Have you been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease such as autoimmune hypothyroid (Hashimoto’s), rheumatoid arthritis, or psoriatic arthritis? Or do you suspect that you may have an autoimmune condition because of symptoms that you’re having?
Autoimmune diseases in America are on the rise! Depending on which health agency you look at, you will learn that more than 30-50 million Americans (as few as 1 in 11 people… and as many as 1 in 7 people) suffer from a diagnosable autoimmune disease and more than likely, even more are currently heading toward an autoimmune disease.
There are many different reasons and theories as to why we are seeing so many people suffering from their own body’s immune system attacking itself. From the food we eat, to the toxins we are exposed to, to vaccinations, stress, and even self-hatred. All of these are plausible reasons for the body to attack itself.
So, what do you do when you either suspect you have an autoimmune condition, or know that you do? First, if you suspect you have an autoimmune condition, I would strongly encourage that you see a practitioner who is highly trained in making that determination. This means seeing someone who will dig deeper than most doctors (who often just run minimum tests due to insurance protocols). To learn more about thorough testing check out our blog about our OptiThyroPlex labs.
Why You Need to Dig Deep
Seeing a practitioner who will dig deep will allow you to not only determine whether you have an autoimmune condition, but they will also help you with what to do about it. In my opinion, you should see someone who is not going to just treat your symptoms but also one who will help you determine what triggers your immune system to attack itself. This will mean seeing someone who also looks at lifestyle and environmental triggers.
Whether you seek out a practitioner to determine if you have an autoimmune condition, or you know that you do and want to see if you can try some things on your own to help, there are some common approaches that you can take to see if they improve your condition.
These things are:
- Balancing out your immune system
- Supplements
- Reducing exposure to toxins
- Anti-inflammatory Diet
- Handling stress
- Spiritual health
A Balanced System
As the word “autoimmune” suggests, the underlying health issue is your immune system. The immune system has decided your own body has become a problem and it needs to attack itself. This is a huge problem because you can’t avoid your own body.
Most approaches to autoimmune diseases then are to suppress your own immune system… which can lead to infections and even some types of cancer.
A better solution is to actually balance out the immune system. There are two sides of our immune system. One side is called TH1 or the cell-mediated immune system and the other is TH2 or the antibody-mediated immune system.
Many people with an autoimmune condition have an overactive TH1 immune system. This is not always the case. Sometimes it is an overactive TH2 immune system. There is testing that can be done to know for sure but another would be to look at things that trigger either TH1 or TH2. Meaning which things tend to make your symptoms worse.
There are foods, supplements, environmental factors, stress and even infections that will make your symptoms worse, depending on which side of your immune system is overactive.
Below if a list of things that can trigger either TH1 or TH2. This list is not all inclusive. I highly recommend that you read The Functional Naturopath’s article on this.
Th1 (Auto Immunity) stimulating compounds:
- Astragalus
- Echinacea
- Medicinal Mushrooms (Maitake and Beta-Glucan are common)
- Glycyrrhiza (found in licorice)
- Melissa Oficinalis (Lemon balm)
- Panax Ginseng
- Chlorella
- Grape Seed Extract
Th2 (Allergies) stimulating compounds:
- Caffeine
- Green Tea Extract
- Pine Bark Extract
- White Willow Bark
- Lycopene (found in tomatoes and other red fruits excluding strawberries and cherries)
- Resveratrol (found in grape skin, sprouted peanuts, and cocoa)
- Pycnogenol (found in the extract of the French maritime pine bark and apples)
- Curcumin (found in turmeric)
- Genistin (found in soybeans)
- Quercitin (a flavanoid found in many fruits and vegetables, such as onions, berries and kale)
Supplements/Foods
“If you are dealing with autoimmunity, the source of your condition is a glitch in your immune system… By supporting (rather than suppressing) your immune system, you can work toward eliminating symptoms and reversing your condition.
No matter the autoimmune condition, these same five key supplements all work together to support your immune system. When taken together, three of these supplements — glutathione, curcumin, and resveratrol — enhance one another’s effects, making them even more powerful!” (Amy Myers)
Glutathione – an antioxidant that our body produces naturally. It does need the building block n-acetylcysteine (NAC). Foods that are high in NAC are:
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Eggs
- Sunflower seeds
- Legumes
- In order to make glutathione, a person must also consume sulfur containing foods (stinky!) such as:
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Kale
- Brussels sprouts
- Eggs
- Garlic
- Onions
A person can supplement with NAC or they can take glutathione directly although it needs to be a liposomal version as we cannot absorb glutathione very well otherwise.
- Dose (for fighting off viruses): research has shown that 600 mg of NAC twice daily is effective.
- Glutathione can also be taken as a supplement. Taking 500 mg of liposomal glutathione is the best dose to take.
Vitamin D – can be found in some foods but the best source is from the sun. Unfortunately, those people living above the 37th parallel will not get it from the sun from the months of October to April/May.
Foods that are high in vitamin D are:
- Fatty fish such as Salmon, Cod, Sardines and Herring
- Egg yolks
- Beef liver
As you can see there a not a lot of food sources of vitamin D, and all of them are from animal products.
- Dose – Supplementation is your best bet. Research has shown that a person needs about 2000 IUs of vitamin D and when fighting an infection, we could use significantly higher amounts. You also need to remember that vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. This can make it more likely that you will not absorb 100% of what you take, but you also need to be cautious of overdosing (but this is only after 40,000 IU/day for 12 weeks). The best form to take is a liquid form that is in a carrier oil such as olive oil or coconut oil.
Curcumin (Turmeric) – a spice that is found in many Indian dishes. It can be added to many different foods.
- Dose – The best way to take it as a supplement is in a liposomal version. The dose for turmeric is between 500 – 2000 mg.
Vitamin A can be found in the following food sources:
- Beef liver
- Cod liver
- Salmon
- Tuna
- Goat cheese
- Eggs
- Butter
- Some aged cheeses
- Dose – As a supplement, the dose should 5000 (1500 mcg) IU/day
Probiotics – there are many different probiotics available to use but ones that specifically help with auto immunity are:
- Lactobacillus
- Bifidobacterium
- Dose – amounts should be in the billions CFU (colony forming units)
Reduce exposure to toxins
- Eat organic food (or at least avoid the dirty dozen)
- Choose toxin-free household cleaning supplies
- Avoid using dryer sheets
- Minimize dry cleaning, and if used, let the clothing air out by taking it out of the plastic bag before wearing
- Utilize natural building materials
- Purchase low-toxin furniture and flooring
- Avoid make ups, lotions and deodorants/antiperspirants
Diet
- Try an autoimmune paleo diet
- Try an elimination diet (something as simple as the Whole 30 can give you a glimpse into food sensitivities)
- Eat organic or at least avoid the dirty dozen
Handling stress
Stress can play a major impact on your body’s immune system and nervous system. We have several blogs about managing stress that we encourage you to read through:
- Understanding Stress
- Are You Stressed?
- The Self Care Alphabet
- 10 Ways to Boost Your Mood
- A Returned Sense of Joy
Spiritual Health
As more and more research shows that spiritual health is a key component to having better quality of life and living longer, we should all look at how we can strive for better spiritual health.
If self-hatred can lead to our own body’s immune system attacking our bodies, we need to learn how having spiritual health can overcome this self-hatred. Knowing that you are created in God’s image and that we can have a personal relationship with God through what Jesus did on the cross for us, is huge!
Hopefully we have also learned that there is purpose to our lives and that while death is not something we want to think about, it is something we will all need to face some day. How you live your life today matters and what happens to you once you die is the most important question you could ask yourself!
Knowledge is Potential Power
If you’ve been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease or believe you have one based on your symptoms, it can feel overwhelming or like your health is doomed. But as you’ve seen from the above, there is a lot you can do to improve your health. These are things you can certainly try on your own, but for the best (and quickest) results, we recommend working with a practitioner who has been trained in functional medicine.
Knowing what to do is a great step in managing your condition, but doing it is what truly matters. If you’re having a hard time implementing changes, it’s also wise to reach out to a certified health coach to help you stay the course.
We hope this information has helped you to see that there is hope for healing, even with autoimmune disorders!
