Autoimmune Conditions - My Approach

What Is This Issue?

Autoimmune conditions occur when your immune system becomes overactive in what I believe is an attempt to heal and protect your body, rather than attacking it without reason. There are more than 80 different autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, coeliac disease, and multiple sclerosis.

What makes autoimmune conditions particularly challenging is that they can affect virtually any part of your body, leading to a wide range of symptoms that might seem unrelated at first glance. In my practice, it's very common to see clients with multiple autoimmune conditions – they rarely come alone. For instance, someone with Hashimoto's might also have coeliac disease. This clustering occurs because the underlying triggers for one autoimmune issue often create the environment for others to develop.

What Is Underlying This Issue?

In my practice, I see autoimmune conditions as systemic disorders with several interconnected factors:

• Environmental triggers – things like infections, toxins, stress, and dietary factors that activate your immune system

• Implants and foreign materials – breast implants and other cosmetic additions can trigger chronic immune responses in some people

• Intestinal permeability – when the tight junctions between your gut cells loosen, it allows undigested food particles and other substances to escape into your bloodstream, triggering an immune response as your body tries to protect you from these "invaders"

• Molecular mimicry – sometimes proteins from foods or pathogens look very similar to your body's own tissues. When your immune system creates antibodies against these foreign invaders, those antibodies can mistakenly attack your similar-looking tissues as well

• Impaired detoxification – difficulty eliminating toxins that can trigger immune responses

• Nutrient deficiencies – often stemming from poor diet choices and compromised absorption, particularly in vitamins D, A, and zinc, which help regulate immune function

My Functional Nutrition Perspective

In my practice, I've found that autoimmune conditions rarely develop overnight. They're typically the result of environmental triggers meeting a body whose defenses are compromised. When someone has multiple autoimmune conditions, it's usually because the same underlying triggers are affecting different systems in the body.

The conventional medical approach usually focuses on suppressing the immune system with medications that don't address why your immune system is responding so strongly in the first place. While these medications can be necessary and life-saving in some cases, they don't resolve the underlying triggers.

The gut-immune connection is particularly crucial in autoimmune conditions – about 70% of your immune system is located in your gut, and gut health directly influences immune function. Additionally, the stress-hormone connection plays a significant role, as chronic stress can both trigger and exacerbate autoimmune responses.

What I Will Look At

When working with autoimmune conditions, I focus on several key areas to understand your unique situation:

Gut Health

• I'll investigate intestinal permeability that might be allowing substances to escape into your bloodstream

• I'll assess your microbiome balance to identify any dysbiosis that might be contributing to immune activation

• I'll evaluate your digestive function and nutrient absorption capabilities

• I'll look for any underlying gut infections that might be triggering immune responses

Environmental Triggers

• I'll consider potential exposures to toxins that might be triggering immune responses

• I'll assess your stress levels and how they might be affecting your immune system

• I'll evaluate how your diet might be contributing to immune activation

• I'll investigate any implants or foreign materials that might be contributing to immune activation

Hormonal Balance

• I'll examine how your hormones might be influencing your immune function

• I'll evaluate how stress hormones (cortisol) might be affecting your immune regulation

• I'll assess the relationship between your reproductive hormones and immune activity

Recommended Lab Testing

For comprehensive assessment of autoimmune conditions, I recommend the GI Map test as the priority, which provides:

• Detailed analysis of gut microbiome balance

• Identification of potential pathogens contributing to immune activation

• Assessment of digestive function and nutrient absorption

• Markers for intestinal permeability and inflammation

Additionally, I recommend the DUTCH Plus test to evaluate how your hormones might be influencing your immune function. This is particularly important because stress is such a big player in autoimmune conditions, and this test allows us to see what your cortisol is doing throughout the day.

Hormone Considerations

Many people with autoimmune conditions have hormonal imbalances that can influence immune function. Cortisol, your primary stress hormone, plays a crucial role in regulating immune responses – when cortisol levels are disrupted, either too high or too low, it can lead to immune dysregulation.

Research has shown that hormonal fluctuations can trigger autoimmune flares in many conditions. This is particularly relevant during menopause, when autoimmune conditions often get worse due to the dramatic shifts in hormones. Some women notice changes in their symptoms during different phases of their menstrual cycle or during pregnancy as well. This connection between hormones and immunity is particularly important to address when working with multiple autoimmune conditions.

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