Why Do I Have an Autoimmune Disease?

While there are many types of autoimmune diseases, the most common are Lupus, Hashimotos, and Rheumatoid Arthritis. Others include colitis (Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis), scleroderma, Sjogren’s syndrome, fibromyalgia, to name a few. Autoimmune conditions can affect every organ and system in the body. But this autoimmune process is sometimes subtle in its effects and even more difficult to detect or measure.

Causes

According to classical medical thinking, autoimmune disease occurs when the immune system attacks or works against our own body. The problem is thought to be the immune system. But the real issue is what causes the immune system to attack the body? What are the triggers that set off the alarm system?

Common Triggers

• microbes (hidden infections
• chemicals (pesticides)
• metals (lead, mercury)
• stress (emotional trauma)
• food (processed, allergies)
• prescription medications
• environmental (mold, EMF)
• genetics (weak metabolic pathways)

In many cases, there is a microbe – a hidden, chronic, subclinical infection.  And these microbes are usually in one of three places:

• The digestive tract
• The teeth
• The sinuses

Can They Be Cured?

If you know what to look for, autoimmune diseases can be reversed. Here’s how we do it:

• First, we have to identify the “something” that the immune system is reacting to. This requires the best approaches of both conventional and functional medicine in clinical and laboratory testing.
• Second, we must eliminate the factors (detoxification) that are triggering the immune system, and reverse and control the inflammation.

Remember, the body is designed to heal. Fortunately, medical science understands much of the biochemistry and physiology of our metabolism, immune system, and detoxification systems.

However, conventional medicine has forgotten or neglected this knowledge, and has been distracted by pharmaceutical drug-based treatment protocols. These are designed to simply lessen and control symptoms. But the underlying trigger(s) are never addressed. So the disease process often continues at a very slow process. And, eventually, the long-term use of medications has negative effects on the body (and gets very expensive).

Functional Medicine Solutions

One of the starting places in treatment is in detoxifying the intestinal tract, correcting the balance of microbes, and removing inflammatory food triggers. The following therapies in combination are effective tools:

• Colonic therapy
• Ozone infusions
• Probiotics
• Liver/Gallbladder cleanses and support
• Extended protocols with a combination of herbal and prescription medications to fight against bacteria, parasites, and yeast/fungus.

Additional treatment protocols include:

• Detoxification protocols, including infra-red sauna and chelation therapy to remove chemicals and heavy metals.
• Appropriate treatment of hidden or chronic dental and sinus infections
• Evaluating for intolerance of long-term medications
• Natural anti-inflammatories (glutathione)
• Immune balancing/modulation therapy
• Endocrine support (glandulars, herbals, bio-identical hormones)

The Good News

You Do Not:

• have to live with an auto-immune disease the rest of your life.
• have to be dependent on pharmaceutical drugs
• have live in fear of the long-term side effects of medications.

You Can:

• become informed in regard to the published (but unfortunately obscure and hidden) medical and scientific literature that is the foundation of functional medicine
• trust the clinical experience of functional medicine
• find a cure!