What’s the Deal with Autoimmune Diseases?

They have been around for awhile, and new ones seem to be discovered on a regular basis! But where did they come from? And can anything be done about them? First, let me share that I have been affected by two Autoimmune Diseases in my life (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis), and my Husband has been affected by Rheumatoid Arthritis Lichen Planus (skin). So I am well aware of what it feels like to live with them. Now let me share some history with you.

Autoimmune Disease was first “discovered” in the 1950s, and is a condition in which the body loses its ability to differentiate between Self and non-Self and starts attacking its own tissues. Approximately 5% of the United States population suffers from an Autoimmune Disease. There are currently over 80 Autoimmune Diseases, with some of the most widespread being Addison Disease, Celiac Disease, Dermatomyositis, Graves Disease, Hashimoto Thyroiditis, Multiple Sclerosis, Myasthenia Gravis, Pernicious Anemia, Reactive Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Sjogren Syndrome, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Type I Diabetes. 

Modern medicine believes that Autoimmune Diseases are not curable. Therefore, they treat only the symptoms of each disease with drugs such as immunosuppressants, anti-inflammatories, pain killers, disease modifying drugs (for Rheumatoid Arthritis), vitamin or hormone supplements (to correct deficiencies), blood transfusions (for blood related diseases) and physical therapy (for diseases affecting bones, joints or muscles). Studies are taking place regularly to find new DRUGS that work better and have fewer SIDE EFFECTS.

I am no longer affected by Autoimmune Diseases, and neither is my Husband. How did we do that? With Herbal Supplements. Below is the protocol that worked for us…

Adaptogens – For Stress Relief. Stress causes so many problems in the body, and Adaptogens can reduce your body’s stress levels. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) and Astragalus (Astragalus propinquus) work really great for this.
Antioxidants – To heal Leaky Gut (Intestinal Permeability), reduce Inflammation, and boost your immune system. Some of our favorites include Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon), Pomegranate (Punica granatum), Grape Seed (Vitis vinifera) and Acai Berry (Euterpe oleracea). We also like Garlic (Allium sativum), Onions (Allium cepa) and Apples (Malus domestica). All of these foods help the body to increase Glutathione levels. Glutathione is naturally produced inside your cells, but production slows down after age 40. My Husband and I take capsules with a combination of Antioxidants in them, so we get the benefits of several different Herbs working together.
Prebiotic Fiber – To rebuild healthy bacteria in the Gut. Garlic, Onions and Apples also work great for this.
Immune Modulators – Where the Medical community prescribes Immune Suppressing Drugs, Herbalists substitute Immune Modulating Herbs, which in the beginning of your herbal treatment may help reduce some of your symptoms, such as inflammation and pain. These may not be needed after a short time, as your Immune System repairs itself. Schisandra Berry (Schisandra chinensis) and Reishi Mushroom (Ganoderma lingzhi) are great for this.
​Choleretics – To increase bile production in the Liver, which helps to wash out toxins and balance hormones. Dandelion Root (Taraxacum officinale) works great for this.
Alteratives – Sometimes referred to as “blood cleansers”, Alteratives actually eliminate waste products of metabolism and help the body assimilate nutrients. Our favorite in this category is Burdock Root (Arctium lappa).
Anti-bacterial, Anti-Viral, Anti-Fungal and Anti-Parasitic – Since most Antioxidants have some of these properties, we didn’t need to add anything else in. But if you think you need additional help with an infection, you might want to try adding in Ginger (Zingiber officinale) and/or Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum). True or Ceylon Cinnamon is preferred over Cassia Cinnamon, which is lower quality and can be toxic in larger doses. Ginger works well with Parasitic infections, and Cinnamon works well on Fungal and some Bacterial infections.

That’s it? Yes, that’s pretty much it! Although some Autoimmune Diseases may require a little extra help, depending on which body systems are being affected by the disease, most conditions will respond well to the same protocol we used above.

​How long did it take? Although we were aware of some improvement within the first 2 weeks, it was about 3 months later when we noticed that we felt surprisingly better.

Did we change our diets or anything else? Yes, but very little. We started buying organic fruits and vegetables, whenever possible. We also made an effort to stay away from foods with High Fructose Corn Syrup in them. We did make some minor changes to cleaners and pesticides used in and around our house.

Warning: If you are currently taking Immunosuppressants as part of your current treatment, please be aware that many of the above mentioned herbs contain immune boosting qualities, which would be counterproductive to your current treatment. Please talk to your Doctor to see which herbs would be safe for you to use in conjunction with your current treatment, even if at reduced doses.

Until next time, Blessings and Good Health to all of you!