Diet and auto-immune disease
- Dietitian.Lauren Hmede
- Apr 7, 2019
- 2 min read
Introduction:
According to The American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) that 50 million Americans suffer from an autoimmune disease, which includes type 1 diabetes, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and celiac disease.
What is an autoimmune disease? An autoimmune disease is when the immune system recognize its own cells as foreign. In normally functioning immune system, it can detect the difference between own cells and foreign cells. These conditions can be specific to one organ or can affect the entire body.
Could it be related to diet? Autoimmune disease has a genetic component but still some environmental and lifestyle factors can worsen the disease. Autoimmune disease has some known triggers, including stress, inflammation, and diet.
Diet is the best way to reduce inflammation and protect the body. Here are a few factors to keep in mind:
Vitamin D: Vitamin D is an important vitamin for immune system. Most of people cannot get enough vitamin D due to low sources and low sun exposure. That is why supplements can boost vitamin D level.
Probiotics: Gut health is important for immune system as 70-80% f immune cells are in the gut. Probiotics are good living microorganism that improve gut health and add more good bacteria. You can find them in fermented food and supplements.
Turmeric: It contains a powerful anti-inflammatory the curcumin. Turmeric is a great spice that can be incorporated into almost any dish to help reduce inflammation throughout the body.
Fish Oil : Omega 3 fatty acids are powerful anit-inflammatory and you can get them from including two times per week sources of fatty fish like salmon, tuna and others. You can add walnuts, flaxseeds and chia seeds to get omega-3 from plant sources.
CBD: It is known for its anti-inflammatory properties, and a lot of people use it to aid with anxiety and pain.
Meditation: Stress can affect negatively your immune system and worsen your case so have a little time for meditation, enjoy some cleansing breaths, or just clear your mind can have a positive impact.
These food mentioned above are great choices that reduce inflammation but in the other hand you need to avoid food that induce inflammation including refined grains, sugar, and alcohol. Adding anti-inflammatory foods to your diet and crowding out inflammatory foods can help boost immunity and reduce the risk of an autoimmune flare-up.
Sources:
Comments