Autoimmune Disorders

The prevailing opinion about “autoimmune” conditions is that the body gets confused between what is foreign and what is “self,” and starts attacking itself (hence the name “auto-immune,” meaning immune defense against itself). For that reason, the conditions labeled as “autoimmune” are treated with immune suppressants, which are medications used to suppress the body’s natural immune system. Although this may treat the symptoms, it does not resolve the underlying cause, and the person lives a life of weak immunity and sickness.

If “autoimmune” diseases were really an identity crisis of the body, then external factors – particularly the person’s diet – could have no effect. But the diet has an immense effect on so-called “autoimmune” diseases. From Rheumatoid Arthritis to Multiple Sclerosis; from Grave’s Disease to Lupus; from Type 1 Diabetes to Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD), autoimmune conditions are wonderfully improved on a diet of whole plant foods (McCarty; Alwarith et al; Sand; Hadgkiss et al; Swank et al; Swank et al; Leiba et al; Brogan et al; Virtanen et al; Lewis et al; Grosse et al; Yoo et al). Although we do not know exactly what causes all the different “autoimmune” conditions, we do know what heals them, and we ought to make a healthful diet the focal all-around treatment for “autoimmunity.”