This is a guest post written by Amy Nett, MD.
Meet Your Microbiome
If you commonly read this blog, or listen to Chris’s podcast, you have undoubtedly developed an appreciation for the trillions of microbial organisms that normally inhabit a healthy small and large intestine. Most of these microbes are bacteria that have co-evolved with humans, depending on us for their survival just as we depend on them for our health and well-being.
For example, we provide nutrients for bacteria which then keep our immune system in check, digest certain carbohydrates that would be indigestible to us, and make vitamins and other important compounds that we would otherwise be unable to produce. This wonderful, symbiotic relationship is what makes up your microbiome. A (hopefully) harmonious collection of microorganisms in our guts that aid in so many of our body’s vital functions.
The Microbiome Changes with Disease
Our microbiome can affect us in multiple, profound ways ranging from how we store fat (1, 2, 3) to whether we feel happy, anxious or depressed (4, 5, 6). When the normal gut microbial communities are disturbed, whether you’ve used antibiotics or are suffering from a bacterial infection, it can lead to dysbiosis or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
Antibiotics, C-sections, poor diet, and autoimmune disease; what’s the connection?
Dysbiosis is associated with a growing number of diseases such as Crohn’s disease (7), ulcerative colitis (8, 9), irritable bowel syndrome (10), and both type 1 and type 2 diabetes (11, 12). You’ll find that the variety and balance of gut bacteria is often different in patients with chronic inflammatory conditions as compared with healthy individuals.
Research now suggests that these diseases are not due to any single bacterium, but from changes to the entire microbiome. And since a large part of our immune system is found within the gut, several diseases resulting from dysbiosis are autoimmune diseases.
What Is Autoimmune Disease?
Autoimmune disease can be thought of as a case of mistaken identity: the immune system targets normal proteins as if they were harmful foreign invaders and becomes overactive. Normally, the immune system responds to a specific pathogen, like a cold virus, and once that pathogen is cleared, the immune system can settle down to its normal state. In the case of autoimmune disease, the immune system often stays on high alert, resulting in chronic inflammation.
With more than 80 different types of autoimmune disease, this class of disease has been particularly difficult to understand: what exactly causes the immune system to attack otherwise normal healthy human cells?
The Three Legged Stool of Autoimmune Disease.
Dr. Alessio Fasano, a world-renowned gastroenterologist, expert in autoimmune disease, and pioneer in understanding celiac disease, describes autoimmunity as a three-legged stool, meaning that three essential components must be present in order for someone to develop an autoimmune disease:
- Genetic predisposition: certain genes make individuals more likely to develop certain diseases.
- A trigger: specific antigen, or protein, that the immune system recognizes as a threat (real or not), that sets off the cascade of over-activation. In the case of celiac disease, the trigger is gluten. However, in the vast majority of autoimmune diseases the trigger remains unknown.
- Intestinal permeability (also referred to as “leaky gut”): this increased permeability means that the normally tightly knit cells of the intestines are weakened and “leaky”. This allows large compounds, such as proteins from food or bacteria, entry into our bloodstream. Leaky gut can occur due to any number of reasons such a food sensitivities, gut infections, or chronic stress.
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Does the Microbiome Play a Role in Autoimmune Disease?
Increasing attention is being paid to the importance of the microbiome in health and disease—even slight imbalances have far reaching consequences. It has become clear that the microbiome profoundly affects our immune system, and new research provides insights into how changes in the microbiome can act as the trigger in developing autoimmune disease.
A recent paper reviewed some of the most recent research that the health of our microbiome may be the key factor in whether or not we develop an autoimmune disease (13). Below are a few of the key points:
Two of the most significant autoimmune diseases in terms of global morbidity and mortality are Type 1 diabetes mellitus, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease with antibodies that destroy the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas, leading to insulin deficiency and blood sugar irregularities. Most often patients are diagnosed in childhood or adolescence, and there is a known genetic association. However, in studies with twins (who share the same genes), only about 50% of twins both go on to develop the disease. This further supports the idea that the development of disease depends on more than genes alone. For instance, immigrants have a risk of developing T1D that is dependent on their place of residence, not their country of origin.
Studies looking at differences in the gut microbiome between people with T1D and healthy individuals have found the following differences:
- Children with T1D have a smaller amount of beneficial bacteria.
- Children with T1D have less stability and diversity of bacteria in their gut.
- There are significant differences in both bacterial composition and metabolic capabilities between those with T1D and without.
- After treatments to normalize blood sugar in T1D patients, there was also a return to microbial diversity in those individuals.
Overall, the research is convincing that T1D is associated with a disruption in the normal microbiome. At this time, no single organism is responsible for the onset of this disease. However, in genetically predisposed individuals a disruption of the normal microbial communities provides an environment in which the disease may develop.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis affects about 1.5 million people in the United States, and up to 1% of adults worldwide. It is an autoimmune disease that affects many of the joints throughout the body, most commonly the joints of the wrists and hands.
As with T1D, there is a known genetic association. However, studies with twins again prove that genes play even less of a role in the development of RA when compared with T1D. Research again supports a relationship between the microbiome and the development and progression of RA. Of particular interest is the role of the bacteria living in ones mouth.
Periodontal Disease and RA
- Patients with newly diagnosed RA have higher rates of severe periodontitis and more tooth loss despite normal oral hygiene compared to healthy individuals.
- The severity of a patients periodontal disease can be correlated with the severity of their RA disease activity.
- Specific bacteria that live in the mouth have been shown in animal models to increase the severity of joint disease.
- Specific bacteria are present in both dental plaque of patients with RA, and in joint fluid.
Many other autoimmune diseases are being studied to look for related dysbiosis, providing increasing evidence that disruption of the microbiome is associated with the development of some autoimmune diseases. Though there is clear correlation between changes in the microbiome and autoimmune disease, causation is not yet clear. This means we cannot say if it is the dysbiosis that leads to autoimmune disease, or if dysbiosis is the result of an overactive and misdirected immune system.
One More Reason to Take Care of Your Gut?
As if we didn’t already have enough reasons to take care of our gut and help our beneficial bacteria thrive, it may be that decreasing our risk of developing an autoimmune disease is one more important reason to be good to your microbiome.
About Amy: Amy Nett, MD, graduated from Georgetown University School of Medicine in 2007. She subsequently completed a year of internal medicine training at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, followed by five years of specialty training in radiology at Stanford University Hospital, with additional subspecialty training in pediatric radiology.
Along the course of her medical training and working through her own personal health issues, she found her passion for Functional Medicine. She works with patients through a Functional Medicine approach, working to identify and treat the root causes of illness. She uses nutritional therapy, herbal medicine, supplements, stress management, detoxification and lifestyle changes to restore proper function and improve health.
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Dear madam/sir,
I am kumar,male,aged about 54 years.I am residing in chennai,India.I have been battling with giardiasis for about 25 years and gastritis and other related problems such as loss of appetite,chronic malabsorption of food,indigestion,falling of mucus,constipation,upset stomach.Can the probiotic called prescript assist cure all my above cited miseries?Can anyone throw some light on the above.I shall be highly indebted to them,
With regards,
kumar
I am surprised doctors haven’t tried treating your giardasis. Is giardia in your everyday water supply?
Giardia can be treated with a course of antibiotics, usually this is quite straightforward. I’ve had this myself, what a foul thing it is, I wish you the very best recovery!
I had chronic eczema for 2 years and my son nephrotic syndrome. We started on the GAPS diet almost 2 years ago now. My eczema has all cleared up and my son is fighting fit!
It may be important to mention that we have not yet characterized what a “normal” or “healthy” microbiome for humans actually is. However we do have some clues….
The most important point (so far) seems to be that:
– gut profiles are better characterized at the level of the different bacterial communities (i.e. many different bacterial strains grouping together) and how they relate to one another – not by counting up individual strains and correlating those with disease/health.
– A core of enterotypes (not strains) are starting to emerge although many contradictory findings are still the norm, not the exception.
– as pointed out in this article, the question “Do gut changes follow disease or is it the other way round? (& for which diseases, specifically)” cannot be answered without having a solid foundation for what is “common”, “normal” or “optimal”.
Raphael, I’m not a microbiota expert, but have read much and written some about it. My takeaway is that the science on this is still pretty new; meaning that there’s no definitive conclusions about how all the “strains” in the human GI tract affect health.
Given that, as you say, there are contradictory conclusions, which is the norm for health matters. Consider that we still debate the health impacts of coffee, fat, meat, vegetarianism etc.
Your last bullet point speaks to causality vs correlation, another theme threaded in every scientific study related to health and disease. On this point, though, several studies are pretty conclusively indicating that “unhealthy” bacteria strains cause and/or or contribute to certain maladies, such as inflammation, leaky gut and (strangely) depression.
-Joe
The question that is of most interest to my mind is whether the microbiome is more of a ‘reactive’ organ (as DH Kiefer put it) or not. If you consider the analogy of our bodies being the soil for bacteria, then the health of the soil should play a primary role in the health of the bacteria and vice-versa – but maybe to a lesser extent.
You’re correct, certain individual strains of bacteria are casually related to diseased states. However, putting this into perspective by considering the total number of fungi and bacteria in our guts, this turns out to be a minuscule %. The key point is the mechanism of horizontal gene transfer and other gene trading strategies. Looking at their genomes gives us a clearer picture of how they interact with us than looking at the kinds of individual strains do.
Vegetarianism is a political and moral ‘thing’ which has no basis in science. Coffee is great (sans the other bad chemistry that may accompany it) and the tiniest of fractions of people may not bode well on coffee specifically. Meat is the stuff of life. Shitty meat is, well, shitty meat. Fat is essential and it is not the same as CHO but bad fat is, well, bad.
Cheers
I have been diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis. I changed my diet to raw with no sugar, honey, agave for 7 weeks. The elimination of all animal products helped my joints as did losing 10 lbs. I finally gave up coffee/caffeine and got more relief. I still have pain. I now eat a vegan diet with whole grains like farro and quinoa for another month. I discovered that brown rice gave me congestion?
My question is: Should I cut out gluten? I am feeling better on the vegan diet, but I want the PA to go into remission without methotrexate.
Hi Debbie,
It is wonderful to hear that you’ve already made so much improvement in your symptoms with dietary changes. As you likely know from reading other articles on this site, we do find the most success (both in clinical experience and with our own personal experience) following a Paleo template dietary approach. Thus, I would suggest you remove gluten, at least for 30 days, and see if you notice further improvement.
Though discussed in great detail in other articles, in Chris’s book, and on a myriad of other web sites, in brief, we recommend avoiding gluten-containing grains given that 1) grains have poor nutrient content, and do not contain any nutrients that cannot be obtained elsewhere in the diet, and 2) many grains contain proteins capable of provoking an immune response or allergic reaction. In particular, several studies suggest that gluten may have negative effects on the intestinal barrier contributing to leaky gut, and allowing larger, unwanted compounds access to the bloodstream. Again, if we think of doors between the intestinal cells, gluten can open those doors even in people without celiac disease — in most people those “doors” may be open for such a short time that most often the result is inconsequential. However, we also know that some people become intolerant to gluten later in life, and it is not yet clear what causes this shift from tolerance to intolerance.
If you do want to include some gluten-containing grains as part of your diet, you might want to consider testing for gluten sensitivity with something like the Cyrex Labs Array 3 panel, which is one of the most comprehensive tests for assessing wheat and gluten sensitivity. If you do not show any antibody production on such a test, then you may consider keeping grains as part of your 80/20 rule. But again, grains have such low nutrient-density, that even despite the potential toxicity of gluten, there seems little reason to make them a regular part of your diet.
And…what about the OTHER parts of the paleo ideas? The nutrients in animal foods that this person is missing? Simply cutting out gluten from this person’s already severely limited diet doesn’t add in the nutrients she/he is missing. Bone broth, properly raised meats, fermented dairy etc.
Steve,
I agree that there are many other benefits to a Paleo-type diet, aside from removing gluten. And particularly, as you mention, bone broths and meats from grass-fed, pastured/free-range animals provide incredibly nutrient dense sources of a number of vitamins and minerals. And in general I do encourage eating such animal products. However, it’s also important to me to recognize each person’s individual preferences, and given that Debbie has made a conscious decision to follow a vegan diet (and seems to feel some benefit on that diet), I prefer to respect her choice in that matter. Since she specifically asked about gluten, I directed my reply accordingly. But you are correct in that most people benefit significantly from eating a more varied omnivorous diet.
I have RA and I’m keeping it in check with paleo/AIP diet; no meds. Lots of bone broth for healing the gut. Since reading this article, I believe my oral hygiene must be contributing. So, how do I find out what is the specific bacteria damaging my joints and what is the antidote? Thank you for this article.
Dr. Scher’s latest R&D which updates the RA microbiome findings was published in, “Expansion of intestinal Prevotella copri correlates with enhanced susceptibility to arthritis,” Scher et al., Nov 2013. His works, and related podcast, is referenced in the article http://biomeonboardawareness.com/arthritis-gut-health-diet-microbiome/ which you may want to read.
Dr. Scher is the Director of the Microbiome Center for Rheumatology and Autoimmunity-MICRA at NYU Langone Medical Center’s Hospital for Joint Diseases, and Director Arthritis Clinic NYU Hospital for Joint Disease, New York University School of Medicine. He now recognizes and promotes the paradigm shift connecting the gut microbiome bacterial community and arthritis.
Hi Maureen,
I’m glad to hear that you’re able to manage your symptoms with diet. I’ve found the research on arthritis and oral hygiene (specifically that related to Porphyromonas gingivalis) particularly interesting and compelling. There is certainly hope that we may soon be able to identify the specific pathogenic bacteria and employ a targeted treatment. However, at this time I don’t yet know that this emerging science gives us a clear and distinct path for treatment.
Diagnosed with UC early 2012. All meds failed. Started researching the Human Microbiome Project and work by Rob Knight at Knight Lab in Colorado. Implemented specific carbohydrate diet in November 2013 and have been symptom free and med free for 1 year. Will continue to follow diet for more years to fully reset gut microbiota and immune system. Currently studying nutrigenomics and biochemistry.
When I eat gluten and dairy for a few days in a row, besides getting total body swelling of about 15 lbs of fluid, I also start to slur like I’m drunk. As well, I learned in one of the Summits that for people who have Hashi’s, their TPO anitibodies will attack their cerebellums and that is the reason you get forgetfulness, fogginess and muscle loss (all of which I have). The slurring is also related to that, and is pretty scary, considering it’s such a neural type thing…. You can check for cerebral damage two ways: an indicator of minimal damage is to stand with your eyes closed and then try to walk toe to heel. (must have your eyes closed to bring the cerebellum in to play). If you get extremely unbalanced and nearly fall…you have some minimal damage to the cerebellum. Then, an indicator of more moderate damage is “termination tremors”. If your hand shakes right at the end point of reaching for something, then that’s the sign of moderate damage. The best way to test, is to put some peas on a fork, then try to put them in your mouth. If you shake right at your mouth and the peas fall off the fork….that’s your sign. (that’s how I first noticed it on me). I failed both signs. Learned these tests on one of the Summits. The good news is, you can help your cerebellum by doing crosswords and special things like that. Not sure if you can fix the termination tremors…they didn’t say. Obviously, you need to fix your gut, etc to stop the continued damage…..
And so hopefully you are no longer eating gluten and diary for several days in a row?
My thoughts exactly
Amy,
I’m impressed with this great summary of the research findings. It’s fascinating how many of the research findings you site for RA and T1 & T2 diabetes are similar to Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis. A twin is 50% likely to get IBD if the other has it. Immigrants are more likely to get IBD if they relocate to a western city. And the composition of microbes are implicated as a major factor in the status of IBD.
I’m editing my documentary about empowered patients with Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis who use controversial alternative treatments when nothing else works. The patients who do well enough to even stop all their conventional medications all have done a variety of things to rebuild their gut microbiome. Usually through SCD or GAPS. I myself found great benefit from both. I absolutely must keep stress low and stay away from refined sugar.
Glad to see you mention Dr. Alessio Fasano’s work, it’s excellent.
Hi Reid, When do you estimate completion for your documentary? There is a new documentary called ‘Microbirth’ whose cast of characters reads like a Who’s Who list of major microbiome researchers. It would be interesting to understand your film’s participant microbirth history (mode of delivery and feeding) and if there is correlation to success of gut healing. As Dr. Rob Knight repeats: long term diet likely can change up a very stable resilient microbiome, which is likely why SCD/GAPS/PALEO/AIP works for so many. The links to the ‘Microbirth’ documentary are: http://biomeonboardawareness.com/microbirth-every-parent-needs-to-view/ . Dr. Rob Knight’s latest findings of the American Gut data (I have given permission to permit the reprint of this article in the UK CAM magazine) are: http://biomeonboardawareness.com/optimal-microbiome-diet-from-american-gut-data/
Reid,
Thank you for the additional input — there is so much fascinating research with autoimmune disease that I hope to write a few more articles about the topic. It is starting to seem that there may be more similarities between these more than 80 different forms of autoimmune disease than was previously appreciated.
And, I’m glad you mentioned that keeping your stress levels in check is an important piece in your health! I couldn’t agree more, and think tending to stress may be of equal importance to diet when it comes to successfully managing autoimmune disease.
I’m looking forward to seeing your documentary! Do you have a title yet?
I have suffered from worsening arthritis for ten years or more, and use a cane to get around. and was recently diagnosed as having type 2 diabetes. That was the final kick in the butt for me to take back my health.
Three months ago I found a functional medicine-based ND who started me on digestive enzymes + vitamins for diabetics, natural anti-inflammatory supplements, probiotics, prebiotics, and I removed sugar, grains and most dairy from my diet. I’ve lost 35 lbs, I am not swollen anymore, my joints move better, my gastro-intestinal system no longer upset. Not only do I feel better, I feel connected to my body and master of my health for the first time – maybe ever!
Can you throw away your cane yet?
Erin,
That is just wonderful to read — thank you for sharing your story of triumph!
As always- incredible information. I have been discussing the micro biome a lot with clients. Is there an article that easily describes what the microbiome is. We have many throughout the cavities in our body- not just the gut and would love an easy to read bit to give clients.
On antithetical note. I am very interested in traumatic events and how the overload of stress to the system can ignite an autoimmune response. – thoughts? Thank you!!
Jamie, this may be self-serving, but I’ve written a few articles on the subject, which you can examine here:
http://www.garmaonhealth.com/category/microbiota-2/
One of them might nail it for your clients.
Also, get familiar with uBiome, a company that tests the many strains in one’s microbiome: http://www.garmaonhealth.com/discover-your-microbiome-the-ubiome-test/
-Joe
Janie, I have Hashimotos auto immune disease and thyroid issues are prominent in my family. I believe a specific genetic weakness is first to fail when suffering an overload of stress. Adequate exercise and removing stress from one’s life is essential. My hair fell out with Hashimoto’s and I did Jazzercise every day for a year and walked daily which helped greatly in reducing stress. My hair grew back and I felt healthy but as soon as I fell back on the activity hair fell out again.
Maggie
I was diagnosed with mild pancolotis Ulcerative Colitis two years ago and unfortunately have progressed to severe pancolitis even after following Paleo for a year. Since my recent diagnosis I have switched to AIP Paleo and am currently tapering from steroids. I believe that I will have to be AIP for about a year or so before I truly evaluate if the diet is helping. Since diagnosis I have been extremely sensitive to sugars of all types; heavily sugared fruits all the way to the so good but bad for you white stuff. But, even after having cut sugars out with Paleo I still have autoimmune flares. So, I don’t think my flare triggers are food related, but more hormonal related.
Katherine,
I hope you find success with the autoimmune Paleo diet. And your experience with sugars, even including fruit, is consistent with the research that suggests some people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including UC, may do best with a therapeutic, very low carbohydrate diet. Though very low carbohydrate diets can have a negative impact on hormonal balance and adrenal fatigue syndrome, it can sometimes provide substantial benefit in healing the gut for people with IBD.
If you continue to have UC flares even on a very low carbohydrate diet, you might want to monitor if these are associated with increased stress (such as a few nights of inadequate sleep, or job stress). Stress can also profoundly affect the immune system and perhaps this plays a role in some of your flares?
I had Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disease for 2 years, and after following a natural treatment protocol focusing on the gut, my graves went within 5 months. Since improving my gut health I feel better than ever.
I’ve often wondered if someone with autoimmune disease, diagnosed or not, would be LESS likely to get common colds and flu-like illnesses, because their immune system would be, as you say, in overdrive? I rarely get sick; in fact, the only time I get sick is if I’m sitting in a cold space for too long – then I will almost always get a cold. But, it will be gone in a day or so. So, am I healthy or unhealthy? Eating lots of fermented vegetables and juices here, by the way. But this pattern has been true for me starting long before my diet change.
I was told by my doctor that rice is bad for people who are pre-diabetic. Then, recently, I found this diet or food chart that said rice is healing for the pancreas. I usually eat long-grain white Uncle Ben’s Rice. Brown rice is full of arsenic. What is your take on this?
They said “rice is bad” because it’s a high glycemic food (it’s pretty much like candy….). Whether it’s good for the pancreas or not isn’t important if you are pre diabetic or already diabetic…it is high glycemic and you shouldn’t eat it. Not only that, most of us shouldn’t eat it. It’s a carb and basically sugar…. makes all of us fat. Not to mention it’s full of arsenic. There’s no real good reason to eat it.
I thought I read that all rice is full of arsenic, not just white, but I could be wrong….
Re: arsenic
That’s only brown rice–not white.
They said “rice is bad” because it’s a high glycemic food (it’s pretty much like candy….). Whether it’s good for the pancreas or not isn’t important if you are pre diabetic or already diabetic…it is high glycemic and you shouldn’t eat it. Not only that, most of us shouldn’t eat it. It’s a carb and basically sugar…. makes all of us fat. Not to mention it’s full of arsenic. There’s no real good reason to eat it,. except that it’s sweet and tastes good….
An opposing view is found in the book by Paul Jaminet, PhD: “The Perfect Health Diet”. Rice isn’t just like candy.
Just my take on this. The Japanese eat rice and live longer than we do. Of course, there are other great things about their diet. If rice is like candy and full of arsenic it doesn’t appear to be affecting them.
Ditto. I’ve added white organic rice back into my diet and have found it very beneficial in training days after heavy weight lifting and sprinting.
They eat a TON of veggies too though.
Actually, the Japanese don’t eat a ton of veggies. Vegetables and fruit are incredibly expensive in Japan (they have to import the lion’s share). They eat rice, fish, and seaweed. My daughter lived in Japan for a year and a half, and observed that in fact the women there hardly eat at all (trying to stay thin when their primary food, rice, is fattening). In fact, they are so undernourished that they can’t make it up a flight of stairs, and have to take the elevator. The Japanese, in general, also don’t exercise, by and large. So, be careful assuming that we should emulate the Japanese lifestyle.
Lundberg brown rice from California is not one of the high-arsenic rices.
This is a very interesting point. I am curious myself to know if this could be true as I have had the same experience!
Whoops meant this for the comment above!
You won’t “not get” colds, just because your immune system is in overdrive. What would happen is that you wouldn’t be able to fight it off….and it could develop into worse things.
This is true–my arthritis (juvenile when diagnosed) didn’t prevent me from getting all the typical childhood maladies that our vaccines protect us from today. Even after passing through those, I still got sick every single winter (everything but flu).
What prevented me from getting sick was cleaning up my diet–a wonderful by-product was getting a healthier mouth out of the deal.
I see – that makes sense. Thanks for that. I’ve been on a paleo type diet for a long time, including fermented vegetables. I lost a lot of weight years ago, and while I’ve kept it off, ate horribly, tons of sugar, little nutrient dense foods, almost zero protein, and plenty of antibiotics for dental work. The result was extremely low energy nothing seemed to help, including finally eating well, including supplements.
BUT – since I added fermented vegetable JUICE, there has been a marked difference in my energy levels. I haven’t felt this great in years, and this juice is the only change I’ve made. Interesting! I’m hoping it’s not a fluke and it last.
Debbire, which fermented vegetable juices do you drink, and do you buy or make them yourself?
I have noticed the same thing about myself. Rarely sick. But I hurt everyday and have what feels like a sunburn (sometimes it gets worse and sometimes it’s mild, but it is always there.) I have endometriosis and my doc thinks I have fibromyalgia.
Liz, could you possibly have a very mild case of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome? Probably not but you might look into it. I had a “mild” case of it and I felt like I had a mild sunburn as well. It is rare enough that most docs have not run across it in their practice.
Never thought of that:-) I’ll have to look into it. Did your sunburn feeling ever go away?
Liz, physical therapy is the only thing that can get one over a case of CRPS so that is what I did. It is a very weird disorder and can be quite severe and painful for some people. Mine involved one arm plus the sunburn feeling. Both have been resolved because of the physical therapy so yes, the sunburn sensation has gone away.
So glad to hear it went away. I am going to physical therapy now. So maybe I will improve. There is hope! 🙂
I’m with you. I never get sick and its always been this way. I may get one cold every couple of years but its rare. Its strange cause in so many ways I am not well (Hashimoto’s related), but my immune system seems to be made of iron! I’ve always wondered why this is.
Hmmm, that is interesting Debbie. I have a sister who has MS and she rarely gets any other type of illness. But then I rarely get sick either and like you, get over it quickly if I do and I don’t have an autoimmune disease. At least, not that I know of.
That response above was for Sharon, RN. Sorry.
Meant Cindy, RN!
Debbie, from my understanding pl with autoimmune disease would be more likely to get sick. When your immune system is in ‘overdrive’ important components of our immune system are depleted. Furthermore, your bodies ability to respond to the invading organism is slowed.
Atleast this is the case in SLE according to the reading I have done. I know personally I tend to get sicker than others, for longer.
In my case there was clear causation between micro biome and developing an autoimmune disease. My children and I had traveller’s diarrhea and a few weeks later I had ulcerative colitis. Most people I know with UC had a gut infection right before developing UC.
Try blackstrap molasses. I read it on Earth Clinic’s website. You can put it in tea.
BSM for the U.C.
I was diagnosed with lymphocytic colitis after having a stomach infection/virus. I’m not sure if the infection triggered it or if my stomach was already weak from having colitis undiagnosed and that’s why I got the infection….but either way, they seemed to be connected.
My reading on the matter of developing beneficial gut microbiota lead me to what I call the “4 Ps”: probiotics, prebiotics, phytonutrients, and — strangely — pea protein.
Each of these “Ps” supports the growth healthy gut bacteria, particularly the lactobacilli and bifidobacteria strains.
This article lays out the details: http://www.garmaonhealth.com/4-food-solution/
Of course, you may not have the time or interest to comment, but I wonder if this point of view underscores your own, Dr. Nett?
-Joe
I presume the pea protein acts like a resistant starch here. Most of the time that fourth “P” would be potato starch (unmodified).
Joe,
In general yes, I do share your view that prebiotics, probiotics and diet are each essential in nurturing a healthy gut microbiome. I might add stress management as another potential key to gut health, but that might not flow well with the “4 P’s” concept. Looking at your article I would also suggest that consuming a variety of prebiotics is most beneficial (and if you read my earlier article on resistant starch you might already know my own bias).
Regarding phytonutrients, I agree that a wide variety of fruits and vegetables are probably the most important ingredient in a healthy diet. I suspect that many of these benefits may even go beyond the isolated nutrients you specifically mention in your article, given the research that shows it’s often only the whole food, rather than isolated nutrients that provide health benefits.
But specifically regarding isoflavones in soy, I think there’s enough research to warrant caution in recommending soy (at least non-fermented soy products), with studies suggesting that soy isoflavones contribute to subfertility, or infertility in both men and women, contribute to hypothyroidism, and may stimulate growth of cancer cells. Chris previously wrote an article on soy if you’re interested in a reading a brief summary: http://chriskresser.com/the-soy-ploy.
Pea protein is something I’m not as familiar with, but looking at some of the research, there does seem to be potential benefit — I will have to look into this one a bit more and get back to you!
Impressive, Dr. Nett, that you’re taking the time to address so many commenters’ comments and questions.
Agree w/ you regarding soy, and should have mentioned it myself in my article. I’ve already read Chris’ soyploy; in fact, mention him and his work frequently on my site.
Ciao for now,
-Joe
re: MMS
I disagree with Joanna, the person/s who wrote the wiki article about MMS might not have even ever tried it. There is tons of anecdotal evidence around, healing centres around the world who work with MMS healing people from malaria and many other diseases. The reason there is no “proof” is because only big pharma has the money to conduct trials and as MMS is so cheap tp make they have no interest in it. Also MMS is a threat to them as its so powerful. Matt, i would go to the MMS forum if you havent all ready and learn about it there. It isnt a panacea but it is a powerful tool in clearing the body of toxins. No one has ever died from taking it. Just my thoughts.
Luigi
Hello Luigi
I’m going to try MMS soon.
There are countless posts about the healing miracle of MMS on Earth Clinic’s website.
MMS is a joke and shouldn’t even be mentioned – the promoter of that garbage s nothing more than an ex gold miner turned huckster. MMS is chlorine dioxide, a potent oxidizing chemical. Sure it kills bacteria and viruses… because it kills everything. Anyone promoting it should get their heads examined.
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm228052.htm
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm220756.htm
Nonsense.
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm220756.htm
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm228052.htm
Hi Amy and Chris,
I have had SLE and Lupus Nephritis for 16, as well as hypothyroidism (18 years) and Osteoarthritis and Osteoporosis (2 years since diagnosis). I began cutting inflammatory foods out of my diet a year ago, and have been following the autoimmune Paleo diet for the last 6 months (including fermented foods). I have also removed as many toxins out of my life as possible including fluoride (and other nasties) from drinking water and toothpaste, aluminum from deodorant, replacement of alamgam fillings and pesticides, and am supplementing with many vitamins, minerals, fish oil and probiotics. My blood results are looking amazing and I am now off all 10 of my medications including prednisone, thyroxine and 2 blood pressure medications. I have abundant energy and have lost 7kg body weight without trying. So yes, I agree with your hypothesis that healing the gut can heal autoimmune conditions.
Thanks for your website, it is a wealth of information for those of us taking our wellbeing back into our own hands.
That is awesome Helen! The power if nutrition is truly amazing
Helen. So glad to hear your success. I also have SLE and have been considering going AIP of late due to a recent flare even though I have been Paleo for the past 12 months. So good to hear something so positive
Helen,
Your story is truly inspiring!
My father has a autoimmune kidney disease and when he was so affected with a long diarrhoea, he started to take L. reuteri and become much better. When he sometimes has a little episode or diarrohea he usually takes this probiotic and suddenly start to feel better.
The “three legged stool” sounds probable as a cause of autoimmune conditions. So the question is: does it also work in reverse? What happens when you take one or two of the legs away? Obviously the genetic leg can’t be removed, but eliminating the protein trigger and/or the leaky gut should be enough to “cure” an autoimmune disease.
And GLUTEN.
Gluten IS a protein.
Sam,
Essentially yes…if the trigger is removed or the gut is healed, then most often the immune system should be able to return to a more normal state, thus relieving symptoms, or putting the disease into remission. Because, as you noted, the genetic predisposition for the disease is not removed, I would be reluctant to use the term “cure.”
Hello Amy
I’ve been reading about the Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS) aka chlorine dioxide.
Jim Humble says that it selectively kills pathogenic organisms only. He’s used it to cure malaria in Africa.
What are your thoughts on it?
Matt, check out the Wikipedia article on MMS, it sounds like it may be toxic, and that there is no proof of the claims that it cures anything. Would be very cautious about using it.
I’d also be very curious to hear Chris and Dr. Nett’s thoughts on MMS.
Do you think that perhaps the bodies PH has a role in digestive health also? And if so, in your opinion, what should it be for optimum health? (and how would you test it?)