may support gut health as well.

If you need help choosing which supplements to take, please get in touch! I often find my clients taking too many supplements, many of which overlap. This can lead to an excess of certain nutrients and can be potentially harmful.

I offer a supplement consultation where I take your health history, current diet, medications, and current supplement use all into consideration to come up with a supplement plan to best help you.

Re-cap: What to Eat on an Autoimmune or Sjogren’s Diet

1. Start with an anti-inflammatory diet, such as the Mediterranean diet or MIND diet. You may also want to try my gluten free, anti-inflammatory meal plan ~ it’s an easy & delicious way to start with the anti-inflammatory diet!
2. Choose whole, minimally processed foods as much as possible.
3. When buying ready-to-eat foods, read ingredient labels, and choose foods with ingredients you would cook at home.
4. Consider testing for celiac disease, especially if you plan on trying a gluten-free diet {get tested 1st!}. Even if your celiac test returns negative, consider a 1+ month trial of a gluten-free diet. I have been following a gluten-free diet for over 8 years and would love to help get you started on a nourishing AND delicious gluten-free diet. Contact me for more information or to set up a consult.
5. Consider an elimination diet to check for other potential food sensitivities.
6. Choose food first, but consider targeted supplementation, including vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids, if you don’t regularly eat fatty fish.

Autoimmune & Sjogren’s Diet | Wrapping it all up.

The information provided here is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. However, it is my hope that after reading this post, you feel empowered to find the best dietary strategy to help with your autoimmune disease or share this information with a friend or loved one who is suffering.

If you would like to share your experience living with an autoimmune disease, I would LOVE for you to leave a comment. Additionally, if you are interested in learning more about my integrative nutrition coaching services, please get in touch with me. I would love to work with you!

References & Further Reading: Sjogren’s Diet + Autoimmune Disease

• Sjögren’s Syndrome Foundation
• Is there a Link Between Nutrition and Autoimmune Disease?
• Gut Health and Autoimmune Disease-research Suggests Digestive Abnormalities May Be the Underlying Cause
• Leaky Gut Syndrome-Learn About the Causes, Associated Conditions, and Treatments Under Research
• Celiac Disease and Sjögren’s Syndrome
• Gluten sensitivity in patients with primary Sjogren’s syndrome
• Oldways {Mediterranean Diet}
• Williams Says She Struggled with Fatigue for Years
• Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Autoimmune Diseases