Are there any ways to improve scleroderma symptoms by adopting a particular diet?
At this time, there is no scientific data available to support any particular diet over another for the treatment of scleroderma symptoms. Physicians recommend that persons with a diagnosis of scleroderma observe a healthy balanced diet following the ADA guidelines. Removing any one particular food group such as dairy or grains has not been shown to have an effect on disease progression. That being said, however, there are times that persons with scleroderma may need to observe special diets. This situation occurs when certain complications develop. If one has gastrointestinal involvement including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), difficulty swallowing, bloating, decreased motility, and weight loss, removal of certain foods or types of foods from the diet are often necessary to minimize symptoms and improve health. A consultation with a dietician may be very helpful in these cases to ensure that all necessary daily dietary requirements are being met and that the patients’ diet i
