Among the most perplexing and misunderstood conditions in modern medicine is – Auto Immune Disorder. At its core, an autoimmune disorder is a case of mistaken identity. The immune system, designed to protect us from infections and foreign invaders, becomes confused and begins targeting healthy cells. This self-attack can affect almost any part of the body, from the joints and skin to vital organs and glands, the symptoms can be mild or intense…and may often come and go.
Affecting millions worldwide, autoimmune disorders like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis are on the rise. This isn’t however the most unfortunate part…Most of the clients walking into my clinic aren’t even aware that what they are battling with is in fact their own immune system!
With more and more patients being treated for Hypothyroidism when in fact they are suffering from Hashimoto’s – an autoimmune disorder of the thyroid gland, I decided to get the facts laid out explain symptoms, primary causes and potential treatments.
While over 80 autoimmune disorders have been identified, some are more prevalent than others. These include:
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): A condition where the immune system attacks the joints, causing pain, swelling, and stiffness.
Lupus: A systemic condition that can damage the skin, joints, and internal organs.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS): Targets the protective covering of nerves, leading to neurological issues.
Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Causes the immune system to attack the thyroid gland, leading to hypothyroidism.
Skin issues like Psoriasis or Lichen Planus
Other conditions like PCOS and IBS are quite often have links to Auto Immune Disorders.
Why and how this happens?
To develop an autoimmune disease, you need to have one or a combination of the following sources:
- A genetic tendency: A family history of autoimmune diseases increases your risk.
- A leaky gut
- An environmental trigger, which can be a stress, food or infection.
- Infections: Certain viral or bacterial infections may trigger autoimmune responses.
- Diet: Processed foods, sugar, and gluten have been linked to inflammation, which can exacerbate autoimmunity.
- Stress: Chronic stress over prolonged period of time weakens the immune system and may contribute to autoimmune flare-ups.
- Toxins: Exposure to environmental toxins, such as pesticides and heavy metals, can disrupt immune function.
Recognising the Symptoms
Autoimmune disorders often present with vague and overlapping symptoms. If you experience persistent symptoms of any of the following, consult a functional medicine practitioner for proper evaluation.
Fatigue
Joint pain and stiffness
Skin rashes
Digestive issues
Unexplained weight changes
Brain fog
Migraines
In the intricate dance of health and disease, the gut plays a starring role. Among its many functions, the gut serves as a critical barrier, protecting the body from harmful invaders while allowing essential nutrients to pass through. But when this barrier becomes compromised, a condition known as leaky gut can arise, triggering a cascade of issues, including autoimmune disorders. Let’s explore how these two are connected and what it means for your health.
A healthy person can open and close their gut barriers multiple times a day with things like gluten, stress, and lectins. If your gut and immune system are perfectly healthy, then: Your gut barrier can reseal itself. Your immune system recognises the food particles and low levels of bacterial toxins as harmless and chooses to ignore these. In immunology, this is called “tolerance.” Your immune system readily kills immune cells that attack anything resembling your own cells.
If you have a genetic tendency for autoimmunity, vitamin or nutritional deficiency and other life stressors that further throw things off, you can have a gut that cannot repair itself fully.
An immune system that loses its tolerance to food and bacterial toxins, remembering things it should ignore and instead responding with inflammation prevents the gut from fully repairing itself. Your immune system fails to eliminate self-attacking immune cells.
Here are some of the mechanisms linking leaky gut to autoimmunity:
- Molecular Mimicry: Substances that leak through the gut barrier may resemble proteins found in the body’s tissues. When the immune system attacks these foreign particles, it may also target similar-looking tissues, leading to autoimmune reactions.
- Chronic Inflammation: The persistent flow of toxins and bacteria into the bloodstream keeps the immune system on high alert, creating a state of chronic inflammation. This inflammation is a hallmark of autoimmune diseases.
- Dysbiosis: Leaky gut often coincides with an imbalance in gut bacteria, known as dysbiosis. This imbalance further disrupts immune regulation, exacerbating autoimmune conditions.
A leaky gut can cause common inflammatory health issues such as skin problems, fatigue, chronic pain, and irritable bowel syndrome, depending on where the weak links are in your body.
A leaky gut can trigger an auto immune disorder, and an auto immune disorder can make a leaky gut worse. So, it’s critical to break this vicious cycle.
The first step to fix an auto immune disorder is to fix a leaky gut. For all my patients who show even mild symptoms of a probable autoimmunity as the underlying cause, I begin with blood tests to join the dots. They undergo a diligently curated a Detox plan to clean up the pathogenic bacteria from the gut, heal the gut lining, top up on vital gut sealing nutrients, and reprogram the over active immune system. The protocol includes a combination of Gut detox, Ozone Therapies, IV Therapies, Supplementation, Mental Detox and Diet.
If you are suffering from autoimmune disorders of the skin like psoriasis, lichen planus or auto immune disorder of the thyroid gland like Hashimoto’s or Rheumatoid Arthritis a Detox plan could bring you a lot of relief.
By addressing gut health, you not only improve digestion but also calm the immune system, reduce inflammation, and protect against chronic illness. The gut truly is the gateway to health. When cared for properly, it can restore balance and vitality, giving your immune system the foundation it needs to thrive.
- The author of this article
Dr. Ashmita Boopathy Moturi, is a Doctor of Naturopathy. Having completed her PhD. in Gut Health and Mental Health, a Masters in Medical Engineering and as Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner, she combines age old Natural Therapies with cutting edge modern technology to deliver effective, effortless, quick, safe and convenient Detox Protocols at NineO2 Detox and Wellness Centre, for lasting wellness.