Autoimmune diseases on the rise...

According to The National Institutes of Health (NIH) up to 23.5 million Americans suffer from 'autoimmune' disease and the prevalence is rising.

A recent review of literature concluded that worldwide rates of rheumatic, endocrinological, gastrointestinal, and neurological autoimmune diseases are increasing by 4 to 7% per year 😳 with the greatest increases in celiac disease, type 1 diabetes, and myasthenia gravis (a rapid fatigue of the muscles), and the greatest increases occurring in countries in the Northern and Western Hemispheres.

(Images courtesy of Dr Jockers https://drjockers.com/5-steps-to-heal-autoimmune-disease/ )

Slightly ahead of the curve, I was diagnosed with an 'autoimmune' disease at 16. I had no idea what is was or why I got it and it only took me a few years to discover that neither did the doctors who diagnosed me. Rather than being depressed by the fact no one could tell me why I had this condition or how to get rid of it, I saw it as an opportunity.

I began reading, everything and anything relating to autoimmunity and my particular condition and I discovered, for the most part:

Autoimmune = Inflammation

This was an exciting discovery because I realised anything that is inflamed can become un-inflamed (if that is a word) I started to remove things that caused inflammation - unhealthy habits, excess alcohol and I had allergy and intolerance tests to check my diet. I was intolerance to 7 foods so removed them but still had symptoms.

My symptoms were finally relieved when I followed an anti-inflammatory / alkaline diet removing all the foods I was intolerance to and all alcohol for 3 months. Now, many experts will tell you there is no such thing as an 'alkaline' diet and it is a fad etc etc...but it genuinely changed my life.

I recommend checking out Dr Axe for more info.

I am a firm believer that changes in my diet and lifestyle altered my gut microbiome (gut bacteria that impact our health) and repaired the damage to my gut lining and relieved my symptoms.