The role of diet in autoimmune disease

     There has been a massive increase in the prevalence of autoimmune diseases in the Western world over the past few decades. But it’s not all bad news! Autoimmune diseases are not just the product of the hand you’re dealt in the genetic lottery. Instead, your daily choices, especially those related to your diet, have a remarkable influence on the battle against these conditions. Your plate becomes a battlefield where you can either bolster your defenses or inadvertently feed the enemy. It’s a revelation that empowers you to potentially prevent, effectively manage, and in some cases even reverse autoimmune diseases! As we’ve seen, inflammation is a common factor in many autoimmune conditions, and certain dietary choices can significantly fuel or, conversely, reduce inflammation. An anti-inflammatory diet typically emphasizes whole, nutrient-dense foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, plant-based proteins, and healthy fats. These foods provide essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, and omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce inflammation and support your immune system, helping it tell the difference between friend and foe and preventing it from going haywire and attacking healthy cells.

A 2008 study found that a plant-rich diet increased levels of many specific nutrients that contribute to a healthy, balanced immune response, including fiber, vitamin A and beta-carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, and potassium.

In 2015, a group of patients embarked on a culinary adventure, eating a strictly plant-based diet for just three weeks. What happened next was nothing short of remarkable. Their C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of acute inflammation, plummeted, dropping to significantly lower levels.

This isn’t a one-time wonder, either. Study after study sings the same tune: Those who adopt plant-based diets experience less inflammation and fewer aches and pains compared to their counterparts who follow the standard Western diet path.

Many animal proteins, such as those found in meat, dairy, and eggs, can trigger an inflammatory response. It’s like a cycle that just won’t stop. You eat an animal product, after a while, the inflammation starts to subside, and then boom! Your next meal spikes again.

Another dietary enemy that triggers this cycle is sugar. Sugar accelerates inflammation and dampens immune function, turning your once-mighty white blood cells into sluggish soldiers. Diets that contain high sugar intakes have been linked to the development or progression of autoimmune diseases. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid, or at least moderate, your sugar intake.

If you have an autoimmune disease, it is best to focus on organic fruits and vegetables, clean proteins like legumes, nuts, and seeds, and foods rich in essential fatty acids, such as olives, avocados, nuts, and seeds. Eat a rainbow-colored plate to boost your intake of free radical-fighting antioxidants. Dark-colored fruits that are high in polyphenols are particularly helpful in reducing inflammation in the gut.

Some foods that have great anti-inflammatory potential that you may want to eat more of include:

-Leafy greens

-Mushrooms

-Onions

-Squash

-Turnips and rutabagas

-Ginger

-Turmeric

-Berries

 

Eliminate trigger foods

A key aspect of diet management in autoimmune diseases involves identifying and eliminating trigger foods. Many autoimmune diseases, such as celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, and rheumatoid arthritis, often bring food sensitivities and intolerances into the spotlight.

Take celiac disease, for example. Those who struggle with it should stay away from gluten-containing grains, such as wheat, barley, and rye, as gluten triggers an autoimmune response and damages the intestinal lining.

In fact, many people with an autoimmune disease experience improvement when they remove gluten from their diet, at least initially.

This is because gluten can trigger the release of zonulin in some people, a molecule that breaks down the tight junctions that hold our intestinal lining together, which can lead to leaky gut and inflammation throughout the body.

This also poses a problem because of a phenomenon known as molecular mimicry. For example, for some people with autoimmune thyroid disease, every time they eat gluten, their immune system sends out antibodies to detect and destroy gluten, but because gluten and the thyroid gland are structurally very similar, some of these immune cells end up attacking the thyroid by mistake. It’s not just gluten that’s a problem. Many different foods can also cause problems for individuals with autoimmune diseases. If this sounds like you, you may benefit from specific dietary interventions, such as food intolerance testing or an elimination diet. This involves a temporary hiatus from potentially inflammatory foods, followed by a slow re-entry process to identify the exact culprits that trigger these uncomfortable reactions.

 References:

DOI: 10.1016/j.jada.2008.07.015

DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2014.11.001

DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2022.02.015

DOI: 10.1136/gut.2006.094599

DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2019-319281

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