What is autoimmune disease?​

• Autoimmune diseases result from a confused immune system attacking the normal body tissue. This is unlike a normal functioning immune system that only attacks substances that are harmful to the body, such as bacteria, viruses, toxins, and cancer cells.

• Simply put, the immune system is the army, the immune cells are the soldiers, and the immune cells that attack one's body are the soldiers with “mental disorders”.

• About 80 Types of Autoimmune Diseases:

  • Systematic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Type-1 Diabetes, Alopecia areata, Multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, Rheumatoid arthritis, Ulcerative colitis, Atrophic gastritis, Grave’s disease, Pernicious anemia, Celiac disease, Vasculitis, Sjogren’s syndrome, Psoriasis, Myasthenia gravis, Vitiligo, Aplastic anemia, Lichen planus, Pemphigus vulgaris, Scleroderma, Bullous pemphigoid, Autoimmune urticaria, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, Goodpasture’s syndrome, Autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome, Immune thrombocytopenic purpura, Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis type 1, Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy​

What are the 4 major causes of autoimmune diseases?

1. Gene and environmental triggers

   • The environmental factors (e.g. diet, stress, UV, chemicals) are the major contributor compared to gene

2. Unhealthy gut and digestive system

   • The intestinal walls act as a filter and protective barrier. If this “filter” is damaged (a common occurrence during inflammation), there will be increased intestinal permeability (commonly referred to as leaky gut).

   • This allows incompletely digested big molecules to pass through intestinal walls into the bloodstream. When these substances accumulate in certain organs in the body, they stimulate the immune system to react by initiating inflammatory responses.

   • While attacking the foreign substances, the immune system may mistakenly attack the organs where these foreign substances are, thereby leading to autoimmune diseases.

3. Meat and dairy consumption

   • The similarities in protein structures or amino acid sequences between the human body and the meat or dairy product consumed will cause the immune cells wrongly identify human protein as enemies and mistakenly attack them.

4. Unstable emotion and stress

   • The secretion of corticosteroids when we are under stress will suppress the immune system and harm the body.

What are the best foods for patients with autoimmune disease?

1. Eat more foods that high in Omega-3
   • Neutralization of Omega-6 and reduce inflammation
   • Examples: Chia seed, kiwi seed, Omega-6 edible oil such as perilla oil, kiwi seed oil, macadamia oil, soybean oil

2. Eat more high-fibre foods

   • Nourish a healthy balance of gut bacteria to boost gut health

   • Examples: Psyllium husk, Chia seeds, oats, bananas, broccoli, snow peas, soybeans, quinoa

3. Eat more wholesome plant foods

   • Nourish our immune system with nutrition, especially antioxidants, phytochemicals and polysaccharides

   • Examples: Rose, cactus fruits, acerola cherry, cranberry, blueberry, cactus, cordyceps, ABM mushroom, shiitake mushroom, maitake mushroom