AUTOIMMUNITY

Whenever there is progressive deterioration for which the medical profession does not know a cause, an autoimmune disorder should be suspected. Autoimmune disorders include such diverse conditions as ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn’s disease, fibromyalgia, hemolytic anemia, lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, neuromuscular degeneration, Raynaud’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, vasculitis, and vitiligo. What all of these diseases have in common is that the body becomes allergic to its own tissues and attacks them by means of antibodies. How these diseases differ is in which tissues are attacked.

Until now it has been a mystery why the body should seek to destroy parts of itself. I believe that I have discovered the answer. Every autoimmune disorder involves four contributing factors: (1) low stomach acid, (2) leaky gut, (3) food sensitivities, and (4) hypothyroidism.

If stomach acid and digestive enzymes are too low, proteins from the diet will not be fully broken down into their constituent amino acids. If the intestinal wall is "leaky" it allows abnormally large protein molecules (polypeptides) to enter the bloodstream. When this happens, the body reacts with alarm. The immune system builds antibodies to these "foreign" proteins. Specific foods in the diet – and these are highly variable from person to person – are more likely than others to trigger this kind of allergic/immune response, depending on their particular composition and the body’s particular weaknesses.

Each antibody has a specific shape that fits the particular molecule that it is trying to digest and recycle. That shape is dependent on temperature. The thyroid gland controls body temperature. If the thyroid is under-active, body temperature will change throughout a wider range than normal. The antibodies that were created at one temperature change shape at both higher and lower temperatures. This different shape enables them to "fit" protein molecules other than those for which they were originally intended, including some of the body’s own tissues.

It takes all four weaknesses (low stomach acid, leaky gut, food sensitivities, hypothyroidism) to create an immune disorder. Therefore, all four must be overcome in order for the body to heal itself completely. It takes diligence and persistence, but it can be done and is being done by those who understand what is involved and are motivated enough to achieve the result.

Supporting the digestive weaknesses is quite simple and immediate. The Digestive Enzyme Formula is the supplement of choice in this regard.

Restoring thyroid function is straightforward in principle but may take several months to complete. The Thyroid Support Formula is the ideal nutritional support to use; however, in some cases the thyroid may initially also require a "kick start" by taking external thyroid hormone. Ideally this should be assisted by a holistic medical doctor who can prescribe the natural hormone and assist you in weaning yourself off it. In any event, it is imperative to monitor body temperature daily and use whatever natural means possible to restore it to a constant 37⁰C (98.6⁰F) – reducing the support as it is no longer required.

It takes a lot of dedication to identify and totally eliminate all of the specific foods that aggravate the condition; but when this task is complete, the rewards can be felt within five days or so. Suppose – and this is merely one unique example – that someone with rheumatoid arthritis may have unique sensitivities to wheat, sugar, milk products and corn. Totally eliminating three of these food sources may not bring much relief as long as the person still continues to consume some of the fourth food every day. Once all four of the offending sources have been completely eliminated, however, there will be a significant reduction in arthritic symptoms. This is not a cure, however. It is merely avoidance. The leaky gut still needs to be healed.

The restoration program for the leaky gut is critical to success. It requires a very restricted diet in order to give the intestinal wall the time it needs to heal not only its surface layer but also its inner lining. During the second phase of this program – and especially if thyroid function has not yet been normalized – the ideal protein foods to introduce are those which least resemble human tissue (e.g., fish, eggs, tofu). This extra precaution reduces the chances of inadvertently recreating renegade antibodies.