My Oral Lichen Planus Diet

 In my post, 5 Steps to Living Well, I wrote a little about my diet, as well as some of the supplements I take that have helped me keep my Oral Lichen Planus in check and avoid the need for medication.
  
  "I've eliminated citrus fruits, spices, vinegar, tomatoes and tomato sauces. I also try to avoid soy, and for now, I've reduced my gluten and lactose intake, cut added sugar and sugary foods, quit junk food such as chips and other empty snacks, and fast foods."


Today, I thought I'd share a little of what I've learned.


 Food choices and specific foods that I've found helpful.

autoimmune diet

My diet has evolved over the past 18 months as I figure things out. 


For example, I was drinking a lot of smoothies, because they were fast, easy, and soothing to my mouth. However, I came to realize that 2 bananas a day wasn't necessarily good for my blood sugar or my potassium levels, so I made some changes. I still enjoy smoothies, but I now use a meal replacement shake that gives me the nutrients I need without the added sugar.

It really has been a lot of trial and error, but I'm slowly learning what to avoid. Of course, there have been days I've eaten something I know I shouldn't just because I wanted it....and I regret it the next day! Lately, I've cut back on eating peppers as well, as they seemed to irritate my mouth. They are considered a 'nightshade' and are in the same family as tomatoes, so I'm becoming leery of them. Potatoes are also nightshades, so I don't often eat them, but who can have a turkey dinner without potatoes and gravy!? Sometimes the rules just have to go out the window!  (You may have noticed a pineapple in the photo. I love it, but it does irritate my mouth, so I tend to avoid it.)

 I won't list everything I eat, but some mainstays are chicken, non-citrus fruits, most veggies, rice, and oats. I also love bacon and eggs, and I eat fish once in a while...though it's not my favourite. I do eat pork and beef and don't find they affect my OLP, but I prefer chicken. I also drink both coffee and tea, but only homemade juices.


Overnight Oats

overnight oats
One thing I eat almost daily is overnight oats. When I first heard of this I thought it sounded disgusting. I don't like hot oatmeal, never mind something that sits in the fridge overnight, but it's surprisingly delicious...and I may be slightly addicted! There are many different options for what can be added to the oats, but this is my favorite combo: oats, almond milk, frozen blueberries, frozen dark cherries, chopped apple and unsweetened applesauce. 
 I've found conflicting opinions on whether or not oats can be a trigger for OLP, but I haven't found a good enough argument to drop it from my diet, and so far I don't notice any reaction.

Rice and Veggies...Chicken optional

Rice & Veggies

As mentioned, bell peppers are in the nightshade family, so I don't eat them  often. Fortunately, I also love green beans, asparagus, and every other vegetable!

Salad with Chicken

Salad with Chicken
Most salad dressings tend to bother my mouth.  Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey Vinaigrette is a good option.

Scrambled Eggs with Chicken and Onions ( Green Peppers optional)

Scrambled Eggs with Chicken


Pizza (not recommended, but I have to include it!)

Pizza without sauce

 This has always been one of my favorite foods, but I can't have the sauce, so I've tried making my own without the sauce. Not too bad, but this particular one was also gluten free, and didn't have much cheese, so I may need to do some experimenting. I love cheese, so I doubt I'll eliminate it completely...or take out pizza...when the rest of the family is enjoying it, it can be hard to resist!
 Something else I find hard to eliminate is peanut butter. I just need to find a good quality brand. I like this article! Is Peanut Butter Bad For You?

Zucchini Poppers

Zucchini Poppers


Brian loves making jalapeno poppers...a jalapeno pepper filled with cream cheese and wrapped in bacon. Obviously, I can't eat those anymore, so we experimented using small zucchinis. I added a little grated cheese for more flavour, and they were delicious! A little creativity goes a long way! 

The one below is the same except we wrapped the zucchini in chicken, then the bacon!


Chicken, Bacon Wrapped Zucchini Popper


Zucchini stuffed with rice is another great option. I didn't include any photos, but homemade soup is another meal I enjoy, especially in cold weather, and there are so many delicious ones to choose from!


 Sometimes I just want a treat!


I've found many recipes online for nutritious cookies and muffins that don't have a lot of added sugar or spices. I recently came across a muffin recipe that used sweet potatoes. It's an anti-inflammatory as well as sounding yummy! I'd probably leave out the cinnamon and maple syrup though.

Nutritious Cookies

Oral Lichen Planus sufferers can have different food triggers.

The foods that are best for me aren't necessarily going to be the same for everyone with OLP. This is a strange disease that affects everyone differently. What triggers a flare up for me, may not be a problem for someone else, and vice versa. It really just comes down to figuring out what foods are most beneficial, and what foods cause the least discomfort. Then just stick to it...and resist the urge to eat something that we know will cause pain! 

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20 comments:

  1. love the look of the blog!!!! it is good to LOL well!

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    1. Haha! Somehow I missed seeing this comment...and it's been over a year. Yes, it IS good to LOL Well. :D

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  2. It was great to get a few tips from a fellow member of the oral lichen planas club. We are few in number. Like yourself, I've made up some of my own recipes which I'd be happy to share. Have you tried goat cheese? Delicious and SAFE. I feel like such an alien sometimes. Even when out with friends, I've tried menu items listed as 'not spicy'. HA! Just grateful to find someone else who literally knows my pain. Thanks for sharing and good luck! Kathryn

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    1. Thanks for stopping by! Yes, it does help to know there are others who share our pain!

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    2. I have oral lichen planus and had taken many medications (including steroid treatment) . It seemed to get better for a while
      And then after leaving medications it worsens what should I do

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  3. Does LOL tend to affect your throat as well? If you don't mind me asking, do you have any other autoimmune issues?

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    1. I’ve heard from others that their throat is affected, but mine isn’t. However, my nose is. I don’t have any other autoimmune issues.

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    2. Mine is . Tongue and throat.

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    3. :/ I'm sorry to hear that. I hope you find some relief.

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  4. For years I thought I also had OLP but after visiting an ENT Doctor I was diagnosed with Diltiazem induced Gingival Hyperplasia. I had been on the drug Diltiazem for 18 or 19 years for high blood pressure. Look it up on Google the pictures are quite similar. He says there are also other drugs known to affect your gums in this way. And this will eventually go away!

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    1. Yes, I’ve heard that different medications can also trigger OLP, but it doesn’t always go away once the medication is stopped. I haven’t been on any medications, so I really don’t know what triggered mine.

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    2. I developed it after buying a pro health whiting fluoride toothpaste.. by mistake went to a Perodontist…. He told me that caus d immune reaction in my mouth!!he said he sees many people that this happens to.. so I said well why do they make it then?? He said because people by it!!😫

      He told me use the most pkain toothpaste you can find.. I use Toms strawberry.. I cannot do any mint or orange or fluoride… it causes my flare ups to escalate

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  5. I learn some new stuff from it too, thanks for sharing your information. keto diet snacks

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  6. I found no solution yet, im only 22 mines trigger every two to three weeks. It be so painful i just run to the hospital everytime for tablets.

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    1. Sorry to hear that. How long have you had OLP and what variant are you suffering from?

      You mentioned trigger every 2 to 3 weeks, meaning to say each trigger recover pretty fast?

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  7. Sometimes I don’t even feel like living with Erosive Lichen Planus. I can hardly even open my mouth. I’ve had this full on for two years (spasmodically before that) and I’ve gone from 74kgs to 60 kgs, mainly because it’s so painful to eat. Far too skinny I know especially being 5’8”. I’m on Methotrexate twice weekly. Is there anyone else on this.?

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    1. I am so sorry you are suffering, My son has it, mildy only on his lips, but he would say its debilitating. I feel like its an immune issue. Have you seen a naturopath?

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  8. I have OLP for almost 10 years now. I have tried many things and stopped most of the wellknown triggers (including no longer using toothpaste with SLS in it) or reduced the use greatly for OLP. I now have started to rub Aloe Vera Gel onto my gums in my mouth. It looks like the inflammation is reducing. I am only doing this for approx one week. Anybody trued this?

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    1. I use organic pure solid coconut oil on a spoon it liquifies quickly.. swish it around spit it out .. multiple times a day when I have flare-ups.. also use magic swizzle so I can eat my meals.. I have celiac and I have Hashimonio thyroid disease

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  9. Haven’t tried it, but I’m glad to hear it’s helping you! ~~~Deborah

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