Auto-Immune Disorders
One of the most prevalent conditions that Americans have is an autoimmune disorder. This happens when the body's immune system attacks the healthy tissues of the body. A staggering 50 million Americans are believed to be affected by an autoimmune disorder! Also, autoimmunity is among the top 10 leading causes of death in female children and women up to 64 years old. A lot of those who have an autoimmune disorder are not even aware they have it.
Common symptoms of this inflammatory response consist of redness, swelling, and also 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 diseases with the possibility of another 40 or so having an autoimmune component!
Autoimmune disorders you might be familiar with include Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Type 1 Diabetes, Lupus, Sjogren's Syndrome, Scleroderma, and Psoriasis.
There are different medical theories as to why autoimmune diseases occur. Approximately 20% of the population has a genetic predisposition to autoimmunity. However, there are probably several "triggers" that integrative doctors such as ourselves address. Triggers or causative agents might consist of 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 occurs), unhealthy intestinal lining known as increased permeability (where protein particles and bacteria can be improperly absorbed into the bloodstream causing 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 focusing on underlying causative factors and utilizing holistic methods to reduce inflammation and improve immune system regulation. In some cases, we also utilize Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) to help with immune modulation.
For individuals on conventional drug therapies for autoimmunity, we work to address underlying causative factors and offer complementary treatments for a better quality of life.
For further information about Dr. Stengler’s practice and his clinic in Oceanside, California, please visit our website at MarkStengler.com or give us a call at (760) 274-2377
