The human body is like a well-oiled machine. It’s made up of different parts and systems, all with their own jobs to do. When they work together as intended, the miracle of life continues. But, when various parts become faulty, imbalance or stop working altogether, systems fail and disease happens.
When looking at the root cause of disease and various conditions, then, it’s important to not just look at one part but rather, the body as a whole. For example, research in recent years has shown a connection between autoimmune disease, and gut health. Let’s delve a little deeper into the subject to see how the two influence each other.
What are autoimmune conditions?
You’re probably familiar with the role of the human body’s immune system. It works to fight off viruses, bad bacteria, and other foreign microorganisms by creating antibodies that destroy the harmful invaders.
With autoimmune conditions, however, the body actually begins to attack itself. This leads to the destruction of healthy cells the immune system was meant to protect. And, as healthy cells decrease or become damaged, the environment becomes ripe for further disease and dysfunction. Some of the most common autoimmune disorders include Hashimoto’s, Rheumatoid arthritis, and Crohn’s disease.
Is gut health linked to autoimmunity?
The majority of your immune system lies within the lining of your gut. It makes sense, then, that the immune system could be affected by changes in gut health.
Recent research has pointed to gut inflammation, an imbalance of gut bacteria (Gut Dysbiosis), and environmental factors such as antibiotic overuse as being detrimental to immune system health. As such, they’re also considered risk factors for increasing the likelihood of autoimmune conditions.
While the connection between autoimmune disease and gut health is becoming more widely known, it would seem obvious that the treatment then should be more geared toward treating the gut.
How can an Integrative Health Practitioner help?
Many medical professionals get caught up in treating the symptoms of a particular disease or condition, rather than diagnosing the root cause of the problem. As your Integrative Health Practitioner, however, we take a whole-person approach to health.
Remember that the human body is a complex combination of parts and systems. At Designed Family Wellness, we work with you to find out what’s not working properly. Then, we create and help you implement a Personalized Wellness Plan (PWP) that includes customized strategies to deal with your unique situation and health needs.
We work with both adults and children who have autoimmune conditions, gut health issues, hormonal imbalances, and more. Schedule a consultation today to see how we can be your partner in health and help you enjoy healthy living to its fullest.
