Autoimmunity

Stop flare ups and get your hope and life back.

Autoimmunity: What it is and how it occurs

Autoimmunity is largely a mystery. We do not know why some people develop these conditions and others do not. We do not know the triggers or toxins that set off the autoimmune disease process. We have not developed curative treatments or preventative measures. This is frustrating, as I personally have an autoimmune condition, psoriasis. I believe that I developed psoriasis from a perfect storm of events. It started with a genetic predisposition. When I was 11, I had a bacterial infection diagnosed as strep throat. I was prescribed antibiotics to treat the strep, which created bad microbes that overwhelmed my gut creating a “leaky gut”. Between all the inflammation I was under and all the foreign particles leaking into my bloodstream it was no wonder that this alerted my immune system to attack. After years of counseling patients with autoimmune conditions, it seems as if they all have these three factors in common: a genetic predisposition, a trigger or toxin, and a “leaky gut”.

While I can’t change my genetics, I can heal my gut, discover my triggers, decrease the inflammation, and correct my nutrient deficiencies. I didn’t ask for my autoimmune condition, but I am in control of my health. Healing my body naturally has been one of the most empowering accomplishments of my life. I can help you regain control as well!

The list of autoimmune conditions below is a very short list. There are well over 80 clinical diseases that fall under the autoimmunity category.

Hashimoto’s Disease
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Celiac Disease
Adrenal fatigue
Recurrent viral infections or low immunity
PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Multiple Sclerosis
Sjogren’s

Type 1 Diabetes
Lupus (SLE)
Psoriasis and Psoriatic
Arthritis
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis)
Vitiligo
Fibromyalgia

Autoimmunity Health Solutions

TESTING

DIET

SUPPLEMENTS

Lab Testing

The type of lab work I order is used to identify imbalances in your body that are root causes of your symptoms.

GI MAP Testing – I rely heavily on GI MAP testing for my clients with autoimmunity. A disturbance in the gut microbiome contributes towards the development of certain infectious diseases or triggers to the autoimmune process/flare. The

Food Sensitivity Testing – I use this test as a tool to create a diet plan that is unique to your biochemistry as opposed to the commonly recommended and the overly broad Autoimmune Paleo (AIP) diet below.

Food Sensitivity Testing – Micronutrients modulate immune responses, as well as play a fundamental role in maintaining the structural and functional integrity of the physical barriers (skin, mucus). Furthermore, elimination diets can create gaps in nutrition that will need to be supplemented. This test can pinpoint deficiencies (vitamin, mineral, amino acids, and omega 3 fatty acids), as well as assess cellular absorption.

Detox Test – Heavy metals can build up in the tissues and have a toxic and suppressive effect on the immune system.

Diet Prescription

An Autoimmune Paleo diet is a good place to start if you do not wish to complete lab testing for a personalized diet. While I highly recommend testing, I am available if you would like guidance with meal planning/food reintroduction schedule for this diet. The AIP diet is recommended for 1 to 3 months.

Consume the following:

All vegetables except nightshades (tomato, potato, capsicum, eggplant, chili)
Fresh fruit
Coconut oil, olive oil, ghee, avocado oil
Fermented food (kefir, kombucha, coconut yogurt, Kim chi, sauerkraut)
Organic meats
Seafood
Herbal Teas
Vinegar
Gelatin
Arrowroot starch
Herbs (ginger, turmeric, basil, thyme, sage, oregano, rosemary, mint, cinnamon)

Avoid the following:

Nuts, seeds, beans and legumes, grains, dairy, dried fruit, eggs, chocolate, nightshades (tomato, potato, capsicum, eggplant, chili), mustard seeds, coriander seeds, fennel, fenugreek, tapioca, vegetable oils, artificial sweeteners, stevia, xylitol day

Supplement Prescription

Each autoimmune condition has very specific supplementation needs. This is highly individual. Providing even a general listing of supplements that I typically recommend to my clients with an autoimmune condition isn’t safe. For example, garlic and Echinacea is not recommended if you have Lupus, as it stimulates your immune system. It can do more harm than good taking supplements without testing and without the advice of a doctor or a nutrition practitioner (like me).