Autoimmune diseases are being diagnosed more and more frequently, and the causes are still not exactly known. Genetics, environmental toxins, inflammation, hormonal imbalances, poor eating habits, and sedentary lifestyles are all believed to contribute to the development of certain autoimmune diseases and other serious health conditions. Many people are looking for ways to decrease their risk of developing an autoimmune disease, and while there is no way to guarantee you never develop one, there are several things you can do to help support a healthy immune system.
Possible Causes of Autoimmune Issues
The average person can encounter thousands of different chemicals every day, with some of these being labeled as carcinogens or possible carcinogens. Many of these chemicals are also known endocrine disruptors, meaning they can interfere with hormone production and hormonal balance, which can lead to many other problems. These chemicals can be found in certain processed foods and drinks, plastic containers, tap water, household cleaning products, cosmetics, perfume and cologne, soap, etc. Many of these chemicals can also contribute to inflammation in the body, potentially contributing to many different health conditions.
Chronic inflammation may also contribute to autoimmunity because the body may lose the ability to tell the difference between healthy tissue and something that needs to be attacked by the immune system. When inflammation occurs steadily over a long period of time, it can be difficult for the body to differentiate between the healthy tissue and something that needs to be attacked. This could eventually cause the body to mistakenly attack healthy parts of the body like the thyroid gland, skin, hair follicles, the nervous system, or other areas of the body that can be affected by autoimmune conditions.
Suppporting Immune Health
The good news is that there are many things you can do to help provide your body the nutrients it needs for a healthy immune system. Replacing any processed foods and drinks in your diet with whole foods like organic fruits and vegetables, healthy fats like coconut oil and avocados, and grass-fed and antiobiotic-free meats. A ketogenic diet (very low-carb and high-fat) is also a good diet to try out as it cuts out carbohydrate-rich foods like sugar and grains. These dietary changes may also help decrease gut inflammation and improve gut health, which in turn may help improve immune health.
You should also try to switch to natural products as much as possible. There are natural options for most products ranging from makeup and soap to household cleaning products like laundry detergent. There are also some supplements that can help ensure you’re getting the nutrients you need each day, which can be difficult through food alone. Taking a good multivitamin is always a good habit to get into, along with products like GI Immune that can help stimulate beneficial immune cells, and SBI Support that contains immunoglobulins which some people with certain autoimmune conditions may be deficient in. While doing these things doesn’t guarantee that you won’t ever struggle with an autoimmune condition, you can at least give your body the best chance you can of being healthy by sticking to healthy habits throughout your life.
You can listen to our Possible Symptoms of Autoimmune Disease podcast episode here. You can also listen on our YouTube channel here.
