18 Steps to Healing Autoimmune Disease
Autoimmune diseases are very tricky to deal with once they get to a certain point. If the patient has developed food sensitivities and/or extreme environmental allergies, ANY additional stress triggers mast cells to secrete inflammatory chemicals AND increase in population, making symptoms worse! The patient then gets confused, not knowing what foods to eat/supplements to take. Unfortunately, I know EXACTLY how it feels to be in this situation. Chances are, if you’re reading this article, you do too…
How do you get out of this trap? Simple, you trick your body into thinking everything is ok, when it really isn’t. To be successful, you MUST turn off the “alarms”, aka the mast cells. The first step is reducing histamine in the both the gut and blood. Once histamine levels are under control, the mast cell population will decrease and your reactivity to stress will improve. This will reduce inflammation systemically in the body, which will lead to an improvement in symptoms.
To simplify things for you, I have provided a step by step process of how I overcame autoimmune disorder. As you probably know, my situation was as bad as it gets. For details about my story, visit about Matt Sikora. Before reading, please note, I am not advising you to do these things. I am simply telling you what I’ve done myself.
18 Steps to Healing Autoimmune Disease
Remove ALL Sources of Dietary Histamine
Eliminate food sources of histamine, food cravings, delayed food allergies, and hidden food sensitivities. Follow low histamine diet strictly – remove foods if they make your skin itchy after, create urge to urinate, increase dryness of the skin, increase pace of thoughts, fuel addictive behaviors(1), make you want to eat more of them and quicker, etc . These are all signs that the food is creating a histamine release.
Use Histamine Modulating Supplements
The root cause of SYMPTOMS is typically inflammation. The main source of inflammatory chemicals are mast cells, which secrete histamine, cytokines, etc. To get a hold of your autoimmune symptoms, you must modulate the response of the mast cells. The most potent histamine modulators in my experience are bifidobacterium, chelated magnesium glycinate, trace minerals, and L-Glutamine. I will go over each in detail in this section.
Bifidobacterium species typically decline with age primarily due to dietary factors. In addition, bifidobacterium species are extremely sensitive to antibiotics. Chances are, if you’ve had a few courses of antibiotics, your bifido levels are low. Why does this matter? Simple, because certain bifidobacterium strains are responsible for breaking down histamine (2) and modulating the inflammatory response (3). This is critical to maintaining proper histamine levels in the body.
In my experience, there has only been one product that has made a big difference for me, “Probiota Bifido by Seeking Health”. It has proprietary strains of Bifidobacterium Breve, Longum, Bifidum and Lactis which are very unique. Keep in mind though, I had to take 6 all at once on an empty stomach for 3 days, until the I noticed the big shift.
Though increasing bifidobacterium levels will dramatically reduce histamine, we also need to get creative. There are certain chemicals in the body which have inverse correlations with histamine. One of the most important of these is GABA. Studies have shown GABA can be increased by supplementing with L-Glutamine (4). Keep in mind though, increasing GABA will eventually make you tired so listen to your body to determine proper dosage.
Magnesium can be effective for reducing histamine levels since it increases DAO enzyme production (5). The form I had the most success with was Chelated Magnesium Glycinate by Drs. Best. Initially I started off with high doses then tapered off dramatically. Keep in mind, minerals ALL have a sweet spot. Too much of any mineral can produce toxic effects.
Trace minerals are essential to maintaining a healthy stress response. If the body has sufficient minerals, it typically will react to stress far better. To replace deficiencies, it is essential have minerals which are naturally sourced, NOT synthetic. In my experience, the best supplement for this has been Humic/Fulvic Acid extracted with cold water. For more supplements that reduce mast cell degranulation, visit Mast Cell Modulation – the Missing Link in Autism.
Master ALL Histamine Modulation Methods
Follow the tips for lowering histamine found in the 11 secrets to beating histamine intolerance . Remember, histamine creates inflammation which perpetuates the symptom cycle. Unless you reduce blood levels of histamine, decrease mast cell population, and increase natural methylation channels, your body will be stuck in the classic “autoimmune response”. Once your histamine intolerance symptoms have been reduced, it’s time to move on to the next step.
Complete Hulda Clark Liver Flushes
If you completed the prior steps and are still having food/environmental sensitivities, then you may have gallbladder/liver impairment. If so, then the Hulda Clark Liver Flush may be a good idea. It was truly a life saver for me. This can free up the blockage in the gallbladder, allowing it to function better, which will take stress off the liver, immune system and mast cells.(6) Please note, this flush should be performed no more than once every 60 days.
Improve Gut and Bowel Function
It is very important to reduce inflammation in the gut before attempting to treat infection. If inflammation is present while fighting infection, toxins will leak into the blood through a porous intestinal barrier, activating mast cells. In terms of gut healing, bovine colostrum is the BEST solution by far. It was an absolute miracle for me. Learn about how to find bovine colostrum via the link provided. If you can not find colostrum, look harder…
If you can still not find raw colostrum, then liposomal colostrum, turmeric tonic, broken cell wall chlorella, and real kefir can help to restore normal bowel function. Why is this so important? You must get your bowels moving before attempting to treat any chronic intestinal infections.
Reduce Bacterial Overgrowth & Viral Load
If you can find bovine colostrum, this is the first place to start for bacteria or viruses. Colostrum has antibodies to many common pathogens, and it modulates the immune response. In addition, it contains lactoferrin which is great for discouraging the growth of bad bacteria and yeast. Learn more about the scientifically proven benefits of bovine colostrum.
If you can not find raw colostrum, unfortunately, you MUST create a different strategy. In my experience, silver nanoparticles are the most effective in treating superbugs and viruses (7, 8, 9). I had great success with 21 day cycles of nanosilver, at 1 oz, 3x per day. The best nanosilver product I have used is molecula silver sold by world health mall. It has the smallest silver particles offered on the market, making it more potent and diverse in it’s applications. The downside to nanosilver is, it may effect good bacteria negatively. For this reason, I always replace good bacteria immediately after using nanosilver.
Replace Good Bacteria in the Gut
Lactobacillus and Commensal Bacteria
The next step is finding kefir in your network of farmers. Kefir grains contain over 61 different strains of beneficial organisms. If you purchase REAL kefir, put it in a mason jar, add FOS POWDER, then let it sit at room temperature for 2 days, you will have the world’s strongest probiotic!!!
If you can not find REAL kefir, you can use the same process with PLAIN store bough kefir. Though it only has 12 strains or so, it’s still more effective than probiotic pills. Please note, be careful when opening mason jar to avoid splatter.
Bifidobacterium Species
Most people with autoimmune disease have been on antibiotics pretty heavy at some point in their life. Little did they know, those antibiotics were killing their precious bifidobacterium (10). Bifido is a beneficial bacteria you get exposed to as a child which can decline with age, stress, disease, poor diet, etc. Without sufficient bifidobacterium, your gut lining is more porous, immune system is not modulated, and you are at risk for infection. The bifidobacterium product I mentioned prior is the only one I’ve used with great success.
Evaluate Remaining Symptoms
Feeling Pretty Good
If gut symptoms feel like they are 90+% gone, the origin of your infection could have been bacterial. If this is the case, you should also notice your food sensitivities, allergies, gas, bloating, etc. will be gone. In addition, your food cravings should be pretty much non-existent. If this sounds like you, then skip the next paragraph and next step, because it’s time to balance your PH.
Still Not Feeling Well
If you notice you still have food cravings, sensitivities, indigestion, fatigue, etc., you may be dealing with parasites. Sound impossible? It’s really is far more common than you think. In recent article, the World Health Organization estimated 24% of the world is currently infected with soil-transmitted helminths (parasites). Don’t be alarmed though because in the next step, I’ll tell you how I got rid of them.
Cleanse Body of Parasites (If Needed)
If cleansing parasites, review the ultimate parasite cleanse, Please note, you must reduce fruit/sugar intake to increase your chances of success. Though it may take several weeks of cleansing to complete, you should notice improvements within days. The biggest improvements I noticed were: decreased food cravings, less hypertension, no inflammation in gut, blood sugar more stable, better mood, eyes much whiter, skin clearer, retain less water, need to eat less food, sweat not so thick, no aches and pains in joints, less desire to eat frequently, etc.
Balance PH Levels in Body
Even though the low histamine diet is GREAT, it fails to address PH balance. For this reason, you must modify your dietary strategy to ensure the remaining steps can be accomplished. The key to taking the next big leap in your health is changing the PH balance of your blood. In alkaline blood, minerals are easily absorbed, and toxins are dispelled more efficiently (11). In addition, disease does NOT thrive in alkaline conditions. Instead, it prefers acidity and mucous.
In my experience, vegetable juicing is the MOST powerful way to alkalize the body. The main tools I used to increase PH level were: consuming fresh vegetable juices 1-2x DAILY, taking broken-cell wall chlorella, and reducing meats/starches. These changes increased my PH from 5.5 to 7.5 within 30 days.
Chelate Heavy Metals
When your gut bacteria becomes imbalanced, your methylation channels can become inefficient which can effect metal detoxification. If you’ve been sick for years, chances are, there are heavy metals that have built up in your body. Though we want to get rid them because they’re TOXIC, the biggest problem is, they block trace mineral absorption. These trace elements are critical to both energy and enzyme production.
In my experience, heavy metal chelation must occur in layers. The more layers you remove, the more effective your mineral absorption will become. The top 4 natural chelators I have used from weakest to strongest are: organic cilantro extract, broken cell wall chlorella, diatomaceous earth, and humic acid (water extracted).
Keep in mind, you may experience emotional swings when going through metal chelation. Depending on the type of metal that is coming out, you may feel hyperactive, detached, angry or mentally impaired. In my experience, mercury chelators can cause hyperactivity or anger (humic acid), aluminum caused numbness/detachment (d earth), lead focused chelators caused impaired thinking (chlorella/cilantro extract).
Correct Trace Mineral Deficiencies
Now that you’ve cleansed most of the metals from the body, it’s time to take care of those trace mineral deficiencies! Trace mineral restoration is my favorite step of this whole process. Why? Because it’s when I felt the biggest shift in energy and stamina.
In my experience, the best source of ALL 74+ trace minerals is fulvic acid/humic acid. Fulvic acid contains minerals that can penetrate the cell wall, while the humic acid acts a transporter and cellular cleansing agent.
Increase Antioxidant Levels in Blood
To help build antioxidant storage, there are two methods I used with success. First, fresh juices with colored vegetables like beets, red peppers, carrots, red cabbage, etc. The second option, liposomal glutathione, can be a very effective way of getting out of “oxidative debt”(12). Glutathione is the main antioxidant in the body so keeping your levels high is always a good idea.
Balance Amino Acids in the Body
L-Glutamine was mentioned prior due to it’s effect on increasing GABA. This is critical in maintaining muscle mass, reducing the stress response, lowering histamine, etc. It made a huge difference for me!
N-Acetyl Tyrosine is a precursor to dopamine. If you are dealing with inattentiveness, lack of motivation and fatigue, this could help. It made a MASSIVE difference for me!
L-Theanine is known to produce a calming effect on the body. I have used it less than the others, but have noticed positive effects on mood and histamine related symptoms.
5-HTP is useful for those who are suffering from depression, mood instability, or poor sleep. This amino acid is the precursor to serotonin. Be careful because too much is just as bad as too little.
SAM-e is a very POTENT amino acid which is proven to balance mood, improve methylation, decrease histamine, etc. Some people it can be very beneficial for, while others, not as much.
For each person, it’s likely that one of these amino acids will be a “game changer”. This should be obvious based upon your reaction when first taking it. Please note, amino acids need to be taken on an empty stomach to cross the brain blood barrier and produce the desired effect.
Learn How to Use Energy in Moderation
At this point, you should have more energy than you’ve had in a long time. You keep telling yourself you could go live life normal again, but you’re worried about the repercussions. When dealing with this situation, it’s critical to NOT overdo it. Keep in mind, though it is tempting to run 100 mph with your new found energy, you MUST baby yourself. If you exhaust your adrenals before they fully heal, you could set yourself back weeks. For this reason, EASE IN TO ANY NEW STRESSOR. This includes everything, from new foods, to sleep patterns, exercise, etc.
Increase Physical Activity and Circulation
Start to exercise, increase physical activity, go to the sauna, etc. You want to get in the habit of increasing circulation for at least 30 minutes, every day. Keep in mind, this can take time to build up to. Even though feel better than you have in a long time, you must gradually increase all stressors. Start off with 10 minutes of exercise, and work your way up a few minutes per workout. Keep in mind, you mast cells are still on high alert, given their past history. For this reason, you must be extremely careful during this stage.
Resolve Internal Conflict/ Counterproductive Thoughts
If you didn’t have internal conflict, you would have never become sick. The reality is, you used unhealthy food or behaviors to distract you from addressing uncomfortable emotions. Over time, these behaviors then compounded upon one another, eventually creating illness. If anyone was a perfect example of this, it was me.
Please note, you can remove the physical cause of the illness, but still be mentally unwell. Though you may feel pretty good for some time, unless you correct the emotional imbalance, you will subconsciously lead yourself back to things that helped create the illness in the first place. For these reasons, you MUST target the topics you feel most uncomfortable about. I went to support groups, saw therapists, talked with friends, etc…. anything to end that self-destructive discussion in my head.
Realize Your Disease was a Blessing in Disguise
Once you overcome this battle, you will realize it was actually the best thing that ever happened to you. Why? You are now intimately connected with your higher power, and your perspective on life has changed. This increase in self awareness will help you appreciate life more, and attain the things you desire.
Remember, as mentioned prior, your mental state will directly influence the pace of your healing. Though I have provided you with several tools to manage your physical health, trust me, mental health is just as important. For this reason, I recommend you read the 7 Principles of Overcoming Chronic Illness. When you combine the 18 steps you just learned with the wisdom of these 7 principles, success is inevitable.
Summary of Healing Autoimmune Disease
I see several guides to “healing autoimmune disease” online, but NONE that are TRULY useful. The steps you just read are not based upon here say, they’re based on PERSONAL EXPERIENCE which was then verified with scientific research. For this reason, this guide should be considered in a very different light..one of real life application, not just theory…
Keep in mind, every autoimmune conditions is a little different in terms of how it manifests. Two people may have the same root cause but have different symptoms. In addition, some people may have different root causes, but have the same symptoms. The reality is, nearly all autoimmune conditions have elevated histamine, overactive mast cells (13), detoxification impairment, and an imbalance in gut bacteria. In my experience, if you address these core issues, you should see SIGNIFICANT, if not, full improvement.
I will leave you with this – Every “disease” is a only MAN MADE WORD that represents a grouping of SYMPTOMS. Do not buy into the diagnosis or associated prognosis. Every condition can improve, no matter what THEY tell you.
Stay strong. You’re closer than you think…
Matt Nedin
EndSickness.org
Phone: (734) 846-8619
Email: endsickness@gmail.com
