7 Major Factors Causing Autoimmune Conditions

One in every 10 people is affected by an autoimmune condition. You may be one of them. You may be at risk. And you most likely know people with an autoimmune condition. There are currently over 80 different kinds of known autoimmune diseases, but there are likely more that we don’t have a name for yet. Many with an autoimmune disease are at risk of developing one.

It’s clear that autoimmune diseases are a serious health issue in our society. But what are the major factors that can cause or increase your risk of autoimmunity? Without understanding the root causes and risk factors, we can’t reduce your risks or improve your health.

The job of a healthy immune system is to protect you from infections and diseases. Your immune system does this by attacking viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens that are trying to enter and harm your body. A normally functioning immune system can tell apart pathogens from cells that are part of your body. They don’t harm your cells, tissues, and organs, but only pathogens.

However, if you have an autoimmune condition, your immune system has trouble distinguishing between foreign pathogens and your own tissues. It will end up attacking your cells, organs, and tissues instead of pathogens by mistake because it confuses them with foreign invaders.

The most common autoimmune conditions include:

Celiac disease
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
Graves’ disease
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
Rheumatoid arthritis
Reactive arthritis
Systemic lupus erythematosus
Addison disease
Sjögren syndrome
Type I diabetes
Psoriasis
Multiple sclerosis
Pernicious anemia
Myasthenia gravis

There are 7 causes of autoimmune diseases:

Leaky Gut and Low Stomach Acid Levels
High Chemical Toxicity Load
Mold and Mycotoxins
Heavy Metals
Phthalates (plastics)
Blood Sugar Imbalance and Insulin Resistance (use a constant glucose monitoring)
Chronic Stress