Autoimmune Conditions
Do you suffer from celiac disease, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, multiple sclerosis or some other kind of autoimmune condition? Are you tired of your family or friends insinuating that your symptoms are “in your head” or your health care provider throwing their hands up in dismay?
You’re not alone.
Approximately 50 million Americans suffer from an autoimmune disease. Many of these conditions do not display outward symptoms that are visible to others. At Starkel Nutrition, we understand that an autoimmune condition can forever change the course of your life, and we do our best to support you in learning how to thrive under your current circumstances. To do so, we first have to understand what is happening in your body and why the imbalance began.
Nutritional counseling and functional medicine approach
With autoimmunity, the immune system gets confused and starts seeing its own tissues as foreign invaders, or “non-self.” Essentially the immune system goes into overdrive. Typical standards of care are currently designed to suppress the immune system. However, functional medicine nutrition supports autoimmunity in a different way, placing a heavy emphasis on supporting the root cause of health imbalances. While the exact cause of autoimmunity is unclear at this time, Alessio Fasano, MD, a researcher who has dedicated his life to revolutionizing the way we understand celiac disease and other autoimmune conditions, describes it best using his “three-legged stool” analogy. The three factors that seem to be present in all cases of autoimmunity include:
- A genetic predisposition
- A triggering event (virus, toxic exposure, bacterial infections, environmental factors, poor nutrition, stress or trauma, etc.)
- Intestinal permeability (aka “leaky gut”) or gut dysbiosis (an imbalance in bacteria)
Our Approach
Targeting all three areas above, we are prepared to help you find a new normal, ideally one you didn’t realize was possible. Using a multidimensional approach we may choose to utilize nutrigenomics (how your diet and lifestyle choices may be turning on your genes for autoimmunity), lifestyle, nutrition factors and detox capacity that reduce your body’s total stress load. We will also, of course, support for your digestive system which is at the root of all autoimmune conditions.
However as you’re managing an autoimmune condition it can feel very isolating and exhausting, as you are on your healing journey. At times you may even feel that your relationship with food can become compromised. That is why we also place a heavy emphasis on the psychology of eating and nutritional counseling, helping you understand and tend to your body’s changing needs as you give your body the sustenance it is craving. Our master nutritionists who specialize in autoimmune conditions have been called by many of their clients as their “food therapist.” They know how to dive in and dig deep with clients to get to the root of their emotional needs when it comes to the necessary changes that are happening around food and body.
Learning to thrive with an autoimmune condition takes exploration, patience and a lot of support. Let us help you in understanding how to best support yourself through the power of whole foods nutrition and functional medicine.
Call us today at 206.853.0534 and schedule an appointment with one of our autoimmune condition nutrition specialists.