How can Nutritional Therapy help with Autoimmunity?
First of all, what is Autoimmunity?
In a nutshell, autoimmunity occurs when the body’s own healthy immune system goes into disarray and begins responding against itself by attacking the body’s own tissues and organs, (e.g. joints, bones, muscles, skin, pancreas, thyroid etc). Dysregulation of the immune system can cause a rise in systemic chronic inflammation, and this can end up manifesting as an underlying chronic illness which may later develop as an autoimmune disorder.
At present there are considered to be over 80 types of autoimmune disorders identified, and cases of autoimmunity are on the rise [1]. Widely known examples of autoimmune disorders include Rheumatoid Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, Hashimotos, Graves’ Disease, and Type 1 Diabetes. In some cases, clients may present with more than one autoimmune disorder.
Autoimmune disorders can impair your health through various physical symptoms such as chronic fatigue, insomnia, joint pain, digestive issues, brain fog and mobility issues.
Unfortunately, the nature of autoimmune disorders does not usually present as a visible disability or illness. This can often lead to issues of isolation, anxiety, loneliness, demotivation, anger, frustration and quite commonly, not feeling heard or understood. A combination of both the physical and emotional issues is what often leads to a decline in a client’s overall health and well-being, which I often refer to as their quality of life.
So why does autoimmunity happen?
The root causes of autoimmunity will often be declared as ‘unknown’ by healthcare professionals but what we do know is that the cause of your disorder can be multifactorial. Environmental and lifestyle factors, previous infections, nutrition and genetics can all play a part in the development of autoimmunity. It is important to note that only a small fraction of autoimmune disorders are hereditary.
What symptoms should you look out for if you suspect you may have an autoimmune disorder?
Some of the following symptoms may present before you are even diagnosed, so it’s really important to note if these symptoms are ongoing, or you suspect that you may have an autoimmune disorder:
- Chronic fatigue
- Food intolerances
- Joint pain
- Frequent illnesses or a recurring fever
- Skin problems
How can I help you?
My approach to working with clients who suspect that they may have or know that they have an autoimmune disorder involves:
- Completing a detailed health assessment questionnaire
- Completing a food and symptoms diary
- Developing your personalised nutritional and lifestyle intervention plan with additional support from any supplementation and laboratory testing that might be recommended
- Weekly follow-up sessions to work towards achieving your health goals
I am currently supporting the following autoimmune disorders:
- Axial Spondyloarthritis
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Graves’ Disease
- Hashimotos Thyroiditis
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)
- Palindromic Rheumatism
- Psoriatic Arthritis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Lupus)
- Type 1 Diabetes
For more information about what happens during our 1:1 consultations
What type of functional laboratory testing is recommended?
In the case of autoimmunity one of the key tests is a stool test. Stool testing is a comprehensive gut analysis test, and can be used to test the health of our gut microbiome; identify inflammatory markers, and test our digestive health and immune function. Click on this link.
If you, or anyone you know has been diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder, please rest assured that support is available! I can work with you to identify the right protocol unique to you, in order to optimise your health and improve your quality of life, so that you can try to live a happy normal life.