The reader writes:
Hi, Do you have any advice on oil pulling for people suffering from vasculitis? I have this doubt since oil pulling improves your immunity while the main drug for vasculitis and other autoimmune disorders are immune suppressants. There is an inherent anomaly.
Some background info on autoimmune diseases for my followers:
Autoimmune diseases can affect different parts of the body. When someone has an autoimmune disease, systemic inflammation causes their immune system to attack the healthy cells in their body by mistake. While there are several autoimmune diseases, inflammation is the common symptom among them all. This inflammation occurs when your body is working to fight against something it sees as an "invader," which can be anything from an infection, an allergen, a toxin, or even foods- yes, food sensitivities! The problem here is that the body fails to recognize the difference between the "invader" and the healthy tissues in the body. As such, the body turns antibodies against itself and causes all kinds of uncomfortable, painful symptoms (Myers, 2013).
First, I want to be clear that unfortunately, I'm not a doctor- although somedays I really wish I was. I will share my thoughts, opinions, and advice with all my followers, but please know that it is important to communicate with your PCP or another health professional before trying something new. As I've said before, I firmly believe that any bodily symptomatic response- acid reflux, Crohn's, joint pain, acne, autoimmune diseases, and the like, are a result of ONE root cause. Our body is smart in that it tells us when something isn't right by being symptomatic. Until I began this health journey, I never thought that my GERD (acid reflux disease), celiac & possible Crohn's (which are both autoimmune), stomach ulcers, joint pain, eczema, dry eyes, hives, night sweats, and more were a result of ONE root cause. For whatever reason, a lot of us go through life thinking that each individual symptom has its own individual trigger. After learning about my long list of food and food chemical sensitivities, I was able to eliminate all that I was sensitive to, and surprise- all of a sudden ALL of my symptoms were out of sight.
Still think I'm nuts? I came off of my medication, got tested for my sensitivities, eliminated my trigger foods and chemicals, and I've been fine ever since. The root cause is no longer present in my life because I've eliminated it, not masked it. My symptoms will only reappear if I decide to toss my hard work out the window and eat everything that I know will make me sick.
My super important advice for anyone living with an autoimmune disease: look into food and food chemical sensitivity testing. This, above all else, could be the answer you've been searching for all along. I did the LEAP MRT food and food chemical sensitivity testing. You can check out their website HERE. If you would like to talk to someone at Oxford Biomedical Technologies about the testing, you can call (888)669-5327. You can tell them you were referred by Deb Konkle's patient, Meaghan Howe.
* Heals joint pain
* Helps to relieve symptoms from allergies, chronic fatigue syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes
* Cures chronic sinusitis
* Helps heal chronic skin problems- acne, eczema, & psoriasis
* Makes skin soft and smooth
* Heals inflammation in the body
* Strengthens/supports immune system health
* Relieves symptoms associated with Crohn's, ulcerative colitis, and stomach ulcers
* Supports tissue healing and repair
* Boosts energy & endurance
* Aids in digestion and supports digestive health (80% of your immune system is located in your intestines- fun fact! So, it's important that you nurture your gut.)
* It's 100% natural :)
Coconut oil is truly a miracle ingredient known for all its amazing healing properties, antioxidant components, and natural electrolytes. When someone has an autoimmune disease, there is a lot of damage done to healthy tissues in the body. Coconut oil is just what the doctor ordered for tissue healing and repair. Similarly, autoimmune diseases can make one feel fatigued. All the natural electrolytes in coconut oil and coconut water support energy and endurance. Oil pulling offers SO many different benefits other than the ones I have listed above. If oil pulling doesn't appeal to you, you can also put it in or on your food. For those who have autoimmune diseases that affect the skin- I recommend using it topically. It was the only thing that cured my eczema.
Everything I have read indicates that oil pulling and coconut oil are beneficial for those with autoimmune diseases. Our mouth is home to all kinds of toxins, parasites, fungi, bacteria, and viruses. Oil pulling removes these bad guys from the equation. When our immune system becomes overburdened by stress, environmental toxins, poor diet, and the like, these little organisms spread throughout the body. What results are infections, inflammation, autoimmune diseases, and other unwanted health issues. My understanding is that oil pulling removes some of this burden on our bodies.
I hope what I've shared here has been helpful. Best of luck! :)
Myers, Amy. "10 Signs You Have An Autoimmune Disease + How To Reverse It." MindBodyGreen.com. N.p., 18 Apr. 2013. Web. 7 Aug. 2013. <http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-8843/10-signs-you-have-an-autoimmune-disease-how-to-reverse-it.html>.