Autoimmunity is a phenomenon when the body’s immune system has lost self tolerance and started to produce antibodies that attack body’s own tissues. Depending on which part of the body is affected, autoimmunity can manifest as a wide range of medical conditions. Some common autoimmune diseases include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Graves disease, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel diseases (ulcerative colitis and Crohn Disease), multiple sclerosis, etc. With the increasing number of cases that I see in my clinic, I would urge those on immune suppressive medications to consult me on alternative treatment.
What I am seeing with autoimmune diseases is a pattern of subclinical immune deficiency. These patients typically don’t meet the criteria of clinical immune deficiencies, and therefore they can’t be diagnosed as such. But their lab work and medical history clearly show deficiencies in certain immune factors. Therefore the treatment principle is to identify the weakness and to support the immune system, instead of suppressing it. Once the immune system gets stronger, it will have a better capability of regulating itself.
A full article with a more in-depth discussion on autoimmune diseases can be found at http://songofnaturalmedicine.