Page 19 - Florida Sentinel 7-9-21

Health
Lupus. Multiple sclerosis. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Sjo- gren’s syndrome. Rheumatoid arthritis. Autoimmune hepa- titis.
Celiac disease. Crohn’s disease. Juvenile-onset dia- betes. Most people are sur- prised to learn that these are all examples of autoimmune diseases.
Although these diseases are common and relevant, it is usually not until celebrities announce that they have been stricken with an autoimmune disease that people start to
take notice.
For example, Venus
Williams told the world that she was sidelined by a diagno- sis of Sjogren’s syndrome. Nick Cannon revealed that he has been diagnosed with a “lupus-like” disease.
What is Autoimmune Disease?
Autoimmune disease is a constellation of diseases in which the body’s immune sys- tem begins to recognize nor- mal cells (self) as foreign
(non-self) and, as a conse- quence, attacks the cells.
An immune/inflammatory response is triggered, and leads to destruction of the specific tissue. The destruc- tion can be major or minor; and at times is life-threaten- ing.
Initial symptoms are vari- able, depending on the organ system involved, but the uni- fying symptoms for almost all cases are fatigue, and a gen- eral sense of malaise.
Some autoimmune dis- eases are organ-specific, but others can be systemic (af- fecting multiple organ sys- tems).
We do not know what trig- gers this autoimmune re- sponse in most people, but in some cases, there is a genetic component. Incidence of these diseases is also known to be highly gender-specific, often affecting women in greater numbers than men, by a ratio of 3:1.
It is interesting to note that autoimmune diseases run in packs; i.e., if you are di- agnosed with one, you are likely to be affected by an- other one sometime later in life.
Here are 6 signs that you may have an autoim- mune disease:
1. Joint pain, muscle or pain or weakness
2. Recurrent rashes or hives, sun-sensitivity, a but- terfly-shaped rash across your nose and cheeks
3. Difficulty concentrating or focusing
4. Hair loss or white patches on your skin or inside your mouth
5. Dry eyes, mouth or skin
6. Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
How is Autoimmune Disease Treated?
Treatment usually in-
volves starting medications that suppress your immune system with high-dose steroids, or other immuno- suppressants.
Chronic immunosuppres- sant use increases one’s sus- ceptibility to infections. The only autoimmune disease that can be effectively treated without medication (pharma- ceutical or alternative) is Celiac disease (gluten-re- stricted diet).
Given the slight possibility in overlap of diagnoses, it is prudent for those newly diag- nosed with any autoimmune disease to consider testing for Celiac disease (if you have symptoms at all suggestive of gluten intolerance).
If you are found to be sen- sitive to gluten, and you elim- inate it from your diet, the other autoimmune disease MAY improve as well.
The fewer immune-ma- nipulating medications you have to take, the better.
FRIDAY, JULY 9, 2021 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY PAGE 7-B