Autoimmune Disease

What is Autoimmune Disease?

Our immune system is meant to defend against harmful invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, parasites. But sometimes the immune system can mistakenly attack the healthy cells and tissues in our body and this results in autoimmune disease. This is thought to happen due to a combination of a genetic predisposition (many people with autoimmune disease have family members with autoimmune disease) and environmental factors. Infections (for example COVID), dysbiosis, chronic stress, poor diet, toxins and pollutants can all contribute to developing autoimmune disease. Approximately 1 in 15 people in the US are living with a form of autoimmune disease.

These are some autoimmune diseases that we commonly see in our practice:
Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
Graves’ disease
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Systemic Lupus Erythematous
Sjogren’s disease
Celiac disease
Inflammatory Bowel Disease - Crohn’s disease, Ulcerative Colitis
Type 1 Diabetes
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Multiple Sclerosis
Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis
Vitiligo