Can You Improve an Autoimmune Condition with Diet and Lifestyle?

Late last year, I shared my experience with autoimmunity. In my early twenties, I quickly evolved from feeling good to experiencing extreme fatigue, joint pain, chronic hives & more. Through my personal experience resolving my autoimmune condition primarily with practiced diet & lifestyle shifts, I felt encouraged and motivated to help others struggling with a similar experience.

Receiving a correct autoimmune diagnosis can take years and, in conventional medicine, we're often told that there's nothing you can do to lower antibody levels - like TPO (thyroid) antibodies - with diet and lifestyle; the only solution given is medication and oftentimes, 'sorry, there's not much we can do about those levels.' But at Being Functional Nutrition, we're here to tell you that's absolutely not the case. Medication can have a place, but diet and lifestyle shifts can make a profound impact on symptoms and daily quality of life.

Where Do I Start?

Optimizing gut health and nervous system health are KEY components for improving autoimmune symptoms & labs. Our functional dietitians always run labs to address both of these and then implement diet & lifestyle shifts based on those results. As with everything when it comes to functional nutrition, there is no one-size-fits-all approach; it's key to look at each person as their own individual and create recommendations based on that. Some of the more common diet & lifestyle recommendations that we make include

• Removal of foods that can be inflammatory, including gluten. Focus on foods to include like vibrant fruits & vegetables, quality proteins, healthy fats like olive oil & avocado while promoting blood sugar balance.
• Incorporate gut-fueling probiotics (think: fermented foods like sauerkraut & kimchi) and prebiotics.
• Supplement to correct nutrient deficiencies that can in turn, support more optimal gut health and energy levels.
• Identify stress reducing techniques and implement them regularly into daily life.
• Work to find the joy, help find tools to address past trauma and work to find a desirable alignment in life.

When Can I Expect to See Results?

Within just a few weeks, we've seen tons of clients see dramatic symptom improvement. In our signature 10-week personalized nutrition program, My Food is Health, we regularly work with clients on this very topic. Sharing a few of the transformations we've had the honor of witnessing through My Food is Health and our VIP 1:1 nutrition program.

• Client diagnosed with Hashimoto's and her doctor said she could never reverse ANA; ANA is now negative. At the time of her diagnosis, she had to pause her business, but now is back to work & growing her business!
• Client diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis who had issues walking. After My Food is Health, she went on a hiking trip!
• Client diagnosed with Crohn's disease who used to have blood and mucousy diarrhea multiple times per day. Now, she is having 1-2 formed bowel movements daily without blood. This is a great sign of reduced inflammation! She also recently ran a 5K with a family member and made it through without issues - she actually completely forgot that she used to be worried she'd have to run to the bathroom!
• Client without a formal autoimmune diagnosis but symptoms of one was on a leave of absence from work. After working with one of our dietitians, she went from being primarily bedbound to now doing yoga and walking most days.

There is so much power we have in our food and daily life choices, even when it comes to a sometimes vague and disheartening diagnosis of autoimmunity.