Autoimmune Diseases: When the Body Attacks Itself

Think of your immune system as guarding the fortress — your body. It plays a key role in protecting against germs like bacteria and viruses. But sometimes, the immune system makes a mistake and can’t tell the difference between harmful foreign cells and your own. It releases proteins called autoantibodies that attack healthy cells, and a host of conditions, known as autoimmune diseases, can develop.

At Valhalla Wellness & Medical Centers, you’ll benefit from the varied, multidisciplinary nature of our staff. Our team includes a family medicine doctor, a naturopathic physician and a chiropractic physician who will guide you in making the lifestyle adjustments that can contribute to healing on a cellular level.

There are more than 80 different autoimmune diseases, and here is a look at some of the most common:

1. Type 1 diabetes: The immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.
2. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA): The immune system attacks the joints. This attack causes redness, warmth, soreness, and stiffness in the joints.
3. Psoriasis/psoriatic arthritis: A condition that causes the skin cells to multiply too quickly. The extra cells build up and form inflamed red patches, commonly with silver-white scales of plaque on the skin.
4. Multiple sclerosis: A condition that damages the myelin sheath, the protective coating that surrounds nerve cells, in the central nervous system, leading to symptoms like numbness, weakness, balance issues, and trouble walking.
5. Inflammatory bowel disease: Conditions that cause inflammation in the lining of the intestinal wall.
6. Celiac disease: People with this condition can’t eat foods containing gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and other grain products. When gluten is in the small intestine, the immune system attacks this part of the gastrointestinal tract and causes inflammation.

At Valhalla Wellness and Medical Centers, our treatment program begins with addressing your symptoms to keep them under control. We will utilize a functional approach to healing and formulate a treatment plan designed for your specific needs. For more information on how we can help you, give us a call today.

By Valhalla Wellness & Medical Centers

September 17, 2021