Doing what’s convenient has become almost second nature to us. Whether it’s staying back at work, giving up on sleep to complete pending tasks, or opting for a quick and easy-to-eat meal, we constantly make choices that are bad for us. We’ve become our own worst enemies! And, the numbers are there to prove it. In the last three decades, the rate of autoimmune disorders has increased drastically.
Granted autoimmunity is commonly passed down through genetics but, recent research into the field suggests that our environment and life choices are doing greater harm to us.
While it’s true that in today’s day and age, we can’t escape from our sleep-deprived and stressed-out lifestyles but, we can rest assured that switching to better dietary habits will significantly decrease our chances of getting autoimmune diseases, and it will substantially improve the quality of our lives.
How Our Immune System Works
In many ways, our immune system functions similarly to a home security system. Both systems are designed in a manner that ensures intruders are locked outside, while we remain safely inside.
Unlike a security system, however, when our immune system notices any threats in the form of bacteria, parasites, viruses, or any other harmful substances from the outer environment, it instantly activates its inflammatory pathways to ensure their destruction.
However, sometimes our body loses its ability to differentiate between substances that belong inside and outside it. In such cases, it launches inflammatory pathways in a state of “self-attack”. This is what is happening inside our bodies when we have autoimmunity. Basically, it’s like having the home security go off for no reason, rendering us unable to stay inside our home.
Causes of Misdiagnosis
During autoimmunity, it is common for different organs to be attacked. Hence, each of its types is classified according to the organ being affected. Common types of autoimmunity include type 1 diabetes, irritable bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Hashimoto’s disease, celiac disease, and Grave’s disease.
Depending on the symptoms that occur, doctors order a biopsy, blood tests, or imaging. Autoimmunity, however, can be gravely complex, and doctors are known to have a hard time coming to a conclusion while dealing with it.
How To Stay Immune
Since studies have proven that the environment can have adverse effects on us, we have to ensure that we limit the multiple stressors present within our lifestyle choices. Yes, this means changing everything, down to the last scratch.
No more overtime, no more sleepless nights, no more unhealthy dietary choices. Remember that autoimmunity is genetic, and we always run the risk of passing it on to the next generation. Switching up our lifestyle for the sake of our health will only cause our bodies to bless us like never before.
Source: Read Full Article