Autoimmune and Gut Health Part 1, The Gut-Brain Axis Series, The Microbiome-Autoimmune Connection

Autoimmune and Gut Health: Gut health is closely involved in autoimmunity (AI). In fact, there are three elements necessary for an autoimmune disease to develop. These are a genetic predisposition, a leaky gut and an environmental trigger (Fasano, 2012). This is commonly referred to as the triad of AI. Through intestinal permeability, or leaky gut, the gut becomes a critical factor in AI.

AI diseases are typically chronic and can require lifelong treatment. Conventional medicine says there is no cure for most AI diseases. But Functional Medicine has developed different approaches that can help to manage or improve an AI disease, and in some cases, to reverse an AI disease.

There are more than 100 different autoimmune diseases. Forty other additional diseases are thought to have an autoimmune component (The American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, 2019). We cannot list them all here but common ones include multiple sclerosis, lupus, celiac disease, Crohn’s, Hashimoto’s, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, type 1 diabetes, ulcerative colitis, vitiligo, Meniere’s disease and others. To continue reading CLICK HERE.