Dictionary of Autoimmune Terms

In the Autoimmune world, there can be quite the learning curve. It’s a new way of thinking, building of habits, navigating daily routines that most likely need to be altered in an attempt to heal. In this situation, change is good and necessary. Learning is empowering and dire.

These terms will most likely be used in your personal healing journey as they are in mine. So you don’t struggle with the steep climb of overwhelm in order to understand, I hope you find what you need. If not, please message me and I will be sure to add.

Antibodies – An antibody is a protein produced by the immune system. There are 5 main types: IgA, IgM, IgG, IgE, IgD. In general, these specialized proteins are in the body with different missions and to protect you. They recognize and bind to small amino acids (building blocks of proteins) in other, and usually foreign, proteins. When auto-immunity is at play, antibodies have begun attacking the tissue of your body instead of foreign invaders such as infection.

Antinutrient – Antinutrients are foods eaten that actually take more from your body than they actually give. They negatively influence gene expression and deplete the body of micronutrients in order to process them.

Autoimmunity – Autoimmunity is when the body’s immune system is in overdrive. Thinking that the healthy tissues in your own body are foreign invaders, like a virus, bad bacteria, parasites, etc, the immune system creates antibodies to “protect” you. While the immune system thinks it is helping, its misguided attempts are attacking healthy tissue, cells or organs. Wherever your weakest link, be it your thyroid, muscle tissue, gastrointestinal tract, or other, this determines which type of autoimmunity you have.

Autoimmune Protocol – The Autoimmune Protocol, also known sometimes as Autoimmune Paleo, is a science based system to help determine which foods are right for your personal body and which foods create inflammation, practices to better assist your body’s own efforts and establish a baseline from which you will heal.

Bio individuality – Bio individuality is the term used to describe each person’s own nutritional needs, threshold for physical activity and tolerance to certain environmental factors. These are also based on many aspects unique to one person’s history, genetics and previous exposure.

Bristol Stool Chart – The Bristol Stool Chart is a scale from 1-7 demonstrating the quality of evacuation, “poop”. It measures the shape and consistency as a diagnostic tool to gauge healthy or unhealthy function. As a side note, you can have what qualifies as healthy stool (#4) on the chart and still have infection somewhere in the gut.

Cross Contamination – Cross Contamination means that particles of food from a knife, pot, cutting board, cutlery, air, etc are transported to another item at the time of preparation, storage or consumption. This unknowing transfer, either breathed in through flour dust, or eaten as a result of crumbs distributed to vegetables by using the same knife, allows food sensitivities and food allergies to proliferate if not regulated. For this reason, it is almost impossible to eat gluten free out in the world.

Cross Reactivity – Cross Reactivity (vs. Molecular Mimicry) is when food looks like the same structure as another food to the body. For people who have Celiac or Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity where folks have an immune reaction to gluten, other foods such as corn, rice, dairy, coffee, peanuts, soy, etc. can imitate gluten in the body causing the same immune reaction.

Epigenetics – Epigenetics includes all things that are responsible for your gene expression. Examples on this list of epigenetics include: food, environment, stress level, thoughts, activity, etc., all things which profoundly influence our physiology thereby whether or not some genes for autoimmunity or cancer or other are turned “on” or “off”.

Exercise Intolerance – Exercise Intolerance is the term given when someone with autoimmunity tries to workout and it is quite possibly not doable. Exercise creates stress on the body. Although usually good, stress is inflammation, which people with autoimmunity already have in abundance. It doesn’t mean you can’t exercise, it just means it will be different.

Food Allergies – Food Allergies pertain, but are not limited, to responses such as anaphylactic shock. A true food allergy is tested through IgE antibodies. Sadly, most doctors only test your IgE antibodies and most true food allergies are few and far between. It’s food sensitivities, loss of oral tolerance or leaky gut that are the culprits when foods start to become an issue. All three are defined in this post.

Food Sensitivities – Food sensitivities are measured through high levels of IgG antibodies and can take up to 7 days to create a reaction in the body. This makes it incredibly difficult to pin down specific food sensitivities unless following an elimination diet that specifically reintroduces foods systematically. There are many types of food sensitivity tests out there however if leaky gut is an issue, until that is healed, those tests are a moot point. Foods leaking into the system creating inflammation are the foods that will show up on your very expensive test. If you have any type of chronic symptom, assume you have leaky gut.

Functional Medicine – Functional Medicine Principles include 1. valuing the therapeutic relationship; 2. working with systems and frameworks; and 3. always aiming to address the root causes as opposed to just chasing signs and symptoms or “treating” a diagnosis.

Functional Nutrition – Functional Nutrition carries all of the principles of Functional Medicine however goes a few steps further. It understands the whole person. It addresses the terrain within which signs, symptoms or diagnosis manifested. It educates the patient on why their health challenges arose and on how to take back control of their own health. It fills the GAP that exists between the physician and the patient. It is a unique blend of diet and lifestyle modifications that goes beyond the seduction of shortcut success for sustainable change in health and healing.

Gluten – Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Although this sounds simple, gluten is used as a binding agent and can be found in everything from shampoo and makeup to spices and most all processed foods. It is the number 1 cause of leaky gut and therefore has been blamed, in large part, for the spike in autoimmunity.

Glycemic Index – Glycemic Index is the ranking of sugars and carbohydrates according to how quickly glucose, the simple sugar molecule, is absorbed into the bloodstream. Low glycemic index is 55 and under, medium glycemic index is 56-69, and high glycemic index is 70 and above. This method was flawed however because it didn’t account for other factors such as fiber. Carrots are very high on the glycemic index but they are very high in fiber. So, the glycemic load, a new ranking system, was developed. …and the one you should follow.

Glycemic Load – Glycemic Load addresses the amount of starch or sugar in a food relative to its carbohydrate or fiber content. The bottom line is that if a food has a high glycemic index but it’s packed with fiber, it will have a lower impact on blood sugar and insulin levels. Low GL 1:10, Medium GL 11:19, High GL 20 and over. You can easily find glycemic load charts online.

Leaky Gut – Leaky gut is also known as Intestinal Permeability. This happens when the tight gap junctions, tiny areas that absorb nutrients into the body from food, become gaping holes to allow whole food particles into the blood stream. Since 80% of our immune system lies around our gut (enteric system), it goes on high alert creating inflammation as it would as if we sprained an ankle. It’s doing its job, attacking would be pathogens, or things that shouldn’t be there in the bloodstream. Unlike a sprained ankle however, internal inflammation manifests in many ways. Hello chronic symptoms and ultimately chronic illness if not addressed.

Macronutrient – Macronutrient is food required in large amounts for the body to live. These include carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

Microbiome – Microbiome refers to the trillions of microorganisms found on or in our bodies. We now know that humans are simply a host for these bacteria, fungi and other as we are less than 1% human DNA. We play house for these beings and in return they symbiotically create health or disease based on how well we treat them. Influencers of their health are similar to that of our own: diet, stress level, environmental toxins, antibiotic use, exercise, mode of delivery (c-section or vaginal), being breast fed, etc., etc., etc. When these organisms become unbalanced, or dysbiotic, meaning there are more bad than good elements, or there is a lack of diversity among these organisms, that is where health declines.

Micronutrient – Micronutrient is a substance required for the body to live. These include minerals, vitamins and other organic compounds such as antioxidants.

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity – Multiple Chemical Sensitivity is a form of toxic exposure. It is characterized by severe sensitivity or allergy like reactions to many pollutants, including solvents, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), perfumes, gasoline and diesel, smoke, chemicals in skincare products, soaps, shampoos, and household cleaners. Even pollen, dust mites and pet dander can wreak havoc on people with MCS. Controversy rages over whether MCS is a bona fide condition because of the huge variability in both symptoms and sensitivities from patient to patient and because no root cause for this condition has been identified. I have my own thoughts here as to why this happens. There is a correlation however between MCS and autoimmune disease although it may be a presentation of early autoimmune disease or may simply be related or a secondary condition.

Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity – Non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) is the umbrella term to those who have a gluten intolerance. Celiac is one form of NCGS and those with NCGS, yet not diagnosed with celiac, have been found to have equal or greater symptoms than those who have been diagnosed with celiac. Gluten sensitivity in and of itself is a systemic autoimmune disease. Symptoms you might experience with NCGS are anxiety, headaches, brain fog, chronic fatigue, weight gain or loss, depression, and loss of well-being. Please note that very few with NCGS, or celiac, actually have intestinal problems.

Nutrigenomics – Nutrigenomics is the science that explores how individuals respond to diet based on their genetic differences. I will add that differences in the microbiome hugely affect this response as well and play a key role in health and genetic expression. That research can be linked to the Human Genome Project.

Oral Tolerance – Oral Tolerance is the immune system’s threshold to eat certain foods. When inflammation is high, the body loses its capacity for other highly reactive substances – also known as loss of oral tolerance. This threshold will be different for each person and why the elimination diet is really the gold standard in healing the body and finding out your personal guide for healing.

Molecular Mimicry – Molecular Mimicry (vs. Cross Reactivity) is when a food substance mimics tissue in the body. If you eat a particular food that has a similar structure to your thyroid tissue for instance, and you already have antibodies attacking your thyroid, your immune system will attack the thyroid more when you eat those foods. Muscle, joint and endocrine tissue are most affected. And gluten, dairy and soy are the most researched in the case of the thyroid.

Prebiotic – Prebiotics are nondigestible foods, like fiber, that feed the probiotics and promote the growth of beneficial bacteria/microorganisms in the intestines. This is a good thing!

Predictive Autoimmunity – Predictive Autoimmunity has established that antibodies appear in a person as much as ten years prior to any noticeable symptoms. This time period is included in what is called the autoimmune spectrum and is known as Silent Autoimmunity.

Probiotics – Probiotics are highly beneficial bacteria/microorganisms that live in and on the body but primarily in the intestines. In its opposite, think antibiotics which kill bad bacteria and unfortunately good bacteria too which you need for optimal health. One reason why antibiotic use, unless absolutely necessary, should be considered strongly as a last resort.

Disclaimer: Information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before beginning any diet, supplementation or exercise program. Statements and opinions contained on this website and other related sources (blog and social media platforms) are provided as informative and educational tools only. Whole Body Health & Healing cannot and does not guarantee the accuracy or effectiveness of the information to your unique circumstance.