We’ve covered the subject of autoimmune diseases before:
“Autoimmune Diseases, Part I”, November 18, 2016,
“Autoimmune Diseases, Part II”, November 25, 2016, and
“Autoimmune Diseases, Part III”, December 2, 2016.
There are actually 134 autoimmune diseases, and you can see them all on the following website.
Autoimmune diseases have become increasingly common; about 50 million Americans suffer from at least one kind.
If you have an autoimmune disease, it means that your body is basically attacking itself. Your immune system goes into overdrive and sees everything as a threat. Trying to protect you from this perceived danger, it starts fighting and attacking its own tissues and cells, mistaking them as the enemy. This can lead to pain, discomfort, and all kinds of issues depending on the autoimmune conditions you have.
There are many kinds of autoimmune diseases (see the above website), including Celiac disease, Hashimoto’s disease, Graves’ disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease.
Despite the wide range of different autoimmune diseases though, they all tend to have the same kind of triggers. If you avoid these common triggers, you can avoid flare-ups and reduce the symptoms.
5 Autoimmune Triggers You Can Avoid
- Sugar. Processed sugar is a common offender for anyone’s health. It leads to inflammation and can trigger autoimmune symptoms. Use organic honey, and eat dates, fruits, and root vegies for sweeteners.
- Quinoa. Though it is gluten-free and a trendy protein-rich pseudo grain, in large amounts it can actually provoke your immune system. Limit your quinoa consumption and stick to other gluten-free products instead.
- Gluten. Gluten is a well-known offender of health. People with Celiac disease know to stay away from it. However, it is destructive to anyone with any other autoimmune condition as well. Switch to gluten-free to stay safe.
- Dairy. Due to molecular mimicry, casein in dairy can act like gluten in your body. It can cause your immune system to go haywire and trigger your symptoms. Switch to plant based alternatives.
- Milk chocolate. It may be yummy, but all the refined sugar, dairy, unhealthy fats, and possible artificial ingredients make milk chocolate the enemy. Switch to dairy-free, extra dark chocolate, raw cacao, and carob products. If you need sweetness, fruit and root-vegies are your best options.
If you avoid these triggers, you can reduce your risk of autoimmune flare up.
That’s it for now; see you all next time.
