Women are more prone to autoimmune disease than men!
Autoimmune conditions are more common as women’s hormone levels decline heading into peri-menopause and beyond.
Why?
In my opinion, it’s because the gut is used to having estradiol to keep the cell lining healthy and adequate progesterone keeps histamines in check.
When the two hormones start to decline, the toxins consumed in air, water, food and other vices end up irritating the gut lining and histamine production goes out of control causing or worsening an already leaky gut.
Research has shown that 3 autoimmune diseases often show up at the same time!
What?!
Yes, it’s common for the gut to have chronic inflammation causing a celiac condition or colitis condition first.
Then the thyroid goes off the rails.
After that it’s a tissue disorder such as psoriasis, scleroderma or joint pain.
None of this has to happen this way.
The body doesn’t have to start attacking itself.
If the pattern is caught early it can be halted before you end up on immune suppressing medications like methotrexate.
Why are all of these autoimmune conditions on the rise?
- toxins in processed foods
- increased use of chemical zero calorie sugars
- seed oil use in processed foods, restaurants and roasted nuts
- pesticides in produce and grains
- breathing environmental toxins in the air
- chemicals in drinking water
- heavy metals in the water, soil and air
- mycotoxin exposure
- stress and traumas compounding
- alcohol causing inflammation and leaky gut
- chemicals, dyes, artificial flavors used in processing of liquor, beer and wine
- chronic low grade infections that do not resolve with medications
Can you reverse autoimmune disease?
Yes, if caught early and you’re willing to make changes to control what you can in your exposures.
Can you prevent autoimmune disease from developing?
Absolutely!
The prevention and reversal protocol is the same.
Here’s what I recommend for my clients…
- Test for any underlying infections and eliminate them
- Get a CBC (complete blood count) and CMP (comprehensive metabolic panel) to ensure your kidney, liver and cells are all working well
- Identify presence of low grade infectious process
- Open up the ability for your liver, lymphatics and kidney to detox your body of toxins
- AIP (Autoimmune Paleo) or elimination diet to determine what you really truly react to, food sensitivity testing can help but often misleads if the gut is very leaky
- Gut lining repair – Tributyrin and peptides like BPC 157
- Turn meals into an experience, sit down and chew, avoid eating while stressed
- Learn what proper portions are for you and commit to not overeating
- Filter your water
- Test for nutrient deficiencies if it seems necessary (OAT or micronutrient testing)
- Adopt breath work into your daily routines to get into chill mode more often
- Minimize the stress that you create mentally or are exposed to daily
- Take a daily anti-inflammatory and proteolytic enzyme – Tumeric (Fusionary Formulas or Apex – Tumero) and Nattokinase (Orthomolecular or Designs for Health Natto-Serrazime)
What if you suspect you already have an autoimmune condition?
- Test your auto-immune antibodies (ANAs) – have your doc or self order an ANA with reflex
- Have positive antibodies but no conclusive answers as to what’s going on – ask for the Advise Autoimmune Testing – this is the most sensitive testing out there to identify autoimmune conditions
- Evaluate for Hashimoto’s antibodies – Anti-TPO and Thyroglobulin antibodies
- Evaluate for Graves disease Anti-thyroid stimulating hormone (Anti-TSH) and Thyrotropin binding inhibitory immunoglobulins (TBII)
Celiac profile or a chronic GI conditions panel (Labcorp)
All of the above tests I’ve mentioned can be self ordered or ordered through Labcorp or Quest with the exception of the Advise panel, which specialists like myself can order.
Autoimmune conditions are on the rise and I have no doubt will continue to rise based on the current state of the food system and toxic exposures.
The good news is, there’s a lot you can do if you see these patterns developing!
Dr. Krause’s Protocols
Instructions Included
Traveling soon? Looking to detox or reset your gut? Try one of Dr. Krause’s Fullscript plans.
Prevention goes a long way.
I don’t intend to scare anyone with this information, there is hope and a lot you can do!
You are not destined to take immune suppressing medications.
Teaming up with a doc who understands autoimmune conditions and protocols to help with prevention is key.
If you’re wondering if you may have an autoimmune condition or you’re seeing a pattern in your symptoms, let’s talk or reach out to your doc.
Know someone that may benefit from this information?