Autoimmune Disorders and Their Causes
Certified by the Board of Preventive Medicine, Sepideh Moayed, MD, has over two decades of experience as a preventive medicine specialist. Dr. Sepideh Moayed is the CEO of Preventative Medicine Inc., where she employs her years of experience and expertise in disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment to find the underlying causes of illness. She is an expert in preventing age-related cognitive and cellular decline, optimizing cancer screening, and managing autoimmune and immunological disorders.
Autoimmune disorders are a group of diseases that cause the body’s immune system to attack its organs, tissues, and cells. The autoimmune reaction may impact only a single organ or the entire body. These conditions can be difficult to diagnose, as many of their symptoms overlap with other diseases.
The exact cause of autoimmune disorders is not fully understood. However, researchers have identified certain factors that may contribute to their development, including genetics and environmental triggers such as viral infections or exposure to certain toxins. Some studies have suggested a link between autoimmune disorders and stress levels due to psychological trauma or physical injuries. Autoantigens or deregulation of immune system pathways are other possible causes.
Systemic autoimmune disorders affect several organs throughout the body at once. These types of conditions can be difficult to diagnose because they mimic so many other illnesses and often present with similar symptoms like fatigue and pain throughout the body. Common systemic autoimmune disorders include lupus, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Sjogren’s Syndrome, celiac disease, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis (MS), and type 1 diabetes (T1D). All of these conditions involve inflammation caused by an abnormal immune system reaction attacking healthy parts of the body instead of defending against foreign invaders like bacteria or viruses.
Most autoimmune disorders have no specific cure, although patients can help reduce the inflammatory response by minimizing and preventing the inflammatory cascade by lifestyle metrics including personalized nutrition, treatment of potential triggering infections and reducing excessive toxin load. Avoiding certain medications, including NSAIDs, cigarette smoking, alcohol and significantly reducing stress can help repair damaged gut lining and in many cases reversal of “leaky gut”. In some more advanced scenarios, doctors may administer immunosuppressants to modulate the immune response and minimize inflammation-related harm. Most patients with auto inflammatory/autoimmune disease can benefit from anti-inflammatory immune modulators such as turmeric, ginger, berberine, Boswellia, cat’s claw and other supplements (ideally prescribed by Integrative practitioners/well trained holistic physicians). Additionally, lifestyle changes such as optimal sleep, exercise, stress reduction and eating an anti-inflammatory diet rich in fruits can help reduce flare-ups associated with these conditions.
