Page 27 - The Autoimmune Protocol

The Autoimmune Protocol

wishing to eliminate the triggers that cause inflammation start with a diet that eliminates
foods like grain, legumes, dairy, and other processed foods. These foods contain all kinds
of inflammatory triggers that can make Lupus, or any autoimmune disease, worse.

Everyone knows that stress is not good for our health, but it can also be a major trigger
for those with autoimmune disease. Stress can contribute to flare ups and inflammation
for those with Lupus. Therefore, reducing stress may reduce inflammation. Meditation,
yoga, and nervine herbs may help relax the body and mind, as well as ease symptoms.

Managing Lupus with Chiropractic Care
Because Lupus comes with pain and stiffness in the joints caused by inflammation,
chiropractic care may be an effective treatment. Sometimes, the pain can be caused by
nerve interference due to inflammation. A chiropractor can help to restore proper nerve
pathways through spinal and joint manipulation. Restored pathways in the body can also
open up the body to better release toxins, thus promoting healing. Patients with Lupus
who visit the chiropractor report less pain and less reliance on over-the-counter pain
medication.

When coupling chiropractic care with the proper diet, mental health routine, and exercise
routine, those with Lupus may notice a significant decrease in flare-ups, inflammation,
and pain.

Multiple Sclerosis

In patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), the body’s immune system attacks a substance
called myelin. Myelin is a coating that surrounds nerve cells in the body. This results in
lesions, as well as damage to nerve fibers and myelin-producing cells called
Oligodendrocytes. Researchers are still not sure what exactly triggers the immune system
to attack the myelin coating and nerve cells in the body.

What is known is that when the lymphocytes attack these areas, T cells in the body also
attack proteins in the central nervous system, causing even more damage and
inflammation.

Types of Multiple Sclerosis
There are four basic types of Multiple Sclerosis, with some causing more damage than
others. The first type is called Clinically Isolated Syndrome (CIS) MS. This is a single
episode of symptoms associated with demyelination of the central nervous system. This
episode should last for at least twenty-four hours to qualify as Clinically Isolated
Syndrome. Those who experience CIS may not go on to be diagnosed with MS because
they may not ever have another episode. If a scan of the brain shows lesions similar to
those in individuals with diagnosed MS, an individual with CIS is likely to have another
episode.

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