Auto-Immunity

by: Medina Nance

What is it? 

Auto-Immunity is an Immune System that is triggered and agitated into being in over drive, so instead of protecting the body; it’s response is so rapid against the foreign invaders (foods, chemicals, drugs, toxins, stress, etc.), that it starts to destroy healthy tissues, organs and systems. See article, “Autoimmunity.” It can create a vicious cycle, but it doesn’t have to be! Once diagnosed, severe damage is being inflicted on healthy tissue causing debility and pain, in overdrive most people are put on some type of hormones, Prednisone, Cortisone shots, etc.  These are common types of auto immune diseases.

• LUPUS,
• SARCOIDOSIS,
• FIBROMYLAGIA,
• S.,
• INSULIN DEPENDENT DIABETES,
• RHUEMATOID ARTHRITIS,
• MYASTHENIA GRAVIS,
• GRAVE’S DISEASE,
• HASHIMOTOS,
• CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME,
• AND MANY MORE!]

BUT WHAT “CAUSES” AUTO-IMMUNITY? Many things contribute to Auto-Immune Disorders:  CHEMICAL POISONING from Mercury Amalgam Fillings, Drugs (legal and illegal), IMMUNIZATIONS*, POOR DIET, HIGH  FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, ASPERTAIME, POOR DIET aka NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES*, EMOTIONAL OR PHYSICAL STRESS, MICROORGANISMS (Viruses, Yeast, Candida, etc.), HOUSEHOLD POLLUTANTS, and Vitamin & Mineral DEFICIENCIES.

What to do?

1.Make some Lifestyle Changes. People with Auto-Immunity  disorders generally show improvement on a low fat, high fiber diet, with more fruits and veggies. Many have food allergies,  particularly to gluten (“Wheat Belly” & “Grain Brain”). So make the changes, and incorporate Liquid Flax Seed Oil (1 Tbspn AM & PM – good fats, Omega 3/6). Avoid shellfish and be careful with soy and dairy (GMO’s, Hormones, Antibiotics).

2. Exercise is so important in keeping the body ‘flexible’. The best exercises for people with Auto-Immunity are Gentle, whole body exercises like Tai Chi, Yoga, Swimming, Cycling, Walking. These keep blood flow and circulation. Avoid hard strenuous exercises!
3. Massage Therapy and Dry Skin Brushing work Wonders!!! These both move the Lymph and release locked muscles. Avoid hot tubs, saunas, heating pads, tanning beds, etc. as heat tends to aggravate Auto-Immune symptoms.
4. Avoid toxins!!! Including, but not limited to Immunizations all of them, especially Flu shots, Mercury Dental fillings, the Formaldehyde and other chemicals in furniture, carpets, building materials, etc. COFFEE, SODAS should be avoided, try Green Tea and fresh pressed Juices. (I give all my clients a pckge with info on all of this)
5. BALANCE THE IMMUNE SYSTEM, DON’T OVER STIMULATE! Herbals like Golden Seal, Echinacea over stimulate the Immune System, and we want to balance, not stimulate it. Pau d’ Arco is a better choice, as it’s a gentle blood cleanser and anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and very healing and soothing to sip as a tea. In the case of Auto-Immunity, we must cleanse and purify the Blood.  This helps clear up morbid conditions in the body without causing a disruption and you want to assist the body in removing all of the toxins we are have accumulated over the years and are constantly being bombarded with daily!
6. Everyone needs to work on digestion. 80% of the Population has digestive issues, Acid reflux is becoming the norm. This means that 80% aren’t digesting, assimilating and absorbing the nutrients from their foods (not good), this attributes to more nutritional deficiencies. * Simple solution: get a Juicer and juice more live, fresh organic (when possible) Vegetables and fruits – these contain live ‘Enzymes’ and enzymes are digestive aides that help the body to heal itself easier and faster!!! (Try to drink at least 1/2 your body weight, in ounces of water daily)
7. ANTI-OXIDANTS (your key to not being on a lifetime of drugs!) I try to tailor the best ones to the individual depending upon what meds their on, how long they’ve been on them and what they are taking them for (joint pain, kidneys, etc.). Natural Anti-Inflammatories – there are so many, and they are miracle workers, again, the key is finding what’s best for your body and what it is dealing with. Being dependent on pain killers can be a real addiction and a vicious cycle because over time, it can cause Heart disorders and/or Bone loss (Osteoarthritis).
8. Strengthening the Glands – I see a lot of women with Menopause who are dealing with Auto Immunity. They need to work on rebuilding the Thyroid and Adrenal Glands as these rules many body functions like Weight loss/gain, Body temperature, mood swings, energy and stress levels and more. Black Walnut, Bee Pollen are just 2 of many wonderful natural supplements to help nourish and rebuild the glands but again, every body’s body may differ on what works best in their systems.

Balance Your Immune System

We want to calm, balance, or ignite the immune system instead of building it. You do not want to overstimulate your immune system. You want immune stabilizers such as cordyceps, Siberian ginseng, or pau d’arco.  Chlorophyll in your water is will act as an immune stabilizer. The five top herbs to avoid if you have auto immunity challenges are:

1. Cat’s Claw
2. Ashwagandha
3. Golden Seal
4. Echinacea
5. Astragalus

Ten Basic Auto-Immunity Tips:

• It is advisable to go ‘completely’ Gluten-Free! Go to celiac.com to educate yourself on all the places that gluten hides (protein of grains like Wheat, Barley & Rye, esp. Wheat!). Another note: Modern day Wheat, Corn & Soy are Genetically Modified (GM GMO), and that’s NOT GOOD AT ALL!!
• Eat whole, organic, unprocessed, non GMO foods, from the earth. Eliminate packaged refined foods and eliminate or greatly reduce Sugars, processed grain flours and artificial sweeteners (Xylitol – natural and tastes good!)
• SUPPLEMENT! But supplement wisely, the soil in the U.S. was declared ‘Nutritionally Deficient’ in the late 40’s, SO we ALL need to supplement! I use and highly recommend Nature’s Sunshine Supplements for their potency and high quality. Get them at 30% off retail, along with special discounts, rebates, and a LOT of free education and info. via Webinars & Workshops. [Call 1-800-453-1422 & Give Operator Sponsor # 570244]
• Take VITAMIN D daily – NSP’s Vit D3 (2 tabs daily = 4,000 IU)
• PROBIOTICS!! – NSP’s PROBIOTIC ELEVEN (Keep in Fridge) take 2-3 daily
• Breathe! Deep breathes from the diaphragm decreases stress which in turn helps with autoimmunity. THAI CHI & YOGA are great for this!
• HYDRATE! DRINK WATER!!! Get good filters to remove fluoride & chlorine.
• FIBER is essential to keep the system clean! Veggies like Broccoli, and Fibers like NSP’s NATURE’S THREE, EVERYBODY’S FIBER, or SLIPPERY ELM are great
• BALANCE YOUR BLOOD SUGAR! Until you do this, the inflammation that comes with it will make it hard to balance hormones or the immune system
• SLEEP like it’s a job!! The body heals itself when we sleep. Among other problems, lack of sleep fires up our Adrenal stress hormones, leading to further hormonal and immune imbalances.

Conclusion

 Vaccines introduce viruses that settle in the weak areas of the body and damage the spinal sheath which can flare up later as ‘Auto- Immune’ Disorders. In particular, the Polio virus and Flu shots. The soil in the U.S. was declared ‘Nutritionally Deficient’ in the 1940’s, we need 50 cups of spinach today to = 1 cup from 1940’s. I start the consultation by getting as much info on a person’s health, diet, lifestyle and past health history so I can recommend the best path for “helping the body to heal and rejuvenate itself” naturally through food, diet, supplements and lifestyle changes.  You will need a program suited to the condition and your body.  I cannot emphasize this enough, because we tend to treat herbs and supplements like drugs.  We look for them to removing the symptoms while allowing the underlying issues to intensify over time and then you are forced into the merry-go-round of drugs and treatments. This is how I have managed to avoid all medications  when I was diagnosed with lupus and I have helped tons of others to do the same.

Medina Nance

Naturopathic Herbalist

HERBAN RENEWAL

herbs1519@yahoo.com

773-324-HERB (4372)

TUNE IN EVERY WEDNESDAY, CH 21 @ 10PM (encores @ 12:30AM)