Unknown food intolerances, unknown chemical sensitivities, and unknown pollen or dust sensitivities, can exacerbate autoimmune disease. Allergies present in a number of ways – not simply as respiratory distress; for people with chronic illness and autoimmunity, unknown allergies can be driving chronic pain, joint sensitivity, weight gain, fatigue, bowel issues, and more. I encourage my clients to use the right kinds of testing with the right kinds of doctors to identify unknown allergens, and eliminate their stress on the body through LDA treatments, or gut-healing supplements and elimination diets.
Negative self-talk, repressed emotional trauma, poor sleep habits, over-scheduling, toxic relationships, repressed emotions, conflict avoidance, pessimism and even too much time in front of screens can powerfully impact the health of autoimmune patients, and in some cases even create chronic disease. My clients investigate self-harming beliefs, increase their self-care, and create new and powerful coping strategies that relieve their stress while healing past traumas so their immune system can rebalance.
We are living in the most toxic time in human history. Some medical professionals believe that build up of chemical and metal toxins in the body is partially responsible for the rise of autoimmunity in the developed world. Here are some autoimmune triggers you may not have know about: overuse of plastics, fragrances, antibacterial hand soaps and hand sanitizers. Consumption of fluoride in water. Consumption of chlorine in water and chlorine exposures through pools and hot-tubs. Exposure to heavy metals through well water, tap water, dental work, beauty products. Toxic mold exposures in homes, offices or schools. Aluminum-containing deodorants and medications. Airborne chemical toxins from industrial plants, cars, and planes. Over-exposure to glyphosate a toxic pesticide on all non-organic foods — all of these can be immune irritants.
When we say poor nutrition, we mean, over-dependence on inflammatory foods: grains (especially gluten), dairy, sugar, alcohol, caffeine, even nightshade vegetables and eggs, and eating food that is nutrient poor. See, our immune system is a nutrient-hog, and when we aren’t eating enough nutrients… we don’t get the vitamins and minerals we need to regulate our immune system and shut immune responses OFF appropriately. Dependency on processed foods (with additives, chemicals, and pesticides) is also a problem since they raise the toxic burden in the body and don’t provide nutrients. BTW, you also need nutrients and minerals to detoxify properly, and you learned about what happens when we don’t detoxify, above, right? My clients learn to eat for nutrients, and cut processed, non-organic, and nutrient poor food out of their world, so their bodies can heal and they can thrive. They also stay on the lookout for nutrient deficiencies in vitamins like Vitamin D, B12, and B6, as well as loss of minerals like Magnesium and Selenium can cause autoimmune disease to begin in some cases.
New research is revealing that genetic mutations can impact autoimmunity — when they impact our ability to detoxify. My clients test for MTHFR, COMT, HLA B27, GSTM1, and GSTM1 SNP to see if they need some extra help in the detox department. If they do — they’ll be recommended protocols to support them in healing.
When you hear “microbes” think infections. Ones that haven’t yet been discovered in your body. Some of the most common that add to or can exacerbate autoimmunity are: EBV (Epstein-Barre Virus), Lyme and Co-Infections (Babesia, Bartonella, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever), parasites (H.Pylori, Blastocystis Hominis, etc), candida (yeast), undiscovered Tuberculosis, SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth), Streptococcus Infections, Shingles/Chicken Pox infections, and dysbiosis in the gut (bacterial or fungal imbalance) caused by stress, antibiotic overuse, poor diet, Caesarean birth, oral birth control, or use of proton pump inhibitors. These can be treated and sometimes, symptoms improved.
“At the first, in-person session of Sascha's coaching group, I was at yet another health bottom. I was in debt from spending $30,000 on my health the previous year and had little to show for it. I had just gotten off antibiotics after another SIBO relapse, my energy was lagging, my weight was fluctuating up from inflammation and constipation -- my body image tanking along with it -- and I was feeling unsure about how I was going to handle... Read More