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Wednesday, 29 August 2012 12:28

Autoimmune Disease and Health

We've all heard about cancer and we've heard about heart disease. But what about autoimmune disease? It is the third leading cause of death and yet many people have never heard of it or know exactly what it is. The National Institutes of Health estimates up to 24 million Americans suffer from autoimmune disease and close to 100 different autoimmune diseases have been identified.

It is difficult to diagnose (unfortunately often by the time it is, it is systemic) and it's hard to treat with conventional medicine, but there are some diet and lifestyle changes that can help tremendously for those with autoimmune disorders. Reducing symptoms and bringing about stability is a more realistic goal than a total cure when it comes to autoimmune diseases, but this can go a long way for improving the quality of life for those with this health issue.

So, what is autoimmunity? It is an immune system attack against the body's own damaged tissues, organs, and hormones. Your body is literally attacking itself. Symptoms can include fatigue, dizziness, fever (low grade), general malaise, depression, hair loss, skin rashes, joint stiffness, and gastrointestinal issues. Autoimmune disorders include Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, Grave's Disease, Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Scleroderma, Multiple Sclerosis, Celiac Disease, and Raynauds.

Triggers of autoimmunity include:
  • inflammation
  • stress
  • trauma
  • toxicity
  • immune shifts
  • gluten intolerance
  • cross-reactive foods
  • insulin surges
  • infections
  • genetic predisposition
I have had several clients who have autoimmune diseases. Although I have made specific individual recommendations based on their current diet, lifestyle, and particular autoimmune disease, here are some general recommendations for diet for those with autoimmune diseases:
  • Low allergenic diet
  • Low inflammatory diet
  • Blood sugar regulation
  • High antioxidants

So, what does this look like? Basically it means eating real food—opting for fruits, vegetables, and lean meats. A low allergenic diet means removing top allergenic foods like gluten, dairy, soy, and nuts. For a low inflammatory diet, it means avoiding processed foods, trans fats, and high lectin foods. Lectins are carbohydrate binding proteins found in plants. High lectin foods include legumes, grains, and nightshade vegetables (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, and peppers). I also recommend removing caffeine, sodas, and sugar from the diet.

Managing blood sugar regulation means eating every few hours and including a protein with all meals and snacks. Eating high antioxidant foods means eating the rainbow of fruits and vegetables. For those with autoimmune conditions, it is important to buy organic, especially for the high pesticide produce.

There are blood tests that can be done to determine which foods you are sensitive to. Another way is to do a detox diet removing all possible allergenic and inflammatory foods and then reintroduce them one by one to see which ones cause problems. For those with active flare-ups or advanced autoimmune diseases, I recommend doing a detox diet as the first order of business to detoxify the body and calm down the inflammation.

For lifestyle, I would look at the following factors:
  • Toxic exposure
  • Stress
One client I'm working with now who has an autoimmune disease works on a weekly basis with toxic chemicals. We have adjusted her diet as per the above, but we have also looked at how to reduce her toxic exposure. I suggested she wear a mask and goggles, as well as wash her hair nightly. Toxins can get into our body through our eyes, nose, skin, hair, and mouth. We need to protect all of these areas when around toxins. We can even go to the next level and look at the various beauty and cleaning products we use on our bodies and in our homes to choose ones that are less toxic.

I also looked at my client's stress level. She has a lot of stress at home and at work. We have worked on finding ways to reduce stress, including the simple act of breathing when she feels herself particularly stressed. She is also making time to do things that she enjoys like bike riding with her son and dancing with her boyfriend. She is doing visualizations at night, envisioning a healthy body. She is making an active effort to reduce her stress and now feels more balanced.

Although I believe we can get most of the nutrients we need from food, I do believe that supplements can play a role based on certain health conditions. For those with autoimmunity, I recommend Vitamin D (depending on what your current level is as per a recent blood test), glutathione, and fish oils—all of which have been shown effective with autoimmune disorders. I recommend working with a health professional to determine if these supplements are right for you.

When working with a client who has an autoimmune disease, I look at all four quadrants of their life. In the Mind quadrant, are they under a lot of stress? Have they experienced a recent trauma? In the Body quadrant, are they eating inflammatory and allergenic foods? Do they have a genetic predisposition to it? Do they have an infection? In the Relationships quadrant, do they have a strong social support network or are their relationships causing them stress? In the Environment quadrant, what toxins are they exposed to? Healing from autoimmunity is a four quadrant endeavor.

I am passionate about helping people with autoimmune disorders because I know that it is often a long road to finally get a diagnosis with this disease. It takes many doctor visits, and by the time a diagnosis is made, the symptoms may have become systemic (throughout the entire body). Also, there is not a lot that conventional medicine can do to "treat" these diseases. The good news is that steps can definitely be taken to calm the body down and provide relief. If you have an autoimmune disease or know someone who does, try some of the diet and lifestyle changes above. Don't give up hope that you can feel better!

This is part of a series looking at specific diseases and what can be done from a nutritional and lifestyle standpoint. Also part of this series is Cancer and Health, Heart Disease and Health, Diabetes and Health, and more. These will be forthcoming.

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I am offering a 25% discount to anyone who wants nutritional consulting and health coaching for an autoimmune disease. Just mention this blog.


Dina Colman, MA, MBA is an author, healthy living coach, and founder of Four Quadrant Living. Dina has a private practice helping clients live healthier and happier lives. Her book, Four Quadrant Living: Making Healthy Living Your New Way of Life, guides readers to make healthy living a part of their daily lives, leading to greater health, vitality, and happiness. Contact Dina at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


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  • She truly cares

    I initially started working with Dina to help me with my diet for an autoimmune disease I have been battling for years. She has also helped me with stress, relationships, and work. She is very encouraging. I am now happier and healthier because of Dina. She truly cares about you and it definitely shows in the difference it has made in my life.
    Mary M.
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    Reaching out to Dina was one of the best decisions I've made this past year. Every aspect of my life; spiritual, mental, emotional, physical, was out of balance. She was and continues to be exactly what my life was missing; someone to hold me accountable, a cheerleader, a confidant, a trustworthy advisor, a coach!
    Lisa H.
  • Saved my life

    Dina has provided me with the tools and knowledge that I needed to make changing to a healthier lifestyle a manageable goal. She never judged me when I stumbled but has only given me the encouragement and steps I needed to get back up and try again. I will be forever grateful to Dina because she has literally saved my life from the downward spiral I was in.
    Kristin A.
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    After the my mom's death, I withdrew from life. Dina helped me move past the self-destructive tendencies I had used to cope with my grief. She is a compassionate listener, offers gentle suggestions, and provides nonthreatening accountability. Through our sessions she helped me balance my life. I don't know where I'd be without her.
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    Working with Dina has helped me to manage and control my prediabetes. I have lost 10 pounds with her guidance by being more aware of the food I am eating. I like working with Dina because I feel that she really tries to find ways for me to be healthy in my life—the things I like to do and eat—rather than providing a cookie cutter solution.
    Diane C.
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    Dina and her Four Quadrant Living consistently give me simple, easy to implement suggestions to make my entire life healthier. With Dina's gentle guidance, I have vastly improved the way I eat, the way I deal with stress and, basically, the way I balance my life. It is impossible to not feel better, stronger and happier when working with Dina.
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    It wasn't just about food but my overall well-being. I got the tools to work toward the things that I wanted to achieve. I love that I can email Dina with any question that I might have along the way! I highly recommend her.
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    By the end of the 3rd week (of the Detox Program), I started to notice changes. I felt less tired and was actually sleeping less. I was amazed at the improvement in my well being. Dina was great in providing information and motivation throughout the program. She presented a nice balance of telling me what I needed to know without overwhelming me.
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