More Women Are Affected By Autoimmune Diseases – Why?
Autoimmune diseases are like a silent epidemic. Statistics vary depending on which autoimmune diseases are included. Somewhere between 23.5 million to 50 million Americans or about one in six people live and cope with autoimmune diseases according to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association. The National Institute of Health reports 75 percent of those people are women and has officially designated it a major women’s health issue. Autoimmune diseases occur when the body’s immune system becomes misdirected and attacks the organs it was designed to protect. They are a varied group of more than 100 illnesses that involve almost every human organ system. They include diseases of the nervous, gastrointestinal, and endocrine systems, as well as the skin and joints and
What Are Autoimmune Disorders?
Your immune system is made up of organs and cells meant to protect your body from bacteria, parasites, viruses and cancer cells. An autoimmune disease is the result of the immune system accidentally attacking your body instead of protecting it. It's unclear why your immune system does this. There are over 100 known autoimmune diseases. Common ones include lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Autoimmune diseases can affect many types of tissues and nearly any organ in your body. They may cause a variety of symptoms including pain, tiredness (fatigue), rashes, nausea, headaches, dizziness and more. Specific symptoms depend on the exact disease. How Do Autoimmune Diseases Work? Experts don’t know why your immune system turns on you. It’s like it can
Autoimmune Diseases: Types and Diagnosis
Autoimmune diseases can affect almost every body part or system. There are more than 80 of these conditions, and some are more common than others. Common examples include hypothyroidism, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The immune system is a network of tissues, organs, and cells. Its role is to defend the body against harmful organisms, such as bacteria and viruses, warding off infection and disease. In a person with an autoimmune disease, the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy body cells and tissues. Researchers do not know the causes of many autoimmune conditions, but genetic factors, past infections, and environmental factors can affect their development. Long-term treatments aim to reduce the strength of immune responses. Antibiotics are
Episode 10 Immune Health
Suggestions for optimizing your immune system in today's world.