Autoimmune Diseases

Autoimmunity:

Your body as an immune system that protects you from disease and infection.  Normally your immune system’s army of white blood cells helps protect you from potentially harmful invaders such as bacteria viruses, parasites, toxins and allergens.

If you have an autoimmune disease, however, your immune system can’t tell the difference between your own healthy body tissue and these potential invaders.  The result is an immune response that destroys normal body tissues.  Essentially, if you have an autoimmune disease, your body is producing an immune response against itself.

This can cause a variety of signs and symptoms, depending on which tissue(s) are being destroyed.

Examples of Autoimmune Conditions

Autoimmune disease may affect one or more parts of your body.  There are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases, with the most common ones being:
. Hashimoto’s disease (Leading to hypothyroidism)
.  Grave’s disease (leading to hyerthyroidism)
. Rheumatoid arthritis (affecting joints)
. Multiple scleroisis (MS – affecting the nervous system)
. Coeliac disease (affecting the digestive system)
. Systemic Lupus Erythermatosus (also known as lupus or SLE-can affect skin, joints, kidneys, heart, brain and red   blood cells)
. Type 1 diabetes (pancreatic cells are destroyed)

Why does the body attack itself?

What causes the immune system to no longer tell the difference between healthy body tissues and antigens is not fully understood.  Generics play a part (i.e. you are more likely to develop an autoimmune disease if someone in your family has one), and it is also believed that some infective microorganisms (such as bacteria or viruses) may trigger the disease process.  Other factors that can contibute to the development and/or worsening of autoimmune diseases include:

. Unbalanced immune responses
. Poor digestive function
. Toxicity and exposure to certain toxic substances
. Nutritional deficiencies

. Hormonal imbalances

Managing Autoimmune diseases

Symptoms of autoimmune diseases can come and go, and sometimes the disease can actually disappear completely.  Flare-ups, or the sudden and severe onset of symptoms, can also happen.  There are many different pharmaceutical medicines that can be taken to help manage symptoms of autoimmunity, and help during flare-ups and reduce the amount of damage done to your tissues and organs.

Dietary & Lifestyle Strategies

As well as these herbs, your Practioner may also recommend diet changes and supplements to help you restore healthy digestive function, eliminate toxins from your body and/or restore your hormonal balance.  They will also talk to you about the following dietary and lifestyle changes to help you manage your autoimmune disease more effectively. See our post  Herbal Health for Managing Seasonal Allergies.

. Eat a healthy diet.  eating a diet high in vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds and fresh fish can help keep your immune system as healthy as possible! Eat balanced meals and avoid junk foods, fatty foods and foods that contain lots of   artificial additives.

. Get regular exercise.  Gentle to moderate intensity exercise can help improve symptoms of autoimmune disease.  Thirty minutes most days of the week is best.  Some types of yoga or tai chi exercises may also be helpful.

. Get enough rest.   Rest allows your body tissues the time they need to repair.  Sleeping is a great way to help both your body and mind.  If you don’t get enough sleep, your symptoms could get worse so try to get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night.

. Reduce stress.  Relaxation and stress management are very important if you have an autoimmune disease as excessive  stress can worsen autoimmune disease progression.  Take time every day to rest relax and have some fun.