An estimated 50 million Americans suffer from some form of autoimmune disease. If you're among them, you may know all too well how little modern medicine can do to alleviate your condition. But that's no reason to give up hope. In this groundbreaking book, Sarah D. Ballantyne, Ph.D., draws upon current medical research and her own battle with an autoimmune disorder to show you how you can become completely symptom-free'the natural way.The Paleo Approach is the first book ever to explain how to adapt the Paleo diet and lifestyle to bring about a full recovery. Read it to learn why foods marketed as "healthy"'such as whole grains, soy, and low-fat dairy'can contribute to the development of autoimmune conditions. Discover what you can eat to calm your immune system, reduce inflammation, and help your body heal itself. Find out which simple lifestyle changes'along with changes in diet'will make the biggest difference for your health.There's no need to worry that "going Paleo" will break the bank or require too much time in the kitchen preparing special foods. In The Paleo Approach, Dr. Ballantyne provides expert tips on how to make the switch easily and economically. Complete food lists with strategies for the day-to-day'how stay within your food budget, where to shop for what you need, how to make the most out of your time in the kitchen, and how to eat out'take all the guesswork out of going Paleo. Simple strategies for lifestyle adjustments, including small steps that can make a huge difference, guide you through the most important changes to support healing.Do you have a complicated condition that requires medical intervention, medication, or supplements? Dr. Ballantyne also walks you through the most useful medical tests, treatments, and supplements (as well as the most counterproductive ones) to help you open a dialogue with your physician.Features such as these make The Paleo Approach the ultimate resource for anyone suffering from an autoimmune disease. Why suffer a moment longer? Reclaim your health with The Paleo Approach!
The Paleo Approach: Reverse Autoimmune Disease and Heal Your Body book pdf
I knew my kids health was related to my autoimmune disease, but it took me a while before I was able to get around to actually thinking about healing myself. The Paleo Approach is very heavy on the science as Sarah Ballantyne has PhD in medical biophysics. This book is full of tons of graphs, charts and data for you science nerds. I love using it for reference when I have questions like "Wait...why can't I eat corn?"
While all of these books have a common message...eat food we have been eating for thousands of years, not the processed foods we have been eating in the past hundred years. However, I really felt I was missing something in my diet and after watching Terry Wahls' TEDx Talk for the 3rd time I figured it was time to read The Wahls Protocol. Her focus on an variety of fruits and vegetables combined with the information I had from the Jo Robinson book made a big impact. She also encourages a much larger amount of vegetables than most Paleo/WAPF diets. Since making this change I have felt great and noticed significant improvement in my autoimmune disease.
Clearly, the conventional treatment approach to autoimmune disease leaves much to be desired. It fails to address the underlying causes of autoimmunity, and the reliance on pharmaceuticals with so many possible side effects can harm the body over the long term. Functional Medicine, on the other hand, offers a viable alternative to potentially dangerous drugs. Rather than suppressing symptoms, Functional Medicine addresses the underlying causes of autoimmunity, relieving symptoms and even reversing the course of disease.
Though a lack of microbial exposure contributes to autoimmune disease development, chronic infections with harmful pathogens also play a crucial role. Chronic Lyme disease provokes autoimmunity in the cardiovascular system and joints due to molecular mimicry between Borrelia burgdorferi and self-components naturally present in the immune system. (23, 24) H. pylori infection initiates thyroid autoimmunity, and cytomegalovirus exacerbates autoimmune neuroinflammation. (25, 26) For many people, treating pre-existing infection is a crucial part of the autoimmune disease healing process.
The activities of your immune cells are affected by your circadian rhythm, a set of biological processes that shape your behavior and physiology and follow a roughly 24-hour cycle. Factors that disrupt circadian rhythm may contribute to immune dysfunction. For example, research has shown that shift work, a significant circadian disruptor, is associated with autoimmune hypothyroidism and rheumatoid arthritis. (31, 32) Circadian disruption may also contribute to autoimmune diseases of the central nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis. (33)
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a developmental disorder that affects behavior and communication, is also not classically considered to be an autoimmune disease. However, a mounting body of evidence indicates that ASD has an active autoimmune component. (66)
You can heal yourself from an autoimmune disease. The first step is to eat a diet devoid of inflammatory, gut-damaging foods, such as gluten. Research indicates that a gluten-free diet can halt the celiac disease process and alleviate symptoms of non-celiac autoimmune diseases. (78) However, gluten elimination may not be enough for many people. Consider trying one of the diets outlined below for a more comprehensive approach to treating autoimmune disease.
The low-lectin diet, developed by Dr. Steven Gundry, is based on the idea that lectins, a type of protein, play a significant role in autoimmune disease by increasing intestinal permeability and that limiting their consumption can reverse autoimmunity. (81) Lectin-rich foods include grains, legumes, potatoes, tomatoes, and squash.
Healing the gut is a crucial part of treating autoimmune disease. In addition to eating an anti-inflammatory diet, which promotes the growth of a healthy gut microbiota, probiotics may also be of use. In preclinical research, a probiotic called VSL #3 has been found to prevent autoimmune disease by modulating the gut microbiota and induce remission in IBD with efficacy equivalent to that of 5-ASAs, a standard class of drugs used in the conventional treatment of IBD. (86, 87) In human studies, probiotics alleviate the clinical severity of rheumatoid arthritis and improve symptoms and quality of life in MS. (88, 89)
Pre-existing infections such as Lyme disease, H. pylori, and cytomegalovirus are overlooked but driving forces in the development of autoimmune disease. Treating these infections with a healthcare professional can help you make headway in your healing process.
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A simple, anti-inflammatory, whole-food diet that is gluten-free, nutrient-dense, and high in healthy antioxidants, like the paleo diet, is a great place to start improving your gut and thyroid health and to improve autoimmunity. The paleo diet has been shown to reduce inflammation by reducing exposure to foods that may trigger an immune response [32, 33]. 2ff7e9595c
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