AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE EPIDEMIC

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Autoimmune disease is one of the most common chronic conditions affecting Americans, and the incidence is rising. According to officials with the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, about 20 percent of the population-or 50 million Americans have an autoimmune condition. (1) This is a condition where your body's defense system-the immune system-loses its ability to recognize its own cells and starts attacking healthy cells as it would a bacterial or viral invader. Common examples of autoimmune diseases include Hashimoto's thyroiditis, lupus, Sjogren's disease, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis. The immune system can attack any system or organ in the body. According to some estimates, there are upwards of eighty different types of autoimmune diseases. (2) Treatment options are quite limited as steroids, immune system suppressing drugs, and pain medications all have devastating side effects.

Antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system to help remove pathogens. They are what we use to fight infections and even cancer. Autoantibodies are proteins that are produced against self. One function they serve is to remove cells that are injured or dead. This serves as a kind of sanitation system that removes waste that would otherwise accumulate around our cells. 

Have you ever wondered what could cause your body to become so confused that it would turn against itself and produce pathogenic autoantibodies? A genetic predisposition DOES play a role, but in the majority of chronic diseases, whether these genes turn ON or OFF is determined by lifestyle choices that WE make.

Here are some causes of cell injury and death-triggers for a condition that we call inflammation.

•    1.   Infections--Having a weak immune system makes one vulnerable to harboring disease-causing viruses, bacteria and fungi. (4)

•    2.   Toxins--mold, pesticides (5), plastics (6), heavy metals (7),                     hair dyes (8),  cosmetics and body care ingredients (9).

•    3.   Pharmaceutical drugs--vaccines (10), oral contraceptives (11),        and hormone replacement therapy (12).

•    4.   Nutrition--sugar (13), refined carbohydrates (14), flavor enhancers (15), aroma enhancers, preservatives emulsifiers (16), thickeners, vinegars, and pickled foods are just some of the things in the diet that may contribute to inflammation. 

•    5.   Stress (17)--emotional, physical, and mental. This can be known, or even subconscious stress. Bitterness, resentment, and a lack of forgiveness can cause stress to consume our resources. Depression itself is a known risk factor for disease. (18)

•    6.   Lifestyle practices--lack of sleep (19), lack of exercise (20),                  lack of sunlight (21), and lack of fresh air (22)

The more sources of inflammation you are exposed to and the longer you are exposed to them, the more you will have to borrow from your reserve immune cells. These are cells that would otherwise be available for needed routine maintenance and surveillance. Over time, the choices that lead to inflammation will result in more confusion and chaos for the immune system. Thus the stage is set for disease, dysfunction, and degeneration.

In recent decades, there has been a significant upsurge in diseases involving the immune system, such as allergies, cancer, and autoimmune disease. While the exact reason for this trend may not be readily identified, the gut is likely a good place to begin looking, since the majority of the immune system resides there.

Seventy to eighty percent of the body's immune cells are located in the digestive system. In addition to providing immune cells, the lining of the gut-the epithelium-is a very important protective structure, because this is where digestion and absorption of food takes place, and where the microbiome-the bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa-live. You've no doubt heard me mention the microbiome in the garden video clip on this site, and how we can improve it just by working with the soil. It's so easy to feel better and live longer once you know some simple secrets. Let's look at the importance of having a healthy microbiome in more detail shall we? You'll find it's really quite a fascinating study, so stick with me a little bit longer.

The microbiome contains about ten times as many cells as the rest of the human body put together, and is absolutely essential for good digestion, physical strength, healthy emotions, and balanced immune function. (23)

In autoimmune disease, (as well as in many other chronic diseases), the gut microbiome has been significantly altered and exists in a state of imbalance called dysbiosis. Not surprisingly, there is a distinct correlation between the health of the gut microbiome and the development of autoimmune diseases. (24-27)

The gut epithelium is made up of a single layer of epithelial cells. These cells are protected by a layer of mucus, and interlocked by structures called tight junctions. All of these provide a protective barrier to pathogens and undigested food particles. It is the breakdown of this barrier that allows pathogens and incompletely digested food molecules to enter into the body. 

This condition of gut permeability is called, "leaky gut," a condition associated with sensitivities to various foods. These sensitivities can manifest with a wide variety of symptoms including pain, allergies, eczema, fatigue, and brain fog. Gut permeability can contribute to many diseases, including the different types of autoimmune diseases we see today. (28, 29)

If you have leaky gut, you may not even be able to tolerate foods that are supposed to be good for you, such as onions, garlic, or even greens. This is most likely due to the dysbiosis that has developed when beneficial bacteria required for proper digestion are outnumbered by opportunistic and harmful bacteria that colonize the digestive system instead. The good news is that you can repopulate your gut with the correct bacteria. Just as the gut microbiome can change with negative lifestyle choices, it responds favorably to a modification of lifestyle, especially the diet.

Gluten has an effect on our health through various mechanisms. It can overstimulate the immune system, create toxic reactions, and negatively affect the microbiome composition. The resulting dysbiosis, (imbalance of the various types of bacteria), will further contribute to intestinal permeability. (30, 31, 32) This gluten-induced gut permeability is an issue for celiac disease patients, as well as for those who are simply gluten sensitive. (30)

There are a number of possible reasons for why gluten sensitivity is such an issue today. One explanation may be the hybridization of wheat. This may cause the modern varieties of wheat to be more difficult to digest than the varieties grown a century ago. (33)

Another reason may be the effect that industrialized food production has had on our digestive systems. A commonly used agricultural method is that of mono-cropping. This is the intensive planting of the same one crop on the same large piece of land over and over again. This practice imbalances the soil and requires intensive pesticide use. Food that is grown from this poor soil lacks severely in nutrition and the overall vitality needed for human health. (34, 35)

Roundup is one of the most widely used herbicides. It is routinely used on many grain crops, (including wheat), as well as legumes/beans, and many vegetables. Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, has been patented as a mineral chelator, and as an antibiotic, as well as an herbicide. Because it did not cause acute toxicity and because humans lack the shikimate pathway that glyphosate affects, it was quickly pronounced to be safe when it came on the market in the 1970s. (36) Various independent studies have since demonstrated that it may negatively impact various cellular enzymes. Glyphosate may indeed be one of the most important factors in the gluten epidemic. (37, 38)

Remove inflammatory foods that feed bad bacteria and increase the risk of leaky gut. Foods that are most commonly associated with food sensitivities include: gluten, soy, corn, eggs, dairy products, and yeast. Oats are also more commonly appearing on the list of food sensitivities. If you test positive for these foods, it is recommend that you not reintroduce them back into the diet, even after the gut has healed. 

Meat and dairy products are sources of inflammation in a number of ways. They provide saturated fats which are sources for the building blocks of inflammatory mediators, they bio-amplify, (or concentrate) pesticides and toxins taken in from the environment, and they are also sources of lipopolysaccharide, a potent inflammatory toxin.

Grains and nuts may not be well-tolerated early on in the healing process. It is best to wait until the gut is healed to re-incorporate these foods into the diet. Nightshade plants, such as potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants and peppers may also cause symptoms for many, however, they may be better tolerated after the gut has healed.

Nutritional yeast is a very popular product among vegetarians, however, both nutritional and baker's yeast are associated with an inflammatory bowel condition called Crohn's disease and tend to be poorly tolerated in those with gut permeability issues. (39) Whether it is because the media that the yeast is grown upon is usually from genetically modified corn or from wheat treated with glyphosate-the reason for this intolerance is not known. Two of my teachers that provided much of this information have an excellent  autoimmune cookbook that does not currently use yeast in any of its recipes. I will make this cookbook available to you at my cost. (See image at top left of this page)

One quick way to discover foods that are causing inflammation is to test for food sensitivities. Serum testing can be helpful for some and may be covered by certain insurance companies. Another way to discover food sensitivities is to eliminate foods that are most commonly associated with food sensitivities and to reintroduce them one at a time after the gut has healed. This process will take much longer and may not reveal as much as food sensitivity testing would. Many have found that stool testing by Enterolab may be one of the most sensitive ways to detect food sensitivities, however, it is recommended that one try various methods of testing as there is no one particular test that will provide all answers for all individuals.

Replace harmful food with helpful food. 

The following are principles for repopulating the gut with good bacteria:

Eat from a variety of raw plant foods. A large portion, (about 70%) of your diet should be raw. This will help to repopulate the gut with the diverse microbial life that it should have. (40) Don't let that scare you away from getting well. I assure you that you can still eat very satisfying and diverse meals. I can help you put great meals together, and/or you can purchase the corresponding cookbook. I will even cook meals for you and teach you how to cook if you need. You will want to enjoy leafy green and other colored vegetables daily. Taking advantage of the organic gardening instruction I offer will be a tremendous help to you in this area. Having your own fresh veggies right outside your door makes it so much easier to incorporate them more frequently into your diet. It saves you money and improves your microbiome. It is even an important factor in improved mental clarity and health-a natural antidepressant if you will. Other things to eat every day include: garlic and onions, (nature's immune booster), steamed cruciferous vegetables, (lightly steamed to decrease goitrogenic effects), seeds, (for omega-3 and other helpful fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals), and berries for their high fiber, antioxidants and just good old "yumminess."

Eat organic foods that have not been grown with harmful pesticides or genetically modified organisms, (GMOs). Prepare most of your own food from fresh or frozen organic sources, and avoid canned and prepackaged foods. Canned foods are not as healthy as other types of foods, not only because of the heat used, but also because of the metal, plastic, and BPA exposure. Processed and boxed foods typically have preservatives and additives that are detrimental to gut and microbiome health. Glyphosate, one of the most commonly used pesticides, is an antibiotic and a mineral chelator which can be found in many foods. It will destroy healthy gut bacteria and bind to important minerals, which has significant health consequences. Unfortunately, it is used on many crops, and significant concentrations can be found in numerous prepackaged foods that many consider to be healthy and "natural." (41)

Eat a diet that is high in fiber: it is what beneficial gut bacteria feed on and therefore plays an important role in promoting good bacteria. (42) Only plant sources of food will have fiber.

Immune-stimulating plants and herbs such as chlorella, spirulina, echinacea, and alfalfa are not recommended. Immune-stimulating foods can increase the risk of autoimmune disease. (43-45)

To provide the best source of nutrition for health-promoting bacteria, avoid animal products and eat a whole-food plant-based diet from organic sources. (46,47) 

Did you know that a recent Harvard medical study found that those eating a plant based diet were 73% less likely to experience moderate to severe symptoms from 

Covid-19? To put that another way, 73% of those on a plant based diet who are infected with Covid-19 will have mild or no symptoms at all and their strong immune system will just kill the disease and move on. I have an electronic copy of the study and will post it here when I locate it. Animal products such as meat, eggs, and dairy may have some healthful properties, but the overall effect will be inflammatory. A number of factors contribute to this inflammation including: bioamplification of pesticides and toxins, colonization with disease causing viruses, the high lipopolysaccharide content of animal products, (a powerful endotoxin that is heat resistant and will not be cooked out), and saturated fat content which increases arachidonic acid and inflammatory mediators. (48, 49)

Avoid free fats. Polyunsaturated fats are very healthy, yet when they are extracted from their food source, the free fat becomes vulnerable to the effects of light, air, moisture and heat on their double bond structures. You'll want to use foods such as avocados, seeds, coconuts, and various other nuts to add fats to the diet without using free extracted fats.

Repair the digestive system with healthy superfoods, fasting, and natural remedies. In addition to the diet, various superfoods such as turmeric, garlic, carob, maca, and dried herbs can be helpful to aid healing. Natural remedies such as hydrotherapy, poultices, and enemas may also be helpful. I'll be sharing many of my favorite natural remedies with you as we go along, so stay tuned.

Keep in mind that it is not only what you eat, but how you eat that influences health. Regular meal times, eating smaller amounts, refraining from drinking liquids with your meals, and avoiding certain food combinations are all simple changes that will yield large benefits.

I dare you to try skipping a meal now and then. Fasting helps to reset the digestive system and decrease inflammatory mediators. It is highly recommended that the third meal of your day be very light, ie fruits and grains, and better yet, not be eaten at all. This will provide a daily intermittent fast that will greatly speed your recovery. 

I see in the above info some clear indications that I would be wise to refrain from eating animal products, but won't I get weak if I don't eat meat for protein?

Allow me to answer that one with a question. Have you ever been to a zoo and seen a gorilla or an elephant? They are two of the strongest animals on the planet, and yet they eat no meat. Another answer would be that all of the proteins the human animal requires may be found in the wide variety of edible plants.

Why is it helpful to eat a light third meal or skip it altogether?

Digestion is a labor intensive process for the living machinery, (digestive organs), to carry out. Giving that "living machinery" a longer break before breakfast, gives it time to rest and recuperate from its heavy labor. Science indicates most everyone of us, other than some performing heavy physical labor, fare better with two meals rather than three.

What's wrong with drinking liquids with a meal?

Small amounts are ok, but more than a few sips dilutes your digestive acids and hinders digestion. Try to think of it this way; there is only so much digestive juice produced for each digestion process. There is not an unlimited supply, so we must use it wisely.

Perhaps dear reader you have some question that has not been addressed here. Feel free to send a question via email under the contact us tab. We will gladly answer and post your question here with no obligation for you to sign up for the program.