Autoimmune Diseases: What Are They, What Are the Causes, and How Are They Treated?

Autoimmune Diseases: What Are They, What Are the Causes, and How Are They Treated?

Jul 01, 2021

Chronic conditions and autoimmune diseases are among the leading causes of stress in our generation. Currently, over 23 million Americans are battling a chronic condition or an autoimmune disease.

There are over 80 known autoimmune diseases, and the list keeps on growing each day. Conventional medicine has its place in treating diseases; however, the approach is ineffective in treating autoimmune diseases. Hence, the reason why you need to visit our holistic doctor in Houston, Texas, Dr. Shezi Kirmani.

Visiting an autoimmune specialist in Houston can help you not only find the cause but improve the overall quality of your life.

Autoimmune Diseases, In a Nutshell

Your body has a defense system that helps fight bacteria and other microbes, which can harm your health. The immune system, your natural defense system, comprises chemicals and special cells that are equipped to ward off disease-causing germs.

However, when the immune system is out of whack, it fails to differentiate between friend and foe and attacks your tissue. Your immune system is constantly fighting something, an infection, allergens, toxins, etc. Sometimes it redirects the attack to your joints, skin, brain, or even your whole body.

Autoimmune diseases are broadly categorized as:

  • Organ-specific. This type of autoimmune disease means that only one organ is affected
  • Non-organ specific. With this type of autoimmune disease, multiple organs or even whole body systems are affected.

As mentioned before, there are close to 80 autoimmune diseases that range in severity. They can be disabling or mild; it depends on the type of organ under attack and to what extent.

Statistics show that women are more likely to have autoimmune diseases than men, especially during the childbearing years. There isn’t conclusive data on why this is so, but sex hormones could be partly responsible.

Some of the common autoimmune diseases are:

  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Type 1 diabetes
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Lupus
  • Inflammatory bowel disease
  • Addison’s disease
  • Grave’s disease
  • Celiac disease

What Are the Causes?

At the moment, there is nothing conclusive about what causes autoimmune diseases. However, in most cases, it is never caused by a single thing. For this reason, you will need an autoimmune specialist near you to diagnose and find the probable cause of the disease.

There’s always a multi-step process at work when it comes to autoimmune diseases:

  • Genetics. Certain genes may be passed from one generation to the next that can cause certain autoimmune diseases, such as lupus and multiple sclerosis.
  • Environmental factors. In most cases, autoimmune diseases take time before they reveal themselves. They may be triggered by something like exposure to drugs, toxins, or an infection.
  • Hormonal factors. At times, hormonal imbalance, especially in women, can cause these illnesses to flare up.
  • Weight. Being obese or overweight may increase the risk of developing an autoimmune disease such as psoriatic arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. This is because the excess weight will increase stress on your joints.

What Are the Symptoms?

Autoimmune disease symptoms will be unique to the kind of disease you have. However, most of them have the following symptoms:

  • Weight loss
  • Fatigue
  • Low-grade fever
  • Skin rashes
  • Tingling and numbness in the hands and feet
  • Swelling and redness
  • Achy muscles
  • Hair loss
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Feeling generally unwell

How Are They Treated?

As mentioned before, autoimmune diseases are better treated with holistic medicine in Houston. With holistic medicine, we identify the sources of the issues and help the body regain its balance.

Some of the strategies that are employed to prevent, treat, or even reverse autoimmune diseases are:

  • Eat Whole Foods

Whole foods and anti-inflammatory foods can help your immune system. Red and purple berries (rich in polyphenols), omega-3 fats, and dark green vegetables are excellent anti-inflammatory foods.

Anti-inflammatory herbs such as ginger, turmeric, and rosemary can be a good addition to your daily diet.

  • Fix Your Gut

Close to 70% of your immune system lies under your single-cell layer of the gut. Eating whole foods can help protect the surface of the gut from breaking, causing the immune system to react to foods, toxins, etc.

  • Exercise and Rest

Keeping your body moving is always helpful. Exercise improves blood circulation, activates endorphins, and increases the movement of the joints, bones, and muscles. Rest is as important since this helps in recovery.

  • Fasting

Eating right is essential. However, fasting can do wonders for your body. It helps the body burn unnecessary fat, remove toxins, and reduces the chances of having inflammation caused by certain foods.

You can also use supplements that our autoimmune specialist in Houston offers. Contact us at My Pure MD to schedule an appointment.

July 1, 2021

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