Eradicate your suffering. While you may be told an autoimmune disease cannot be cured, wouldn’t it be nice to stop your symptoms and get on with your life?

You can. Read this.

First off—vital data:

1. The word “autoimmune” means our normally defensive immune system is attacking otherwise healthy body parts.
2. An estimated 7 percent of the US population (24 million) has an autoimmune diagnosis such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), multiple sclerosis (MS), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Psoriasis, Grave’s disease, Hashimoto’s disease, Celiac and other inflammatory bowel diseases, Type 1 Diabetes, and more… at least 80 types of autoimmune patterns are currently recognized; nearly any body part can be involved.
3. Far more women are affected than men.
4. We don’t know entirely what causes the immune system to attack the body.
5. It is generally agreed that autoimmune disease only happens in genetically predisposed individuals; although we haven’t yet mapped the genes for each of the diseases. AND, autoimmune diseases involve gut inflammation with increased gut permeability (a.k.a. “leaky gut”) plus a trigger.
6. Often, if the immune systems makes this error against one organ or system, that individual is likely to develop additional autoimmune diseases.
7. Lessening sources of inflammation is key to both prevention and to lessoning autoimmune symptoms.

What does “genetically predisposed” mean?

These are not “genetic defects” per se. Just like variations give one person blue eyes and another brown, we have variations in how efficiently we use certain nutrients (especially B vitamins), how well we clean out toxicants, and how our immune system responds to threats (chemical or metal overload, infections, food sensitivities…).

Some of us, sadly and due to genetic variation, tend to mount an immune response that errs and attacks our own body.

What’s happening?

Meet your immune system. First, your front-line defenses try to address any “foreign invader” (irritating foods, toxic chemicals, metals, immune stress like parasites, bacteria, viruses, yeast overgrowth…). White blood cells of different types try to engulf or use chemical warfare to disintegrate these threats.

On your blood tests, you may see high white blood cell counts, especially high neutrophils—a type of white blood cell, if the situation just started. If the problem is solved, you feel better, life continues.

However, if your neutrophils cannot keep up, they get destroyed faster than your body can make them. Your blood test will show low end or below normal range. Anything below 5.0 indicates an inflammatory situation that has gone on for some time.

When your immune system cannot keep up (chronic inflammation) it sends in the “special forces”. The first wave of immune response is unsuccessful, the “foreign invader” is winning the battle (e.g. still eating those foods or not eliminating those chemicals well enough). Your immune system boosts cell types collectively known as lymphocytes. On your blood tests, lymphocytes often become elevated but not always. These are the cells that make antibodies so your immune system can more quickly recognize, create a more robust immune response, and (hopefully) eradicate the problem.

Your immune system is also supposed to educate the “special force team” to recognize self from foreign invader. On inspection by the immune system, traitorous lymphocytes (e.g. make antibodies against self or other defects that can happen) normally get detected and eliminated. But, in genetically predisposed people, a triggering event or even a threat that continues too long allows some of these to escape detection. Next we have antibodies made that can and do attack “self”.

Once these T-lymphocyte cells are activated, they divide and make many more of themselves. Your new surveillance team grows in number—great if their antibodies are against a virus; not so great if the antibodies are against your thyroid gland (Hashimoto’s thyroiditis); or your salivary, tear, and other mucous glands (Sjogren’s syndrome); or the insulation around your nerves (multiple sclerosis, peripheral neuropathy)… now your body has an army.

If you have anyone in your family with a diagnosed autoimmune disease, please be careful!

Vaccine adjuvants (additives that make vaccines more potent) can trigger an autoimmune response. If you have a family history of any autoimmune disease, please, please, please limit your exposure to vaccinations. Numerous studies show that Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Systemic Lupus, Lichen Planus, and especially Psoriasis (and Atopic Dermatitis) can be triggered by vaccines in genetically predisposed people.

While vaccines and medications are certainly suspect, even more suspect are “the foods you’ve been eating all your life.” Yes, this is counter-intuitive—why did my body become sensitive now? Your early immune system couldn’t keep up—after years of low-grade irritation, your body finally sent in the “special forces”. The truth is that the problem has been building like the pressure on a fault zone. There might have been small tremors and ignored symptoms; then one day… “crack” and the fault line moves dramatically.

Guilt by association

Let’s say the chronic situation isn’t an infection—although a chronic or substantial infection can certainly trigger an autoimmune situation in genetically predisposed individuals—but let’s say it is an additive to a medication (such as aluminum or egg protein), or your immune system dislikes a food you eat often (gliadin in wheat, oats, rye, barley—or gluten; zein in corn, orzenin in rice, casein in dairy products, the high bacteria count in grain-fed meats, milk and cheese products, or hormones, etc.).

Your immune system ramps up. Your immune “Special Forces” make antibodies to whatever protein is associated with the offending chemical, food, or “bug”. Chemicals, even sugar, attached to a protein will trigger antibodies against the nearby protein—which in many cases is *you*.

Guilt by similarity

What do you eat more than three times a week? Overconsumed foods are likely triggers. That slice of bread—even made from heritage grains? Think twice!

The gliadin and/or gluten in wheat, oats, rye, and barley looks like a foreign invader. It also is similar to certain proteins found in your thyroid gland. Your very own immune system will begin to attack your thyroid gland. Usually this is diagnosed as Hashimoto’s disease.

If you are sensitive to gluten, these six foods will cross-react and also cause problems because of their similar protein structure:

• Dairy products such as milk and cheese (Alpha-Casein, Beta-Casein, Casomorphin, Butyrophilin, sometimes cheap Whey due to contaminants)
• Corn
• Millet
• Oats
• Rice
• Yeast

The medical treatment plan:

Conventional doctors have probably told you that autoimmunity is “a condition you have to live with.” They often recommend non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, prescribe immunosuppressants (often Rapamycin or corticosteroids to block the immune response), and/or prescribe a course of antibody treatment aimed at inhibiting that specific immune response.

Worse than that, they may recommend you surgically remove or “blow up” the attacked organ—for example, radioactive iodine to kill the thyroid gland when Grave’s disease causes it to become hyperactive.

The problem with this approach:

1. Nothing is done to address why the body might be attacking itself; and
2. These medications have substantial side effects; and
3. These medications may trigger developing additional autoimmune conditions.

The nutritionist treatment pan

First, find and fix what’s really wrong. Underneath those debilitating flare-ups are stress on your immune system, immune imbalances, and not enough genuine building blocks. I use a combination of Nutrition Response Testing, basic fasting blood labs

Keep those T-lymphocyte cells from becoming activated. 

• Skip any and all irritating, immune-stimulating foods (dairy, grains, and especially sugar). Understand your autoimmune triggers.
  • Anything you eat more than 3x/week is suspect.
  • Be willing to challenge your thinking about “foods you’ve eaten all your life” and/or “foods everyone else eats” (they may have health situations they don’t discuss).
• Give your body plenty of tools so that it can filter and eliminate toxic chemicals and metals; as much as possible, avoid exposures.
• Give your body plenty of nutrients that balance and regulate your immune system:
  • Eat fish or take a quality fish-oil supplement from vendors that test for mercury and other contaminants.
  • Make sure your vitamin D status stays in the functional range of 45-60 ng/mL (112.5-150 nmol/L – watch the units used by your lab!) and ensure adequate vitamins A and K as deficiencies in A or K can create a false D toxicity.
  • Get the right probiotics—cultured food is perfect. Store-bought supplements probably not. You need the right probiotic for this job.
  • Eat eggs from pastured animals only, enjoy avocados, nuts, and non-grain seeds.
• Worried about budget? It costs less to prepare foods at home from raw ingredients. Not everything has to be organic. Meats, fish, and eggs should be extremely high quality as their fats accumulate hormones and toxic chemicals. Grab organic fruits but save on vegetables by using the Environmental Working Group’s Clean 15 / Dirty dozen lists.
• Time constraints? Make enough for lunch or to freeze for another day. Use those “rainy days” to prep and make ahead.

An example meal plan:

Beverages and “staples”

Marie’s rehydration recipe 😊	“Freedom from Wheat and Corn Tortillas”	Easy Probiotic Salsa
Most of make too many trips to the “B.R.” meaning we are drinking fluids but it is not getting into our cells. Balance is off. Try this beverage; you need electrolytes and perhaps other nutrients.	Thyroid problems, arthritic joints, psoriasis, inflamed digestive tracts, lupus… most autoimmune diseases are worsened with grains from the grass family of plants (wheat, corn, rice, rye, barley, oats). There are options. This one is simple	Highly recommend adding probiotic foods to your diet. Save money and get the exact flavor you want by making your own.

Breakfast ideas:

Chia seed berry porridge	Buckwheat (Better than oatmeal) breakfast	Scrambled eggs with veggies, probiotic salsa and wheat/corn-free tortillas

Lunch & Dinners (steam vegetables and or create side salads from tender lettuces to enjoy with any of these recipes)

Grilled Steak, Mint, Bok-choy, and Greens salad	Garbanzo and Chorizo Chicken Soup	Golden Squash Soup
with a tangy lime dressing		Shown with Almond Bread
Peruvian Estofado de Pollo (Chicken Pot Pie)	Spicy Sriracha meat balls	Authentic Carne Asada

Eating clean is good for everyone—head over to www.OurNutritionKitchen.com where the team continuously crafts new ideas and swaps in nutrient dense ingredients.

Hugs,

References:

Bellocchi, C., Fernández-Ochoa, Á., Montanelli, G., Vigone, B., Santaniello, A., … Beretta, L. (2019). Identification of a Shared Microbiomic and Metabolomic Profile in Systemic Autoimmune Diseases. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 8(9):1291

Daley, C. A., Abbott, A., Doyle, P. S., Nader, G. A., & Larson, S. (2010). A review of fatty acid profiles and antioxidant content in grass-fed and grain-fed beef. Nutrition journal, 9, 10.

Fritscher-Ravens, A., Schuppan, D., Ellrichmann, M., Schoch, S., Röcken, C., Brasch, J., … Milla, P. J. (2014). Confocal Endomicroscopy Shows Food-Associated Changes in the Intestinal Mucosa of Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Gastroenterology, 147(5), 1012–1020.

Guimarães, L. E., Baker, B., Perricone, C., & Shoenfeld, Y. (2015). Vaccines, adjuvants and autoimmunity. Pharmacological Research, 100, 190–209.

Mariani S. M. (2004). Genes and autoimmune diseases – a complex inheritance. MedGenMed : Medscape general medicine, 6(4), 18.

Silverberg, J. I., Gelfand, J. M., Margolis, D. J., Boguniewicz, M., Fonacier, L., Grayson, M. H., … Chiesa Fuxench, Z. C. (2018). Association of atopic dermatitis with allergic, autoimmune, and cardiovascular comorbidities in US adults. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 121(5), 604.

Watad, A., David, P., Brown, S., & Shoenfeld, Y. (2017). Autoimmune/Inflammatory Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants and Thyroid Autoimmunity. Frontiers in endocrinology, 7, 150.