• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Diabetes and the Immune System

According to the latest medical research (see Dr Alessio Fasano), there must be permeability of the gut as a precuror to autoimmune disease. The factors involved are: (1) genetic predisposition, (2) environmental trigger (especially problematic foods) and (3) gut permeability.
 
I have no proof any of my conditions are auto-immune. Although I have conditions that docs don't understand the cause of so it is possible I have auto-immune disease. Eg. my bladder condition I have there is a theory that it is auto-immune and that the body is attacking the bladder wall. But they haven't been able to prove that for sure as yet.... it's just a theory. But whatever it is my body is having an auto immune response to it though as I always have high leucocytes which is abnormal and elevated CRP too which they tell me isn't normal either.... but both indications my body is fighting.
 
@Mep, it's complicated...

I have one autoimmune condition, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which happily, is in remission 99% of the time. I think because I use the specific carbohydrate diet (SCD) and the LCHF diet.

Last year, I added 2 tablespoons of freshly ground flaxseed to my daily diet for three weeks - (what I later learned is an "illegal" food on the SCD) - and before I understood what was happening I was thrown out of remission and into a full blown IBD flare that lasted 9 months. When I'm that ill, what I can and cannot do is greatly limited.

I have two other conditions that may or may not be autoimmune diseases: subclinical hyperthyroid, which my lab work showed in 2002 but I never had the proper lab work to determine if I have antibodies attacking my thyroid.

I also have non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), diagnosed based on medical history, vitamin B12 and iron deficiency, and a lab test developed to identify severity of gluten senstivity. In December, I had the genetic test to determine if I have the genes for celiac disease. I don't. At that point my gastroenterologist confirmed that I have NCGS. (To have the antibody test for NCGS, I'd have to resume eating gluten which I'm not going to do. Wish now I'd had that test before I stopped eating gluten.)

The big question is whether my NCGS is caused by gluten, or by the herbicide glyphosate because in the US glyphosate is sprayed on wheat and so many other crops. I don't know, but interestingly, more and more experts are beginning to ask this question.

I live in the US. Glyphosate, a herbicide, wasn't used on crops until 1974, so something else may have played a role in the development of my NCGS. A possibility was ongoing exposure to a pesticide sprayed on the carpets of our home monthly to control fleas prior to 1974. It took hours to dry, and I walked barefoot on those carpets. Don't know.

The reason I detailed all this out is because toxins such as heavy metals, pesticides, and herbicides can cause health problems too. So it's not just a "leaky gut" or intestinal permeability that leads to unexplained health issues. What I recently learned is that specific toxins can interfere with processes in the body by displacing specific vitamins and minerals. If you haven't watched the new documentary, What's With Wheat, yet, that's a good place to start learning about this.

Returning to the topic of autoimmune disease... One of the most respected authors on autoimmune disease in the US is Sarah Ballantyne, Ph.D., author of The Paleo Approach: Reverse Autoimmune Disease and Heal Your Body (2013). The only reason I haven't read the entire book yet is because my autoimmune conditions are all stable right now and I'm focused on learning other things - (I'm obsessed with finding new non-medication ways to improve my blood glucose levels further. Next, I want to learn how to improve the diversity and health of my gut flora). Eventually I'll get back to Dr. Ballantyne's work. A couple of members of our local gluten-free support group have benefitted greatly from this book. :)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Winnie53 said:
@Mep, it's complicated...

I have one autoimmune condition, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which happily, is in remission 99% of the time. I think because I use the specific carbohydrate diet (SCD) and the LCHF diet.

Last year, I added 2 tablespoons of freshly ground flaxseed to my daily diet for three weeks - (what I later learned is an "illegal" food on the SCD) - and before I understood what was happening I was thrown out of remission and into a full blown IBD flare that lasted 9 months. When I'm that ill, what I can and cannot do is greatly limited.

I have two other conditions that may or may not be autoimmune diseases: subclinical hyperthyroid, which my lab work showed in 2002 but I never had the proper lab work to determine if I have antibodies attacking my thyroid.

I also have non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), diagnosed based on medical history, vitamin B12 and iron deficiency, and a lab test developed to identify severity of gluten senstivity. In December, I had the genetic test to determine if I have the genes for celiac disease. I don't. At that point my gastroenterologist confirmed that I have NCGS. (To have the antibody test for NCGS, I'd have to resume eating gluten which I'm not going to do. Wish now I'd had that test before I stopped eating gluten.)

The big question is whether my NCGS is caused by gluten, or by the herbicide glyphosate because in the US glyphosate is sprayed on wheat and so many other crops. I don't know, but interestingly, more and more experts are beginning to ask this question.

I live in the US. Glyphosate, a herbicide, wasn't used on crops until 1974, so something else may have played a role in the development of my NCGS. A possibility was ongoing exposure to a pesticide sprayed on the carpets of our home monthly to control fleas prior to 1974. It took hours to dry, and I walked barefoot on those carpets. Don't know.

The reason I detailed all this out is because toxins such as heavy metals, pesticides, and herbicides can cause health problems too. So it's not just a "leaky gut" or intestinal permeability that leads to unexplained health issues. What I recently learned is that specific toxins can interfere with processes in the body by displacing specific vitamins and minerals. If you haven't watched the new documentary, What's With Wheat, yet, that's a good place to start learning about this.

Returning to the topic of autoimmune disease... One of the most respected authors on autoimmune disease in the US is Sarah Ballantyne, Ph.D., author of The Paleo Approach: Reverse Autoimmune Disease and Heal Your Body (2013). The only reason I haven't read the entire book yet is because my autoimmune conditions are all stable right now and I'm focused on learning other things - (I'm obsessed with finding new non-medication ways to improve my blood glucose levels further. Next, I want to learn how to improve the diversity and health of my gut flora). Eventually I'll get back to Dr. Ballantyne's work. A couple of members of our local gluten-free support group have benefitted greatly from this book. :)
Click to expand...


I'm glad you have an understanding of what is causing your illnesses. :)

I'm not gluten intolerant and don't have celiac disease because I've already done the low FODMAP diet previously to rule that out and had absolutely no change to my symptoms at all. My main issue is that my digestive tract doesn't move properly, neither does my throat... but then that is connected to the digestive tract as well.

My docs don't understand the cause to quite a few of the things I have as I mentioned. But I just don't have proof that any of them are auto-immune. I do have proof I'm immune compromised though. Apparently you can't get the rare strain of candida unless you're immune compromised... so my docs explained. It's listed on the rare diseases list as well.

I'm sure a part of the reason we're sick is probably due to environment too. But I think there is likely more than one reason often for being sick as well. Eg. I know I had a number of precursors to getting diabetes.
 
@Mep wish I did have it figured out. I don't. But I've made a lot of progress over the last 17 months in reversing my diabetes. My goal is remission. By remission I mean maintaining normal blood glucose and insulin levels by continuing to use diet, nutritional supplements, and exercise. Oh, and fasting. Not there yet, but every time I think I'm not seeing any more improvements, I see an improvement.

I do see a gastroenterologist and primary care physician, but only if needed. My experience has been that while they're quite good at diagnosing problems, naturopaths and functional medicine practitioners are better at treating chronic diseases. Terry Wahl's example comes to mind.

Unfortunately, they and the tests they use are expensive and out-of-pocket. I can't afford them so do the next best thing: I read their books and use their specific dietary, nutritional supplement, and exercise strategies instead.

My health conditions are for the most part stable, but the subclinical hyperthyroid continues to be a concern. I've been popping in and out of it or 13 years now.

I just read your list of health issues. I'm sorry Mep. That's a lot to deal with. Do you have any ideas on what you'd like to try next? Or are you okay with where you are right now and are focusing instead on living your life?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Winnie53 said:
@Mep I just read your list of health issues. I'm sorry Mep. That's a lot to deal with. Do you have any ideas on what you'd like to try next? Or are you okay with where you are right now and are focusing instead on living your life?
Click to expand...

I'm just having to live with them. My docs are trying to help. I've already tried a naturopath and iridologist previously and he just charged $300 for nothing really... he only got one thing right out of the 5 things he claimed I had wrong. As you can see from my list I have a lot more than 5 things wrong. I was disappointed and after paying out $300 I thought what a waste of money and no point in me even trying his alternative medicine as it was for things I don't even have wrong.

My GP isn't against alternative therapies, and he has told me before he's ok with me seeking other avenues providing they do not interfere with the treatment I'm on. But that's the thing, I have a lot of things being treated. There's a lot of things I can no longer eat or drink as well. So I think it's safer I will stick to the specialists and my GP to help me out on what's wrong and work out my treatment.
 
Yes, that's good Mep. Back in the 90's, after spending 7 years trying various medications for other conditions that I have, I decided to disengage from treatment and resume my life. Looking back, I still believe it was the right decision for me.

That said, sometimes life surprises us. New information comes along that changes our circumstances for the better. I hope that happens for you Mep. :)
 
Back
Top