Is healing an autoimmune disease possible? This was the question I asked myself for months after doctor’s appointments full of labs, expensive bills, loads of medications, referrals, more diagnoses, and only slight improvement of symptoms that came with a price tag and side effects. I thought the rest of my life would be going to and from doctor’s appointments. In today’s post, I’m going to cover the possibility of healing autoimmune diseases, and my personal testimony.
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The possibility of healing autoimmune diseases has just gained popularity and only among certain medical practices. For example, western medicine still practices the belief Autoimmune diseases can not be cured only managed with powerful immunosuppressant pharmaceuticals. We will dive more into that later but first what even is an autoimmune disease, what is functional medicine, and what is Western medicine?
This is where I made my first mistake after being diagnosed with multiple Autoimmune diseases – not knowing what I was up against. The first step is knowing your opponent or even the type of treatment you are seeking.
Western vs Functional medicine
Western medicine (aka conventional medicine) is practice where medical doctors treat diseases and symptoms via pharmaceutical drugs, radiation, or surgery depending on the case.
Functional medicine is a practice where the body is looked at as a whole. This approach focuses on finding the root cause of illness.
I will be doing a post soon going over the more in-depth differences of the two.
What is an autoimmune disease?
Autoimmune diseases are classified as diseases where the body’s immune system attacks its own healthy cells. According to the Autoimmune Association “There are over 100 Autoimmune diseases known”, and “50 million Americans suffer with one or more Autoimmune diseases”. Diseases like Lupus, Sjogrens, and Celiac are some of the most well-known.
What’s not well known is the causes of Autoimmune diseases. Of the 7 specialists, I have seen who practice Western medicine. That list includes rheumatologists, neurologists, etc. I have not once been told a possible cause or any information on Autoimmune diseases. I got information on the list of side effects of the medication I was prescribed. I do not think Western medicine is bad in any way – I think it’s life-saving in many cases. But the definition of Western medicine is to treat symptoms via pharmaceuticals. Nowhere is healing involved in that hamster wheel. So what are the potential causes of Autoimmune diseases?
Causes of Autoimmune diseases?
Relying on Western medicine for years left me never even thinking of the question “What is the cause of my autoimmune diseases”. If the body is attacking itself there has to be a catalyst causing this reaction. Below are a few causes of Autoimmune diseases.
- Westernized diet of high sugar low fiber
- Leaky gut
- Unmanaged stress
- Environmental factors
- Toxin overload (toxin exposure)
- Hidden allergens
And obviously, genetic deposition plays a role in any disease formation. But there are catalysts as listed above that can be controlled through lifestyle changes. I will be doing in depth posts on each of the items on the list and their role in autoimmunity soon. Keep an eye out.
Again I in no way think Western medicine is bad. In my opinion, I think it can be overused in some cases. For example at 17, I was told by my Rheumatologist that the next step for treating my continued symptoms was chemotherapy and monoclonalantibody treatment. I immediately knew I did not want to go down that road. I was told if my symptoms had not improved by the time of my next visit in a month. Chemotherapy would be the only treatment plan my rheumatologist could offer.
Over that month before my next appointment, I researched for hours every day. Everything I have mentioned in this post are the changes I learned and implemented into my life. Not only did my symptoms quickly reduce but my overall symptoms almost completely vanished.
I went back to the doctor with no knee pain, no rashes, fatigue, or brain fog. Once my rheumatologist asked what I had been doing to have this sudden improvement. I told her changing my diet had brought on most of the improvement. She told me she had heard that from many of her patients.
That was an eye-opening moment for me. If I had not changed my lifestyle and woken up to the hands-on part I needed to play in managing my diseases I would be on chemo.
Now think back to every doctor’s appointment you have had. Have any of these been mentioned to you before? Personally, I was never told a single item off the list.
So is there a possibility of healing an autoimmune disease?
It depends on what approach you choose to take. Using Western medicine to treat autoimmune diseases will only treat symptoms. It’s like putting a patch on a water leak. The patch being the use of immunosuppressants and pain relievers. It’s just a waiting game until another crack burst another leak.
Treating an autoimmune disease with functional medicine heals the root cause in turn helping the body heal as a whole. Functional medicine practices look at the body as a whole narrowing down the root cause – aka the catalyst for the immune system reaction.
So with all that said. Is there a possibility of healing an autoimmune disease? I will let you decide for yourself. Personally changing my diet, stress management, healing my gut, and reducing toxin exposure. Has allowed me to come off multiple immunosuppressants, almost completely erased any symptoms, and has given me my life back.
I think it’s very important to always do your own research especially when it comes to your health. Next week we will focus on Western medicine vs functional medicine. Keep an eye out for that post!