Life Extension Foundation has a protocol that has useful information and advise: http://www.lef.org/protocols/prtcl-017.shtml .

Through independent research over the years, I've started taking many of the supplements the protocol recommends. While not having pronounced symptoms like Billye or dahlek or Kmeb, I did have some arthritis when the PN started, but have none now. Also, ANA titers are the primary test for lupus. My scores were off the chart in three testings, but without symptoms. I'm doing all possible to keep it that way.

That article is excellent to my mind because its conclusions are so similar to protocols for other chronic conditions and the explanations make sense. It's telling that the protocols for heart and circulatory system health from many sources are so similar to this protocol to balance and calm your immune system, and is also very similar to protocols to calm and heal your nervous system.

I think its important to follow the entire protocol unless there is a good reason to not follow one or two things. The supplements, stress reduction, exercise, establishing and maintaining a healthy gut, eating a heart/liver/nerve healthy diet, etc. all work together to turn your life into a new and better direction. Taking my own advice, I stopped taking DHEA about three months ago, but since it's part of this protocol and since the rational for including it makes sense to me, I'll start taking it again.

There isn't enough in the protocol about diet to be easy to follow, but any of the PN or heart healthy diets would support this LEF protocol. The principles are pretty simple: 1) reduce or eliminate refined sugars, alcohol, and starches, but if you have some as in fruit, be sure to have healthy fiber, fat, or protein with it to slow absorption and reduce stress to the body, 2) eat more fruit and veggies, with more veggies than fruit, and more above ground veggies than root veggies, 3) whole grain is good, refined bad, 4) beans, fish, and eggs are good, poultry less good, red meat should be in small quantities and infrequent. You don't need or benefit from a lot of protein, just have some good quality protein every day, 5) trans fats from hydrogenated oils are a no-no (read ingredients in pastries and margarine), omega 3 fats and omega 6 fats in balance are best...these include olive oil, canola oil, flax seed oil, and mainly fish oil. Supplement with fish oil caps twice a day (I do that with my large dogs, the last three lived 17 healthy years) and eat fresh fish at least twice a week. Most of your cooking, baking, and salad dressings should be with olive oil, 6) probiotics are important. Eat yogurt, small quantities of stinky live cheese, and/or take pills daily. A healthy gut can cure your autoimmune reaction.

Be patient. Healing is a form of growing, and takes time, like for the rest of your life. As you make changes, you should start feeling better in a month or six.

I'm an LEF member, but find them very pricey. There are other sources for top quality supplements that don't charge nearly as much. My primary source is www.iherb.com, but I also buy supplements from Costco, Walmart, http://www.puritan.com/?AFID=11&SAFI...6H-KQ7J8-JEZHP , and http://www.affordablecountrylife.com/2488.html .