What is Autoimmune Disease? A properly functioning immune system can detect the difference between self (what is supposed to be present in the body) and non-self (what is foreign).

However, when the immune system begins to malfunction, it produces autoantibodies that attack perfectly healthy cells because it believes them to be a danger. An autoimmune disease is – auto, meaning “oneself” and immune-producing antibodies or immunity against oneself.

Dr. Minkoff Describes Autoimmune Disease

Common Autoimmune Diseases

There are close to around 100 autoimmune diseases in total; some are common, while others can be quite rare. Some people experience more than one autoimmune disease at a time, and symptoms may come and go, varying from severe to mild.

The American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) estimates that up to 50 million Americans ( 1 in 6) are affected by autoimmune disease, and 75 percent of those affected are women.

Here is a list of some common autoimmune diseases and their associated symptoms:

• Alopecia areata – the immune system attacks hair follicles causing patchy hair loss on the scalp and other parts of the body.
• Autoimmune hepatitis – the immune system attacks liver cells and causes symptoms of fatigue, yellowing of the skin, and an enlarged liver.
• Celiac disease – a disease in which people can’t tolerate gluten, a substance found in wheat, rye, and barley. Can result in abdominal pain, bloating, fatigue and diarrhea.
• Diabetes Type 1 – a disease in which the immune system attacks the cells that make insulin, so it is no longer produced. Early signs are constant thirst, frequent urination, and weight loss.
• Graves’ disease – occurs when the immune system attacks the thyroid, causing it to make too much thyroid hormone, resulting in insomnia, weight loss, and muscle weakness.
• Guillain-Barre syndrome – The immune system attacks the nerves that connect the brain and spinal cord with the rest of the body. Can result in muscle weakness, tingling, and in some cases, paralysis.
• Hashimoto’s disease – causes the thyroid to not make enough thyroid hormone. Resulting in weight gain, fatigue, and sensitivity to cold.
• Hemolytic anemia – the immune system destroys red blood cells causing fatigue, yellowing skin, and shortness of breath.
• Inflammatory bowel disease – includes Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis which are caused when the immune system attacks the lining of the intestines resulting in abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, and diarrhea.
• Multiple Sclerosis – the immune system attacks the nerve cells causing muscle weakness, poor coordination, blindness, and muscle spasms.
• Psoriasis – a skin condition produced by the immune system making skin cells reproduce too rapidly, causes redness and irritation as well as thick, flaky, silver-white patches
• Rheumatoid arthritis – antibodies attach to the linings of joints and surrounding tissues, resulting in pain and inflammation.
• Systemic lupus erythematosus – in Lupus the antibodies attach to tissues throughout the body and can affect the skin, blood cells, nerves, joints, kidneys, brain, and other organs.
• Scleroderma – the connective tissue is compromised, causing changes in the skin, blood vessels, muscles, and internal organs.
• Sjögren’s syndrome – destroys the glands that produce tears and saliva causing dry eyes and mouth; may affect kidneys and lungs.

What Causes Autoimmune Conditions

Autoimmune conditions do not have a single cause. Causes vary tremendously from patient to patient, even when two patients exhibit similar symptoms. This is why it takes a detective mindset to get to the bottom of it.

Our autoimmune specialists do a very thorough patient workup, including an in-depth medical history, various kinds of functional tests, as well as lab tests, and examination, to help identify the causal factors in your condition.

There are, however, some common factors that are associated with autoimmune conditions, and so we always check these as a priority:

Leaky Gut

A common contributory factor in autoimmune cases is a leaky gut. A leaky gut allows proteins, toxins, and other substances to get into the bloodstream where they don’t belong. These foreign substances entering the blood can be the trigger for an autoimmune attack. Fixing a leaky gut is high-priority because it prevents these foreign substances from continually entering the bloodstream and creating this immune reaction.

The Role of Leaky Gut in Autoimmune Diseases

Gut Dysbiosis & the Gut Microbiome

A foundational principle of functional medicine is healing the gut. The gut microbiome comprises trillions of bacteria (there are many times more bacteria in your body than actual cells!). 70% of your immune system is in your gut!

An imbalance of harmful bacteria in the gut produces poisonous toxins that circulate throughout the entire body, causing brain fog, fatigue, headaches, various aches, and pains. These toxins trigger your immune system and set the stage for an autoimmune condition.

It is becoming more widely known that the health of your gut microbiome plays a vital role in both how you feel mentally and physically. Gut health is of primary importance, and for this reason, it’s one of the first things we test for and treat.

Toxins

We are all exposed to pesticides, chemicals, and heavy metals at unprecedented levels. These toxins alter the structure of the outside of cells, making them appear foreign to the body. These foreign-looking cells trigger the immune system to attack them, leading to an autoimmune condition. Thankfully we can test for these toxins and remove them from the body.

Stealth Pathogens & Microorganisms

Microorganisms also play a significant role in autoimmunity. There is a class of stealth pathogens, microorganisms, bacteria, and viruses that lie dormant in the body for years and can wreak havoc later in life. Once infected, these bacteria never leave the body; they simply go dormant.

Examples include Mononucleosis, chickenpox (Epstein-Barr virus), or even a run-of-the-mill STD from earlier in life. Other examples include Lyme disease, Borrelia, candida, giardia, herpes simplex 1 & 2, mycoplasmas, and more.

These organisms frequently reactivate decades later in life, either during periods of chronic stress or as we age. For example, Shingles is caused by that chickenpox infection you had as a child!

Stealth pathogens are elusive, morphing and changing to avoid the immune system, yet keeping it on high alert and revved up. Stealth pathogens can be challenging to detect in routine blood panels because standard tests aren’t sensitive enough. These microorganisms are also very intelligent and have learned how to survive by avoiding the blood and taking root in joints, nerve tissues, and other low blood flow areas. This is why patients often suffer from neck aches, joint aches, and neurological disorders. These pathogens can even manipulate the immune system to their benefit.

Stealth pathogens are capable of causing a lot of damage. They slowly and consistently release toxins, injure tissues, create chronic inflammation and even modify our immune system.

Our immune system does its best to neutralize the effects of these microorganisms, but it leads to chronic inflammation, a worn-out immune system, fatigue, and autoimmunity.

Nutritional Deficiencies

Nutritional deficiencies play a part in autoimmune conditions. If the body is missing any nutrient, it will impact the entire body’s function, including the immune system. The body will manage to compensate in the short term, but it eventually starts to malfunction. We routinely check for and find numerous nutritional deficiencies in our autoimmune patients.

Treating Autoimmune Conditions

In treating autoimmune conditions, we must do two things: (1) remove things that are harming the body, and (2) provide the body with what it needs to heal and repair. Let’s take a look at some of the things we do under each category:

(1) Removing things that harm the body:

• healing gut dysbiosis
• treating a leaky gut that is dumping toxins into the blood
• killing off any hidden or chronic infections
• eliminating /detoxifying chemicals & heavy metal build-up in the body
• eliminating food allergens
• ensuring that only clean, whole foods are being eaten
• eliminating excess sugars and processed foods
• cleaning up your air and water
• re-evaluating the personal and household products, you’re using
• eliminating any other toxins in the environment (mold, etc.)
• addressing any chronic stressful people or situations in your life

(2) Providing the body what it needs to heal

There are dozens of therapies that can be helpful in overcoming autoimmunity. Your clinical evaluation will determine the best course of therapies. It may include one or more of the following therapies:

• Reprogramming the patient’s immune system – in this simple & effective procedure, a small amount of a patient’s blood is taken and mixed with a homeopathic remedy. This combination is then delivered back to the patient. This has the effect of re-programming the patient’s immune system and, in many cases, improves symptoms. This can be a powerful first step in most autoimmune treatments. Still, most patients need additional treatments to address the other underlying factors that have set the stage for an autoimmune condition to develop in the first place.
• Peptide therapies –  peptides are messenger molecules that direct cells to perform a particular function and can significantly assist the body to heal.
• IV therapies – targeted IV therapies to supply your body with the missing nutrients, minerals, and molecules to help support rapid healing.
• HBOT (Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy) – speeds healing for a variety of conditions.
• HOCATT – a type of ozone therapy that enhances and speeds healing and detoxification. It kills pathogens, detoxifies, reduces inflammation, resets the mitochondria, improves blood, and resets the immune system.
• Ozone Therapy – kills pathogens, detoxifies, reduces inflammation, resets the mitochondria, improves blood, and resets the immune system.
• Chelation Therapy – effectively binds and helps remove heavy metals and other toxins from the body.
• Extracorporeal Blood Oxygenation and Ozonation (EBOO) – employs a dialysis machine to clean the blood through a filter, removing toxins, pesticides, infections, and chemicals. It improves blood flow, cellular healing, and cellular oxygen utilization.
• Pulsed Magnetic Field Therapy – enhances metabolism, improves oxygen supply, increases blood circulation, reduces pain, improves energy, reduces chronic inflammation, improves liver function, accelerates repair of tissue, improves sleep quality, and more!
• UVBI (Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation Therapy) – a combination of ozone therapy with biophoton therapy (UVB light therapy) that offers relief to patients who suffer from chronic infections and viruses

Florida’s Top Autoimmune Disease Clinic

LifeWorks Wellness Center is Florida’s top autoimmune disease clinic and one of the best autoimmune clinics in the world.

We see patients from all over the world. They travel here to resolve their autoimmune conditions because we have a reputation for being able to help resolve them. We employ the latest and most powerful, cutting-edge treatments and therapies available anywhere. We also take a unique, personalized whole-body approach, healing and optimizing every bodily system to restore health and wellness.

We encourage you to review all the informative articles, videos, and patient testimonials on our website.

Schedule a Consultation

If you have an autoimmune condition you’ve been struggling with, we invite you to make an appointment for an initial consultation. We will do a deep dive into your health, and develop a tailor-made health plan just for you.

No more guessing, no more trying to figure it out on your own. Receive a real solution that has worked for innumerable patients over the last 30 years.

To become a patient, or for more information, feel free to call our New Patient Coordinator at (727) 466-6789 or simply submit an online web inquiry with your request.

Dr. Minkoff Discusses Treating Auto Immune Diseases