The Immune System and Natural Healing for Autoimmune Disease

The immune system is the body’s security system—it uses white blood cells to fight disease and illness. When someone suffers from an autoimmune disease it’s because they have an illness that is causing their white blood cells to attack healthy tissue, instead of sick tissue. There are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases.

Some common autoimmune diseases include:

• Type 1 Diabetes
• Celiac Disease
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Psoriasis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Lupus

While these are not the only autoimmune diseases, they are some of the most known. While illnesses like Fibromyalgia may mimic an autoimmune disease, it is not.

There are many things that autoimmune disorders can do to the body, and most revolve around the organs. Most commonly affected by this type of illness are:

• Skin
• Joints
• Muscles
• Blood vessels
• Red blood cells
• Connective tissues
• Endocrine glands

Autoimmune disorders generally cause inflammation.

Food and the Immune System

Some folks believe that many autoimmune disorders, including Celiac disease, are caused by an unhealthy diet. In this day and age it seems very difficult to eat healthy. With once healthy foods being modified and less healthy (GMOs) and all of the nasty additives in processed foods (like high fructose corn syrup), it’s really confusing.

Natural Remedies for Inflammation

While a doctor’s advice is always important with any type of illness, there are many things that people can do from home to be healthier, even when it comes to autoimmune disorders. Don’t assume it’s an autoimmune disease until getting diagnosed by a doctor, but here are some symptoms:

1. Joint pain, muscle pain or weakness
2. Drastic weight loss or gain
3. Insomnia
4. Recurrent rashes or hives
5. Difficulty concentrating or focusing
6. Feeling tired or fatigued

Most of these symptoms can mean something entirely different than autoimmune issues. And there are other symptoms, like dry eyes or mouth, that could mean there is something going on with the immune system too. The best thing to do is check with a doctor. Once diagnosed with autoimmune disorder, some of the following remedies may help in healing, or at least tolerating the symptoms.

• Look for food allergies- Sometimes the easiest remedy to pain and inflammation is just eating the right foods. These 8 foods account for 90% of the food-allergic reactions in the U.S.: peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, fish, and shellfish.
• Get checked for heavy metal toxicity– Mercury, as well as other metals, can cause autoimmunity.
• Check your gut- Probiotics can help get the right bacteria in the stomach. Sometimes the causes of issues like irritable bowel syndrome can simply be something wrong in the gut, which can be fixed by eating healthy and natural foods.
• Get vitamins and nutrients- There are many vitamins and nutrients that can help fight inflammation. Antioxidants, like vitamin C and E are excellent for this. Fish oil is also very helpful when it comes to fighting immune deficiencies. It is also very important to get at least 15 minutes of natural sunlight a day, for optimal vitamin D absorption.
• Exercise regularly- Exercise is a natural anti-inflammatory.
• Practice relaxation techniques- Stress is known to worsen the immune response, so it’s important to do things that are relaxing. Some great relaxation techniques include yoga, meditation, and massage therapy.
• Cut down on protein- The formation of antigen-antibody complexes is a significant cause of autoimmune disease. These antibodies can float around in the blood and get deposited in tissues. This causes inflammation. The main cause of these formations is the leakage of protein that hasn’t been completely digested into the blood stream. To avoid this it’s important to only take in the recommended protein amount.
• Eat vegetables, fruit, and whole grains- These are the best food groups for fighting and autoimmune illness. These specific foods help to give the body pretty much all of the vitamins and nutrients it needs to get healthy. Avoid added sugars and salt. Salt will just add to the inflammation. The best fruits to eat are those rich in color, and to be sure to eat the seeds and skins, which often contain most of the fruits healthful nutrients. Some of the best fruit choices include blackberries, blueberries, pomegranates, raspberries, and strawberries.
• Get rest- The human body works to heal itself in sleep, so it is very important for everyone to get the proper amount of sleep each and every day. Resting allows the body to put more energy towards healing.

Suffering from an autoimmune disease is not an easy thing, but taking care of the body can do wonders in making life more tolerable. These healthy tips may not reverse autoimmune issues, but they will do amazing things to help the body have far better overall health.