Autoimmune Diseases | When Your Body Turns On You

Autoimmune diseases do not need to mean a death sentence. For most, they are a form of inflammation.  You can give your body a fighting chance through proper nutrition, geared towards your specific illness. 

There are millions of people in North America who suffer from autoimmune diseases every day. These can range from diabetes to liver disease, fibromyalgia to IBS. Each of which, carry their own signs and symptoms. 

Autoimmune Diseases and Gut Health

Everyone’s gut can spring a leak from time to time. A leak can form after an infection, a virus, or upset stomach. Some people have symptoms, like bloating, gas, or indigestion. If the gut is healthy, the lining will heal. If the gut is in bad shape, it may not be able to close the fissures.

Inside a leaky gut, it opens the door for bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, chemicals, and pollutants to enter the bloodstream. Confronted with a steady stream of invaders, the immune system makes T helper cells, which speed up its response.

Not every leaky gut will lead to an autoimmune disease, but if you are genetically predisposed, the fight can be very dangerous. And, probably not one anyone ever cares to take on. Substances produced by T cells can irritate and inflame the body and indirectly activate genes capable of triggering autoimmunity.

Autoimmune Diseases and the Medical Model

When someone visits a doctor for symptoms related to autoimmune, these are often addressed by powerful immune suppressing medication and not by addressing the cause. That’s like taking a lot of aspirin while you are consciously hitting your finger with a hammer.

The treatment is not more aspirin or a strong immune suppressant, but removing the hammer.

If you want to cool off inflammation in the body, you must find the source.

Treat the fire, not the smoke. 

Now, although doctors have the greatest of intentions (I’m sure), they are trained to treat the symptom not the cause. This can be especially frustrating for people who suffer from a plethora of diseases, and autoimmune disease are no different. 

Your Diet and Autoimmune Diseases

I believe the best diet for autoimmune disease is the one that minimizes the immune response that comes from eating foods that a person is allergic/sensitive to. Or, those that contribute to leaky gut. This can be different foods for different people (with the exception of gluten, which anyone with autoimmunity should never eat). 

In addition to this, it is very important that the diet is extremely nutrient-dense and full of the fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals that contribute to health and wellness. And, treating and managing symptoms from the inside out. 

Eat to Heal.

The following, is a list of foods that are ‘autoimmune diet’ approved. Now, keep in mind that just because it’s on the list, if it bothers you – don’t eat it. At Ki’s Kitchen we do cook for autoimmune specific diets. In addition to being vegan friendly. 

In the interest of our regular readers, we have included meat on this list because we found some of our customers continue to eat meat weekly. Having said that, we do not cook any animal products in our kitchen. 

Foods to Eat While Treating and Managing Autoimmune 

• Most Organic Vegetables: including  artichoke, asparagus, beets, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chives, cucumbers, garlic, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, mustard greens, onions, parsley, radishes, rhubarb, shallots, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, water chestnuts, watercress, yams, zucchini.
• Fermented foods: sauerkraut, kimchi, pickled ginger, fermented cucumbers, coconut yogurt, kombucha, water kefir, etc. You will probably need to make your own or buy one of the few brands that are genuinely fermented and free of sugars or additives.
• Meats: including beef, chicken, fish, lamb, turkey. Organic only – grass fed, hormone free. Fish, should be ocean caught with low mercury content.
• Low Glycemic Organic Fruits: including apples, apricots, avocados, berries, cherries, grapefruit, lemons, oranges, peaches, pears, plums.
• Coconut: including coconut butter, coconut cream, coconut milk, coconut oil, unsweetened coconut flakes, unsweetened coconut yogurt.
• Herbs and Spices: including basil, black pepper, cilantro, coriander, cumin, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, sea salt, thyme, turmeric.
• Other: apple cider vinegar, herbal teas, olive oil, olives.

We hope this was helpful and would love to answer any questions you may have. After struggling with autoimmune for much of my own life, I am actively aware of how different I felt once I changed the way I ate. 

Lastly, please understand that in no way, shape or form do we want to take away from the struggles that those suffering from autoimmune diseases go through daily. We do believe that often additional help or therapy of sort can also benefit the management of them. Diet, is only one piece of the puzzle – and at Ki’s Kitchen, we are striving our best, to do our part. 

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Thank you so much for visiting! I hope you have found some valuable information, if so, I’d love to hear about it! Please feel free to share this post with anyone who might benefit, and comments are always welcomed and appreciated. 

I look forward to connecting with you next time!

And be sure to check out why you should order your family’s next meal courtesy of Ki’s Kitchen  

From our kitchen to yours,

Love + Peace

Kiran