The Best Advice for Preventing Autoimmune Disease

Think about these questions: is there such a thing as a good disease? Has anyone ever lived their whole life without suffering from some kind of health issue? Odds are, with over 100,000 human diseases and 7.9 billion people in the world, almost everyone at some point will suffer from some form of sickness. From something as small as the common cold to something as deadly as lung cancer, it’s safe to say that most people will actively work hard in preventing any type of health condition, regardless of how mild or severe it is. So as we all conduct research on cancers with the highest death rates, or try to investigate the worst types of diseases, the truth is, all sicknesses are equally awful. At one point in time, people died from the common cold, so even if something seems manageable now, it was considered deadly to someone else before our time. Surprisingly, it is still possible for people to die from the common cold. While rare, those with weak immune systems can suffer from more severe complications and develop serious inflammation from small bacteria that once started out as mild, and unfortunately, sometimes antibiotics only worsen their symptoms. Comparatively, those with autoimmune conditions suffer from similar experiences. Each disease is widely different from the other, just about anybody is susceptible to developing them, and all forms are equally debilitating.

When it comes to autoimmunity in particular, the precise cause is unknown in the medical industry, therefore it’s difficult for people to take preventative measures. However, LifeWorks Wellness Center is one of the top autoimmune disease clinics in the state of Florida, and we have treated autoimmune patients for 23 years using natural remedies. While the precise cause of autoimmunity remains a mystery, it is suspected that environmental triggers, bacterial infections, and genetics all team up to play a role in creating an abnormal immune system. Below are a few methods that could help prevent autoimmunity.

Avoid Environmental Toxins

This step sounds tricky considering environmental toxins are extremely prevalent no matter where one goes. However, it is possible to limit one’s exposure to it, which is equally effective. Exposure to environmental toxins such as air pollution, pesticides, and heavy metals largely contribute to autoimmune diseases due to their ability to induce leaky gut, spread inflammation and disrupt the immune system. Additionally, these toxins are everywhere from plastic water bottles, cleaning products, foods with preservatives, and natural metals produced from the earth such as lead and mercury. Avoiding toxicity might involve an entire lifestyle change such as storing food in glass containers, switching to an all-natural diet, and using all natural cleaning products.

Take Care of Your Gut

Research suggests that gut microbes have a huge influence on our health. The human gut microbiota contains millions of healthy bacteria that help us maintain a steady metabolism and immune system. In order to contain gut microbes, the lining of the intestine forms a barrier, however if it’s breached, the gut microbes seep into the bloodstream and travel to organs throughout the system. This is called a leaky gut. Leaky gut is often caused by foods and substances that are consumed and induce inflammation. These foods include refined carbohydrates, gluten, artificial sweeteners, caffeine, and dairy products. To prevent leaky gut, it’s important for one to maintain a healthy diet and eliminate all items with inflammatory compounds such as processed or high-sugar foods. Additionally, individuals should also invest time in 15-20 minutes of exercise (such as walking or riding a bike) to assist with the digestion process.

Sleep Well

Poor sleep quality often increases the risk of various health conditions, and autoimmune disease is not exempt from this. According to the Sleep Foundation, sleep “allows your body and mind to recharge, leaving you refreshed and alert when you wake up”¹. Sleep is imperative for proper brain functions and enabling a well-balanced immune defense. Furthermore, sleep deprivation will cause one to be more vulnerable to bacteria, infections, inflammation and chronic diseases. Build-up of inflammation will trigger an immune system to act out of turn and attack itself, leading to autoimmunity. In order to receive healthy quality sleep, LifeWorks recommends following the circadian rhythm. This is the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle that is tied to a 24 hour body clock to help regulate one’s sleep and energy levels. It will ensure that an individual acquires at least seven hours of sleep every night.

Don’t Allow Autoimmunity to Take Over Your Life

LifeWorks Wellness Center in Clearwater, Florida is one of the top U.S. clinics for treating autoimmune disease. We look at the known causes of an abnormal immune system, and rather than treating the symptoms, we treat the root cause. Since autoimmunity is known to begin from environmental factors and bacterial infections, we recommend maintaining a strong immune system by avoiding toxins and inflammatory foods that will cause disruption within the body. Moreover, for those who currently suffer from autoimmunity, we provide an abundance of treatment regimens to stabilize the immune system to reduce attacks on itself and decrease the amount of inflammation in the body. These treatments often include autoimmune injections, intravenous therapies, ozone therapies, peptides, supplements, and a healthy diet.

If you or someone that you know are currently suffering from an autoimmune disease or other chronic illnesses, please call to schedule an appointment with one of our practitioners at 727-466-6789.

References:

1. Why Do We Need Sleep? | Sleep Foundation