This term describes any condition that arises from your body’s defence or immune system turning on itself and beginning to attack your own cells rather than fighting the invading bacteria, viruses or other foreign bodies. There are hundreds of Auto Immune conditions that have been identified. Here are a few: rheumatoid arthritis (RA), multiple sclerosis (MS), psoriatic arthritis, lupus (SLE), Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, Sjogren’s syndrome, ankylosing spondylitis (AS), Coeliac disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis to name a few.
Common symptoms may include: fatigue, dizziness, rashes, depression, pain, and much more. What they all have in common is that people suffering these conditions often have gut issues, high stress levels and toxin overload. Our experienced Adelaide Naturopath often tests for toxins early on, while addressing dietary and lifestyle changes and looking to support and heal the gut. Stress management is a big part of the treatment protocol.
This is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes your digestive tract to become swollen and irritated. The intestinal wall becomes infiltrated by acute and chronic inflammatory cells that cause lesions. Crohn’s disease can involve any part of the gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus.
Some triggers for Crohn’s disease are: bacterial or viral infection, food intolerances such as dairy, intestinal permeability, Vitamin D deficiency, gastroenteritis, antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID’s), a diet low in fibre and high in sugar and processed foods (Western Diet), chronic emotional stress and smoking.
Common symptoms experienced are: abdominal pain, diarrhoea, weight loss and rectal bleeding. Crohn’s disease can be treated with the right diet, lifestyle changes and nutritional support to help heal and balance the gut.
This is a chronic auto immune condition where the protective cover (called myelin) around nerves in your central nervous system, is damaged. It affects your brain and spinal cord. The name multiple sclerosis refers to the multiple scars (scleroses) on the myelin sheaths.
Common symptoms experienced are: poor memory, muscle weakness, blurred or double vision, numbness, loss of balance, fatigue, dizziness, clumsiness, poor bladder control, tingling, muscle stiffness, vertigo, pain, tremors and mood changes
Contributing factors that may cause this condition include: smoking, toxin exposure, low levels of Vitamin D, exposure to Epstein-Barr virus, obesity during childhood and genetic predisposition. Treatment to help improve quality of life may include regular massage to help maintain flexibility, acupuncture to alleviate symptoms, an antiinflammatory auto immune diet, exercise to regulate and help strengthen the immune system, detoxification to remove heavy metals if appropriate and addressing stress, through lifestyle changes and practices such as mindfulness. MS primarily affects adults, with an age onset typically between 20 and 40 years, and is more common in women than in men.
This is an auto immune disorder that causes problems in your digestive system when you eat gluten, found in some grains, such as wheat and rye. The small intestine is damaged by the immune system’s abnormal reaction to gluten and this results in a damaged mucosal lining, causing poor absorption of nutrients and nutrient deficiency.
Common causes or triggers include gastrointestinal dysbiosis, gut infections, mucosal damage, immune activation, medications, surgery and genetic susceptibility. Adopting a gluten free diet while go along way to improving a person’s health, but further nutritional support and lifestyle changes may be required to help reduce inflammation and begin healing the gut. This will in turn help boost the immune system. Many people with Coeliac disease also often suffer from fructose malabsorption and IBS, so these conditions need to be tested for early on.
Digestive symptoms include diarrhoea, abdominal pain, bloating and flatulence. Non-digestive features caused by prolonged nutrient deficiencies include unexplained weight loss, anaemia, fatigue, muscle cramps and reduced bone density.
The thyroid is a master gland that produces hormones that regulate the metabolic processes of many of the body’s tissues including the heart, liver, kidney and muscles. Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland produces too little thyroid hormone, when there is decreased conversion from T4 to T3, when there is an overproduction of reverse T3 (rT3), or when the body is not efficiently using thyroid hormone. Hashimoto’s disease is a form of autoimmune hypothyroidism that occurs when antibodies attack the tissue in the thyroid gland, causing reduced thyroid hormone production.
Key drivers or triggers may include nutritional deficiencies, inflammation, oxidative stress, gut dysfunction, coeliac disease, estrogen excess, stress, environmental toxins and aggressive calorific restriction.
This affects several areas of your body and causes symptoms like fatigue, depression, dry hair and skin, cold intolerance, muscle cramps, weakness, puffy eyes, hypertension, unexplained weight gain, cognitive impairment, hoarseness of voice and constipation. Medication is often prescribed. Hashimoto’s can be treated with an appropriate diet, lifestyle changes and nutrients to support optimal thyroid function, which are often low in individuals with the disease, for example, selenium, iodine, zinc, vitamins D, A and E.
This is a type of arthritis that affects the joints in your spine. It usually develops in your sacroiliac joints (where the bottom of your spine joins your pelvis). Less commonly, it can also affect your shoulders, hips and knee joints. Ankylosing spondylitis is an autoimmune disease, which means your immune system is triggered to attack your own cells as if they are foreign invaders, rather than protecting it.
Certain groups of people are likely to be at risk of developing AS, including:
Common symptoms include:
This is an autoimmune disease that happens when the immune system damages the glands that produce and control moisture in your body. The most common symptom is chronic, unusual dryness in your eyes, mouth or vagina, digestive system and throat.
A range of symptoms can include:
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease and a type of arthritis where your immune system attacks the tissue lining the joints on both sides of your body. It particularly impacts the small joints of the hands and feet. If left untreated, it may lead to cartilage and bone damage and joint destruction, resulting in functional impairment.
In addition to affecting your joints, rheumatoid arthritis sometimes affects other parts of your body including your skin, eyes, mouth, lungs and heart.
In some people symptoms may develop over several years, and others may find that they progress rapidly. Many sufferers may have times where symptoms flare up and then times when there are no apparent symptoms. Common symptoms include:
As an experienced and leading Adelaide naturopath in South Australia, Merridy Casson has a unique functional medicine approach which revolves around identifying the underlying cause of her client’s health concerns or disease.
As an experienced and leading Adelaide naturopath in South Australia, Merridy Casson has a unique functional medicine approach which revolves around identifying the underlying cause of her client’s health concerns or disease.
