Autoimmune Diseases

Effects

It has been estimated that autoimmune diseases are among the number one leading causes of death among women in all age groups up to 65 years (Walsh & Rau,2000). According to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA, 2015) autoimmune diseases often run in families, and 75 percent of those affected are women. African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans also have an increased risk of developing an autoimmune disease.

Autoimmune diseases are often chronic, debilitating, and life-threatening. In our society there are more than 80 illnesses caused by autoimmunity (Medline Plus, 2014).  We speak of an autoimmune disease when your immune system, which is supposed to defend your body against disease, attacks healthy cells. Depending on the type, an autoimmune disease might affect one or different types of body tissue and symptoms vary individually (Ballantyne, 2013; Roddick, 2015). You can find a more detailed list on the button below.

Autoimmune disease affects up to 50 million Americans (AARDA, 2015) and every fifth German family suffers from at least one or more autoimmune diseases (German Society for autoimmune diseases e.V., 2012). Certainly a part of this development is also due to the increased awareness and improved diagnostic techniques, however the consensus among doctors and medical researchers is that better diagnostics accounts for only a fraction of the growing incidence. This trend reflects the increases in obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.

Since this diseases are all known to be linked to our diet - specifically diets high in refined carbohydrates, trans fats, and omega-6 fats and low in fiber and micronutrients -, the way we eat can influence the probability of exhibiting an autoimmune disease.
Even though the mechanisms are still only partly understood, what is broadly evident falls into three categories:

  1. Dietary factors that contribute to nutrient deficiencies
  2. Dietary factors that contribute to a leaky gut or gut dysbiosis
  3. Dietary factors that contribute to inflammation or immune activation (Ballantyne, S. 2013).

The video posted above is a lecture from the Hawthorn University that thoroughly explains the mechanisms of autoimmune diseases.

Your nutrition impacts our health, and you have control over it (Ballantyne, 2013).

Common Autoimmune Diseases

  • Rheumatoid arthritis: inflammation of joints
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus: affects skin, joints, kidneys, brain, and other organs
  • Celiac sprue disease: a reaction to gluten that causes damage to the lining of the small intestine
  • Pernicious anemia: decrease in red blood cells caused by inadequacy to absorb vitamin B-12
  • Vitiligo: white patches on the skin caused by loss of pigment
  • Psoriasis: a skin condition that causes redness and irritation 
  • Inflammatory bowel diseases: a group of inflammatory diseases of the colon and small intestine
  • Hashimoto’s disease: inflammation of the thyroid gland
  • Addison’s disease: adrenal hormone insufficiency
  • Graves’ disease: overactive thyroid gland
  • Reactive arthritis: inflammation of joints, urethra, and eyes; may cause sores on the skin and mucus membranes
  • Type 1 diabetes: destruction of insulin producing cells in the pancreas
        Sources: AARDA, 2015; Robinson, 2015; Roddick, 2015.

Bibliography

  • American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, Inc. (2015). Autoimmune Statistics. Retrieved, 12 October 2015, from https://www.aarda.org/autoimmune-information/autoimmune-statistics/
  • Ballantyne, S. (2013). The Paleo Approach: Reverse Autoimmune Disease and Heal Your Body. New York: Victory Belt Publishing Inc.
  • German Society for autoimmune diseases e.V. (2015). Stiftung zur Bekämpfung von Autoimmunkrankheiten, Retrieved, 12 October 2015, from http://www.autoimmun.org/wir-ueber-uns
  • MedlinePlus medical encyclopedia. (2014). Autoimmune disorders. Retrieved, 12 October 2015, from  https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000816.htm
  • Robinson, J. (2015). What Are Autoimmune Disorders? WebMD. Retrieved, 12 October, 2015, from http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/autoimmune-diseases
  • Walsh, S. J., & Rau, L. M. (2000). Autoimmune diseases: a leading cause of death among young and middle-aged women in the United States. American Journal of Public Health, 90(9), 1463-1466.