What is autoimmune disease?
Autoimmune disease is an inflammatory disease where your immune system attacks its own tissues. Inflammatory conditions are caused by things like infections, allergens, diet, and toxins. Examples of autoimmune diseases are rheumatoid arthritis, hashimoto’s thyroiditis, graves disease, psoriasis, lupus, MS, type 1 diabetes, IBD, and alopecia to name a few.
The immune system essentially gets confused about what’s welcome and what’s harmful, creating a stress response and attacking the body. Rather than addressing the underlying cause, AI diseases are typically treated with immune suppressing medication. When only the symptoms are being treated, it leaves you incredibly vulnerable to additional autoimmune conditions, not to mention the side effects and other diseases caused by these medications.
“Functional medicine is a different way of thinking about disease that helps us understand and treat the real cause of inflammation instead of finding clever ways to shut it down” – Dr. Mark Hyman
Here are 7 Steps to start healing your autoimmune disease:
- Determine the root cause
- Assess the drivers
- Determine food allergens
- Heavy metal testing
- Heal your gut
- Use appropriate supplements for immune support and inflammation
- Reduce stress and implement relaxation practices
Taking these steps and reducing inflammation will get you on the path to healing and vibrant health!