What is Autoimmune Disease?
Autoimmune diseases are disorders in which individual cells and organs in the body are targeted by the immune system, mistaking them for foreign cells. The immune system is the defense system of our body; it protects us from diseases and illnesses. This does by releasing a set of proteins known as antibodies that destroy harmful microbes that invade the body. These proteins can recognize and differentiate between our normal cells and those of harmful germs. In autoimmune disease, however, the antibodies error some normal body cells for foreign cells. This induces them to misfire and attack these cells in the procedure. These antibodies are known as autoantibodies in this scenario.
Rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and Type 1 Diabetes mellitus are examples of autoimmune diseases. Any part of your body may be affected by autoimmune disease, and the symptoms that result depend on the organ that is attacked. The immune cells target only one organ, such as the joints, skin, or stomach, in some autoimmune diseases; all body areas are affected in various forms. The key question is, what is the cause of this immune system malfunction?
Causes of Autoimmune Disease
Autoimmune disease causes are mostly unknown. Scientists and physicians are still analyzing this phenomenon to have a better comprehension of it. However, there’s a growing consensus that an interplay of environmental and genetic factors may contribute to the phenomenon.
– Genetic Factors
The genetic factors that lead to autoimmunity may explain why it runs in individual families. Although not every member of these households gets the exact autoimmune disorder, each inherits this trend for their immune system to misfire.
More so, a finding that supports the use of genes in autoimmunity is the high risk of autoimmune disease in specific cultural groups. For example, systemic lupus erythematosus (or just known as lupus) affects more Hispanics and African-Americans than Caucasians.
Additionally, for reasons not clearly understood yet, women are more prone to autoimmune disorders than men, typically starting during a woman’s reproductive age. Some findings indicate that female reproductive hormones can play a role in autoimmunity—estrogen, and progesterone.
– Environmental Factors
Scientists have started to uncover several substances from the environment that could trigger an autoimmune reaction in our bodies. Some of the factors include:
Our immune can cause an autoimmune reaction by infectious agents, including some viruses and bacteria.
Solvents observed in several industrial products such as paints, nail polish, and cleaning agents may increase your risk of systemic sclerosis. This autoimmune disorder affects the skin and connective tissues. Excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight has been linked with an autoimmune disease that affects muscles, myositis. Heavy metals like mercury, which may be passed to us when we consume contaminated fish, can also lead to autoimmune disease.
Exposure to industrial substances, such as silica and asbestos, may foster autoimmune diseases involving the lungs. These compounds deposit in the lungs, setting off extensive inflammatory reactions. Smoke from cigarettes also raises the likelihood of rheumatoid arthritis. Food is also a significant culprit. Eating gluten, which is found in individual grains, can give rise to Celiac disease, an autoimmune disease involving the small intestine. The typical “Western diet,” comprising high-fat, high-sugar, and processed foods, is also regarded as a risk factor for dysfunctional immune reaction.
– Examples of Autoimmune Diseases
More than 80 kinds of autoimmune disorders, with varying symptoms that depend on the organ(s), are affected. Some of the diseases may be life-threatening, while some could be long-standing and debilitating. Autoimmune conditions are typically chronic and life-threatening.
Treatment & prevention of autoimmune disorder
No remedies for autoimmune disorders have been identified. However, because the autoimmune hyperactive immune system brings on autoimmune diseases in our bodies, one way to deal with it is to reduce immune activity. This means physicians may prescribe a particular class of drugs called immunosuppressants to control your symptoms. Your physician may also prescribe other medications depending on the sort of autoimmune disease. As an example, pain relief drugs for rheumatoid arthritis and insulin for type 1 diabetes.
Autoimmune diseases are linked to excessive inflammation. Therefore, one way you can decrease your risk of autoimmune disease is by avoiding factors that cause excessive inflammation. How can you do that? With a proper diet and foods that can help.
Get on a whole-food, plant-based diet since this is full of vitamins and antioxidants that help to mop up toxins, which may incite an immune reaction. This diet includes a lot of vegetables (leafy greens, squash, onions, carrots, turnips), spices (ginger, cayenne pepper, garlic, turmeric), and fruits (apples, mangoes, berries, etc.).
Avoid foods that cause inflammation, such as red meat, high-fat dairy products, refined sugars, refined grains, and oils that are refined.
The immune system in Ayurveda
According to Ayurveda, Vyadhikashamatwa is the energy of human anatomy that overpowers the disease’s harmful effects and stops its initiation. The modern idea of immunity can be contrasted with the concept of Vaydhikshamatwa in Ayurveda. It is made up of 2 words Vyadi and kshamatwa. Vyadhi means disorder, to harm, to injure or harm, and kshamatwa signifies ability or immunity. Therefore the term Vaydhikshamatwa implies the capability to withstand the disease. In charka Samhita, chakrapani clarifies vyadhikshamatwa as vyadhibalavirodhitvam means the body’s ability to fight against the manifested disease Vyadhyutapadaparatibandakatva means the power of the body to avoid the practice of disease manifestation. The body’s capacity to withstand the incidence of any illness or the capability to resist the development of this manifested disease is called vuyadhikshamatva, or immunity in Ayurveda.
The expression Bala is also regarded as a synonym of resistance. Bala means the strength of body immunity. It’s classified into three types, namely.
Sahaja Bala (Innate Immunity) – The physical and psychological strength gift naturally by Birth.
Kalaja Bala (Acquired Immunity)– Power because of the complimentary period, age, etc…
Yuktikruta Bala (Artificial Immunity) –is your strength attained by following an appropriate diet and lifestyle …
Autoimmune diseases are among those ten leading causes of death for men and women in all age groups.
Ayurvedic Treatments for Autoimmune Diseases
Contemporary science states that there’s no cure for autoimmune diseases and may only control them by curbing the overactive immune reaction. Ayurvedic therapies for autoimmune disorders are intended to correct the immune system through several procedures.
Causes for autoimmune disorders based on Ayurveda
Various factors are responsible for the production of autoimmunity. Here are a few reasons which are responsible for autoimmunity.
– Aggravations of all of the doshas can happen when a person consumes food during perspiration, not after the deistic rules, ingestion of incompatible food and beverages, eating when the preceding food is not digested or without feeling hungry, the wrong combination of foods, can cause increases in the aggravation of all the dosha’s
– Impairment of the inner fire (agni) — When Ayurveda’s deistic principles are repeatedly ignored, it will cause the digestive fire’s impairment. The best level of digestive fire must maintain the normalcy of their human body. When the digestive becomes diminished, it hampers the process of digestion and nutrition to the cells. The weak digestive fire contributes to the food’s improper digestion and causes a toxic metabolite called ama. This is a kind of toxin that can’t be digested, accumulates in the body, and contributes to the creation of autoimmunity.
– Poor lifestyle habits may cause the formation of these toxic materials. Based on the intensity of the toxins can directly affect the cells causing the procedure for autoimmunity, or the toxins can aggravate the dosha’s that intern disturbs the immunity and tissues, causing the practice of autoimmunity.
Repeated ingestion of unwholesome or unsuitable food customs contributes to the alteration in the cells. The altered tissue within the body considers itself an antigen, and an altered immune response takes palace resulting in autoimmunity.
– Accumulation of toxins or doshas from the cells may also result in autoimmunity as they don’t get metabolized and remain in cells as less potent toxins.
Researchers also believe that at least 40 disorders have an autoimmune origin.
Ayurvedic treatment of autoimmune diseases.
– Diet correction
Our health is dependent on what we consume. The usage of unwholesome food, having food without considering the appetite, getting food at the wrong time will hamper the digestive fire. The weak digestive fire interrupts the digestive process resulting in the production of toxic metabolites called ‘ama.’ The ama, which circulates all around the body, begins impacting the immune system’s functions. So the first step in the treatment of autoimmune disease starts by changing the diet.
– Lifestyle habits
A Sedentarily lifestyle, lack of physical actions also reduce resistance through different modes like reducing metabolic and digestive power. Physical activities like exercise can also be called Karmaja Bala. The decrease in Karmaja Bala also lowers the immune system.
– Mental state
Being in a happier state also enhances resistance by releasing certain hormones. The latest researches also claim that happy men can fight better against ailments in comparison with others.
– Ayurvedic herbs
Certain ayurvedic medications may help boost immunity. But one thing you will need to bear in mind is that it will work. Just other parameters are followed like proper diet, lifestyle modification, purification, etc.
– Detox & Cleansing
Purification of the body through specific treatments such as panchakarma will also help eliminate the elements responsible for reducing immunity. Elimination of the aggravated doshas and toxins accumulation will help the bodywork effectively to boost immunity.
– Rasayana Remedy
Rasayana therapy is the one that helps to nourish all the cells to work optimally. They’re administered only when the body is processed. Rasayana treatment also functions as a protective shield to prevent the reoccurrence of these ailments over and over,
Ayurveda for strong immunity
Immunity depends upon the balance of the doshas, wholesome condition of the cells, and proper formation and expulsion of waste in the body. In the same way, the celebrities of immunity also preserve a healthy state of the human body. There are various factors that are responsible for having a great immune system:
Sukakara kalayoga – If someone lives in a happier state, this is a natural booster of the immune system.
Ballarat chase deshe janma -The arrival of an individual in an area where other people have a robust immune system.
Ballarat kale janma – Birth of an individual within a healthy season like Samantha and shishira rutu’s.
Beeja guna Sampath — The sperm and ovum give birth to someone who will be healthy. Born to be well is also a natural immune booster.
Kshetra guna Sampath – The uterus’ healthful condition is also accountable for immunity through appropriate nutritional supply and healthy intrauterine life.
Ahahara Sampath – Selecting the ideal food and adhering to the deistic principles will keep the digestive power optimal. The great digestive power enhances resistance by fulfilling all dietary needs.
Sharira Sampath – A well-constructed body is the index of the proper nourishment of the human body, and its purpose is a natural strength enhancer.
Satya Sampath – Indulgence from the food substances used in the body is a natural strength enhancer. Using all of the six tastes helps balance the dosha’s in the body and improves body strength.
Satva Sampath – An individual can select the proper choices to keep one healthy once the individual had the satva overriding mind.
Havana – The young age is the natural strength enhancer. Young age is thought of as strongest among all of the ages.
Samharsha – Being happy boosts the potency of the individual during the biochemical reactions. Researches have found the connection between resistance and happiness.
Autoimmune diseases are a group of disorders that result in the destruction of tissues and organs in the body by its immune system. Although scientists are yet to its origin, what’s understood is that genetics and environmental factors may play a role. Since there is no cure for autoimmune disease, It’s best to learn how to lower your risks, mainly using a healthy lifestyle.