Autoimmune Diseases

The human body is truly wondrous. It has the capacity to work like a well-assembled machine for several decades and can perform complex tasks that require phenomenal precision and control. What’s more – it can provide for itself, repair, restore, and even heal itself when the need arises. However, sometimes autoimmune diseases can present themselves.

The job of maintaining the body’s health rests with the immune system. It not only protects the body from external forces that can derail its balance but also keeps in check all organs and their functions to ensure they work within their set limits.

In some cases, however, the immune system can prove to be the body’s own enemy. It can begin to inadvertently attack healthy cells in the body, affecting its balance and causing disorders, which are called autoimmune diseases. Over 80 kinds of autoimmune diseases have been identified so far.

The American Autoimmune Related Disease Association Inc. states that over 50 million Americans today suffer from autoimmune diseases, and the statistics are only growing. It says that while we may know of about 80 kinds of autoimmune diseases, there are more than 40 other diseases that are caused due to autoimmune conditions in the body.

Some commonly known autoimmune conditions are hypothyroidism,  rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and diabetes. There are several others that are less well known, difficult to diagnose, and even more difficult to treat. Treatment of autoimmune diseases is only made more difficult by a patient going undiagnosed for many years.

Curing an autoimmune disease is often a great challenge. Many people think that a person suffering from autoimmune disease may never, in fact, be cured entirely, but only managed. Other diseases has an auto-immune component and people are not aware, like Atopic Dermatitis/Eczema and some types of Diabetes.

Factors Influencing Autoimmune Diseases

The contributors to autoimmune diseases are many, and we are finding more and more influencing factors with research. However, existing studies point to the following potential causes of autoimmune diseases:

• Genetic conditions – heredity is perhaps the most common route through which autoimmune diseases are passed on.
• Genetic-environment interaction – in some cases, the genetic and environmental conditions interact with one another and amplify the risk of developing an autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis being one such autoimmune condition.
• Abnormal intestinal flora (good bacteria) due to abuse of antibiotics or been born through C-section. 
• Toxins – exposure to toxins, including mercury, pesticides, and chemicals, can trigger autoimmune diseases in some cases. Autoimmune conditions triggered by toxins include multiple sclerosis, lupus, inflammatory bowel disease, and rheumatoid arthritis.
• Nutrition – Research has shown that nutrients like vitamin D can benefit a patient with certain autoimmune diseases, especially as the patient ages. Conversely, some essential micronutrients may also accelerate the autoimmune condition, as in the case of lupus.

Commonly Observed Symptoms of Autoimmune Diseases

Although all autoimmune diseases vary from one another significantly in their nature and manifestation, several symptoms are commonly experienced by those with an autoimmune disease. Some commonly observed symptoms include:

• Skin ailments
• Fatigue
• Recurring fevers
• Swelling in glands
• Digestive problems accompanied by pain in the abdomen 
• Pain in the joints with occasional swelling

The presence of one or more of these symptoms can hint at an underlying autoimmune disease. Since autoimmune conditions are fairly hard to diagnose, and these commonly observable traits can also be indicators of other ailments, autoimmune diseases often end up causing significant damage by the time they are diagnosed.

Dr. A has found that, complex as they may be, autoimmune diseases can be diagnosed using a functional medicine protocol to arrive at the root cause of these problems. A complete study of hormones, vitamins, metabolic processes, inflammation, intestinal health, and other markers offers an in-depth insight into the functioning of the body and allows a detailed understanding of the immune system. However, the analysis does not stop at identification of the autoimmune condition. With a thorough understanding of the body and its needs, Dr. Adonis has designed a multipronged approach for managing autoimmune diseases, enabling a near normal and gratifying life to all his patients.

What You Can Do

Dr. Adonis suggests some simple methods to help reduce the trauma of autoimmune diseases using the principles of functional medicine:

• Detoxify your house – cleanse your house of potential toxins including bacteria, yeast and allergens that could trigger the condition
• Save your gut – Stick to foods that do not irritate the intestine or cause bloating
• Make healthy food choices – eat more probiotic foods and foods that can give you more vitamin C and D. Fish oils can also be a great source of goodness for your body
• Balance your diet – incorporate all food sources, and ensure you use plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables in what you eat. Functional medicine recommends eating foods of all colors since each serves a unique purpose
• Avoid excesses – too much sugar, dairy, or gluten can be harmful to everyone, and when suffering from an autoimmune disease, the damage is only worse. Limit eating an excess of any one food group
• Stay fit – incorporate plenty of exercise into your routine and keep as fit as possible. Look for natural ways to stay active like walking and jogging since it can reduce inflammation and keep the body more supple
• Stay positive – try and eliminate stressors from your life. Lowered incidence of worry and anxiety helps manage autoimmune diseases better
• Relax – use tools like meditation, massages, and breathing techniques to keep the body calm and centered. This will help regain control over the processes in the body and equip the body to fight diseases better.