9 Triggers of Autoimmunity

Autoimmune Disease affects over 50 million Americans.  It is one of the top ten causes of death among women over 65, and is the second highest cause of chronic illness in the US.  Autoimmune Disease is on the rise, not only in the US but worldwide.

There are over 100 different autoimmune diseases currently.  Autoimmune diseases are chronic and are often life threatening. They can affect any system in the body, and symptoms can vary, making them difficult to diagnose. 

The current medical system offers little in treatment other than medications. Often only prescribing them once damage has been not, and not offering options for prevention. Autoimmune disease has an underlying cause, a trigger, that cause the body to overreact and attack itself. The goal of TCM and Functional Medicine is to find and treat the underlying cause to reverse and prevent damage.

Trigger #1
​Chronic Emotional and Mental Stress

Psychoneuroimmunology is the scientific study of how our emotions affect our biology. There is a clear connection between chronic negativity and chronic biological fight or flight responses. 

Causes of emotional stress include:

• Death of a Loved One
• Loneliness
• Lack of laughter
• Work conflict

• PTSD
• Aging parents
• Family conflict
• Normal Life happenings

All of these life stressors can cause a spiralling of negativity that affects the biological processes of our body.  Constant negative emotions increase the levels of stress hormones in your body. These hormones in turn make you more sensitive and reactive on a cellular level. Cortisol is the main hormone produced in fight or flight responses, as well as when you are in a chronically negative pattern of thought. 

When you are in a healthy state, the immune system is balanced with both inflammatory and anti-inflammatory compounds. High cortisol levels skew this natural balance increasing the cells that fight external pathogens. These cells produce very inflammatory cytokines that are associated with autoimmune disease damage.

Symptoms of Emotional and Mental Stress Overload:

• Feeling stressed out frequently
• Constant anxiety of current events
• Feelings of guilt and shame
• Mental fatigue and forgetfulness
• Lack of gratitude
• Feeling trapped
• Apathy 

• Constant worry of the future
• Constant anxiety of the past
• Loneliness, boredom
• Frustration and anger
• Lack of empathy
• Unrealistic expectations
• Holding a grudge

What changes a normal life stressor into an autoimmune trigger is how we cope with them mentally.

Most of us share some level of unhealthy coping patterns:

• Emotional Eating
• Overspending
• Overworking
• Eating disorder
• Gambling
• Overexercising

• Self Medicating: Caffeine, Nicotine, Alcohol, Recreational Drugs
• Procrastination; Avoidance
• Overscheduling
• Perfectionism
• OCD - control

There are hundreds more unhealthy coping mechanisms, and many people are not even conscious of their habits. This pattern and behavior keeps our body in a negative state, and continues the vicious inflammatory pattern.

Benefits of Acupuncture on Stress Management

Acupuncture is a great tool to add to your coping toolbox. The stimulation of Acupuncture points works with the biochemistry of your body to REDUCE stress hormone production. 

Trigger #2
​ Poor Nutrition

The food we eat, and the nutrition we consume is responsible for all of the processes in our body. Without adequate nutrients our cells and the functions of our body systems cannot occur. 

In ALL autoimmune conditions we see multiple nutritional deficiencies....IN EVERY SINGLE  ONE!

Common deficiencies include antioxidants such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin E, as well as minerals like Zinc, Selenium, and Magnesium.

The standard American diet is very nutritionally poor, and full of preservatives, pesticides, and other chemicals that can affect the biology of our bodies. 

Food talks to our genes. Good foods that are nutrient dense signal normal and healthy processes in our body. Bad foods (like hydrogenated oils) signal genetic mutations to become active or even form cancer. This is called Nutrigenomics; the science of how food affects our genes, and it is fascinating. 

Many of the commercial farming practices in the US are controversial or banned in other countries. Research is still budding into how certain processes, like GMO, Glyphosates, and other commercial practices are affecting our immune system.

Benefits of nutritional Coaching

The components of a "good" diet are very much dependant on the individual, their dietary philosophy and genetic predispositions. Finding someone who is training in providing customized nutritional coaching and planning is the most effective way to get on the right nutritional track. 

Trigger #3
Food Allergies

An "allergy" refers to foods reactions that are mediated by the immune system. They can be immediate and they can be delayed. 

The most common foods allergens are: Dairy, Eggs, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Soy, Strawberries, Wheat, Fish, and Shellfish.

An "intolerance" is different. This is an abnormal physiological response to a food NOT caused by an antibody or antigen reaction. These can be cause by enzyme deficiencies, or a weak digestive track.

Constant exposure to an allergenic food can cause a chronic immune response. Eventually triggering an autoimmune reaction. Some allergens create what we call Molecular Mimicry. 

Molecular Mimicry is seen often with Gluten reactions. As the structure of the gluten protein is similar enough to our own body proteins that after chronic exposure the body begins to attack itself no long recognizing a difference between the gluten protein and our own body proteins.

Benefits of Gluten Free

There is a large connection with systemic autoimmune disease and Celiac disease. Celiac disease is caused by Gluten. The number of people with gluten sensitivity and Celiac is rising, for various reasons. 

If you have an autoimmune disease and want to try a gluten elimination diet, please call. (970) 631-8119. We offer gluten free coaching. Sarah is a certified Gluten Free Practitioner with the Gluten Free Society.

Trigger #4
Gastrointestinal Inflammation

There are many things that can cause inflammation in the intestines. Gastrointestinal inflammation can lead to nutritional deficiencies. Your gu is the FIRST LINE OF IMMUNE DEFENSE, producing an immunoglobulin called Secretory Immunoglobulin A (SIgA). If there is dysfunction in the GI tract, there will be dysfunction in the rest of the body.

Over time all of the above stressors and mechanisms can lead to GI inflammation. 90% of all the Serotonin in the your body is produced in the GI tract. If there is dysfunction it can affect your brain and mood.

The GI tract makes up 80% of our immune system, and houses over a trillion beneficial bacteria. When this system is out of whack, this is a condition we call Dysbiosis. Dysbiosis of the bacterial ecosystem can lead to intestinal damage and inflammation, causing the immune system to overreact. 

Leaky gut is another term often discusses when talking about GI inflammation. This is a condition of intestinal breakdown. The gaps between intestinal cells become too loose and allow larger particles of food, bacteria, yeast, and other toxins into the bloodstream. The immune system does not recognize these products and begins to overreact.

​Symptoms of GI Inflammation:

• Anemia
• Diarrhea
• Acid Reflux/GERD
• Undigested Food in the Stool
• Sweet Cravings
• Celiac Disease

• Gas and Bloating
• Constipation
• Nausea/Vomiting
• Liver Dysfunction
• Canker Sores
• Skin Rashes/Eczema 

​​Research shows a relationship between Dysbiosis, Leaky Gut and Autoimmune disease.

Benefits of Acupuncture for GI inflammation

The roots of TCM on the gastrointestinal tract run deep. In TCM we see the functions of the GI tract as one of the main pillars of health for the body. In fact there are entire teaches based around this premise that go back hundred of years. 

Studies show that Acupuncture is more effective in reducing digestive upset symptoms in IBD than medication. 

Trigger #5
Adrenal Dysfunction

As we mentioned above, when the body is being put under chronic stress, we have chronic fight or flight responses. 

Over time, this chronic stress can overwork our adrenal glands, the organs that produce our stress related hormones.  When our adrenals become exhausted, they no longer function properly.

With Adrenal Fatigue, or exhaustion, we have lower than functional levels of Cortisol. When this occurs, we get a relatively higher amount of Norepinephrine, Noradrenaline, and these cause high levels of inflammation when not properly balanced. 

Symptoms of Elevated Stress Hormones and Adrenal Fatigue:

• ​Suppressed Thyroid Function
• Night Waking at 3:00am
• Day Fatigue at 3:00pm
• Morning Fatigue
• Cold Hands and Feet
• Increased PMS symptoms

• Constipation
• Panic Attacks
• Food Cravings
• Mental Fog
• Slow Injury Recovery
• Decreased Libido

The connection between adrenal fatigue and autoimmunity is another vicious cycle, as often the stress of autoimmunity diagnosis leads to high levels of stress, thus perpetuating the cycle.

Having a good way to deal with the stress of disease and a healthy outlet for emotion is key to healing. Professional counseling and Acupuncture can help.

Trigger #6
Environmental And Internal Hormone Disruption

Hormone imbalances are the product of everything we have already been talking about, plus some. 

Chronic stress and elevated stress hormones can affect your hormones. The adrenal glands are also responsible for making our sex hormones. 

Poor nutrition, the over consumption of sugars and processed foods can cause insulin resistance which can lead to insulin based hormone disruption. Insulin receptors are found on the reproduction organs and insulin plays a role in hormone regulation. When insulin is too high or too low, it affects the production and function of the reproductive hormones.

But there are also external hormone disruptors.

Birth Control, Hormone Replacement Therapy, and exposure to environmental estrogens also affect the natural functions of the body. They also play a role in nutritional deficiencies that are associated with several autoimmune diseases. 

These synthetic hormones mimic natural hormones. They turn hormone signaling on and off, as well as bind to receptors and block natural hormones from working properly.  When this happens we get altered and mutated hormone activity. The immune system is partially controlled by our hormones. When the hormones are disrupted, so is the immune system.

Xenoestrogen are environmental toxins found in everything from our skin care products to plastic water bottles. They are also found frequently in poor quality, commercial meats and dairy. Exposure to these toxins has been directly linked to autoimmune diseases, and cancers.

These excess synthetic estrogens cause inflammation in our body as a non-natural hormone that the immune system responds to. This pushes the immune system to overreact. This is particularly important for young women on long rounds of birth control as well as women who are perimenopausal or menopausal.

ALL hormones must be detoxed in the Liver. Synthetic estrogen metabolite 16-alpha-hydroxyestrone has been linked to autoimmune disease and breast cancer. One study found it 10x higher in patients with autoimmune RA.

Trigger #7
Obesity & Binge Eating

Obesity is another, very common, cause of inflammation in the body. Obesity is defined as a BMI of 30% or greater.

Adipokines, inflammatory cytokines secreted by adipocytes (fat cells), have a very strong epigenetic effect on the entire body. Adipocytes also produce excess estrogen. They can trigger the gene expression of autoimmune diseases.

Binge eating is another cause of increased inflammation in the body. Binge eating is eating to the point of stomach pain, or discomfort. We are all guilty of this from time to time, we even have a holiday where it is expected of us. But this behavior, when indulged in frequently, can be a trigger of autoimmunity. Even if someone maintains a healthy BMI, but consumes enough food in one sitting to cause discomfort, they can produce an autoimmune reaction.

As the stomach distends past its appropriate size, it send out distress signals. This raises cortisol levels, and elevates our fight or flight responses. It also increases our insulin levels and can raise them high than the level needed, in the end leading to insulin resistance and diabetes. This mechanism also triggers the body to store more of the food consumed in the adipose tissue, the fat of the body, specifically around the middle belly region.

Benefits of Acupuncture for WEight Loss

Because with TCM and Functional Medicine we are looking at the WHOLE Body, we have effective treatment strategies for weight loss. These strategies are customized to the individual, their lifestyle, and goals.

Acupuncture works with the neuroendocrine systems of your body, and helps to regulate neurotransmitters and hormones associated with binge eating, stress eating, insulin issues, and obesity.

Trigger #8
Infections

Infections are becoming a more recognized trigger of autoimmunity. Many infections are common childhood illnesses (Like Mono) that then incubate in the body and become "asymptomatic" but have triggering effects on the immune system.

​Common Infection Triggers:

• Epstein Barr - Mono
• Parvovirus B-19
• Candida
• H. Pylori
• Periodontal Infections
• Streptococcus 
• Staphylococcus
• Digestive Parasites
• Lyme Disease

• Hepatitis B
• Herpes
• Coxsackie B
• Walking Pneumonia
• Chlamydia
• TB
• Yersinia
• Food Poisoning
• Others

Infections deplete your body of Glutathione. Glutathione is the #1 antioxidant of the body, and is produced by the Liver for detoxification. Low levels of glutathione are associated with autoimmune disease as well as chronic fatigue syndrome. 

The key to prevention is making the environment inhospitable to the infectious pathogens. A body that is already suffering from inflammation or chronic stress, will be more likely to activate a dormant infection and trigger autoimmune disease. This is why many people who are carriers never have symptomology or repercussions, and others have triggered autoimmunity.

Trigger #9
Environmental Toxins

Our modern lives are full of toxins:

• Heavy Metals
• Glyphosates
• Volatile Organic Compounds
• Prescription Medications

• Car pollutants
• Hormonal plastics
• Food additives
• Other

These are foreign chemicals that are not recognized by the body. An unrecognized particle is called an antigen. When the immune cells locate an antigen and do not recognize it as a friend, they immediately signal immune attacking cells. Minimal exposure can be contained and removed through the immune system responses, but when the exposure becomes constant and the battle is chronic, this is when we see the immune system begin to overreact and cause autoimmunity. 

Contact Us for More Information

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1. Mechanisms of Disease: The Role of Intestinal Barrier Function in the Pathogenesis of Autoimmune Disease
2. Stress as a Trigger for Autoimmune Disease
3. Acupuncture Blocks Stress Hormones
4. Acupuncture in Inflammatory Bowel Disease 
5. ​Synovial Fluid Estrogens in RA
6. ​Obesity in Autoimmunity
7. ​Environmental Chemicals and Autoimmune Disease: Cause and Effect