Auto-Immune Diseases

Auto-Immune diseases are characterized by the body's immune responses being directed against its own tissues, resulting in inflammation and destruction. A wide range of degenerative diseases are caused as a result including, rheumatoid arthritis, insulin dependant diabetes, lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, auto-immune hepatitis, pancreatitis and allergy. Many experts also believe that other disease like Multiple Sclerosis have an auto-immune connection.

The rate and incidence of auto-immune diseases have been steadily increasing over the past several decades and tends to parallel the increasing use of synthetic foods and chemicals in the environment. Of concern is the fact that our environment, our air, water, land and food in particular, is full of toxic substances.

There is no doubt that these toxins play a role in immune dysfunction. Even substances considered by most people to be safe to eat actually impair immune function. Glucose, fructose and sucrose are all forms of sugar. Eating 100 grams of sugar can impair the ability of white cells (immune cells) to destroy biological agents. The effect begins within a half hour and lasts for up to 5 hours. After two hours, there is a 50% reduction in immune function! Other factors that decrease immune function are obesity, eating excess bad fats, alcohol, stress and fatigue.

Exposure to common chemicals can be very toxic even in small amounts resulting in damage to many systems of the body in addition to the immune system. Household cleaning products, cosmetics, pesticides, herbicides, formaldehyde in furniture and building materials, heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenic are brief examples of the toxins we are all exposed to everyday.

The physicians at Westhampton Natural Medicine are very experienced in recognizing and eliminating toxins from the human body. Special diagnostic lab tests are generally indicated followed by a comprehensive detoxification program that typically involves I.V. Therapy to remove toxins and replenish nutritional deficiencies.

Once we have removed from the body those substances that do not belong and given the body what it needs in the form of specific nutrients, we regularly see the majority of people with auto-immune disease improve.