As discussed in my article addressing the link between autoimmune conditions and a ‘leaky gut,’ any protocol that is aimed at improving, halting or reversing the symptoms associated with an autoimmune disease should always begin in the gut. Here are 10 tips on what you can be doing at home to help improve your symptoms in conjunction with a more personalised recommended protocol.
Cut out the three most inflammatory foods - dairy, flour, sugar.
Remove gluten from your diet. Gluten has been proven to trigger autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s and to contribute to a ‘leaky gut.’
Increase your intake of healthy fats and include anti-inflammatory omega-3 rich foods such as walnuts, oily fish, chia seeds, flax seeds, and hemp seeds.
Eat foods packed with phytonutrients by choosing a variety of colourful, non-starchy vegetables and berries every day.
Check if you have any hidden food allergies using food sensitivity / allergy testing.
Reduce foods that have a greater potential to cause an immune reaction such as foods high in lectins, oxalates, deadly nightshades, etc.
Take supplements known to help calm down an overactive immune system such as vitamin D, vitamin C, zinc, magnesium, probiotics, omega-3 fatty acids, curcumin, antioxidants.
Exercise appropriately for your physiology. Over exercising can be a stress on the body and immune system. Exercise is a natural anti-inflammatory, but appropriate exercise is important when an immune system is already on high alert. Include movement in your daily routine.
Manage stress. Chronic, long-term stress adversely affects the immune system. Find one or more stress coping modalities that you enjoy such as yoga, meditation, common massage etc.
Check for hidden chemicals, environmental toxins, infections (such as yeast, viruses, bacteria, Lyme etc.), food allergies or sensitivities that are eliciting an immune response. Once the body is making antibodies, this can then be the precursor to an autoimmune condition where the body goes on to make antibodies against healthy tissue. It then becomes necessary to remove the trigger that caused an immune response in the first place.