LifeCare Chiropractic

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autoimmune disorders

Cerebral Atrophy Related to Corticotherapy in Lupus – (08-06-01)

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Cerebral Atrophy Related to Corticotherapy in Lupus

While this article focuses on patients with SLE, the concept applies to the common method of treatment for many autoimmune disorders. With all the other damaging effects of corticosteroid use (adrenal suppression, bone loss, damage to GI mucosa, liver problems), now with loss of brain matter added, why would this therapy be a front-line approach to many diseases? We have so many other approaches in functional medicine designed to modify and balance the immune response.

Springer LINK: Clinical Rheumatology – Abstract Volume 20 Issue 4 (2001) pp 245-250

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Acidic Drinking Water and Risk of Childhood-Onset Type 1 Diabetes – (10-03-02)

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Acidic Drinking Water and Risk of Childhood-Onset Type 1 Diabetes

This article is very intriguing to me and raises several issues. The findings of this study show that acidic municipal water led to a fourfold increase in risk of developing Type 1 DM. Zinc was also evaluated, and higher levels were protective. The authors suggest that the acidity may work indirectly by fostering the growth of certain types of bacteria that influence risk. A few comments here. First, this just strengthens the case for filtered/bottled water. Second, zinc is known to help modulate the Th1/Th2 cytokine expression–might this help guide the immune system into proper development and avoid autoimmune disorders? Or might the zinc support healthy immune function and override any infections that may lead to Type 1 DM? Stay tuned…

Dia Care — Abstracts: Stene et al. 25 (9): 1534

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TONING UP OR DOWN THE ENTIRE BODY’S IMMUNE RESPONSE – (01-15-07)

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The gut-joint axis: cross reactive food antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis

While the research has supported this for some time, clinicians have been slow to catch up.  Bottom line is that the GI tract has a strong ability to tone up or tone down the entire body’s immune response.  Insult the GI tract too much with food allergies and a signal will go out to the rest of the body that we’re under attack, raising our overall defense and increasing likelihood of our body mistakenly attacking our own cells.  An elimination diet is absolutely essential for anyone with an autoimmune disease.

Additionally, our view of autoimmune disorders is changing.  While we have always viewed AI conditions as dysfunctions of the immune system that need to be surpressed, evidence is increasing that the immune system is actually doing what it’s supposed to be doing, but that the tissues themselves (DNA in Lupus, myelin sheat in MS, Type II collagen in RA…) are being excessively damaged.  This is what needs to be fixed, not the immune system.

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