Hiya Smarties!
Check out this fabulous guest article by Mark Hyman, MD, to provide clarity on inflammation and autoimmune diseases from my blog archives.
This information is always timely. Hope it helps! Take it away, Mark…
Inflammation is a “hot” topic in medicine.
It appears connected to almost every known chronic disease: from heart disease to cancer, diabetes to obesity, autism to dementia and even depression. Other inflammatory diseases, such as allergies, asthma, arthritis and autoimmune disease, are increasing at dramatic rates. As physicians, we are trained to shut off inflammation with aspirin, anti-inflammatory medication, such as Advil or Motrin, steroids and increasingly more powerful immune-suppressing medication with serious side effects. But we are not trained to find and treat the underlying causes of inflammation in chronic disease. Hidden allergens, infections, environmental toxins, an inflammatory diet and stress are the real causes of these inflammatory conditions.
Autoimmune diseases now affect 24 million people and include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, thyroid disease, inflammatory bowel disease and more. These are often addressed by powerful immune suppressing medication and not by addressing the cause. That’s like taking a lot of aspirin while you are standing on a tack. The treatment is not more aspirin or a strong immune suppressant but removing the tack.
If you want to cool off inflammation in the body, you must find the source. Treat the fire, not the smoke. In medicine, we are mostly taught to diagnose disease by symptoms, not by their underlying cause. Functional medicine is the emerging 21st century paradigm of systems medicine that teaches us to treat the cause, not only the symptoms, and to ask why you are sick, not only what disease you have.
Functional medicine is a different way of thinking about disease that helps us understand and treat the real causes of inflammation instead of finding clever ways to shut it down. Medicine as it is practiced today is like taking the battery out of a smoke detector while a fire burns down your house!
Autoimmune conditions are connected by one central biochemical process: a runaway immune response also known as systemic inflammation that results in your body attacking its own tissues.
Autoimmunity: What is an Autoimmune Disease and How It Occurs
We are facing an epidemic of allergies (60 million people), asthma (30 million people) and autoimmune disorders (24 million people). Autoimmune diseases include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, celiac disease, thyroid disease and the many other hard-to-classify syndromes in the 21st century. These are all autoimmune conditions, and at their root, they are connected by one central biochemical process: a runaway immune response also known as systemic inflammation that results in your body attacking its own tissues.
Your immune system is your defense against invaders. It is your internal army and has to clearly distinguish friend from foe — to know you from other. Autoimmunity occurs when your immune system gets confused and your own tissues get caught in friendly cross-fire. Your body is fighting something — an infection, a toxin, an allergen, a food or the stress response — and somehow it redirects its hostile attack on your joints, your brain, your thyroid, your gut, your skin or sometimes your whole body.
This immune confusion results from what is referred to as molecular mimicry. Conventional approaches don’t have a method for finding the insult causing the problem. Functional medicine provides a map to find out which molecule the cells are mimicking.
Interestingly, autoimmune disorders occur almost exclusively in developed countries. People in poor nations without modern amenities like running water, flushing toilets, washing machines and sterile backyards don’t get these diseases. If you grew up on a farm with lots of animals, you are also less likely to have any of these inflammatory disorders. Playing in the dirt, being dirty and being exposed to bugs and infections trains your immune system to recognize what is foreign and what is “you”.
In this country, autoimmune diseases are a huge health burden. They are the eighth leading cause of death among women, shortening the average patient’s lifespan by eight years. The annual health care cost for autoimmune diseases is $120 billion, representing nearly twice the economic health care burden of cancer (about $70 billion a year).1
Unfortunately, many of the conventional treatments available can make you feel worse. Anti-inflammatory drugs like Advil, steroids, immune suppressants like methotrexate, and the new TNF-alpha blockers like Enbrel or Remicade can lead to intestinal bleeding, kidney failure, depression, psychosis, osteoporosis, muscle loss, diabetes, infection and cancer.2
When used selectively, these drugs can help people get their lives back, but they are not a long-term solution. They shouldn’t be the end of treatment but a bridge to cool off inflammation while we treat the root cause of the disease.
If you have an autoimmune disease, here is what you need to think about and do.
Nine Steps for Treatment of Autoimmune Disease
1. Check for hidden infections — yeast, viruses, bacteria, Lyme, etc. — with the help of a doctor and treat them.
2. Check for hidden food allergens with IgG food testing or just try The UltraSimple Diet, which is designed to eliminate most food allergens.
3. Get tested for celiac disease with a blood test that any doctor can do.
4. Get checked for heavy metal toxicity. Mercury and other metals can cause autoimmunity.
5. Fix your gut.
6. Use nutrients, such as fish oil, vitamin C, vitamin D and probiotics, to help calm your immune response naturally.
7. Exercise regularly. It’s a natural anti-inflammatory.
8. Practice deep relaxation, like yoga, deep breathing, biofeedback or massage, because stress worsens the immune response.
9. Tell your doctor about Functional medicine and encourage him or her to get trained. Go to http://www.functionalmedicine.org/ for more information and to get a copy of the “Textbook for Functional Medicine”.
Give these steps a try and see if you don’t start feeling less inflamed. The answers are right in front of you. Treat the underlying causes of your illness and you will begin to experience vibrant health once more.
For more information on how to optimize your health, see Dr. Hyman’s website.
Now I’d like to hear from you. Have you been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease? How is your doctor treating you? Have you been frustrated by the medical advice that you’ve been given? What steps have you taken to get to the root of the problem, and what have your results been? Please leave your thoughts by adding a comment below.
Love and health,
References
1. Nakazawa, D. (2008). The Autoimmune Epidemic. Simon & Schuster. New York.
2. Siegel, C.A., Marden, S.M., Persing, S.M., et al. (2009). Risk of lymphoma associated with combination anti-tumor necrosis factor and immunomodulator therapy for the treatment of Crohn’s disease: a meta-analysis. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 7(8): 874-81.
I was diagnosed with IC in 1997 and RA in 2002. For the IC my instillations started with using DMSO. After time the DMSO started to give me problems so now I am instilled with Heparin, Lidocaine and Sodium Bicarbonate. This time the flare up is not responding as well as it usually does when I have my usuall flare. My Urologist increased the lidocaine so now I have had three instillations with this increase. I have had this flare up since October but I must mention my husband has been ill with AML and I know stress is probably a big part of not getting over this. I also was prescribed by my Urologist two years ago Amitriptyline. I take 30 mg.’s nightly. I had very few flares after about being on it for three months. So actually this is only my second flare since I started that med. It was a miracle to have that terrible pain gone for that length of time. I also take Prelief..OTC to be taken before eating or drinking something that is acidic. I watch my IC diet very carefully My Rheumatologist is wonderful and is my Urologist. But right now I don’t understand why it won’t go away. I should have also mentioned I have Remicade infused every 8 weeks and take Methotrexate, 30mg’s once per wk taking a 4mg of Zofran 1/2 hr before Methotrexate. Now after reading your article I’m wondering if more is going on with my immune system. I don’t know I’m so confused and I feel bad for my Urologist because he is trying to help me but it’s taking so long to get some relief. He did finally give me a pain prescription which he doesn’t like to do but I told him I was miserable. I have to get better so I can be there for my husband and I want to to take care of him and not anyone else. He trusts me and I know I make him feel better when I’m with him. Thank God we are at our home. Thank-you for caring and I’m sure at some point this will pass.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
It’s going to be ending of mine day, however before finish I am reading this
fantastic post to improve my experience.
I need a meal plan as I have Sjögren’s syndrome plusdiabic toye 2 -and my kidneys are failing
Please help
Hi am jagadeesh Madhavan fighting with Ankylosing Spondylitis for 20 years what should I do to fix my gut.pls do let me know.
Am fighting with Ankylosing Spondylitis for past 20yrs. I don’t know how to fix my gut pls let me know .
Long story. I will try to make it short. 50 yr old female. Two kids. Married. Good general health. August of 2014 woke up one morning with what I thought was a UTI. Went to urgent care. Was given an antibiotic even though the tests didn’t show infection. Two days later still in pain. Pain gets so bad I visit ER. CAT scan and blood work show nothing. Go to gynecologist and she tests again. No bacteria. By the way symptoms are pain in bladder area. A little urgency. No burning. I go to urologist who swears I have a stone. Sends me home with Flomax to pass stone. No stone passes. Urologist gets an attitude because I can’t produce stone. I ask him if it might be interstitial cystitis. He says no way. He says he will do a cystoscope. Right before the procedure he says to me that “well I don’t expect to find anything but a stone and if I don’t find a stone in done with you”. I know. I should have gotten up and left. Anyway cystoscope was ok. Nothing found. He said I should see a gastroenterologist. Why? Who knows. But I did. She did a endoscopy and colonoscopy. Nothing found but some gastritis and GERD. After that I saw a neurologist and a urogynecologist at MCV. The MCV doc gave me a antidepressant and said she couldn’t diagnose me with IC until I had been suffering for six months. So it was obvious I was on my own. After multiple prescriptions for overactive bladder had no effect except bad side effects I decided to alter my diet. After a few months of no caffeine, no soda, no artificial sweeteners, etc etc I began to improve. I also had read that IC can be a histidine response in the bladder triggering mast cells. So I started taking Claritin just to see if it would help. I think it did help. I had a few good months and then I started with yellow stools. My GP ultrasound on abdomen and blood work. All normal. It resolved after one month. However she told me to go on protonix in case it was GERD. so I did. The longer I was on protonix the worse my reflux symptoms got until I passed out on a store and ended up in the ER. I even had acid in my nose. I got a sinus infection and bronchitis. I stopped the protonix and had a massive rebound explosion. Went back to gastroenterologist. She said “there’s no such thing as rebound. You have gastropareses “. So I had a gastric emptying study done. It was negative. She said “yeah well I still think you have gastropareses “. She wanted me to take Reglan. I said NO WAY. I never went back to her. Meanwhile I visit the gynecologist for yearly checkup. He was concerned about the reflux so he referred me to another Gastro doc who did another endoscopy and found hiatal hernia and GERD symptoms. He scheduled NO follow up and told me to take PPI’s. I decided I would try Zantac. I got worse on Zantac. My throat started hurting really bad. I stopped Zantac. Suffered with sore throat for two weeks and a friend suggested maybe it was allergies since fall had just rolled around. I told her I had never had seasonal allergies and I wasn’t stuffy but I decided to try the Claritin anyway. I noticed an improvement in the sore throat but it’s only been two doses so far and not enough time to tell. So my question to you is this. Is IC and Gastro problems related to some allergy or autoimmune issue? Or is it a coincidence that all this has started up in the last year and NO ONE seems to be able to really figure it out? I wish I knew of a doc who would look at ALL my issues. I have always been healthy and now I’m a mess. I thought maybe hormones were to blame because my periods have been a little hit or miss and I am if that age. anyway do u have Ny thoughts? Thank you. So sorry it’s so long.
I’ve been diagnosed with Graves’ disease and have gone in and out of remission for 5 years while being on methimazole.
My doctor at this point is pushing me to take the I-131 RAI Pill.
The more I read about this pill the more I am convinced no one should ever take it to reverse their thyroid problem.
I do not believe in going after symptoms to solve the problem but to instead address the real underlining cause of my illness which is an autoimmune disease that is attacking my thyroid gland.
Radiating my thyroid gland with this pill will not cure my thyroid but instead it kills the gland along with causing other irreversible problems.
Can you please recommend a doctor to me that does Functional Medicine in the Denver, CO area.
Thank you
I was diagnosed with MS last year. I am on copaxone. I feel like all of my nerve endings are acting out at one time, aching constant pain that I can’t get rid of. I am looking for a doctor in my area that practices in functional medicine. Willards, md 21874
I suffered for 1 year with an auto immune system disorder with Uticaria, it was absolutely awfus l. The hives totally covered my body, I went to see an Immunologist and he ran all kinds of test, I was on Prednisone for 8 months, I gained so much weight, I need to lose weight, I am stressed, it was very interesting to find out that exercise was like an anti flammatory, I need to start immediately, my doctor put me on Xolair injection for one year, after the first shot, they left, I have been off of the shots for about 6 months, now they are returning, they are on my hand and both wrist bad, I will appreciate any info you cab give me.
Thank you
I’m sick of looking for doctors who claim to be able to help you and then they take usual test, try to tweek the thyroid meds and tell you “you’re cured! These doctors are supposedly Wellness doctor who are supposed to know how to help you with the root cause of your problems. I am discussed and frustrated with all of them !!!
Just diagnosed with ra last weak. Started Diclofenac today.woke up last night so stiff and in pain ,my husband had to help me of bed. So scary!keens shoulders and hand R affected. Appreciate any information on meds.
i started going to a chiropractic intern several years ago was also getting tired of regular mds only going so far if you had ingestion problems take tums or prilosec ,had been diagnosed as benign tremor which myoclonus came shortly after,when meds would not control the jerk did some research and found that staatins which i was also taking could cause muscle and nerve damage,i stopped them the jerks stopped for some time,my intern has discovered i have gluten intolerance so i am gluten free now but jerks are back part of time found to have lymes flare ups am wondering now if that is actually what i had when diagnosed as benign tremor and the anti convulsive meds no longer handle the seizures even with increasing them i have been getting frequency specific treatments that greatly help plus different supplements had vitamin d defeciency at end of march went off them for summer had almost 3 months of no doctor visits then everything started up again back on 5000 a day and have an appt thursday with a new family doctor will have d tested again along with complete physical i am 81 but don’t think all this has to do with my age
I have Addisons Disease as well as thyroid problems…Looking into the Paleo diet I am finding for autoimmune disease there is not much you can eat..Nightshade veg out, Nuts out, Dried fruit out..No grains.
So just meat and certain vegetables is all I can eat..Worried as I am slim now and cannot afford to lose any weight as I have been eating healthy but just realised I cant eat nuts fruit and dried fruit or any type honey etc which is where I got my sweet kick from..????
I was diagnosed with sjogren one year ago, even though All The blood tests done didnot show any problem with the inmunologic system (reumatolog. Ro, la ..) A salivary gland picture shows that the one under the jaw is no working 100%. In january i started to have my lips dry and the skin around my mouth itchy me. I see my finger skin getting dry too. My tonge hurts an my eyes are dry. Some days are worse than others. I wonder if i have an allergy , or a bacteria, and the doctors have not been able to find it out
Hello there everyone
I have diagnosed with a condition called Guillaim-Barr Syndrome which is also an auto-immune disease where my own immunity attacked my nerves, and i had to go in hospital for a week. At the time my doctor thought it was a trapped nerve as it started with numbness in my toes and it eventually made its way up through out my body – i was given anti-depressants by my consultant in hospital to calm my nerves down – this went on for 3 months and then symptoms did gradually subside to pretty much like normal but i still get weakness and tightness which won’t go away, i am now trying reflexology to get to the root cause of this disease and hopefully this will help and changed my diet to organic meats because i was told that my condition was caused by contaminated chicken – so now after 2 years nearly i am pretty much dealing with things on my own after being told there’s nothing can be done, just exercise my muscles :/
This article is very interesting! I am suffering with vitiigo and hypothyroidism. Now I have a hiatal hernia and an inflammed stomach that is making me very sick, and I am always burning up ans sweating and can’t loose the weight.
I would like to know how I can find a “functional medicine” doctor in Seattle.
I’ve been diagnosed with connective tissue disorder after I had inflammation in the lining of my lung. I was put on 4 months of prednisolone which took away the pain. I have been steroid free for 3 weeks now and slowly I am feeling the ache trying to creep back ….I am worried
Hello,
I have been diagnosed with Granuloma Annulare. I have the disseminated kind bumpy rash everywhere. I also have started with a functional medicine doctor. I have taken all the tests and now on several supplements. I found in my research the autoimmune paleo protocol diet. Although I find this to be difficult to follow due to a very busy work schedule. Very time consuming in the kitchen. Do you have any other suggestions? There is no pain with this disease just an unsightly rash.
Thanks,
Nicole
The doctor is giving me 1000 IV steroids and Ingram 50mg 3x a day
I have autoimmune hemolytic anemia they are treating me with prednisone. I have had at least 4 or 5 blood transfusions since September 2014,I’m going to take the steps in this article and see if these steps can help my condition