7 Myths about Autoimmunity

Health is represented in different forms such as chemical, physical, and emotional, and it is imperative to address all these simultaneously to achieve optimal health. However, this is ignored in the allopathic medical model used today. Fortunately, I look at health through the lens of functional medicine which addresses root cause and closes these gaps to truly achieve and sustain wellness.

This is especially apparent with autoimmune diseases as many of these diseases have been written off as something beyond our control even though research supports that most of these complications are results of lifestyle choices. These findings have completely flipped the perspective of those suffering from helpless to empowered to take on the fight against autoimmunity!

An immune system is a powerful tool for health. In fact, if it weren’t for our immune system, none of us would be able to survive! The immune system protects the body by attacking invading microorganisms, such as viruses or bacteria. Let’s do some myth busting about autoimmunity and then delve into a functional plan of action for reversing its effects.

Myths

#1: Autoimmune diseases cannot be reversed.

While genes do come into play with autoimmune diseases, we also have control over how our genes are expressed. According to the field of epigenetics, our environment, lifestyle choices, and dietary habits, all can turn on certain genes that can cause the development of autoimmune complications. Therefore, research has proven that autoimmune diseases can indeed be reversed with the proper gene expression.

#2: Autoimmune diseases are a product of your genes, not your environment.

Research has supported that environmental factors are responsible for autoimmune diseases. Many things such as climate, toxin exposure, infections, and poor diets can all contribute to the onset of autoimmunity.

#3: Medication is required for any relief.

Although conventional medicine believes the only true weapon against autoimmunity is drugs, research has shown that there are many effective, alternative treatments. These include, but are not limited to, dietary changes, supplementation, and stress management.

#4: Gut health is unrelated to immune health.

A large majority of the immune system is found in the gut! To think of these two health concerns as separate entities is a serious flaw in the conventional medical model used today. In short, to heal the immune system, you must heal the gut.

#5: Dietary changes make no difference once you have an autoimmune disorder.

Dietary changes that benefit your gastrointestinal health provide a multitude of benefits for your immune system. Ignoring this fact is irresponsible for the efforts of treating autoimmunity.

#6: Autoimmune complications guarantee a poor quality of life.

While many autoimmune diseases do have complications that one may experience regularly, it does not mean overall poor quality of life is synonymous with autoimmune conditions. In fact, with the proper treatment and maintenance regimens, many of the complications can subside (or disappear completely) and therefore, you are NOT doomed to poor quality of life as you may have been led to believe.

#7: It is impossible to alter your immune function.

The current medical approach to autoimmune disease is masking the symptoms and suppressing the immune system. With this method, it is no surprise that many believe these diseases are beyond our control. However, with the proper protocol of addressing your chemical, physical, and emotional health, you can definitely alter your immune function in your favor. Treatment is possible when treatment is functional!

Facts

The most common misconception about autoimmune diseases is…  autoimmune diseases cannot be reversed. I know first hand that is not true. I was able to reverse my own autoimmune conditions with lifestyle changes.

While genes do come into play with autoimmune diseases, we also have control over how our genes are expressed. According to the field of epigenetics, our environment, lifestyle choices, and dietary habits, all can turn on certain genes that can cause the development of autoimmune complications. Scientific research—and my own—has proven that autoimmune diseases can indeed be reversed with the proper gene expression.

According to the National Institute of Health 23.5 million Americans have reported symptoms and suffering due to a form of autoimmune disease—but some think that number is actually closer to 50 million!

A recent review of the literature concluded that worldwide rates of rheumatic, endocrinological, gastrointestinal, and neurological autoimmune diseases are increasing by four to seven percent per year, with the most significant increases seen in Celiac disease, type 1 diabetes, and myasthenia gravis (rapid fatigue of the muscles).

This information might sound grave, but there’s hope! One of the best things you can do for yourself is to manage your stress. The immune system is susceptible to stress, which can cause (and worsen) all types of diseases. Stress is a hormonal response, and overstimulating hormones will further weaken the immune system.

 

There are a number of things that can negatively influence our gene expression, some of which include:

• Nutrient deficiencies
• Excessive inflammation
• Weakened microbiome
• Gut dysfunction
• Chronic infections
• Overuse of medication
• Chemical exposure
• Oxidative stress
• Food sensitivities
• Toxic build up

One thing that all of these have in common is that we have control over them!

Type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, and Celiac disease are among the over 100 types of autoimmune diseases.

The immune system is the body’s defense against harmful pathogens, and autoimmune diseases signal a weakness in that defense. Some autoimmune diseases target only one organ (for example, type 1 diabetes damages the pancreas), while other conditions, such as lupus, affect the whole body.

While the cause of autoimmune diseases is widely unknown, data shows that women are more likely than men and certain ethnic groups are more susceptible to autoimmune diseases— although this could be due to reporting bias. Diet, infections, and chemical exposure are also thought to play a significant role in underlying causes.

In order to truly understand your autoimmune disease, it’s necessary to examine potential underlying causes to manage the root of the issue, rather than just the symptoms. This can be done with an in-depth look at your medical and lifestyle history to understand and examine your particular condition from all angles.

 

Studies show that genetic disposition accounts for about 30% of all autoimmune diseases while the other 70% is due to environmental factors, including toxic chemicals, dietary components, gut imbalance, and infections.

Environmental triggers turn your genes “on” so that you express particular symptoms. Common environmental triggers linked to autoimmune diseases include:

• Food intolerance to gluten, dairy, soy, corn, and other grains
• Hidden infections such as parasites, fungi, pathogenic bacteria, and viruses mainly in the gut but also in the bloodstream
• Chemical, heavy metal, and pesticide exposure
• Vitamin and mineral deficiency, such as vitamin D
• Decreased levels of antioxidants, such as glutathione
• Hypo and hyperglycemia
• Hormone imbalances

Figuring out what kinds of environmental triggers could be compromising your immune system is something that you a should discuss with your health care provider to identify potential causes of symptoms. When managing autoimmune diseases, hidden allergens, infections, environmental toxins, an inflammatory diet, and stress are likely at the root of these inflammatory conditions and all need to be addressed.

 

Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common autoimmune disorders. Let’s take a look at how treating it with the functional medicine approach differs from traditional medicine.

The hands and feet, wrists, ankles, and knees are most commonly affected, and during flare-ups, joints become inflamed and painful.

Standard medical treatment of rheumatoid arthritis primarily involves the use of aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Functional medicine, on the other hand, addresses many additional contributing factors including poor digestion, food allergies, increased gut permeability, increased circulating immune complexes, and excessive inflammatory processes.

Just like many other autoimmune diseases, diet and lifestyle factors can play a significant role in reducing the debilitating symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune conditions. For example, numerous studies have examined the effect of fish oil supplementation for rheumatoid arthritis [1], and have demonstrated consistent positive responses.

 

The gut contains an essential ecosystem of both beneficial and harmful bacteria. When the harmful bacteria outnumber the good, illness begins to arise.

When there’s an imbalance of gut bacteria, there’s an increase of inflammation in the body which predisposes you to autoimmune flare-ups. Doing what you can to support the proper balance of gut microflora is crucial to health.

Luckily, you can help balance your gut through a balanced diet! Foods like garlic, onions, asparagus, and apples are examples of prebiotic foods that stimulate and enhance the growth of probiotics.

These foods should be balanced out with probiotics or fermented foods, such as miso, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, and organic (non-dairy, non-soy) yogurt, to help promote the growth of beneficial bacteria.

 

Over-the-counter medications could be contributing to an unhealthy gut and creating more pain and misery rather than helping.

It’s likely that if you’re suffering from chronic pain, you’re in the habit of grabbing over-the-counter painkillers to help with the aches and soreness. Besides, the bottle describes those pills as an anti-inflammatory, and you’re trying to fight inflammation, right?

Painkillers are useful in moderation, but if you take too many of them, they can cause something called gastritis—which is a form of inflammation, irritation, or erosion of the lining of the stomach. In extreme cases, it can result in internal bleeding, the need for surgery, and blood transfusions.

As you can imagine, all this irritation to the stomach lining can cause damage to the gut—which can make you feel even worse overall.

Before you continue your routine of taking pain pills, try making lifestyle changes to improve your symptoms.

If your use of medication concerns you, talk to your health care provider for alternatives.

Your immune system becomes activated when your body recognizes anything foreign, triggering a process called inflammation. Autoimmune disease is a condition in which your immune system mistakenly attacks your body as a foreign invader.

By reducing inflammation producing foods, and increasing anti-inflammatory foods, you can help to lessen inflammation created by autoimmune conditions.

A whole food diet consists of non-processed foods such as lean protein, fruits, vegetables, and tubers. These foods are nutrient-dense, meaning they are packed with beneficial vitamins and minerals that can help reduce inflammation.

Additional foods you should consume:

• coconut products, including coconut oil
• olive oil
• fermented foods, such as non-dairy kefir, and fermented vegetables like kimchi or sauerkraut
• a variety of vinegar, including balsamic, red wine, and apple cider, without added sugar
• herbs
• arrowroot starch
• bone broth

On the other end of the spectrum, foods laden with sugar can lead to chronic, low-grade inflammation and excess body fat which is also linked to inflammation. This is why processed foods, refined grains (which break down like sugar in the body), and added sugar should be restricted, if not avoided entirely.

Did you know that your gut contains 95 percent of your body’s serotonin?

This is one of the reasons that the gut is known as our second brain. Comprised of trillions of bacteria, but it also contains some 100 million neurons—more than the spinal cord or the peripheral nervous system. This collection of neurons enables us to “feel” the inner world of our gut and its contents, which means that when something’s “off” in the gut, signals are sent to the brain, and can affect our emotions.

Since our gut is equipped with its own reflexes and senses, it can control behavior entirely independently of the brain. It’s actually been found that a lot of information is carried from the gut to the brain, and not the other way around!

It’s thought that we evolved this intricate connection of the gut and brain as a way to quickly determine whether the food we ate was safe or needed to be excreted.

Aside from alerting the brain about whether the foods we’re eating are good or bad, the second brain informs our state of mind in other ways too. You’ve felt “butterflies” in your stomach—that’s part of your physiological stress response.

You may be thinking, “what does this have to do with autoimmunity?” and the answer is quite a bit! Almost all autoimmune conditions have depression listed as a common symptom. While there are several reasons this may be the case, the gut-brain connections hold its case as an important factor for both physical and emotional health—autoimmune disease or not!

Because autoimmune diseases are inflammatory, there are steps you can take in your daily life to help reduce flare-ups. Remember,

• Gut health is closely tied to your overall health.
• Diet and nutrition can play a significant role in helping you feel better—or worse!
• Over-the-counter painkillers can actually do more harm than good.

There should be no doubt in your mind that lifestyle changes are your best bet when it comes to reducing symptoms and improving health.

 

Sources

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2138449