Autoimmune diseases are among the most common diseases in the world. This disease is also known as autoimmunity which is a group of conditions that causes disorders and has been affecting the lives of many.
This disease occurs when your body’s immune system attacks your own body tissues. This is a kind of condition where the immune system does not recognize a person’s body as being its own, attacks healthy tissues by mistake and causes damage to its own tissues and organs.
There are many different autoimmune diseases, and they can vary in severity from mild to very severe. Among the many forms, there are three major types: rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and type 1 diabetes.
There is a lot of confusion and misinformation about what you can and cannot eat to avoid or treat autoimmune disease. In fact, a lot of doctors and other healthcare professionals seem to think that what they give you is the best thing for you to eat.
If you have an autoimmune disease, you have to remember to avoid foods that trigger your symptoms. This may include:
- Foods with a high content of monosodium glutamate (MSG)
One of the most common food additives MSG is found in and used to enhance the flavor of certain savory foods. Consuming too much MSG can adversely affect your health. It is best to follow the recommended daily allowance of MSG to avoid adverse effects.
- Artificial sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners are typically used as sweetening agents in food and drinks. Mostly aspartame, saccharin, sucralose and acesulfame-K are preferred artificial sweeteners for use in foods and drinks.
It has been found that usage of artificial sweeteners can cause various problems in the human body related to the immune system.
- Sugar
Sugar is bad for you in many ways, and one major way it depletes your immune system. The more sugar you eat, the more holes your white blood cells will make in your body, weakening your immune system.
Additionally, sugar is a leading cause of autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and type 1 diabetes.
- Spicy foods
Spicy foods have been scientifically linked to an autoimmune conditions where the joints are inflamed and painful. This condition has been most commonly linked to foods like cayenne pepper, hot peppers and curry, and scientists have actually been studying it for years.
- Caffeine
Caffeine is bad for autoimmune disease, but it’s not because it causes it. Drinking caffeine in excessive amounts can increase the risk of autoimmune diseases like Crohn’s, Hashimoto’s, and psoriasis. Caffeine has also been shown to potentially worsen symptoms of autoimmune diseases like Graves’ Disease.
- Alcohol
Alcohol is not a good thing to consume, whether it is red or white. It can cause serious problems to your health. The primary problem is that alcohol is a toxin. Alcoholic beverages contain little amounts of vitamins or minerals.
That is why the experts advise against drinking it. According to a recent study, heavy drinkers are at a higher risk of suffering from a type of inflammatory disease called rheumatoid arthritis.
- Dairy products
Dairy products, if consumed in large quantities, have been associated with the development of autoimmune diseases in the human immune system. It is thought that inflammation caused by the consumption of dairy products may trigger the development of one or more autoimmune diseases.
- Fried and fatty foods
Fried and fatty foods may actually make you fatter and increase your risk of developing autoimmune disease. Fried foods raise your levels of saturated fat and trans fats, which may increase the risk of developing autoimmune disease.
- Processed foods
Processed foods such as frozen pizza, donuts, nuggets, are packaged and bagged with preservatives and other ingredients that will eventually run out of the package and go bad. In addition to this, these foods tend to be high in sodium, fat, and sugar which will cause many health problems.
To prevent these problems and to make sure that the nutrients that we need are present in our foods, we must make sure that the foods that we eat are processed in the proper way and are balanced.
- Seeds and nuts
Seeds and nuts are both nutrient-dense foods, containing both fat and protein. However, they are rich in compounds called lectins, which have been linked to the development of autoimmune conditions.
Recent research shows that eating nuts may increase the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, a disease which affects the joints and immune system.
- Foods with additives
There are lots of chemicals used in foods, many of which are known allergens. Some of these chemicals are used to prevent spoilage, while others are used to make the food taste better, or to make the food color different.
Research has shown that these additives such as color and dyes, gluten, hydrogenated oils, lactose, MSG, and yeast can be problematic for people with autoimmune diseases.
- Trans fat
Trans fat is bad for our health. It is formed when unsaturated fats are partially hydrogenated, and it is strongly associated with developing autoimmune diseases like Crohn’s, Hashimoto’s, and rheumatoid arthritis.
This is because these diseases are linked to an overactive immune system, which can result in inflammation and cause excessive fat production.
- Refined grains
The autoimmune disorder called celiac disease is caused by an intolerance to gluten. The disorder is characterized by chronic inflammation and is treated with a gluten-free diet.
Gluten, a protein found in wheat, is considered a controversial food group because the immune system sees it as something foreign and dangerous.
Foods to eat with autoimmune disease
Autoimmune diseases make the immune system attack the body’s own tissue. This can cause inflammation, pain, and damage to various organs and tissues.
Despite this, it is possible for someone with an autoimmune disease to live a long, healthy life. Eating a well-balanced diet can help you maintain health.
A diet that is good for autoimmune disease is a diet that is full of fresh, nutritious, healthy food that will help fight inflammation, minimize damage from free radicals and high stress, promote an optimal hemorage-filtration system, and help you achieve your optimal weight.
You should also remember that the diet should be low in refined sugars and high in nutritious foods that are full of antioxidants, fibrous foods, and the nutrients needed to promote healing. You can also consume fish, meat, poultry, and eggs.
Follow a gluten-free, soy-free diet if you have Graves’ Disease.
What causes autoimmune disease?
The immune system is what causes autoimmune disease. It’s a complex network that protects the body from harmful substances. If it malfunctions, it can mistakenly attack healthy cells, tissues, and organs.
Although exact cause(s) on why the immune system malfunctions is not well understood, scientists have found a variety of triggers and associated factors. According to the National Institute of Health, there is a growing evidence that certain infections may play a role in some autoimmune diseases.
Infections are therefore the leading hypothesis for the cause of autoimmune disease. It makes sense because it takes more than genetic mutation to cause a large population of immune cells to attack the body.
Is there a cure for autoimmune disease?
There’s a lot of talk about autoimmunity these days as more and more people are diagnosed each year with an autoimmune disease. Autoimmune disease is a complex disease in which our immune system attacks our own body, causing inflammation and pain.
The autoimmunity is the root cause of inflammation, and it’s totally understandable for people to want to know if there is a cure for autoimmune disease. There is a lot of hope in the medical community that we may have the key to a cure.
Researchers are conducting several clinical trials aimed at finding a cure for autoimmune disease. However, there is still no known cure for autoimmune disease, which means the disease cannot be controlled with specific medications.
We may not have a cure, but we can reduce the number of autoimmune disorders with the use of medications and/or diet. There are different diet plans out there. If you want to explore which diet suits you the most, we recommend that you start checking out keto salmon recipes.
