Auto-Immune Disorders

One of the most prevalent conditions that Americans have is an autoimmune disorder. This occurs when the body's immune system attacks the healthy tissues of the body. A staggering 50 million Americans are believed to be impacted by an autoimmune condition! Also, autoimmunity is among the top 10 leading causes of death in female children and also women up to 64 years of age. A lot of those who have an autoimmune disorder are not even aware they have it.

Common symptoms of this inflammatory reaction include redness, swelling, as well as pain. Symptoms such as fatigue and fever are also common 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 might 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 diseases happen. Approximately 20% of the population has a genetic predisposition to autoimmunity. However, there are likely several "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 known as increased permeability (where protein particles and bacteria can be improperly absorbed into the bloodstream causing an immune response), food allergies or sensitivities (especially gluten), environmental toxins (toxic metals, pesticides, etc), and hormone imbalances.

We help people prevent and treat autoimmune disorders by addressing underlying causative factors and utilizing holistic protocols to reduce inflammation and improve immune system regulation. In some cases, we also utilize Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) to help with immune modulation.

For patients on conventional drug treatments for autoimmunity, we work to address underlying causative factors and provide complementary therapies for a better quality of life.

For further information about Dr. Stengler’s practice and his clinic in San Marcos, California, please visit our website at MarkStengler.com or give us a call at (760) 274-2377