There's no doubt that autoimmune illness is on the rise. Maybe you've been diagnosed with an autoimmune illness or you have a history of autoimmune illness in your family, and you want to learn more. It's important to understand the possible triggers of autoimmunity and flare-ups and the tests available to understand which triggers have the greatest effect on you. You really want to be able to identify your unique root causes.In the previous episodes of this series, Erin has discussed what autoimmunity is, some of the causes, the stages, and conventional testing. In today's episode, she will share how autoimmunity can be 'turned on', various functional medicine tests that can be used in identification and treatment, and things that can be tried before going in for functional medicine tests. Erin will not be sharing specific treatment strategies. Please consult a member of your healthcare team who understands the specifics of your case.Whether you have an autoimmune disease, a history of autoimmunity in your family, or you're a practitioner, this episode is densely packed with information that will help you take a functional, root-cause approach to autoimmunity.

In this episode:

The role food plays in the autoimmunity process [2:00]

Can you do anything before you try functional lab testing? [5:20]

The dynamic process contributing to autoimmunity [10:48]

What is molecular mimicry & how does it play a role in autoimmunity? [14:23]

How bystander activation can lead to autoimmunity [20:35]

Functional medicine lab tests [22:19]

What's the connection between a leaky gut and autoimmune disease? [27:50]

The importance of a healthy microbiome [32:48]

Food sensitivities and our inflammatory load [35:37]

Chemical and environmental triggers [41:19]

The Psychoneuroimmune response [51:27]

FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/230-autoimmunity-triggers-root-cause-functional-labs