Autoimmune disease prevalence is increasing. The American autoimmune and related diseases association website states that 50 million Americans have an autoimmune disease and that $591 million will be spent by the national institutes of health and other resource organizations to research the autoimmune disease. Their website goes on to say that there are 80 to 100 different types of autoimmune disease and it is one of the top 10 leading causes of death in the female children and women in all age groups of 64 years of age. Because scientists and physicians disagree on what autoimmune diseases should be included and what constitutes an autoimmune disease the exact incidence or number of people having an autoimmune disease is not truly known. We are certain that the incidence of autoimmune disease is increasing.
Autoimmune disease can affect us at any age of our life. The autoimmune disease tends to be seen more often in females.
In medical school, we are taught that autoimmune disease has distinct physical signs and symptoms and distinct lab abnormalities. Thereof course, as in every field of medicine, overlap with and symptoms and lab abnormalities between some of these diseased states. In practice, I have noted that many people with autoimmune disease will not show the classic lab abnormalities or physical signs and symptoms. It is also common that they will have signs and symptoms of many different autoimmune diseases is at the same time.
This has led me to believe that autoimmune diseases share more in common than what we know at this time. Therefore, once a person has an autoimmune disease the emergence of other types of an autoimmune phenomenon is likely to appear if the underlying cause is not addressed.
This leads us to discuss what are the possible causes of autoimmune disease. Some would say that genetics play a role, and there is a family link established. Others would say that it is environmental. Mini would also consider that an unhealthy G.I. tract has contributed to the development of the autoimmune disease. Whether or not you were breast-fed, bottle-fed, vaginally born or born via C-section will influence your likelihood to develop an autoimmune disease. Therefore, there are many factors to consider. I do not believe that autoimmune diseases caused by one issue or a factor. Therefore, any approach to healing autoimmune disease must effect change in all of these areas.
One of the most likely areas for the origination of an autoimmune disease is the intestinal tract. Through our diet and the consumption of foods that are causing inflammation in our bodies leading to the breakdown of normal barriers in our intestine, our system becomes exposed to proteins found in our diet. These proteins are seen as foreign and cause our body to respond as if we are being attacked. There is an overlap in the body‘s response to these foreign substances and native tissues in our body. The immune system gets confused and starts to attack the tissues of the body based on cross-reactivity. This cross-reactivity could’ve also been contributed to by medications, stress or physical trauma, psychological factors, exposure to toxic chemicals and infections.
At Compass Cellular Healing we take a comprehensive approach to treating autoimmune disease. We work with our clients to optimize their health by addressing inflammation in the body as well as looking at other contributing factors. Whether you are dealing with Crohn’s disease, auto-immune kidney disease, Multiple Sclerosis or Rheumatoid Arthritis…or anything in between, we can help.
At age 2 I was diagnosed with JRA at Vanderbilt. At that time, I was the youngest to be diagnosed. Mine was genetics. Remission from RA occurred 4 me, as a Freshman studying at UNA. Last month was diagnosed with another auto immune disease, Lupus. Now of course, RA is back with a vengeance.
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Thanks for sharing this. I enjoy educating myself . And I can testify that your absolutely correct .
Keep up the research. Who knows you might find a cure to all these auto immune diseases!