Proper nutrition and diet play important roles in all of our lives, and they can have significant impact on autoimmune diseases. These types of diseases develop when our immune system mistakenly starts attacking healthy cells in our bodies. Genetics are a huge factor in the development of autoimmune diseases, but there are a number of different ways your diet can influence these conditions. 

The right diet can help prevent autoimmune diseases from developing, and it can also help you manage the symptoms. Finding an autoimmune specialist in Denver can really help get you on the right path to correcting or improving your diet. There are a number of ways that your diet can impact these conditions, from staying away from particular foods to replacing them with different options. 

Food Sensitivities and Inflammation

Many individuals that suffer from autoimmune diseases have sensitivities (or intolerances) to specific foods that can make conditions worse. Common foods that can trigger these conditions are dairy, gluten, and soy. Figuring out and identifying which foods are triggers can help improve the symptoms by eliminating them from your diet. Many of these items can be replaced with other equally nutritional alternatives. 

Things like processed foods, trans fats, and too many fatty acids – like those found in vegetable oils – can also cause issues. These are items that often trigger inflammation in the body, making symptoms even worse. Inflammation can make many autoimmune diseases worse, like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. There are a number of bowel diseases that are also made worse through inflammation, and eliminating or replacing those foods in your diet can reduce that inflammation, and those irritating symptoms.

Get the Most From Your Diet

The composition of gut bacteria plays a vital role in the function of your immune system. Eating a diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, and is high in fiber, can promote a healthy and diverse composition of gut bacteria. This helps regulate the immune response, reducing inflammation. Eating too many processed foods or lots of sugar can disrupt that balance, which can lead to the development and progression of autoimmune diseases. 

Your immune system needs particular nutrients to regulation inflammation as well as your autoimmune system. A well-balanced diet rich in nutrient-dense foods – like vitamins A and D, as well as selenium and zinc – will support your immune system and overall health. By staying away from processed foods and eating more lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, and health fats, you can set yourself up for success. It might seem like a big adjustment, but you will feel healthier in the long run – potentially suppressing or eliminating some of the symptoms from autoimmune diseases. It’s important to understand that everybody’s diet is different, and adjusting to these changes could be easier for some than others. What works for one individual may not provide the same results in another person. It’s important to work with a proper autoimmune specialist in Denver to ensure you’re receiving the right dietary plan that addresses your specific needs. For more information, reach out to the experts at the Center of Functional Medicine today.