Are You at Risk for Autoimmune Disease?

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!