Metabolic and Immune Health
Six Tips to Lower the Risks and Effects of Autoimmune Disorders As We Age
I present a six-step holistic and preventative approach to autoimmune conditions, leveraging healthy lifestyle habits.
Purpose of the Article
This article introduces the symptoms and risk factors of autoimmune disorders. However, I aim to share practical tips to lower risks, symptoms, and effects via healthy lifestyle choices.
Autoimmune disorders are close to my heart, affecting my loved ones, friends, and me. My father died from ALS. Therefore, I examined autoimmune diseases during his ailment. Like millions of people, I also experienced autoimmune conditions such as arthritis in my 20s.
However, I managed symptoms, eased the effects, and lowered progression risks with healthy lifestyle habits and support from professionals. Therefore, this piece is not just a theoretical review. It also reflects on my experiences and observations.
What are autoimmune disorders, and why do they matter?
Autoimmune disorders affect multiple organs and systems in the body, such as joints, muscles, skin, digestive system, immune system, endocrine system, and nervous system, as we age.
According to NIH, “A healthy immune system defends the body against disease and infection. But if the immune system malfunctions, it mistakenly attacks healthy cells, tissues, and organs. Called autoimmune disease, these attacks can affect any part of the body, weakening bodily function and even turning life-threatening.”
The common ones are rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, Celiac disease, Grave’s disease, psoriasis, dermatomyositis, ALS, MS, lupus, Type 1 diabetes, ulcerative colitis, and many more.
Arthritis affects many people of different ages, especially older people, as the leading cause of disability in the US and other countries. For example, Arthritis Foundation informs:
“More than 50 million adults and 300,000 children have some type of arthritis. It is widespread but is not well understood. Arthritis is not a single disease. It is an informal way of referring to joint pain or joint disease. There are 100+ types of arthritis and related conditions.”
Out of the 100, the most common ones are autoimmune inflammatory arthritis, osteoarthritis, infectious arthritis, and metabolic arthritis, affecting people of all ages, sexes, and races. However, the older population experiences them more.
Like many autoimmune diseases, arthritis is also believed to have no cure. However, it is possible to reduce symptoms by slowing down disease activity. It is even possible to obtain remission, which means minimal or no disease activity, as happened to me.
I documented my experience with arthritis in a previous article titled Here’s How I Tamed Overactive Immune System and Lowered Arthritis Symptoms in 5 Steps. I also documented a case study of a friend who lowered the symptoms successfully.
Symptoms and Major Risk Factors for Autoimmune Disorders
As documented by John Hopkins Health:
“Despite the varying types of autoimmune disease, many of them share similar symptoms. Common symptoms of autoimmune disease include fatigue, joint pain, swelling, skin problems, abdominal pain, digestive issues, recurring fever, and swollen glands.”
Unfortunately, the causes of autoimmune diseases are still unknown. However, scientists hypothesize some risk factors that inform us. As pointed out in this comprehensive review paper published in the Journal of Internal Medicine:
“Contemporary theories suggest that the development of an autoimmune disease requires a genetic predisposition and environmental factors that trigger the immune pathways that lead, ultimately, to tissue destruction. Despite extensive research, there are no genetic tools that can be used clinically to predict the risk of autoimmune disease.”
I reviewed various papers to identify the risk factors. The most repeated risks are toxins, stress, inflammation, infections, smoking, obesity, genetics, and gender. Interestingly, according to Cleveland Clinic, 78% of people who have an autoimmune disease are women.
As documented in this paper, “the etiology of autoimmune diseases is multifactorial: genetic, environmental, hormonal, and immunological factors are all considered important in their development. Nevertheless, the onset of at least 50% of autoimmune disorders has been attributed to “unknown trigger factors.”
As NIH summarizes, “Studies indicate autoimmune diseases likely result from interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Gender, race, and ethnicity characteristics are linked to a likelihood of developing an autoimmune disease.”
From my reviews, besides environmental factors and stress, I understand that our metabolism affects the immune system, and metabolic activities might cause triggering our aggravating effects.
I highlight this aspect in the next section as we can improve our metabolic health via lifestyle choices such as preventing obesity and maintaining a healthy wealth with lower visceral fat and lean muscles in an insulin-sensitive and fat-adapted body.
1 — Enhance metabolic health and use an elimination diet to improve the digestive system.
As obesity is a known risk factor for autoimmune disorders, I believe that improving metabolic health might contribute to lowering risks, progression, or unbearable effects.
As I wrote numerous articles about metabolic disorders, I won’t repeat the details here. Interested readers might check my perspectives on metabolic syndrome, type II diabetes, heart disease, and strokes in the linked articles.
Since digestive health, especially the activities in the gut, might cause triggering or aggravating factors, one of the viable solutions is to perform an elimination diet systematically and gradually remove the offensive foods from the diet.
Literature indicates that toxins in plants, such as lectins, oxalates, glucosinolates, phytates, saponins, and tannins, might trigger autoimmune responses.
Some foods in the FODMAP group can be a triggering factor. FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols.
For example, the side effects of nightshades as food intolerance for some people, are well documented in the literature.
2 — Lower chronic stress and balance hormones.
As informed in this paper, “physical and psychological stress has been implicated in developing autoimmune diseases. Researchers presumed that the stress-triggered neuroendocrine hormones lead to immune dysregulation, ultimately resulting in autoimmune disease by altering or amplifying cytokine production.”
Therefore authors of the paper conclude that “Different stress reactions should be discussed with autoimmune patients, and obligatory questionnaires about trigger factors should include psychological stress in addition to infection, trauma, and other common triggers.”
Stress is known to be the root cause of multiple ailments. Stress affects us at a cellular and genetic level. Minor stressors, as they accumulate, might even affect our genes, creating damaging epigenetic effects.
Focusing on fundamentals like healthy nutrition, regular exercise, restorative sleep, rest, recovery, and fun, we might balance our hormones and lower the effects of physical and emotional stressors.
3 — Reduce chronic inflammation and address infections timely.
Stress and inflammation are tightly coupled as they affect each other. Oxidative stress lead to inflammation which is a byproduct of autoimmune diseases. The body creates inflammation to protect our cells and tissues from injuries and infections.
We need acute inflammation for recovery from tears, cellular damage, and tissue wounds. However, excessive and prolonged inflammation becomes chronic. Autoimmune conditions cause the body to create excessive inflammation to protect itself. Therefore, it is a symptom.
I hypothesize that if we find ways to address chronic inflammation, we might lower the symptoms of autoimmune disorders. I documented my experience with chronic inflammation in an article titled Here Is How I Defeated Chronic Inflammation via 9 Lifestyle Habits.
In summary, fixing nutritional deficiencies, removing refined carbs, increasing healthy fats, improving sleep, getting adequate rest, re-adjusting workouts, slowing down the pace of life, entering ketosis, using thermogenesis, and initiating autophagy helped me defeat chronic inflammation.
4 — Make epigenetic effects with healthy lifestyle choices.
Through an intense review of genetics, cellular, and mitochondrial health literature, I gained insights into epigenetics from emerging literature. We cannot change our genes yet, but we can influence them with healthy lifestyle choices.
Epigenetics is a relatively new science branch. It started in the mid-1940s. Conrad Waddington (an embryologist) coined the term in 1942. Since then, many scientists have investigated the epigenetic effects on human and animal bodies and created notable theories.
Since autoimmune disorders have a robust genetic connection, I believe that focusing on epigenetic effects might be valuable. As we know, stress has an epigenetic effect. Thus, it is a low-hanging fruit to focus on it for improvement.
Based on my reviews, I also believe that time-restricted eating, intense workouts, thermogenesis, and infrared light might have epigenetic effects I incorporated these practices into my lifestyle. However, there are no conclusive studies on these topics yet. Therefore, I point them out as possibilities to lower the risks, effects, and symptoms of autoimmune disorders.
5 — Refrain from toxins and detoxify the body naturally.
Numerous studies highlight the effects of environmental toxins on autoimmune disorders. For example, NIH informs that “exposure to some pesticides may play a role in developing rheumatoid arthritis in male farm workers.”
In addition, NIH points out that “methylmercury, even at exposure levels generally considered safe, may be linked to the development of autoimmune antibodies in women of reproductive age. These antibodies could lead, in turn to autoimmune diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis.”
Even though ancient wisdom knew the self-healing and self-protecting abilities of the body and mind for centuries, modern science only recently discovered this phenomenon. Recently, scientists documented these self-healing abilities under the terms autophagy, mitophagy, and self-defense.
The body’s self-defense system watches intruders and takes quick action to eliminate them. However, the defense system might struggle if these intruders exceed the threshold. The body even attacks its own cells and tissues, confusing them with intruders. Essentially, this is what an autoimmune condition is.
However, the alternative mechanism to the defense system is the body’s self-healing ability. For example, when we activate the autophagy and mitophagy processes, the body starts decaying pathogens, biological toxins, and damaged proteins to create cellular power when it senses energy deficiency in cells.
Unlike the autonomous self-defense system, the self-healing (detoxification) system must be consciously activated using lifestyle changes, medication, or various therapies.
For example, many people activate the autophagy process using time-restricted eating, long-term fasting, and intense exercises such as weight lifting, calisthenics, and HIIT.
In terms of toxins for lifestyle choices, the low-hanging fruit is to stop smoking or refrain from cigarette smoke as a secondary smoker.
6 — Get checked and obtain timely support.
Being proactive with our health is crucial. It can be much easier to deal with disorders before they start than after they manifest. Holistic health focuses on a proactive approach.
Proactive health checks especially using bloodwork, can give clues to healthcare professionals on the imbalances of the body. These tests can indicate inflammation markers and hormonal fluctuations.
For example, proactively addressing food intolerances and allergies might lower the risks of autoimmune responses that can lead to chronic inflammation if untreated timely.
Conclusions and Takeaways
Autoimmune disorders are highly complex health conditions. Their root causes are still unknown and debatable.
Most of them can be diagnosed and treated to lower the effects. However, curing them is still not considered possible at this stage.
As autoimmune conditions relate to multiple factors spanning through different systems, we need an integrative and proactive approach to their solutions.
Even though genetics play a role, environmental and lifestyle factors seem to have a more significant role. Therefore, by addressing environmental concerns such as toxicity and having healthy lifestyle habits, making epigenetic effects might lower the risks, symptoms, and effects.
Furthermore, just solving physical problems might not be sufficient to address the symptoms of complex health situations, as the mind plays a critical role in bodily functions.
Thus, psychosomatic (body/mind connection) looks like a promising and rapidly growing concept in healthcare that we need to discuss with qualified healthcare professionals.
To summarize, I offer the following takeaway points to conclude this story.
1 — Accept the situation by not resisting, denying, or catastrophizing it.
2 — Optimize hormones, neurotransmitters, and enzymes with healthy lifestyle choices or with medical intervention when needed.
3 — Improve digestive and gut health by considering an elimination diet.
4 — Consume nutrient-dense food from unrefined sources, including essential amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids rich in EPA and DHA with guidance from professionals.
5 — Detoxify the body by sweating in dry saunas cooling with cold showers or icebaths, and activating the lymphatic system via joyful workouts like jumping on a trampoline.
6 — Consider entering ketosis via time-restricted eating, ketogenic diets, fast-mimicking diets, and intense workouts. Keep the body moving regularly and refrain from a sedentary life.
7 — Enhance sleep quality, get regular breaks, act mindfully, meditate, and have fun to lower stress and inflammation. We need to pay special attention to emotional stress.
Some of these tips might not apply to everyone, but even if some of them can contribute to improving our health, it can be a big win for proactive health management.
Some people have chronic conditions experiencing severe pain, immobilizing them. For those people, it is necessary to obtain guidance and support from qualified healthcare professionals who can ease the pain and treat the condition with medication, surgery, or other therapies.
Some scientists remaining on the pessimistic side seem to believe that our body is rigid. It constantly declines, so we cannot cure most diseases. They are right based on current constraints in science and technology.
However, another group of optimistic scientists believes that our bodies are fluid and flexible that can be improved with constant positive feedback from the environment via healthy lifestyle choices. I prefer the approach of the second group as I experienced it in my life.
We never know where the solutions come from to our problems. Current scientific knowledge is a drop in the ocean even though thousands of scientists diligently work and create breakthrough solutions.
Therefore, it can be helpful to keep an open mind with optimism to gain insights from the experiences of others and the support of professionals when needed. For example, an elderly couple reversed their diabetes.
In my opinion, we have two options. If we are on the pessimist bandwagon, we just wait for scientists to come up with tangible solutions that might take years. Do we have to wait for definite solutions?
If we act proactively with optimism and a growth mindset, we take personal responsibility, learn from what we know so far, and experiment sensibly, gradually, and pragmatically with help from professionals and others. Autoimmune disorders affect our health and lifespan.
By focusing on cellular health with healthy lifestyle habits, we can slow down disease activity and might experience remission. It means that we live with minimal or no disease activity in the body.
Knowledge is power, but action is critical to solving our problems and achieving our goals in life.
Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.
As a new reader, please check my holistic health and well-being stories reflecting my reviews, observations, and decades of experiments optimizing my hormones and neurotransmitters. I write about health as it matters. I believe health is all about homeostasis.
Petechiae, ALS, Metabolic Syndrome, Type II Diabetes, Fatty Liver Disease, Heart Disease, Strokes, Obesity, Liver Cancer, Autoimmune Disorders, Homocysteine, Lungs Health, Pancreas Health, Kidneys Health, NCDs, Infectious Diseases, Brain Health, Dementia, Depression, Brain Atrophy, Neonatal Disorders, Skin Health, Dental Health, Bone Health, Leaky Gut, Leaky Brain, Brain Fog, Chronic Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, Elevated Cortisol, Leptin Resistance, Anabolic Resistance, Cholesterol, High Triglycerides, Metabolic Disorders, Gastrointestinal Disorders, Thyroid Disorders, Anemia, Dysautonomia, cardiac output, and urinary track disorders.
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