A lupus moment...
Chalk it up to a lupus moment, or too many drugs, or not enough drugs (!), but I want to make a clarification to something I recently mentioned during my interview on the online radio show, Your Life Matters.
I was talking about the recent genetic studies that have been done, and how they've helped us understand what causes lupus. I referenced an LFA chapter article which talked about the link between genetics, immunity, and environmental triggers, stating that, today, it is thought that lupus could be caused the following:
A genetic predisposition to an abnormal immune system, combined with an environmental trigger.
Fascinating, huh? Makes my approach to managing life with lupus all the more applicable, because as I say throughout my book - you can't control the disease, but you can control how you deal with it, i.e. reducing or eliminating environmental triggers that can cause the disease to flare. Because I was so fascinated with this most recent angle on the cause of lupus, I was eager to share it.
However, during my interview, I mistakenly called it, "a genetic predisposition to immunosuppression...", rather than saying, "an immune abnormality". OOPS! We don't have trouble with a suppressed immune system...we have a problem with an overactive immune system! I think I had all of the drugs we take to suppress our immune system on the mind - aptly named immunosuppressents - and misspoke.
If only we could bottle some immunosuppression, and drink it with a straw - then we might be in business!
I was talking about the recent genetic studies that have been done, and how they've helped us understand what causes lupus. I referenced an LFA chapter article which talked about the link between genetics, immunity, and environmental triggers, stating that, today, it is thought that lupus could be caused the following:
A genetic predisposition to an abnormal immune system, combined with an environmental trigger.
Fascinating, huh? Makes my approach to managing life with lupus all the more applicable, because as I say throughout my book - you can't control the disease, but you can control how you deal with it, i.e. reducing or eliminating environmental triggers that can cause the disease to flare. Because I was so fascinated with this most recent angle on the cause of lupus, I was eager to share it.
However, during my interview, I mistakenly called it, "a genetic predisposition to immunosuppression...", rather than saying, "an immune abnormality". OOPS! We don't have trouble with a suppressed immune system...we have a problem with an overactive immune system! I think I had all of the drugs we take to suppress our immune system on the mind - aptly named immunosuppressents - and misspoke.
If only we could bottle some immunosuppression, and drink it with a straw - then we might be in business!
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