It’s never easy to hear the words, “You have Sjogren’s Syndrome,” but in my case, having a name for the many uncomfortable symptoms was also a little bit of a relief. Now I had something I could research, study, and become an expert on. Now I had something I could fight against.
That was almost ten years ago now and I’ve tried hundreds of natural remedies and supplements over the years to find relief from the dry eyes, dry mouth, fatigue, chronic aches and pains and the physical toll of having an autoimmune disease. Some things worked; a lot didn’t. In the past, I’ve been nervous to share too much about my journey. I never ever want to share something that worked for me, but that might not work for you.
But women are being diagnosed with autoimmune diseases at an alarming rate. So, I’ve decided this is the year I’m going to share more – and I hope that something that has worked for me might bring relief to you. If you try something and it doesn’t help you, then please stop. Listen to your body always. You are your own best advocate.
Life With Sjogren’s: Symptoms
Itchy, dry eyes, a mouth so dry it wakes you up at night, phantom body aches and pains that are very real, but don’t come from any injury and roam around your body like a ghost. It’s all part of life with Sjogren’s Syndrome, an autoimmune disease that primarily impacts the salivary glands, creating inflammation in the face, eyes, and even body. You’re not imagining things – that eyeliner really does feel like someone is rubbing your eyeball with sandpaper. And you cannot drink enough water to outpace the dry mouth that feels like the desert.
But, do not despair, if you’re living with Sjogren’s, or have just been diagnosed, there are things you can do to support your body in fighting this inflammation, so you can find some relief. And, if needed, you can partner these remedies with prescriptions, like Plaquenil, from your trusted rheumatologist. There is no judgement here – use what works for you and toss what doesn’t. You never realize how important your health is until you’re fighting to maintain it.
Let’s dive into some things that have worked for me, as well as many other readers who have reached out to me over the years to share what works for them. Feel free to scroll to the section that addresses your greatest need.
1. Sjogren’s Dry Eyes Relief:
The hallmark symptom of Sjogren’s is those painfully itchy and dry eyes. Is it allergies? Is it dust? Is it your makeup? Sure, all of those things could also be irritating your eyes and making it worse, but now you know the main culprit is Sjogren’s. So, we’re going to support your eyes by reducing irritants and increasing your body’s ability to create moisture.
- TheraTears Supplement – Start from the inside out with an OMEGA-3 supplement designed just for your eyes. I’ve taken this for years. The optimized blend of triglyceride fish oil, organic flaxseed oil, and vitamin E helps our bodies create healthy tears. Take it in the morning with breakfast. It takes a bit to build up in your system and provide noticeable results, but then you’ll love it. I’ve taken this to eye doctors and they all tell me to keep taking it, because it’s working and my eyes are not showing any of the damage common to Sjogren’s patients (such as corneal melt/perforation, uveitis, scleritis, retinal vasculitis, and optic neuritis – source).
- Refresh Optive Advanced Preservative Free Eye Drops – The gold standard eye drops. I’ll never use anything else and when I have to, there’s a noticeable difference. This was recommended to me by several eye doctors, including one with a highly specialized knowlege of Sjogren’s.
- Eyeliners for Sensitive Eyes – If you still like to wear makeup, I feel you. That’s why I tried countless eyeliners to find ones that didn’t irritate my eyes. Head to this post to find the ones I’m currently recommending.
- Mascaras for Sensitive Eyes – Same goes here. I love mascara. My eyelashes are really short and sparse, which is common for Sjogren’s, since we don’t have the same level of oil production required to grow beautiful lashes (You can use castor oil to help with that, though). Head to this post to find the mascaras that are best for Sjogren’s. I regularly update this post as I find new ones.
While these are my top recommendations for treating dry eyes, there are even more things you can do. If you’re ready to level up past this point, please check out my more detailed post on dry eye remedies for Sjogren’s.
*Affiliate links are used for products I purchase myself and try before recommending. If you choose to make a purchase through my link, I may receive a commission at no cost to you. Thank you!
2. Sjogren’s Dry Mouth Relief & Oral Health:
I hate going to the dentist and I hate getting fillings or any dental work done even more. The preparation and recovery time I need for a simple cavity filling is embarrassing, even to me. So, preventing the need for any dental work, beyond a cleaning, is a top priority for me. But, this is extra challenging when you have Sjogren’s, which is known to cause dry mouth and oral health issues. Here’s a list of potential symptoms you may be experiencing, “Your mouth may feel chalky, and you may have trouble swallowing, speaking, and tasting. Because you lack the protective effects of saliva, you may develop more dental decay (cavities) and mouth infections, such as candidiasis (also called thrush),” (source).
Here are some of my top tips for dry mouth relief and maintaining good oral health with Sjogren’s:
- Burst Sonic Toothbrush – Use an excellent, electric toothbrush, like this one, which removes 10x more plaque. I’ve used several brands over the years, but this is my current favorite, in fact, everyone in the house has a Burst toothbrush now.
- Elementa Silver Mouthwash – Use this mouthwash designed with Nano silver + xylitol + calcium to neutralize oral acid, kill bad breath, soothe dry mouth, and whiten teeth. This mouthwash uses plant-based Nano Silver particles to open channels in the BioFilm, aka Plaque, to allow the tooth to uptake much needed Calcium & Xylitol while neutralizing oral acid. I learned about this from a popular restorative dentist who keeps up on all the newest research and it’s the best mouthwash I’ve ever used. I even have my daughter using it, since she’s cavity prone no matter what we do. Another, more affordable, option is to use Biotene mouth wash.
- Take Lysine – Mouth infections and sores are more common with Sjogren’s and with other autoimmune diseases, such a Lupus. Luckily, I have found a natural remedy that has completely stopped them in their tracks. It’s been almost a year since I’ve had one and it’s been amazing. I take a L-Lysine supplement, one pill at night, and I use a Lysine lip balm at night before going to bed.
- Use a Humidifier – I run a cold air humidifier at night, every night, when I sleep. It helps with dry eyes, dry mouth, dry skin, sinus inflammation, you name it. Grab the humidifier that fits your space and budget. I like bigger ones, because they don’t need to be refilled as often, but they do take up more of your nightstand space. Make sure to clean the inside and tank regularly and if you see mold developing, it’s time to toss it and get a new one.
These are the main remedies I use to maintain good oral health and my dentist tells me every visit that he would never know I had Sjogren’s if I didn’t tell him. I do have the occasionally cavity, which is very upsetting to me, but he says this is better than usual. If you want to do an even deeper dive into oral health for Sjogren’s, check out this post with more dry mouth remedies.
3. Sjogren’s Lympathic Drainage & Detox Tips:
If you have chronic health issues, are on any type of prescription, or have been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, your lymphatic system is on the struggle bus. This just means that our body should be clearing out toxins, but our filtration system is bogged down and now working as efficiently. So, all that stuff we need to be flushing out, just isn’t moving as fast as it should be and it’s staying in our bodies, creating more inflammation. Inflammation = chronic pain, fatigue, and a feeling of just being unwell. Luckily, there are things we can do to help. I’m always pleasantly surprised by how effective these tips are and hope you try them.
- Dry Brushing – It’s so simple, I forget to do this regularly, but my goal this year is to be consistent, because it works. Dry brushing uses a dry brush all over your body to increase circulation and assist your body with its natural detoxification process. It only takes a few minutes before you shower, doesn’t hurt, and will actually help you wake up and feel more energized. And, bonus points, it can reduce cellulite. To dry brush, you want to move from the outside of your body in toward your heart, moving in short strokes. For example, start at the fingers of one arm and move up the arm and toward the heart. Read a lot more about dry brushing and an easy dry brush routine in this post.
- Walking – Again, so simple. Walking packs so many health benefits, including increasing circulation and improving lymphatic function. I notice a distinct reduction in bloating, swelling in my face and around my lymph nodes, and throughout my body, when I am regularly walking. I picked up a mini treadmill and standing desk to help me get my steps in throughout the day and it’s worked really well. Highly recommend. To read more about walking, head to this post.
- Detox Bath – Do you love taking a bath? Supercharge that bath improve your health, by incorporating detox bath ingredients. I honestly don’t love baths, but I’ve been working on doing detox baths more regularly, because they can be so effective at helping the body detox and drain. To create a detox bath, skip the highly fragranced bath bombs and soaps. Stick to a simple routine of dry brushing and then soaking in a highly effective magnesium bath soak . Magnesium is a powerful detoxifier and many of us are magnesium deficient. This will help relax your joints, reduce aches and pains, improve your sleep, and help your body get much needed magnesium.
- Exercise – We all know we need to, but man is it hard when our bodies are fighting against us. That’s why one rheumatologist suggested reformer pilates to me years ago and I’ve never looked back. It has, without a doubt, been one of the most transformative things I’ve ever done for my health. To read more about my pilates journey, head to this post.
- Castor Oil Packs – This ayurvedic natural remedy has been used for thousands of years. It’s soothing, easy to do, and effective – my favorite kind of remedy! You can put castor oil packs anywhere, but they are most often used around the midsection and over the liver, since the liver is our main filter and needs lots of support. You only need a couple things to get started. I go into a lot more detail on how to do castor oil packs in this post.
- Drink More Water – I know, we’re all tired of hearing this, but listen – it’s true. You probably need to drink more water. Find a water tumbler you like and carry it with you everywhere. I’m currently carrying a Stanley, I know – don’t hate – and I love it. I’m also a big fan of Simple Modern tumblers, too.
4. Sjogren’s Anti-Inflammatory Lifestyle:
It’s time to take an “inside out” approach to your life. Everything you eat and every product you use needs to be vetted. What we eat and put on our bodies absolutely impacts our health – there is no question about that – so start to look at your lifestyle and be honest about what you need to improve to support your body in fighting inflammation from the inside out. Here are some of the ways that I’ve made changes in my diet and environment to improve my health:
- Read The Autoimmune Solution – This book and Dr. Amy Myer’s recommendations and protocols are game changers. She actually had her thyroid removed when she was younger and knows firsthand how autoimmune diseases wreak havoc, so she is her own first patient and follows all of her own advice. This gives her so much credibility in my opinion. This book was a gamechanger for me. She talks about how to clean up your environment (air filters, filtered water, clean food, clean products, clean supplements) for huge improvements in your health.
- Take Supplements – I take about 10 supplements a day, give or take, and I’ve been tweaking them for years. My favorites for fighting inflammation include magnesium, Vitamin D3, turmeric with black pepper, and supplements for gut health (probiotics, detox/cleanse, digestive enzymes, etc.). There really is a difference between brands and combinations of supplements. It’s definitely a dance and it may take some time to find the supplements and quantities that work best for you. I share all of the details of what I’m taking in this post here.
- Reduce or Cut Sugar – I think sugar might be one of the biggest root causes of health issues. I see a distinct difference in my inflammation when I lower sugar as much as I possibly can. When I’ve gone strictly no sugar, it’s been a massive improvement in my pain, moods, sleep, everything. When you start looking at ingredients more closely, it’s shocking how sugar is in everything – pasta sauce, crackers, you name it. This should not be the case. I definitely encourage you to try to detox from sugar. In fact, this is on my list of things I need to revisit and be a lot more strict about, because I’ve fallen off the sugar wagon again. It’s definitely my biggest struggle, because I love sweets!
- Try an Elimination Diet – There is very likely something you are eating that your body is not happy with. This can be different for all of us, but if you can find what is creating inflammation and remove it – you’ll be happier for it. I know for me, sugar, dairy, and bread were causing big issues for me. I don’t eat or drink much dairy, but I was using a bunch of products with whey protein in them, like the Magic Spoon cereal, and other protein fortified snacks. This caused massive inflammation in my esophagus that started to heal when I cut out whey protein and as much dairy as possible. So, find what is stoking the inflammation fire for your body so you can cut it off at the source.
- Reduce Inflammation – Check out this post where I share a lot more tips focused on reducing inflammation in your body.
5. Reduce Sjogren’s Stress:
There is a mental and physical load that comes with a chronic disease. As the years go by, you’ll be able to look back on your life and see that there was an innocence before your diagnosis compared to after. I get emails from readers all the time who are feeling so overwhelmed by all the changes they feel they need to make and how exhausting it is to be thinking about their health constantly.
Please find ways to reduce the stress that comes with an autoimmune disease. Our mental health has a powerful effect on our physical health and on our ability to heal. Sometimes our situations cannot be changed, but we can work on improving our breathing, our thoughts, and the way we talk to ourselves. Here are some ideas and feel free to click on links to read more about them:
- Repeat affirmations that will remind your mind and body to focus on healing
- Practice breathing exercises to reduce anxiety and stress
- Incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine (it’s faster than you think!)
- Use free meditation apps to guide you through retraining your brain
- Write in a gratitude journal every day to focus on the good
- Read books that will help you heal past traumas or learn to train your mind for peace
- Spend time with a pet! Having a pet like a dog or cat can be excellent for anxiety and stress.
- Do more of the things that relax you – whatever that means for you.
*****
Whew! This was a monster post to write and I’m sure I still forgot something, so I’ll be coming back to update this as I go. I’ve heard from so many readers over the years that they’re struggling with autoimmune issues too and just aren’t finding or getting the information they need. I want to be more transparent about this journey to help as many people as I can.
But, if this makes you feel overwhelmed, just remember that baby steps are still progress. Try incorporating or changing one thing at a time. When you run out of a product, replace it with a cleaner swap. When you feel discouraged, drink more water and try to walk more. It’s the little things that really add up over time and will make a huge difference in how you feel and your quality of life.
And, I always have to say this – I am not a doctor or medical professional. I’m just a woman, like you, with two autoimmune diseases and I’ve spent countless hours and lots of time/money to find natural remedies that will improve my own health. Please consult with your medical team if needed before making any changes and always know that everything you do is at your own risk. I really do believe that healing our bodies from the inside out is going to be the best way to support our body and I hope some of these ideas I’ve shared help you.
Have a fabulous day,
E
