I was planning to share with you the results of a new study conducted in Sweden that came to the conclusion that “inflammation is associated with lower intelligence and premature death”.
However, I’ve just gotten “hooked” on a very interesting daily video series entitled “Betrayal: The Autoimmune Disease Solution They’re Not Telling You.” It’s a 6-part presentation on this very, very important subject.
Inflammation will have to wait while we go over Autoimmune Diseases.
What is autoimmunity? Autoimmunity means immunity against the self. Or, the body attacking / rejecting itself.
By itself this may not mean too much to you, but if you consider that there are 134 diseases that result from this immunity dysfunction, you may raise your eyebrows a bit.
I am positive that some of these, like the ones listed below, effect people close to you.
- Autoimmune hepatitis
- Diabetes (type 1)
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Psoriasis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Lupus
- Some forms of thyroiditis
- Vitiligo
I have friends and acquaintances that have one of these.
If you want to take a look at the whole list go to the following website:
Autoimmune diseases in the US affect Eighty Million people. The world -wide number is estimated to be around 150 million.
These numbers are probably gross underestimates, as the antibodies produced by the immune system to attack targeted tissues form way before the symptoms of the disease are noticed.
According to David Brady, MD, this is a modern epidemic that has happened over the past 30 years.
So why does the body become this way?
- Consumption of grains, sugar, artificial sweeteners, processed foods, etc., damaging your gut health (75-90 % of our immune system)
- Bad eating habits leading to chronic inflammation
- Not enough activity, movement
- Exposure to harmful chemicals
- Stress, insufficient sleep
- Neglect of maintaining a healthy microbiome, (use of chemically harmful soaps and shampoos and doing this too often)
- Increased usage of antibiotics, antacids, etc.
Liz Lipski, Ph.D., put it in a very understandable way:
In the old days, the immune system had a lot to do; now it’s like a bunch of teenagers with a lot of time on their hands looking to do mischief. Like it’s a birthday, but instead of blowing out the candles, they whip out fire extinguishers.
This is a brief summary of the causes. Now let’s look at the preventive/cure side of the picture.
Classic medicine is not equipped to handle this. There is almost no nutritional training for doctors.
Allopathic/classic medicine (Newtonian medicine) looks at the body like it was a machine; if the carburetor is broken change it. Why the carburetor broke down???
Just like a doctor commented, in one of the 2 Alzheimer’s posts, classic doctors try to stop the smoke, rather than trying to put out the fire.
They seem to be too busy treating the symptoms, rather than trying to find the causes. Maybe that’s why doctor error is the number 3 killer in the US.
If you go to a classical doctor with rheumatoid arthritis pain, he’ll give you a pain killer and just prolong your misery, NOT TREAT IT.
The answer seems to be emerging: FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE.
Functional medicine practitioners will spend time to get to know you (some say the first interview can last 1-1,5 hours). They will:
- Look at your blood work
- Determine if you are lacking essential nutrients, vitamins, etc.
- Closely examine your gut health
Thus, try to determine what is causing the problem. Suggest that you lay off grains, for example, to determine if gluten intolerance could be the cause. In many cases IT IS, by the way.
As one Functional Medicine practitioner said, “If I have to put someone on medication, I feel like I have failed”.
We’ll continue with this next week. I have 4 more videos to watch and DON’T WANT TO BORE YOU SO THAT YOU LOSE INTEREST.
