by Averil Bernard
*Research studies are accessible via links in underlined words.
Chronic Disease
The U.S. National Center for Health Statistics defines a chronic disease as one lasting 3 months or more. Most chronic diseases today have been categorized as autoimmune diseases, are in the process of being categorized as such or have been found to be linked to autoimmune diseases, these include: Vasculitis, Celiac Disease, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes, Dementia, Schizophrenia, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Myasthenia Gravis, Psoriasis, Eczema, Alopecia Areata, Lupus, Colitis, Chron’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Irritable Bowel Disease, Parkinson’s, Sjogren’s Disease, Fibromyalgia, Addison’s Disease, Pernicious Anemia, Grave’s Disease, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, Vitiligo and the list goes on and on. Here is link to a more exhaustive list provided by the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA).
Autoimmune Diseases
The normal functioning immune system protects us from foreign cells like bacteria and viruses and repairs and rebuilds damaged tissues, for example, those damaged during exercise and strength training. The destruction of tissues occurs only when it has been damaged and needs to be repaired. The destruction process stops once all damaged tissue has been repaired.
An autoimmune disease is one in which unknown triggers cause the body to produce antibodies that attack its own healthy tissues, leading to the deterioration and in some cases to the destruction of such tissues. Autoimmune diseases therefore result in the human body harming itself. Exactly why the body does that is not known, but terms like Molecular Mimicry (where a foreign antigen shares sequence or structural similarities with self-antigens), Bystander Activation (where immune cells are activated in the absence of specific cell receptor stimulation which allows the cells to bypass certain immune regulatory checkpoints) and Viral Persistence or Persistent Viral Infection (where immune-mediated injury results from the constant presence of viral antigen causing a constant immune response) help to explain the possible causes. Here’s a link to a research article on possible causes of autoimmune responses.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes is not usually considered an autoimmune disease but researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and the University of Toronto state that, “they are in the process of redefining one of the most common diseases in America (Type 2 Diabetes) as an autoimmune disease.” In the research study, in mice placed on a high -fat, high-calorie diet, inflammation produced by B cells and T cells eventually led to insulin resistance in addition to fatty liver disease, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Here’s a link to the article about the study, published by Krista Conger a science writer for Stanford University School of Medicine.
Other studies conducted by the University of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil and Université Libre de Bruxelles and Syed MA, Barinas-Mitchell E and Pietropaolo SL, all point to the autoimmune nature of Type 2 Diabetes.
The Food Component
When looking at foods for consumption we need to consider nutrient density as well as how the components of the food impact our health. Nutrient dense foods are those that are high in nutrients but relatively low in calories. Look for foods that contain vitamins, minerals, complex carbohydrates, lean protein, and healthy fats. Examples include kale, salmon (wild), seaweed, sardines, organ meats, blueberries, stabilized rice bran and other superfoods, eggs, lentils, chickpeas, spinach, almonds, broccoli, sweet potatoes, quinoa, brown rice, amaranth, asparagus, collard greens, bok choy etc.
Positive Health Impacting Foods
How you react to food is dependent upon a variety of factors including your genetic makeup, the environment and the components of the food. You want to avoid foods that elicit an immune or allergic response in your body. These will include foods that you may be allergic to. For example, if you have a latex allergy you may want to avoid fruits with latex like pineapples, kiwi and avocados. Similarly, avoid dairy, nuts, wheat etc. if you have allergies.
Additionally, refined sugar, which causes a blood sugar spike and results in a flood of insulin being sent into your blood, should be avoided. The leaves, stems, and young, green tomatoes are toxic and can result in tomatine poisoning, especially in children. Tomatine is such a strong immunostimulant that it is used as an adjuvant in vaccines to increase the body’s immune response (to create antibodies) to inactivated vaccines.
How Gluten Allergy or Sensitivity Works
Certain individuals with a specific genetic makeup react negatively to the presence of gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley, in their food. When they consume gluten it causes Zonulin to be released in the gut. Zonulin is the only protein that regulates the tight junctions between the cells of the gut walls. They are usually released as an immune response to help flood water into the gut to wash out infectious toxins (eg. Cholera). Loss of proper regulation sometimes called leaky gut syndrome or intestinal permeability allows harmful microorganisms and undigested food particles to enter the blood and results in maldigestion, malabsorption and causes an immune/inflammatory response.
Secondly, people with a gluten allergy or sensitivity are unable to digest gluten so it passes from the stomach into the small intestine undigested. This causes the immune system to become stimulated and it evokes an inflammatory response. The abundance of inflammation prevents the absorption of nutrients (malabsorption), which results in vitamin and mineral deficiency and any of the slew of diseases and disorders that are a consequence of such deficiency. Follow this link to view the mechanism.
Vitamin & Mineral Deficiency
Vit K – Easy bruising, bleeding problems, low blood-clotting factors
Vit D – autoimmune diseases, chronic pain, rickets in children, osteomalacia, hair loss, AFib, hypertension, coronary artery disease, and stroke
Vit B6 or Folate – high homocysteine levels, vasospasms, death
B12 – fatigue, headaches, pins and needles (paresthesia), depression, memory problems
Magnesium – eyebrow twitching, muscle pain, asthma, irregular heartbeat, fatigue, leg cramps, high blood pressure, high homocysteine levels, see B6
Vit C – anemia, tiredness, numbness, and pain usually in the lower limbs and hands, gum disease.
Celiac Disease
Being allergic to or sensitive to gluten is not just mind over matter. Many people believe that it’s all a large hoax to build another money-making industry, but there’s scientific evidence to prove that it’s a real disorder.
The main disease that describes people with a hypersensitive to gluten is Celiac Disease. Non-Celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) describes people with a hypersensitivity to gluten who have not been diagnosed with Celiac disease. Celiac suffers can present with any combination of over 300 symptoms that include: Anemia, Anxiety, Atrial Fibrillation, Bloating/Gas, Cognitive Impairment (including disorientation, loss of focus & attention, short-term memory lapses and dementia), Constipation, Delayed Growth & Development, Depression, Diarrhea, Diverticulitis, Dental/Mouth Problems (including dry mouth syndrome, discolored teeth, tooth decay, and mouth sores), Failure to Thrive, Unexplained Weight Loss, Fatigue, Headaches, Hyperhomocysteinemia, Infertility, Itchy Skin Rash, Joint Pain, Osteoporosis, Sleep Apnea, Tingling/numbness, Varicose Veins.
The Journey
In my quest for knowledge on this topic, I discovered a lot that left me feeling more puzzled than informed. The experience was like going down an endless maze of seriously interconnected rabbit holes.
Some of my findings led me to theorize that Celiac Disease is the cause of many chronic and autoimmune diseases, affecting many different organs of the body because it results in nutrient deficiencies and inflammation. Gluten intolerance or sensitivity appears to be the one common thread among the myriad of different diseases. It seems to follow logically that persons suffering from many chronic and autoimmune diseases could find help in the elimination of gluten from their diets together with improved nutrition, lifestyle changes.
Do you suffer from a chronic disease? Is it also autoimmune or linked to an autoimmune? Have you considered the possibility that it could be the result of gluten intolerance or sensitivity? Are you open to learning more and exploring that possibility?
Betrayal
Someone once said, “When the student is ready the teacher will appear.” Well, in the midst of burrowing down rabbit holes, an invitation to view ‘Betrayal: The Autoimmune Disease Solution They’re Not Telling You’, appeared in my inbox. After 30 years of clinical research and patient care, my friend and mentor Dr. Tom O’Bryan DC, CCN, DACBN, a world-renowned expert in the field of gluten-related disorders, Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS) and Celiac Disease (CD) created the docu-series, featuring 80+ top doctors and autoimmunity researchers from around the world, to help us understand how to prevent and reverse autoimmune disease.
The series is AMAZING! The information is Mind Blowing. I’m still reviewing the series and will be for many months to come. I’m grateful to have been blessed with this valuable information and vow to share it with as many people as are open to receiving it.
This Series is the perfect supplement to this post, so as a gift to everyone who reads this post, here’s a link to access the entire Betrayal Series free.
If you suffer from an autoimmune disease and you’re not sure if you have a gluten allergy or sensitivity Dr. O’Bryan recommends eliminating gluten (wheat, rye, and barley) from your diet for a 30 day period.
For informational purposes only. Not intended as medical advice.