Edition three of Holistic Living Magazine seems to be a nice place to reflect on what we have covered so far; Depression and its triggers, Diabetes and its causes and now in this edition, autoimmune disease.
On the face of it there seems to be little to connect them, other than the standard approach of, “Have some drugs”, or a shrug of the shoulders from the third doctor you’ve seen saying, “Sorry, I can’t help you.”
But is that strictly true? Recent research has uncovered evidence that Depression isn’t just a mental illness, but that there are biological and physical health components to it as well.
More specifically cytokines and inflammation could be a contributing factor in its causes. As for cytokines these are linked to obesity and trans fats and sugars have been shown to promote inflammation.
We already know that Type 2 Diabetes is related to diet, and more specifically sugar intake, which has also been identified as a cause of inflammation. So now we have two of the diseases that we have covered, being at least partially linked to diet and exercise.
Now while the autoimmune literature will state quite clearly the actual causes of such diseases are unknown, there is sufficient evidence to point at:
- Bacteria or virus
- Drugs
- Chemical irritants
- Environmental irritants
Of course three of these points have already been covered by many of the Experts in how they affect your overall health.
And when linked to the myriad of stories, such as Meghan O’Rourke in the New Yorker , of people keeping at bay their individual autoimmune disease with major lifestyle and dietary changes, there does seem to be a pattern emerging within the three topics.
That thread is the fact that all of them seem to be, to a greater or lesser extent, what you are eating and seemingly just as importantly what you are living in.
While it could be simplistic to say that, and it is hard to move away from the environment, the food and the lifestyles we all lead, it is still a great starting point. Change the diet.
Reduce the stress in your life. Remove some of the more extreme chemicals that you use, either on yourself or in your home. You don’t have to worry too much about where you start just start somewhere.
You can find much more information on living a holistic lifestyle in these free magazines and on our YouTube channel.
Cassandra Jones – Editor At Large For Holistic Living Magazine
References:
Autoimmune Disease, Roddick, J., http://www.healthline.com/health/autoimmune-disorders#Overview1, accesses 24th November 2015
Is Depression a Kind of Allergic Reaction, Williams, C., http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/jan/04/depression-allergic-reaction-inflammation-immune-system, accessed 24th November 2015
What’s Wrong With Me?, O’Rourke, M., http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/08/26/whats-wrong-with-me, accessed 24th November 2015
