As a Clinical Dietitian specialized in autoimmune diseases, but also as a person having dealt with an autoimmune disease myself, it’s only fair to say that I know first-hand that life with an autoimmune disease can be hard, lonely and tiresome. Most people suffer for years till they get diagnosed and when they do, the pessimism of most doctors doesn’t give them the chance to be strong about it. But trust me, it doesn’t have to be this way.
Most doctors are stuck in an old-fashioned way of thinking and treating, that considers our body a machine made of different parts and not as a whole. That’s the root of the problem when trying to treat an autoimmune disease. Most times, there’s not even a specific diagnosis, so most doctors turn to psychological factors like anxiety or depression, with anti-depressants being the first-choice treating drug.
Our body, though, is much more complicated than this. It’s an exceptional interconnected system and needs to be considered as a whole, which reacts to environmental factors as well. There may be a genetic root to an autoimmune disease, but today science takes into consideration our way of life and the environment, as factors that can play a role and even reverse diseases. Stress, sleep, toxins, foods we eat or don’t eat, all play their part when it comes to gene expression. Which means that you mustn’t keep a passive attitude and consider an autoimmune disease an unchangeable condition, but rather see how you can improve your situation, your symptoms and live a happy life in the most natural way. This is what we’re trying to accomplish through our autoimmune protocol https://www.feedyourimmunity.com/the-autoimmune-protocol/ with our main focus being to reboot your health by suggesting specific foods, herbs and selected herbal teas in order to improve your microbiome and mycobiome composition and decrease your autoimmune symptom pathology. You shouldn’t be surprised to know that the feedback from people we have worked with is exceptional and really encouraging. Check it out and try it incorporate tips below that can help in your everyday life with an autoimmune.
Heal your gut
Since the gut is our second brain and houses about 70% of our immune system, we need to take good care of it and always be ahead. A colonoscopy can help in cases of gut permeability (leak gut), which may play a role in autoimmune diseases, while in general you need to feed it with good bacteria from plant based, fermented foods, like kombucha, soy sauce, kefir, pickled etc. A specialized Clinical Dietitian is always the best course of action you can take.
Avoid gluten
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and it’s found that it can be linked to many autoimmune diseases. Talk to a doctor or clinical dietitian to see what tests you need to take or try to avoid it for 2 months. Notice any changes or improvements and then go back to eating gluten again and see how it affects your symptoms.
Be careful with what you eat
Gluten is one thing, but there may be other foods that can set off immune response, like rice, corn, grains etc. Again with the guidance of a clinical dietitian and your own personal experience, you can find those foods and avoid them. Salt is also found to make things worse in autoimmune diseases, so find other ways to make your food tastier, with healthy herbs and spices.
Go plant-based
Detox always helps, but by detox we don’t mean to stop eating or just drink juices. Sticking to a plant-based diet, with lots of fruits, vegetables, pulses, nuts and seeds, with no animal and processed sugary products is always a good idea for autoimmune and other diseases. Vegetables like onion, cabbage, broccoli, which are rich in sulfur compounds can also help in glutathione production, a very powerful antioxidant which is usually low in people with compromised health. Foods that can help tame immune response especially in the brain are also green tea and curcumin.
Always talk to a doctor first
An experienced and well-informed doctor can guide you so as to take the proper exams and check the antibodies and proteins in your system. Knowing these levels can help in your therapy controlling the symptoms in the best possible way.
Try to handle stress
Chronic stress always fuels autoimmune diseases and it’s no surprise that most people get the first symptoms of an autoimmune disease in a stressful period of their life. Therapy, yoga, meditation, exercise, socializing are good practices to get your stress under control and balance your immune system.
Remember that autoimmune diseases can’t be cured, but can be absolutely controlled so that you can live a healthy, happy life. All you need to do is find the right health professional that will not stop at the diagnosis, but take it from there and guide you through balance and a better life! Feel free to browse through “The autoimmune protocol” in the blog section of www.feedyourimmunity.com.
