One of the most prevalent disorders that Americans have is an autoimmune disease. This happens when the body's immune system attacks the healthy tissues of the body. A staggering 50 million Americans are thought to be affected by an autoimmune disorder! Also, autoimmunity is among the top 10 leading causes of death in female children and also women up to 64 years old. A lot of those that have an autoimmune disorder are not even aware they have it.
Common signs of this inflammatory response consist of redness, swelling, and pain. Symptoms such as fatigue and fever are also prevalent symptoms. Autoimmune diseases can affect every part of the body, including the brain, nerves, heart, blood vessels, muscles, skin, eyes, joints, lungs, kidneys, liver, glands, and digestive tract. No wonder researchers have identified between 80-100 autoimmune disorders with the possibility of another 40 or so having an autoimmune component!
Autoimmune disorders you may be familiar with include Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Type 1 Diabetes, Lupus, Sjogren's Syndrome, Scleroderma, and Psoriasis.
There are various medical theories as to why autoimmune disorders happen. Approximately 20% of the population has a genetic predisposition to autoimmunity. However, there are likely a number of "triggers" that integrative doctors such as ourselves address. Triggers or causative agents may include chronic infections (e.g., viral infections, gum disease, Lyme Disease, and others), imbalanced microbiome in the digestive tract (where 70% of the immune cell activity takes place), unhealthy intestinal lining referred to as increased permeability (where protein particles and bacteria can be improperly absorbed into the bloodstream triggering an immune response), food allergies or sensitivities (particularly gluten), environmental toxins (toxic metals, pesticides, etc), and hormone imbalances.
We help individuals prevent and treat autoimmune diseases by addressing underlying causative factors and utilizing holistic protocols to reduce inflammation and improve immune system regulation. In some cases, we also use Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) to help with immune modulation.
For individuals on conventional drug treatments for autoimmunity, we work to address underlying causative factors and offer complementary treatments for a greater quality of life.
For further information about Dr. Stengler’s practice and his clinic in La Mesa, California, please visit our website at MarkStengler.com or give us a call at (760) 274-2377.
