5 Steps to Autoimmune Recovery
1) Take a Deep Breath: Reduce Your Stress
It goes without saying, that managing chronic stress is one of most important things we can do for the state of our health. Reducing systemic inflammation, and managing stress are two of the central pillars for autoimmune recovery. Stress plays a critical role in immune hyperstimulation and dysfunction, which occurs in autoimmune disease. When we are stressed, our bodies secrete a hormone called cortisol. If there is too much cortisol pumping through our body on a regular basis; we start to experience a breakdown in all of our body systems, (especially the endocrine, digestive, and reproductive systems). In fact, the onset of autoimmune disease is often triggered by a stressful life event.
The first step in stress reduction is to evaluate your “stress picture”. What are the aspects of your life that are causing the greatest stress impact? I recommend making a list and then ranking them. Once you have done this, pick one or two that can be feasibly reduced or eliminated. This may take some time, and it won’t be perfect, but in order to heal from autoimmune disease; stress management must be prioritized. Here is a list of my top stress reducers:
Get outside. 1 minute, 5 minutes, 2 hours….any length of time will help to calm and activate your parasympathetic (relaxation) nervous system
Take a break. Use a meditation App like “Calm” or “Insight Timer”, these can be excellent tools for helping to create time and space in busy days, which is essential for stress reduction.
Regular moderate exercise. When you have an autoimmune condition, exercise that is too intense can actually create a greater stress load on the body. Opt for: hiking, walking, yoga, pilates, dance, qi gong. I highly recommend Katie Bowman’s book: “Move Your DNA”
Be gentle with yourself. Practice self love as much as possible, and know that healing is a journey not a destination.
Practice good sleep habits:
Set a regular bedtime (preferably no later that 10:30pm)
Turn off all electronics 2 hours before bedtime
Eat dinner at least 3 hours before bedtime
Turn the thermostat down to 60 degrees
Make the bedroom a “sleep only” space
2) Clean Up: Reducing Exposure
It will come as no surprise to hear that we live in world with high environmental toxicity. It is estimated that 1 in 13 women and 1 in 23 men are exposed to at least one known carcinogen daily. Women are exposed to 126 chemicals from the daily use of beauty products alone. And this doesn’t include what we are exposed to at work, driving, cleaning, etc. There are some estimates that the average person is exposed to 700,000 chemicals a day.
Why is this important for autoimmune disease? We know more now than ever, about the impacts chemical and toxin exposure can have on our endocrine and immune systems. In fact, toxic overexposure to certain chemicals alone, can trigger the onset of autoimmune disease. Our bodies were not designed to handle the load of chemicals that now flow through our environments; and our immune systems are trying keep up. Through endocrine disruption, digestive interruption and cellular oxidation, environmental pollutants are driving systemic inflammation.
Fortunately, there is a lot of great information, and research, being done on how to limit toxin overexposure. Here are a few tips to get you started:
Bathroom: look at all your beauty products (face, hair, makeup). Read the ingredients; my rule is, if you can’t eat it, don’t put it on your skin. Our skin is our biggest organ, with a high absorption capacity.
Check out Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database to see how your products rank in toxicity https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
Cleaning: there are many known carcinogens in many conventional cleaning products. Solution? I like vinegar, baking soda, essential oils and a little elbow grease. I love the recipes in Bea Johnson’s book “Zero Waste Home”
Add plants! Many common household plants filter toxins out of the air, and dramatically improve air quality. Here is the list from research by NASA https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_Clean_Air_Study
Avoid chemicals from pesticides and herbicides in food. Eat organic when available and possible. Avoid factory farmed meat. Grow your own, or join a local farm CSA!
Get a water filtration system. I like Berkey filters because they are easy to use and portable https://www.berkeyfilters.com/
3) Get Tested!
This may seem like a logical first step; however, I can’t tell you how many new clients come into my office, know there is something wrong, but their doctor hasn’t done any lab work. Ideally, you will be able to work with a provider who can bill your insurance. Unfortunately, many of the innovative autoimmune lab companies don’t accept insurance. Don’t dismay! There are many options out there, and the right autoimmune coach, or functional medicine practitioner, will be able to help guide you.
Obviously, the type of autoimmune condition you have will determine the specific lab work you get. At the very least, I think the following are important for most autoimmune conditions:
GI or Stool Test, CBC, Metabolic Panel, Lipid Panel, Thyroid Panel (including FT3, FT4, TSH, RT3, and TPO, TG, TSI antibodies), reproductive hormone panel (for women), D3 levels, IGG/IGA Food Sensitivity Panel.
Get your Vitamin D tested! Why? Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in western populations. There is growing evidence that Vitamin D deficiency is a contributor and possible cause of some autoimmune disease.
If you are working with a skilled practitioner they should be able to help guide/tailor your lab tests to fit your specific health needs. Cyrex Labs is the premier lab company designed for autoimmune disease, they use highly sensitive blood and saliva tests. I recommend asking your provider if they work with Cyrex Labs.
Fortunately, the market for patient ordered labs is blossoming, and you can find many companies like EverlyWell will give you the option of doing your own lab tests at home. Finally, lab work is simply a tool to help us understand the root of your autoimmune disease; and to guide your treatment protocol.
4) Use Food as Medicine
Nutrition is at the centerpoint of managing and healing autoimmune conditions. In fact, gut dysbiosis and leaky gut have been found in every autoimmune disease that has been tested. This includes rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and inflammatory bowel disease. In fact, gut health and diet are so important that many people go into remission just by going on a strict Autoimmune diet regime. Poor diet, stress, toxin exposure, and the pressures of modern living are catalysts for inflammation and intestinal permeability.
The diet that I recommend most of my patients start with, is an Autoimmune Paleo (AIP) protocol. Although this diet is strict, and requires patience and commitment, I have seen the most dramatic and effective results from patients sticking to this protocol. If you are suffering from debilitating symptoms, and don’t want to be heavily medicated; then I find it is best to go “all-in” with a diet that has been shown to manage and heal autoimmune disease.
What is leaky gut and why does it matter? Your intestines are lined with cells called “enterocytes” that protect the inside of your body from the outside environment. This cell wall is where the nutrition you get from food is absorbed into your body. Unfortunately, modern diets that are high in grains, sugar and processed foods, have compounds and chemicals in them that are very good at damaging and breaking through this protective cell wall. After awhile, this degeneration allows harmful molecules to go from your intestines into your bloodstream; where the body reacts with an inflammatory immune response. Over time, this inflammatory immune response becomes dysfunctional; and the body starts attacking its own tissues (autoimmunity) that resemble or “mimic” the molecules entering via the permeable intestinal wall.
The AIP protocol focuses on removing highly inflammatory foods, as well as repairing the gut lining. While we are removing these inflammatory foods, we want to increase foods that are high in nutrition, and can help to repair the gut lining.
Foods to Avoid:
Grains, gluten, dairy, legumes, processed vegetable oils (like canola), processed food chemicals and added ingredients, sugar and sugar substitutes, nuts/nut oil and nut flour (except for coconut), seeds and seed oils, nightshades, eggs, alcohol, coffee, high glycemic foods.
Foods to Include:
All vegetables (except nightshades ie potato, tomato, pepper), most fruit (avoiding the high glycemic fruits in the elimination phase), high quality meat and seafood, good quality fats (olive oil, lard etc.), ferments, culinary herbs
The AIP protocol starts with an elimination phase, which follows the food lists above for at least 30 days. Once someone has a significant reduction of symptoms, and is stabilized, they can begin a slow and methodical reintroduction of foods. The time it takes to get to the reintroduction phase is different for every person’s unique healing path. Most of my clients are able to enjoy some foods on the “avoid” list, once their gut is strong and healthy. Most people know fairly quickly if a food is not working for them, as they will experience a flare in their symptoms. But I find, this just reinforces their motivation to stay on the low inflammatory diet.
This diet isn’t “magic” and won’t resolve all of your symptoms overnight, however, I have seen incredible recovery from just this diet alone. Many practitioners will also add effective supplements and herbs to the protocol. If you are interested in the full AIP protocol and supplementation, I highly recommend finding a practitioner who is credentialed to work with autoimmune disease, and can help guide you in reaching your health goals.
A couple of great books to help get you started are:
“The Paleo Approach” by Sarah Ballantyne
“The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook” by Mickey Trescott
5) Find the Right Provider
This may seem like an easy step to skip, but time and time again I have patients come to me frustrated and frazzled because their healthcare provider won’t support them in making healthy choices. To put it bluntly, they just want to write a drug prescription and send them home. This doesn’t mean that their provider is doing anything wrong; they just may not be educated in alternative treatment methods.
There is plenty of good research, and increasing evidence, concerning the efficacy of using diet and lifestyle therapy to manage autoimmune disease. Unfortunately, many conventional doctors and endocrinologists are not well informed about these methods. Luckily, there are more and more progressive practitioners offering tools and support using diet and lifestyle therapies alongside or in place of pharmaceuticals. Prescription medications aren’t bad! In fact, they are often necessary in emergency situations and severe cases of symptoms. They don’t, however, get to the root of autoimmune disease: they are treating the symptom, not the cause. A good practitioner will know how to integrate pharmaceutical treatment with diet and lifestyle changes.
Here are some things to look for:
What is there credential? A good practitioner does not need to be an “MD”. There are Naturopath’s, Acupuncturists, Nutritionists, Health Coaches, Chiropractors, and Functional Medicine Doctors can have excellent training in autoimmune disorders
Look for an AIP coach certification or other training specific to autoimmunity
Ask! Don’t be afraid to ask about a provider’s training and experience in working with autoimmunity
Do they work with labs? Can they order them, or refer out?
Are they willing to take an integrated approach, working with your conventional medical provider
Remember! You are your best health advocate. A healthcare provider is there to help guide and support you; they should help you feel empowered to achieve your optimal health and wellness.
Struggling with autoimmune disease can be a frightening and frustrating process. This 5 step guide is meant to be a jumping-off place to kickstart your healing journey. Check out the free 15 minute consult at the Rakuda Health website to see if distance coaching is right for you. And stay tuned for our upcoming online course on Autoimmune Recovery!
We are here to help you nourish the mind, body and soul
* These steps are not meant to replace your current medical regime, please consult with your medical provider before making changes to medications or treatments.