Integritus Prime

Initially, it was thought that autoimmune diseases (ADs) had no known cause. However, recently a lot has been discovered on how the environment we live in and choices we make can affect these types of diseases. To reduce the risks for autoimmune diseases, let us first look at what we can do despite having a genetic risk.

We now know that the following 4 factors determine whether we get a disease or stay healthy:

1. Environmental factors (such as chemicals, toxins, viruses and bacteria);
2. The type of life we lead (sedentary versus active);
3. Whatever we put into our body (food, drugs, alcohol, tobacco); and
4. Our attitude to life (thoughts, stress management abilities, positivity versus negativity).

Genes are what we inherit from our biological parents and grandparents; they determine the finer details of our makeup as unique human beings. We may have inherited the gene for a disease, but our environment and lifestyle habits determine if this gene expression is switched on into a disease. The switch is epigenetics and the triggers are the 4 factors mentioned above.

Epigenetics is a field that studies environmental and lifestyle factors, which determine when and how these genes are activated to cause a disease. Our exposure to toxins, and our lifestyle can switch on gene expression for autoimmune diseases. The lifestyle diseases typically associated with environmental triggers are cancers, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, and mental disorders.

In the past, we believed that the genes we inherit are our destiny. Recent studies show that the genes we inherit are like an empty house. What we do to the house determines whether it’s a home or a prison. Similarly, lifestyle factors such as nutritious food intake, regular exercise, adequate stress management practices, positive attitudes, mind-body balance allows the epigenetics mechanism to keep the disease-expression-genes from becoming activated.

While we may have a few susceptible genes, we can use epigenetic switches to stay healthy and reduce our risks for such diseases. Lifestyle practices that help prevent the activation of disease-expressing-genes are:

• Eating nutritious, organic, plant based meals;
• Being physically active;
• Keeping away from alcohol, tobacco and other recreational drugs;
• Having a positive attitude to life; and
• Successfully dealing with stress.

It is also important to avoid chemicals from everyday use items like insect prays, laundry detergents, personal hygiene products, and toxins from the environment. Using organic products helps us stay free of toxins.

I have overcome autoimmune and lifestyle diseases with my positive diet and stress management choices. Share with me your experiences with autoimmune diseases at Margaret@alchemusprime.com. Let’s keep learning together.