I just wanted to start this week and say a special THANK you to all our veterans out there. Since today is veterans day, we truly thank you for your services and the sacrifices you have made. We see you, and we appreciate you.
Last week we went over Autoimmunity starting in the brain. How the intricacy of the brain and the immune system work hand in hand. If you missed last week check it out, some pretty cool research on the subject was discussed.
Autoimmunity now affects 50 million Americans, whereas Alzheimers is now included (also called type 3 diabetes because of sugar in the brain). 5.4 million Americans alone has Alzheimer’s, but the entire body is affected and you really have to have a holistic approach when dealing with autoimmunity. We know that the gut in particular influences the entire body.
Where does Auto-Immunity Begin?
- It can form in utero and at birth, depending on the health of the mother (their diet and gut), if the child was c-section or if vaccines were administered
- Antibiotics (whether from pharmaceutical use) or from FOOD sources
- Brain dys-regulation (last week’s topic)
- Heavy metals and chemicals
- Infections
- Food sources
Most of us know by now that gut health=immune health. The gut is where a good majority if not all of our bacteria in our body resides. 70-80% of our immunity lies within the digestive system. So, it makes sense that improper digestion can lead to a compromised immune system.
In fact, our first line of defense is our stomach acid which we’ve talked about previously helps create a barrier for invaders by killing whatever comes in the path and can’t stand acidity. In a recent study done with Stanford University, it was shown that the risk of heart attack in people routinely taking acid-blocking drugs increase 14% and the risk of dying DOUBLED.
Our intestines are inside our body, so we often don’t think of them forming a protective barrier between our bloodstream and the external world, but thats exactly what it does.
However, recent studies have also unraveled the effects of gut microbiota in extraintestinal diseases.
“studies that show how changing in a single microbial species and/or global commensal communities can alter the outcome of autoimmune diseases by tipping the balance between a pathological or protective immune response”
There’s also such thing as the gut/brain axis. So gut health will equal brain health and vice versa. Since 90% of the serotonin in our body is synthesized in the gut it’s also so closely connected to one another.
——
So, now that we know digestion is a big player in autoimmunity, what causes the disruption, and how do we fix it?
I’m SO GLAD you asked! 😉
Anything that causes a disruption in that gut microbiome is going to be a huge player in the immune system going haywire.
Microbiome Disruptors
1. A big one we know is antibiotics. The overuse over the years and disregard for it’s systemic effect has led to many gut issues. Antibiotics wipe out all the bad (yes) but also commensal good bacteria, leaving our immune system compromised. Antibiotics are also rampant in our meat in factory farms. Antibiotics fatten the animals, so they get more money off of them. But we literally ingest those antibiotics, so it’s important to eat grass fed meat if you eat meat. Antibiotics are also found in vaccines.
2. Chemicals/Metals. It turns out that many chemicals can transgress the blood-brain barrier and these chemicals that mediate inflammation can do so. Heavy metals also cause a huge immune system requirement all the time, so they constantly deplete the immune system. Where are these materials found?
The better question is where AREN’T they found. Anything non organic and GMO is loaded with chemicals. Cleaning products, beauty products, birth control… all chemicals. The worse being injected straight in and bypasses our immune system going directly into the blood and brain (vaccines). The adjuvants in vaccines like aluminum, polysorbate 80, formaldehyde, mercury, antibiotics, aborted fetal tissue are put in vaccines to create a greater immune response but come at a cost to us, causing a negative autoimmune response.
Mercury in amalgam fillings must be addressed and removed safely. It’s rampant in many farmed fish as well as canned fish. Chlorine is found in most of our water, coating us in the shower every time we take one. It’s really just everywhere, meaning we need to make sure we do the best to control our own environments.
3. Infections. Infections in the gut and mouth are the two main culprits for microbiome imbalance. ANY autoimmune condition has hidden infections. I talk about this constantly. Like IBS/IBD usually being caused from ameoba and protozoal infections and crohns having mycoplasma infections visible. MS from epstein barr virus, and hashimotos from EBV, protozoal, yeast and H. Pylori.
Mold is also a pretty big one. Toxic mold inhalation is very commonly seen in my practice. The dried spore coatings causes autoimmune disorders and the immune system itself can also attack mold within the brain.
The problem is increased intestinal permeability=a leaky gut. A leaky gut interrupts the body’s immune system to regulate itself, and puts the body in constant attack mode.
4. Food. Already talked about antibiotics in food and chemicals in food. But also a big huge autoimmune food is gluten. Gluten is foreign to our bodies. It de-stabilizes the gut lining. Anyone with autoimmunity should AVOID gluten. When we get rid of gluten, we are reducing inflammation that has a huge role to play in terms of balancing the immune system. Gluten causes an immune reaction called molecular mimicry, which triggers autoimmunity and causes the body to attack itself.
5. Stress. More on this topic next week.
6. EMF’s. More next week.
What do we do??
Well, first of all as with anyone in this phase is dealing with the diet. What are you eating and most importantly where are you getting it from? Taking out all the exogenous exposures like cleaning supplies, beauty products, ect. Eliminate gluten. Don’t just move to all the “gluten free” options. Those can be just as bad with a TON of dead carbs. Switch to whole organic foods.
Do a gut reconditioning protocol with your natural doctor like myself and heal the leaky gut.
This includes clearing out hidden pathogens, and restoring the upper and lower digestion systems.
Decrease EMF usage and decrease stress.
Don’t vaccinate. It’s a money ploy and a nasty one. More and more research is coming out daily how harmful these are to our immune system. It’s the adjuvants in them, not the diseases themselves that are the problems.
For kids: Create healthy microbiota, mitochondrial support as needed like coQ10, glutathione, and don’t vaccinate or really stagger them and give support every time.
Adults: Also work on not only replenishing the good bacteria but also replenishing the soil as to where the bacteria live. Consuming good prebiotics in your food like Jimaca, dandelion greens, garlic, onions, chicory and artichokes are like giving fertilizer to your good bacteria .
If you’ve ever been on antibiotics you MUST also replenish the good bacteria. Fermented foods, kefir, key organisms like: lactobacillus acidophilus, lactobacillus plantarum, bifidobacterium longum and lactobacillus rhamnosus are a must.
Colon hydrotherapy and coffee enemas are a must. This is my go-to for getting stubborn infections in the gut out, as well as detoxing the body. It’s just a must in our toxic world. If you aren’t going number 2 at least twice per day, you are constipated and toxic!
When your digestion is working at its best, your immune system will too. Then autoimmunity will have no way to form!
OIL OF THE WEEK
Cinnamon essential oil has been used as an anti-inflammatory and local anesthetic for many years. It is very therapeutic and if used in the right dilution, can be an effective essential oil for acne, chronic pain and inflammation. Combine Cinnamon and Clove Bud at 0.6% dilution in your favorite carrier oil to help with chronic pain. Cinnamon Leaf is also a great oil to ease the symptoms of cold and flu. Diffuse in the air to help combat a sickness.
ALSO THE NEW HOLIDAY ITEMS ARE HERE!!! THEY SMELL AMAZING AND THE ON guard CHOCOLATE bark OMG!
If don’t have an account or are interested let me know!
Since garlic and artichokes are great pre-biotics to help our good bacteria grow, try out this combo to get the best of both worlds!
Garlic & Artichoke Hummus {AIP}
Ingredients
14 oz / 396 g quarted artichokes in brine OR 8.5 oz / 140 g thawed, drained frozen artichoke hearts (see notes)
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup / 60 ml olive or avocado oil
2 tbsp / 30 ml fresh lemon juice
Instructions
DRAIN: Carefully drain the artichoke quarters, pressing down on them firmly to get rid of as much liquid as possible – this will stop the hummus from being watery instead of creamy. Smash the garlic clove with the back of a knife and peel off & discard the skin.
CHOP: Add the drained artichoke hearts and peeled garlic to a mini food processor or similar and pulse until they are roughly chopped. Scrape down the sides.
BLEND: Add the avocado oil and lemon juice, then process until the hummus is thoroughly combined and creamy. This is a perfect dip, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil just before serving!
Notes
If you want to purchase artichoke hearts without corn derived citric acid as a preservative, Trader Joe’s has bags of citric acid free frozen artichoke hearts.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @meatified on Instagram and hashtag it #meatified
