Our immune system is meant to protect us from disease. But it can also damage our own cells and tissues. This is what happens in autoimmune disease. But why would our own immune system turn against us? And what can we do about it, if anything? How a healthy immune system works A healthy immune […]
Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by bacteria
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic arthritic condition of the joints. Like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis causes joint pain, swelling and stiffness, but these conditions are very different. While osteoarthritis is considered a disease of wear and tear, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. Which means that instead of protecting the body against an invader, the immune […]
Which therapy – chronic pain and rheumatoid arthritis
This is the second post in a series of posts about the potential benefits of complementary therapies for people living with chronic pain. In case you missed it, you can find the first post here. This post focusses on research related to several complementary therapies and rheumatoid arthritis. As reported in a review article in […]
Topical herbal and natural treatments for psoriasis
Psoriasis is the chronic skin condition that causes red and crusty patches of skin with silvery scales. These often occur on the elbows or knees but can appear anywhere on the body. This recent systematic review in the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology discusses natural treatments for psoriasis. Here, I summarise the findings for some of […]
The autoimmune diet that puts autoimmune disease into remission
If you had an autoimmune disease wouldn’t you want to know about a diet that helped in just six weeks? Well, that is what this study shows. 73% of people with inflammatory bowel disease were helped in weeks by an autoimmune diet. What is inflammatory bowel disease? The inflammatory bowel diseases are ulcerative colitis and […]
Women have a higher risk of developing autoimmune disease
The prevalence of autoimmune disease appears to be increasing. While nearly four fifths of people with autoimmune conditions are women. Of course whether someone develops an autoimmune condition depends on many factors. We know that genetics have an influence on who is more likely to develop a disease. Yet the research shows that genetics account […]
A different approach to Meniere’s disease
Meniere’s disease is an uncommon, chronic condition of the inner ear. The part of the ear that helps to control balance. It can be a frightening disease with a serious impact on wellbeing and quality of life. The disease often starts between the ages of 40 and 50. Triggered by injury or disease. Research suggests other causes may be genetic, […]
What is autoimmune disease?
Our immune system is a complex and intricate system that our health relies on. It is comprised of several different types of cells and substances. These work together to defend our body against infections and illnesses. From an early age our immune system learns the difference between which cells are “us” and which are not. When the immune system detects something […]