| An autoimmune disease is where your body attacks | | | | They are now into their 30's, maybe with |
| itself. Whether it is attacking your nervous system, | | | | children...and the once energetic, full of life parent...can |
| brain, or thyroid gland, it is eating away at healthy | | | | barely make it through the day. They have severe |
| tissue. A majority of my fibromyalgia patients suffer | | | | fatigue, muscle pain, intestinal issues, insomnia, maybe |
| from some sort of immune system dysfunction. | | | | even dizziness or light-headedness. It seems they are |
| What is scarier, about 90% suffer an autoimmune | | | | struggling to find the energy to live a "normal" life. |
| dysfunction! | | | | The now suffering 30 year old sees a new primary |
| Let me take you through a quote-unquote "normal" | | | | doctor (because the other one is on vacation |
| autoimmune patient (not everyone fits this | | | | somewhere) and is told they are suffering |
| description, but the mechanism of how your body | | | | fibromyalgia and to take some anti-depressants and a |
| responds is all the same). This person was one that | | | | "fibromyalgia" medication. Beside themself, the 30 |
| suffered multiple ear infections as a child, was put on | | | | year old refuses to take anti-depressants...because |
| tons of anti-biotics. As they got older their parents | | | | she isn't depressed, yet! |
| always took them to the doctor when they got sick, | | | | You might see where this is going! You might have |
| getting more anti-biotics as well. The intestinal tract | | | | even been down this route before. But...has anyone |
| begins to become permeable (imagine tiny | | | | ever looked at your immune system? Here is where |
| microscopic holes) because of all the anti-biotics (they | | | | 90% of doctors are missing the boat. |
| ruin the intestinal tract), this is called Leaky Gut | | | | Remember when I talked about the intestinal track |
| Syndrome. | | | | being permeable? Well, anytime someone consumes |
| Now, let's say...this person is in their mid-20s. They | | | | a product with gluten in it, gluten passes through the |
| seem to have a lot of acid reflux and GI | | | | intestinal wall and into the bloodstream. Since gluten |
| complications. They see their primary care doctor | | | | doesn't belong there the immune system rages a |
| who prescribes Nexium for the acid reflux. It helps | | | | war against it. Well, your thyroid gland's molecular |
| for a short time, but the symptoms continue (they | | | | structure is almost identical to that of a gluten |
| continue because the Nexium is actually tricking the | | | | particle. So now, your thyroid gland is being attacked |
| body to stop making acid all together, BAD BAD | | | | and destroyed by your immune system. These are |
| BAD). Now they return to be prescribed the "NEW" | | | | the patients that are affected with fatigue, weight |
| drug to help with their symptoms (not their problem | | | | gain, adrenal stressors (which release catecholamines |
| mind you, their symptoms). | | | | into the blood stream to stimulate the small pain |
| This innocent person is now on a few different | | | | fibers = fibromyalgia), etc. |
| prescription drugs, all of which affect the GI system, | | | | This is an autoimmune condition. If you have an |
| damaging the the intestinal track (60% of your | | | | autoimmune condition and no one is checking for it, |
| immune system is in the intestinal tract) even more. | | | | this why you are STILL suffering fibromyalgia |
| Now, when this person eats foods that contain | | | | symptoms! |
| GLUTEN, they seem to have a lot of muscle | | | | Your immune system is crucial to help your fight with |
| soreness, bloating, fatigue/tiredness, diarrhea...and the | | | | fibromyalgia! |
| list can go on and on. The innocent person has not | | | | Note: This was just an example of many of the |
| made the connection between gluten and their | | | | patients I see. Not everyone is gluten sensitive, some |
| symptoms because no one has ever talked to them | | | | are dairy, yeast, egg, and soy sensitive. Some people |
| about this. So, they continue with their daily diet...still | | | | are suffering an immune system dysfunction and are |
| with symptoms and more symptoms, and more | | | | not sensitive to any of the five. The only way to |
| symptoms. | | | | determine this is through proper testing. |