The immune system is responsible for protecting us from bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other pathogens. However, many factors of modern life have created exploding rates of immune-related disorders, including autoimmunity — a condition in which the immune system attacks and destroys body tissue. Although autoimmune disease can affect any part of the body, many people…
One of the most common health issues I see in new patients is unstable blood sugar. Unstable blood sugar underlies many of the symptoms that autoimmune patients cope with, including exhaustion, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and brain fog. This is a relatively simple issue to remedy, and many patients don’t realize how deeply it impacts their…
While male hormone imbalance is not a topic that gets as much press as female hormone imbalance, it is nevertheless vital to men’s health and well-being. It is important for practitioners and patients to understand the factors that underlie male hormone imbalances so the root caused can be addressed, instead of routing patients automatically to…
Healthy gut bacteria is key to managing autoimmunity and other chronic disorders in part because they produce short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), compounds that help modulate the immune system and dampen inflammation. The primary SCFA we look at in relation to immune health is called butyrate. Butyrate is so important to intestinal cells they will…
When you’re managing autoimmunity and other chronic health issues, the dietary changes, lab testing, and lifestyle overhauls can be a lot of hard work. But it’s also vitally important to your immune health to do things that make you feel good in a positive way. This is because having fun boosts your endorphins, which dampen…
Stress is one of the most potent contributors to autoimmune and chronic disease. While it’s important to address sources of stress in your life, whether they are psychological, dietary, chemical, or personal — we can never be completely free of stress. However, we can support the body’s stress-management systems to better manage autoimmune, chronic inflammatory,…
Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are naturally occurring fats that our bodies cannot produce. Instead, they must come from whole food sources or supplements. EFAs are critical to help dampen inflammation and autoimmunity, promote blood vessel health, support healthy skin growth, give the hormones the precursors they need to remain balanced, and support healthy brain and…
Reducing inflammation is integral to managing autoimmune disease and other chronic disorders. To be effective in reducing inflammation, it’s important to understand some basics. One great way to minimize inflammation is to support the immune system’s regulatory T cell function with simple dietary and lifestyle habits. These daily strategies can profoundly impact how you feel…
Are you becoming sensitive to an ever growing list of foods? Do you do lab testing only to have everything come back negative, despite clear and obvious reactions to foods. If so, you may have low SIgA levels. SIgA refers to secretory immunoglobulin antibodies. The immune system makes antibodies to tag proteins to be destroyed…
Did you know your liver can play a role in inflammation, leaky gut, food sensitivities, chemical sensitivities, and autoimmunity? Tending to liver function and liver detoxification is a vital part of functional medicine protocols to address chronic health issues. Liver detoxification involves making fat-soluble compounds water-soluble so they can be eliminated in urine, feces, or…