Autoimmune Disorders and the Body’s Confusion
Hashimoto, Graves, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohn’s, Lupus all have something in common. The body has gotten confused and is attacking itself. The messengers that should be aware of foreign invaders and warding them off are now sending out various immune cells that end up attacking the thyroid, joints, digestive tract, kidney, etc.
Traditional means of stopping this is to use something like steroids to shut down the immune system and stop the attack rather than correct the confusion. While steroids will suppress the immune system, their long-term usage can come at a high cost and only keeps the hounds at bay.
A better way would be to stop the confusion, balance the immune system so it knows what to attack and what to protect. Make sure it can recognize self vs non-self. Here are some things to check out:
Is the body is a chronic state of inflammation? More than likely, yes. There are lab tests to see about inflammation, like highly sensitive C-reactive protein (HS CRP). Initially it’s a good idea to get highly pro-inflammatory foods out of the diet. These include wheat (gluten), sugar, and trans fats. A good guideline would be to eliminate processed foods since they tend to have an abundance of pro-inflammatory foods and chemicals.
Is your body toxic? The cleaner your body is the better it can function. We are all constantly exposed to heavy metals. While the body can cope with a certain amount, after a while things start to break down. One good and rather inexpensive way to check is to have a hair analysis done. This will not only give information about levels of heavy metals but also various minerals in the body. The mineral information can give a good indication of how the various organs and glands are functioning.
How is your immune system being stressed? Our immune system is an ever changing balance between various cells and messengers. Autoimmune diseases present a unique challenge. You want the immune system to do its job, go after invaders and get rid of damaged and abnormal cells. Different aspects of the immune system may be over-functioning while others are suppressed. There are lab tests to determine which aspect of the immune system is dominant and then support can be given to raise the function of the suppressed aspect.
There are some basic supports that should be considered in all autoimmune conditions.
Decrease stress – The immune system is already stressed, so any pressure that can be taken off of it will help.
Exercise – It can not only decrease inflammation but can improve overall body function.
Get More Vitamin D – There is often a deficiency. It will not tip the balance between the various aspects of the immune system, just help with overall health.
The main thing to consider in any autoimmune issue is that the body has gotten confused and is now attacking itself. It can get confused after an infection, long periods of stress, lots of bad eating, excessive toxin exposure. The thing is to get the body back on the right path.
