Unexplained Health Problems? It Could Be Autoimmune Reactivity

I call this the age of autoimmune. Autoimmune conditions, in which the immune system attempts to destroy the body with inflammatory cells, are growing by leaps and bounds, with no apparent signs of stopping. The immune system, meant to protect against viruses and bacteria, now mistakes the body for an enemy.

What does this mean for you? Research from the medical journal Nature estimates that about 25 percent of us have some sort of dysfunction of the immune system, including autoimmunity. And according to the American Autoimmune-Related Diseases Association, 50 million Americans have a diagnosable autoimmune disease.

So far, there are close to 100 recognized autoimmune diseases, and an additional 40 that could have an autoimmune component.

Researchers aren't sure yet what causes autoimmune conditions. But it often involves a genetic weakness being triggered by an immune system response to toxins; food proteins like gluten and casein; or chronic bacterial, yeast, or parasite infections. This inflammatory-immune response can lead to intestinal permeability or leaky gut syndrome, further perpetuating the inflammatory-immune cycle.

This mismatch between the rapidly changing world around us and our DNA is at the center of autoimmune research.

To be diagnosed with most autoimmune diseases, the immune system has to destroy a significant amount of tissue (such as the brain, gut, or thyroid) to be officially diagnosed.

For example, there has to be 90 percent destruction of the adrenal glands to be diagnosed with Addison's disease (a disorder in which the adrenal glands don't produce enough hormones). There also has to be severe destruction of the neurological and digestive systems to be diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) and celiac disease, respectively.

Of course, these diseases do not happen overnight! This is merely the end stage of the larger autoimmune spectrum.

I find there are countless people in Stage 2 of the autoimmune spectrum: not sick enough to be labeled with an autoimmune disease but still damaged by the effects of autoimmune reactivity.

Why wait until you're sick enough to be labeled with an autoimmune disease? I believe that early detection, and identifying the initial stages of autoimmune conditions before extensive damage, could allow a grace period to address, stop the progression, and, in some cases, reverse the autoimmune spectrum symptoms.

Some research suggests that antibodies can show up on labs several years before the diagnosis of many autoimmune diseases.

One lab I typically run on patients is what's referred to as predictive autoimmunity. This lab allows us to see whether there is any abnormal immune response against many parts of the body.

To be clear, functional labs like this are not used to diagnose autoimmune diseases, which is still done in the mainstream medical setting. We use labs like this to investigate underlying factors and tailor a health program to improve these issues.

Consider taking advantage of a free evaluation to talk about your specific case and to see what might be right for you.