Have you noticed the increase of friends, family, neighbors, caregivers, and colleagues diagnosed with autoimmune diseases? I did too. Have you also noticed that you hear more about women being diagnosed than men? Me too!
I did a bit of research to get us all a bit more up to speed because I observed a lot of these women, many of which are either friend, colleague, or family member of clients, are also caregivers. These diseases are one of the leading causes of death, reduce quality of life as well as deplete finances. We all need to be informed because it affects all of us: it is your friend, you, your family member, caregiver, or colleague. You are seen, and there is hope!
What is Autoimmunity?
“A normal immune system makes proteins known as antibodies. Antibodies recognize, prevent, and resolve infections in the body. Autoimmunity occurs when the immune system makes antibodies against itself—these are known as autoantibodies.”
There are over 100 autoimmune diseases. The target the following systems
-Joints and Muscles (example: rheumatoid arthritis and lupus)
-Skin and Blood Vessels (examples: psoriasis and vitiligo)
-Digestive system (example: Crohn’s disease and celiac disease)
-Endocrine system (example: type 1 diabetes and Graves’ disease)
-Nervous System (example: multiple sclerosis (MS)
Why Women
From what I understood, hormonal fluctuation, immune polarization (caused by sex hormones, reproductive cycles, etc.), and transition states (i.e., perimenopause) together increase the susceptibility of women to autoimmune diseases.
What’s out there to help women (and men) with autoimmune diseases:
Autoimmune disease diagnosis has gone up dramatically globally. However, the increase in western and northern countries as compared to eastern and southern countries has led to speculation that diet, changing environment, and pollution may be contributors to this increase. According to The Institute for Functional Medicine, diet and exercise can positively impact those with autoimmune disease. 2 points mentioned are:
- Mediterranean diet, with its anti-inflammatory components
- Home-based physical activity
Exciting new treatments:
CAR-T therapy
-“Immune soldiers called T cells are filtered out of a patient’s blood and sent to a lab, where they’re programmed to destroy their B cell relatives. After some chemotherapy to wipe out additional immune cells, millions of copies of those “living drugs” are infused back into the patient.
While autoimmune drugs can target certain B cells, experts say they can’t get rid of those hidden deep in the body. CAR-T therapy targets both the problem B cells and healthy ones that might eventually run amok.”
Peacekeeper T Cells
-“Regulatory T cells are a rare subset of T cells that tamp down inflammation and help hold back other cells that mistakenly attack healthy tissue. Some biotech companies are engineering cells from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other diseases not to attack, like CAR-T does, but to calm autoimmune reactions.”
T cell engagers
-“Scientists also are repurposing another cancer treatment, drugs called T cell engagers, that don’t require custom engineering. These lab-made antibodies act like a matchmaker. They redirect the body’s existing T cells to target antibody-producing B cells.”
There is also a study on working to predict, delay, and even prevent autoimmune diseases.
Of course, none of this is in any way medical advice. Always talk to your doctor. Information is powerful.
If you or someone you know is fighting this disease, there is support out there. We found this organization online. Tell me if they help you.
https://autoimmune.org/resource-center/patient-support/support-groups/
PBS New Frontier Autoimmune Disease article