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Understanding Autoimmune Disease

Explore GAI’s collection of articles, each offering original, expert-informed insights that translate complex autoimmune disease research, care, and lived experience into clear, trustworthy information.

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The Immune Spectrum: Autoimmunity and Cancer When Autoimmune Disease Meets Real Life How Autoimmunity Changes Over Time Living with Chronic Illness The Neuroimmune Connection New Frontiers in Autoimmune Treatment Navigating Autoimmune Healthcare Understanding Autoimmunity Pregnancy and Autoimmune Disease COVID-19, Long Covid, and Autoimmune Disease Food, Immunity, and Autoimmune Disease Autoimmune Disease Risk Factors Diagnosing Autoimmune Disease Microbiome and Autoimmune Disease

The Immune Spectrum: Autoimmunity and Cancer

Autoimmunity and cancer are often viewed as separate conditions, but both arise from disruptions in immune balance. This series examines the immune system as a continuum, the trade-offs involved in treating each condition, and the growing focus on therapies that restore immune tolerance at the root of disease.

Lymphocytes and biological immune system, 3d rendering. 3D illustration.
The Immune Balancing Act: Cancer and Autoimmunity Cancer and autoimmune disease sit at opposite ends of the immune spectrum. Yet treating one condition can sometimes increase the risk of the other. This article explores the shared immune pathways behind both diseases and the delicate balance clinicians must navigate when making treatment decisions. About Autoimmune Disease
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When Autoimmune Disease Meets Real Life

Autoimmune disease rarely unfolds under ideal conditions. Many people must balance managing symptoms with work, financial strain, fluctuating energy, and barriers to healthcare. This series examines practical aspects of managing autoimmune disease with expert insights. It discusses healthcare barriers and strategies to access care, emphasizes sustainable movement to support immune health, and looks into how individuals rebuild their identity and pursue meaningful goals while living with chronic illness.

Physician billing statement marked ‘past due’ beside a stethoscope and a one-hundred-dollar bill, illustrating the financial strain of medical care.
Navigating Autoimmune Care With Limited Resources Navigating the healthcare system can be challenging for almost everyone. Finding the right providers, getting timely appointments, and accessing appropriate treatments often feel overwhelming. For people living with autoimmune and other chronic conditions, these challenges can be even greater. Autoimmune Care & Caregiver Support
Read Post Navigating Autoimmune Care With Limited Resources
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Finding Purpose & Fulfillment with Autoimmune and Chronic Disease People with autoimmune diseases or other severe chronic illnesses learn how to manage their condition but also strive to find purpose, stability, and a way forward. Pursuing these goals while living with a chronic condition involves discovering personal and professional opportunities that fit a new lifestyle but also reclaiming agency, dignity, and the sense of being helpful to others.  Living Well with Autoimmune Disease
Read Post Finding Purpose & Fulfillment with Autoimmune and Chronic Disease

How Autoimmunity Changes Over Time

Autoimmune disease doesn’t follow a single path; it evolves. This series explores how immune activity shifts across the lifespan, from the earliest signs of emerging autoimmunity, to the rise of late-onset disease in older adults, to the ways aging reshapes and weakens immune balance. Together, these pieces highlight how changes in the immune system over time shape the onset, expression, and progression of autoimmune disease.

The Stages of Autoimmunity Autoimmune disease can take years to develop, moving from silent immune misfires to full clinical symptoms. Researchers are discovering that before a diagnosis is ever made, the immune system may already be producing autoantibodies and mounting inflammatory responses against the body’s own tissues. Understanding these early “stages” of disease could facilitate prevention and earlier intervention. To explore what happens as autoimmunity takes shape, this article features insight from Jane Buckner, MD, President of the Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, and Michael Rosenblum, MD, PhD, Professor of Dermatology at the University of California, San Francisco, both of whom study the immune mechanisms that drive disease onset and regulation. About Autoimmune Disease
Read Post The Stages of Autoimmunity
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Understanding Late-Onset Autoimmunity While autoimmune disease is often associated with young or middle-aged adults, it can emerge for the first time later in life. Evidence suggests that diagnoses among older adults are increasing, raising new questions about how immune aging, hormonal changes, and environmental exposures shape disease risk. About Autoimmune Disease
Read Post Understanding Late-Onset Autoimmunity
Close-up of an older person's hands, with a healthcare provider gently supporting them, symbolizing care and human connection in aging with autoimmune disease.
Aging and Autoimmune Disease What happens to the immune system during aging that could lead to an increase in autoimmune disease risk? To take a deeper look, we spoke with two experts on aging and autoimmunity: Paul Robbins, co-director of the Masonic Institute on the Biology of Aging and Metabolism at the University of Minnesota, and Niharika Duggal, assistant professor at the Institute of Inflammation and Ageing at the University of Birmingham. About Autoimmune Disease
Read Post Aging and Autoimmune Disease

Living with Chronic Illness

Chronic illness affects every part of daily life. This series looks at the realities of living with autoimmune disease, from managing symptoms and flare-ups to navigating relationships, mental health, and uncertainty.

Managing Mental Health with an Autoimmune Disease Mental health: it’s a discussion that our modern world is slowly beginning to embrace. Although there are many factors that can impact a person’s emotional balance, the interplay between mental health and autoimmune disease is a topic that should not be dismissed. Mental health challenges are a common experience among people with autoimmune disease and […] Living Well with Autoimmune Disease
Read Post Managing Mental Health with an Autoimmune Disease
When You’ve Lost Trust in Doctors… Have you been told “it’s just stress”? Or diagnosed as a hypochondriac? Has it taken years to find a diagnosis? Maybe you’re still searching for one. The exhaustion is real! It’s a long road to figure out what’s wrong and how to address it, without getting derailed by judgement and misdiagnoses. The experience of managing […] Autoimmune Care & Caregiver Support
Read Post When You’ve Lost Trust in Doctors…
Outbursts in Autoimmunity: Disease Flare-ups Unpredictable and disruptive, autoimmune disease flare-ups can throw a wrench in your plans. Discover the answers to some of the following questions in our article: What are the potential causes and triggers for autoimmune flare-ups? What is happening in the body when flare-ups occur? What flare-ups typically occur in common autoimmune diseases? How can flare-ups […] About Autoimmune Disease
Read Post Outbursts in Autoimmunity: Disease Flare-ups
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Chronic Illness: When You Feel Like Giving Up When your chronic illness has put you through the wringer in terms of doctor and hospital visits, lab tests, imaging, medications, and other treatments, it’s only natural to feel defeated. Living Well with Autoimmune Disease
Read Post Chronic Illness: When You Feel Like Giving Up
Finding Balance in Uncertain Times Uncertainty has a way of quietly shaping everyday life, especially when you’re navigating chronic illness. Questions about symptoms, treatments, access to care, and what comes next can create a constant undercurrent of stress that’s difficult to ignore. COVID-19 and Long Covid
Read Post Finding Balance in Uncertain Times
What Not to Say to Someone with a Chronic Illness If you know someone—a friend, parent, sibling, patient, coworker—with a chronic or invisible illness like autoimmune disease, you may be unsure of how to talk to them, and how to respond appropriately in regards to their health. It can be tricky, especially since good intentions are often drowned out by poor word choice. You may […] Autoimmune Care & Caregiver Support
Read Post What Not to Say to Someone with a Chronic Illness
What Chronic Pain Really Means Chronic pain is common, yet often misunderstood. Unlike temporary pain, it can persist for months or years, affecting daily life, mental health, and overall well-being. Because it cannot always be seen or measured, many people experience their pain being dismissed or overlooked. Living Well with Autoimmune Disease
Read Post What Chronic Pain Really Means
Comorbidities in Autoimmune Disease & Multiple Autoimmune Syndrome The co-occurrence of more than two autoimmune diseases within the same person is known but only partly understood. The combination of two autoimmune diseases is called polyautoimmunity with common examples being systemic lupus erythematosus with Sjögren’s syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis with autoimmune thyroiditis (1, 2). The combination of three or more autoimmune diseases is called […] About Autoimmune Disease
Read Post Comorbidities in Autoimmune Disease & Multiple Autoimmune Syndrome

The Neuroimmune Connection

Autoimmune activity doesn’t stop at the blood–brain barrier. Once seen as separate worlds, the brain and immune system are proving inseparable. This series explores how autoimmune and inflammatory processes influence neurodegeneration, brain fog, and infection-triggered behavior changes. Understanding these connections could open new paths toward healing and prevention.

Stock Photo ID: 2262066589 Doctor woman and kid boy patient at home. The pediatrician using tablet computer while filling up medical records, close up. Medicine, healthcare concepts.
PANDAS, PANS, and Autoimmunity When infection sparks autoimmunity, the brain can change. Learn how PANDAS and PANS trigger sudden behavioral shifts in children. About Autoimmune Disease
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New Frontiers in Autoimmune Treatment

Finding effective treatments for autoimmune diseases is often a trial-and-error process, but the field is rapidly evolving. This series highlights emerging approaches such as immunotherapy, gene editing, and other advances in precision and personalized medicine that are reshaping autoimmune care.

Physician And Patient Examine A Holographic Dna Model. AI-Powered Genomic Analysis Highlights Mutation Hotspots And Therapeutic Targets In Real-Time, Precision Medicine And Targeted Gene Therapies.
Personalized Medicine for Autoimmune Diseases Experts like Dr. Georg Schett highlight how personalized medicine and CAR T-cell therapy could transform autoimmune treatment and long-term remission. Diagnosis & Treatment
Read Post Personalized Medicine for Autoimmune Diseases
Creative image of embryonic stem cells, cellular therapy. 3d illustration
Stem Cell Therapy for Autoimmune Disease Stem cell therapy is showing promise for autoimmune disease treatment, with trials exploring immune reset, tissue repair, and reduced inflammation. Diagnosis & Treatment
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CAR T-Cell Therapy For Autoimmune Disease What CAR T-cell therapy means for the future of autoimmune disease treatment Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is emerging as a promising treatment for autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs). The most well-known ARDs are systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, lupus), rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, Sjögren’s syndrome, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis. New research presented […] Diagnosis & Treatment
Read Post CAR T-Cell Therapy For Autoimmune Disease

Navigating Autoimmune Healthcare

Navigating autoimmune healthcare can be complex, confusing, and often overwhelming. This series brings together expert-informed guidance on accessing care, communicating effectively with providers, understanding insurance and treatment options, and staying informed as healthcare continues to evolve.

A Guide for Immunocompromised Individuals in a Post-Pandemic World Even as the world moves on from the pandemic, immunocompromised individuals continue to face heightened health risks. With fewer people wearing masks, navigating daily life safely can be challenging. This guide explores the science behind immune function, the impact of mask-wearing, legal protections, and practical strategies for advocating for personal health. Whether seeking protection in healthcare settings, workplaces, or social interactions, immunocompromised individuals can find support and solutions to maintain both physical and mental well-being in an increasingly unmasked world. Autoimmune Care & Caregiver Support
Read Post A Guide for Immunocompromised Individuals in a Post-Pandemic World
Navigating Health Insurance with Autoimmune Disease
Navigating Health Insurance with Autoimmune Disease With insights on how to best navigate health insurance from two experts in the field, GAI delves into the complicated process of dealing with health insurance with an autoimmune disease. Autoimmune Care & Caregiver Support
Read Post Navigating Health Insurance with Autoimmune Disease
Physician billing statement marked ‘past due’ beside a stethoscope and a one-hundred-dollar bill, illustrating the financial strain of medical care.
Navigating Autoimmune Care With Limited Resources Navigating the healthcare system can be challenging for almost everyone. Finding the right providers, getting timely appointments, and accessing appropriate treatments often feel overwhelming. For people living with autoimmune and other chronic conditions, these challenges can be even greater. Autoimmune Care & Caregiver Support
Read Post Navigating Autoimmune Care With Limited Resources
Navigating Healthcare Through the Practical Lens of Telehealth What Is Telehealth? Telehealth refers to the strategy of providing virtual healthcare. This includes any technologies and services that physicians use to conduct appointments remotely. Another feature of telehealth is the use of communications between hospitals and clinics to bring collaborative expertise into emergency procedures. As early as the 1970s, telehealth was used to assist […] Autoimmune Care & Caregiver Support
Read Post Navigating Healthcare Through the Practical Lens of Telehealth
Autoimmune Terminology To Know For Your Next Doctor’s Appointment While having guidance and support from your doctor is essential, taking control of your own health is important for planning and making informed decisions about your autoimmune disease. Being on board with the terms used to describe autoimmunity and specific diseases during your doctor’s appointments can help you receive the care you need as you […] Autoimmune Care & Caregiver Support
Read Post Autoimmune Terminology To Know For Your Next Doctor’s Appointment
Effective Communication Strategies for Those with Autoimmune Disease For patients with autoimmune disease, management means understanding a wide range of symptoms, unpredictable disease courses, and any impacts on quality of life. But how can patients better communicate with their providers? The Global Autoimmune Institute expounds on key tips elucidated by Johannah Ruddy, M.Ed., a doctoral candidate at Campbell University and co-author of Gut […] Autoimmune Care & Caregiver Support
Read Post Effective Communication Strategies for Those with Autoimmune Disease
Autoimmune Disease Specialist Spotlight How to find the right doctor to treat your specific autoimmune condition and how insurance factors in Finding a specialist to treat your autoimmune symptoms can be crucial to receiving an accurate diagnosis and developing a comprehensive treatment plan. How can you find the right doctor to treat your autoimmune disease (AD), and how does […] Autoimmune Care & Caregiver Support
Read Post Autoimmune Disease Specialist Spotlight
Autoimmune Disease Treatments Global Autoimmune Institute
The Spectrum of Autoimmune Disease Treatments With multiple autoimmune disease treatment options available, learning about and deciding which treatment route to follow can be an overwhelming task. This article provides a high-level view of the most common treatment options, ranging from pharmaceutical agents requiring a doctor’s prescription to at-home treatments.
Read Post The Spectrum of Autoimmune Disease Treatments
Explained: Holistic vs Modern Western Medicine When it comes to holistic medicine and approaches to health, confusion abounds. The word “holistic” is scattered across the internet, business storefronts, and packaging, but similar to the terms “natural” or “grass-fed,” its true meaning still eludes us. Consider this your guide to understanding the differences and cutting through the confusion between the modern Western […] Autoimmune Care & Caregiver Support
Read Post Explained: Holistic vs Modern Western Medicine

Understanding Autoimmunity

Core concepts and key insights into autoimmune disease, including how it is defined, categorized, and shaped by immune system function, environmental factors, and differences across populations.

Autoimmune or Not? The Diseases That Blur the Lines Many diseases affect the immune system without being classified as autoimmune. Experts explain why conditions like fibromyalgia, endometriosis, POTS, and Lyme disease remain difficult to categorize. About Autoimmune Disease
Read Post Autoimmune or Not? The Diseases That Blur the Lines
Autoantibodies bond to receptor (achr) blocking the acetylcholine transmitters in Myasthenia gravis (MG) - 3d illustration isometric view
Decoding the Role of Autoantibodies in Autoimmunity Your immune system makes antibodies against foreign invaders like viruses and bacteria. Sometimes, your body makes autoantibodies, proteins that mistakenly attack your body’s tissue, leading to autoimmunity.  What are Autoantibodies? Under normal conditions, antibodies protect us by recognizing and attacking harmful substances. However, autoantibodies mistakenly identify the body’s tissues as threats.  Faulty autoantibodies can target […] About Autoimmune Disease
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Understanding Autoimmune Disease in Children Autoimmune diseases can affect people of all ages. While they are more common in adults during their reproductive years (20-40), some autoimmune diseases can appear in childhood. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for improving the lives of children and teens living with these conditions. Diagnosis & Treatment
Read Post Understanding Autoimmune Disease in Children
Autoimmune vs Autoinflammatory Disease Autoimmune disease and autoinflammatory disease are two categories of illnesses that occur when the immune system mistakenly damages healthy cells. Although these inflammatory disorders share many commonalities, there are key features that make them unique. About Autoimmune Disease
Read Post Autoimmune vs Autoinflammatory Disease
4 Myths about Autoimmune Disease Brush up on your knowledge as we thoughtfully address four myths about autoimmune disease, including: Myth #1: There is a cure for Autoimmune Disease Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own healthy cells, tissues, and organs. While the causes are not fully known, these diseases are likely triggered by complex […] About Autoimmune Disease
Read Post 4 Myths about Autoimmune Disease
Infection and Immunity: Turning the Lens on Microbes Infections can influence the development and progression of autoimmune diseases. In order to understand the intricate relationship between infections and autoimmune diseases, it is crucial to take microbial influence on autoimmunity into perspective. Infection – the invasion of a body system or organ by microbes – has been known as a key player in autoimmune […] Living Well with Autoimmune Disease
Read Post Infection and Immunity: Turning the Lens on Microbes
Body Regions Commonly Affected by Autoimmunity Autoimmune diseases can affect almost any part of your body and can be classified into systemic or organ-specific diseases based on their location. “The key thing is that you can actually test for an autoimmune reaction by looking at serologies in the blood,” said Gabriella Safdieh, an integrative medicine physician. “There are various serologies that […] About Autoimmune Disease
Read Post Body Regions Commonly Affected by Autoimmunity
Autoimmunity on the Rise With autoimmune biomarkers (substances in the body that can be measured in order to help determine the intensity of a disease or other physiological state) increasing in prevalence, some researchers are looking at the association between autoimmunity and environmental factors like microplastics to explain this trend. The best guess that current research literature has is […] About Autoimmune Disease
Read Post Autoimmunity on the Rise

Pregnancy and Autoimmune Disease

Pregnancy can pose unique challenges for people living with autoimmune disease. This series explores how immune changes throughout conception, pregnancy, and the postpartum period influence fertility, disease activity, treatment decisions, and maternal and infant health.

Pregnancy with an Autoimmune Disease How autoimmune disease affects pregnancy, from flare risks to medication safety, fertility, and long-term health, plus expert guidance on managing care. About Autoimmune Disease
Read Post Pregnancy with an Autoimmune Disease
A woman lying on a bed holding a negative pregnancy test, symbolizing infertility challenges related to autoimmune disease.
How Autoimmune Disease Affects Fertility Infertility is more common in autoimmune disease. Discover how inflammation, hormones, and medications affect fertility and what treatments may help. About Autoimmune Disease
Read Post How Autoimmune Disease Affects Fertility

COVID-19, Long Covid & Autoimmune Disease

As the long-term impact of COVID-19 continues to unfold, this series examines how it intersects with autoimmune disease, from shared symptoms and stigma to vaccine responses, patient-led research, and global perspectives on Long Covid.

Is Long Covid a New Autoimmune Disease? A pathologist weighs in on the latest research involving the link between autoimmunity and Long Covid The more we learn about Long COVID—one of the terms for the health problems that appear or worsen in some people weeks to months after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection—the more confusing the picture becomes. The disease can cause a dizzying […] COVID-19 and Long Covid
Read Post Is Long Covid a New Autoimmune Disease?
Breaking the Silence: Navigating Stigma and Shared Challenges in Long Covid and Autoimmune Disease “The hope is that the floodgates will open and that other people with invisible illnesses will be able to come to the table and talk about their invisible symptoms and be welcomed and embraced,” says James C. Jackson, Director of Long-Term Outcomes at the ICU Recovery Center at Vanderbilt University. About Autoimmune Disease
Read Post Breaking the Silence: Navigating Stigma and Shared Challenges in Long Covid and Autoimmune Disease
Comparing the World’s Leading COVID-19 Vaccines Charting the research and development of authorized COVID-19 vaccines The following information is accurate to the best of our knowledge through August 2022. We are no longer updating this page, but will continue updating the Covid News & Autoimmune Disease timeline with pertinent research. Over 100 vaccines have been created to combat SARS-CoV-2. This chart […] COVID-19 and Long Covid
Read Post Comparing the World’s Leading COVID-19 Vaccines
Global Perspectives on Long Covid Insights from South Africa, Pakistan, the U.S., and the U.K. Innovative research programs around the world confront a health crisis in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Some 43 percent of people infected with Covid-19 develop Long Covid, which means at least 200 million people have had or currently have the condition, according to the […] COVID-19 and Long Covid
Read Post Global Perspectives on Long Covid
Patient-Powered Surveys Help Generate New Data About Long Covid A look at Long Covid surveys Nearly three years into the pandemic, the long-term impacts of COVID-19 continue to unfold in real time. Now, communities and medical experts are grappling with an alarming reality: COVID-19 can trigger serious and long-lasting health complications in a significant number of people. The increasingly prevalent illness that follows COVID-19 […] COVID-19 and Long Covid
Read Post Patient-Powered Surveys Help Generate New Data About Long Covid
COVID Vaccine: Side Effects in Women & the Purpose of Two Doses Retrospective hospital analyses and cohort studies have shown that people with autoimmune disease are not more susceptible to severe COVID-19 symptoms. Moreover, health experts now offer concrete recommendations for autoimmune disease patients about the COVID-19 vaccine. What do we understand about vaccine side effects in the general population, and how does it parallel outcomes for […] COVID-19 and Long Covid
Read Post COVID Vaccine: Side Effects in Women & the Purpose of Two Doses
Vaccines, COVID-19, & Autoimmune Disease: New Developments For up-to-date information and more answers, check out our COVID Vaccine & Autoimmune Disease FAQ Since the start of the pandemic, researchers and health officials alike have wondered about the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on autoimmune disease. Now, more than a year since the first case of COVID-19 in the United States, scientific research developments and […] COVID-19 and Long Covid
Read Post Vaccines, COVID-19, & Autoimmune Disease: New Developments
Understanding Long COVID Long-term effects from COVID-19 fall into several categories, making it difficult to identify when the normal recovery period ends and long COVID begins. COVID-19 and Long Covid
Read Post Understanding Long COVID
COVID-19 & Autoimmune Disease: What We Know Now While the world at large is still getting a handle on exactly how the coronavirus spreads, what causes COVID-19, and why it affects some people with autoimmune disease, what we know now is still a far cry from what we knew at the start. COVID-19 and Long Covid
Read Post COVID-19 & Autoimmune Disease: What We Know Now
COVID-19 and Autoimmune Disease *Updated OCTOBER 24, 2020 Visit our evolving timeline for updates on COVID-19 as it relates to autoimmune disease. For an in-depth look at the relationship between the virus and autoimmunity, check out COVID-19 and Autoimmune Disease: What We Know Now. Looking for resources on COVID-19 and autoimmune disease, holistic health, and mental health? Scroll down […] COVID-19 and Long Covid
Read Post COVID-19 and Autoimmune Disease

Food, Immunity, and Autoimmune Disease

Food plays a complex role in immune health. This series breaks down how different types of foods and dietary patterns may influence autoimmune disease, while clarifying common sources of confusion like food sensitivities, processed foods, and elimination diets.

Vegetable farmer arranging freshly picked produce into a crate on an organic farm
How Food Can Influence Autoimmune Disease While diet alone cannot guarantee the prevention of autoimmune diseases, certain foods and dietary patterns are believed to support a healthy immune system and reduce the risk of autoimmune conditions. Living Well with Autoimmune Disease
Read Post How Food Can Influence Autoimmune Disease
Culinary Medicine: Autoimmunity and Healthy Eating You may already know that eating a balanced diet supports a healthy lifestyle. If you have an autoimmune disease, you may also know that eating well and eliminating unhealthy foods, in addition to other beneficial habits (such as managing stress and sleeping well), may reduce the risk of developing unwanted signs and symptoms. Examples of […] Living Well with Autoimmune Disease
Read Post Culinary Medicine: Autoimmunity and Healthy Eating
Food Sensitivity, Intolerance, or Allergy: What’s the Difference? Does your autoimmune disease come with a side of food reactions that cause symptom flare-ups? You may be part of the 15-20% of people who experience food sensitivities and intolerances. The pain and discomfort can be invisible, and are often misdiagnosed or dismissed despite their severity. These buzzwords can also cause a great deal of […] Living Well with Autoimmune Disease
Read Post Food Sensitivity, Intolerance, or Allergy: What’s the Difference?
What is Processed Food? Processed foods can influence nutrition, gut health, and immune function. This article explains what processing means and how to make more informed choices in the context of overall health. Living Well with Autoimmune Disease
Read Post What is Processed Food?
Vegetable farmer arranging freshly picked produce into a crate on an organic farm
What Does Organic Really Mean? The word “organic” is everywhere. It’s stamped on our bell peppers and peaches at the grocery store, it makes appearances in snack commercials, and it shows up in recipes requesting “juice from one organic lemon.” Even businesses like airlines and gas stations are stocking up on the surging trend. We’ve heard that organic produce is […] Living Well with Autoimmune Disease
Read Post What Does Organic Really Mean?
Elimination Diets: What You Need to Know Elimination diets are often used to manage symptoms in autoimmune disease and chronic illness. Learn how they work, their potential benefits, and when they may not be the right approach. Living Well with Autoimmune Disease
Read Post Elimination Diets: What You Need to Know

Autoimmune Disease Risk Factors

A closer look at the factors that may influence the development of autoimmune disease, including environmental exposures, biological processes, and early immune changes. Covers topics such as inflammation, stress, and pre-autoimmunity with a focus on clear, evidence-based information.

Examining Pre-Autoimmunity: Can Autoimmune Disease Be Prevented? The period between the onset of asymptomatic autoimmunity and the development of symptomatic disease is referred to as “pre-clinical” autoimmunity, as the appearance of autoantibodies precedes most autoimmune diseases. While there is currently no way to prevent someone from developing an autoimmune disease, there are promising advancements in scientific discovery. Diagnosis & Treatment
Read Post Examining Pre-Autoimmunity: Can Autoimmune Disease Be Prevented?
How Sex & Genetics Influence Autoimmunity “There are very few conditions besides autoimmunity which have such remarkable differences in sex bias” says Veena Taneja of the Mayo Clinic, who is currently working with rheumatoid arthritis-associated bacteria in mouse models to define sex-specific responses and mechanisms. The reasons for such disparities are not fully understood, but Taneja says genetics, epigenetics, hormones, environmental […] About Autoimmune Disease
Read Post How Sex & Genetics Influence Autoimmunity
Age, Ethnicity, and Unexpected Connections in Autoimmune Risk Factors In the first two parts of this article series, we discussed factors that may lead to the development of autoimmune diseases or the occurrence of flare-ups of existing ones. We highlighted genetic susceptibility, gender and sex, lifestyle habits, medications, microbial imbalances, and stress, among other triggers. Our review continues with three additional risk factor categories, including age, ethnicity, and diseases that are not related to autoimmune diseases. About Autoimmune Disease
Read Post Age, Ethnicity, and Unexpected Connections in Autoimmune Risk Factors
7 Risk Factors for Autoimmune Disease While researchers are still digging for answers on exactly what causes over 80 autoimmune diseases, there are certain risk factors that are believed to impact immune tolerance and may lead to the development of autoimmune conditions.
Read Post 7 Risk Factors for Autoimmune Disease
Inflammation: A Driving Force of Autoimmune Disease An abnormal inflammatory response is involved in the majority of acute and chronic conditions, with strong evidence linking chronic inflammation to the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease (1,2,3). About Autoimmune Disease
Read Post Inflammation: A Driving Force of Autoimmune Disease
Stress & Autoimmune Disease: Navigating the Complex Relationship Stress is a powerful and often underestimated force that can significantly impact our overall health, particularly when it comes to autoimmune diseases. While stress can sometimes act as a motivator, chronic and intense stress can lead to a cascade of negative health effects, particularly by disrupting the immune system’s delicate balance. Living Well with Autoimmune Disease
Read Post Stress & Autoimmune Disease: Navigating the Complex Relationship

Diagnosing Autoimmune Disease

Getting an autoimmune diagnosis is rarely straightforward. These articles explore misdiagnosis, evolving diagnostic tools, and the challenges patients face along the way.

Innovative Diagnostic Techniques for Detecting Autoimmune Diseases Autoimmune disease is a complex group of diseases, where symptoms can vary, wax and wane, and overlap with those of other conditions. This often means the time to diagnosis can take several months to years. Current tests available for autoimmune disease testing include antinuclear antibody (ANA) testing, C-reactive protein tests, ELISAs, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate […] Diagnosis & Treatment
Read Post Innovative Diagnostic Techniques for Detecting Autoimmune Diseases
Misdiagnosed and Undiagnosed: Expert Insights on the Autoimmune Diagnosis Process Diagnosing autoimmune diseases is often a complex and challenging process because autoimmune diseases vary widely. Identifying patterns and clusters of symptoms can help, but autoimmunity often relates to many factors including stress, deficiencies, toxic exposures, gut and immune dysfunction. As such, autoimmunity has a tendency to go undiagnosed — or misdiagnosed. Here, the Global Autoimmune Institute speaks with Dr. Francisco Contreras, Johannah Ruddy, M.Ed, and Dr. Henri Roca about the process of diagnosing autoimmune disease. Autoimmune Care & Caregiver Support
Read Post Misdiagnosed and Undiagnosed: Expert Insights on the Autoimmune Diagnosis Process
Experts Discuss the Complex Path to an Autoimmune Diagnosis Unlock the mystery of autoimmune diagnosis with insights from medical experts. Learn about diverse timelines, proactive patient advocacy, and holistic approaches to unraveling the mysteries of chronic conditions. Autoimmune Care & Caregiver Support
Read Post Experts Discuss the Complex Path to an Autoimmune Diagnosis
Which Doctors Treat Autoimmune Disease Global Autoimmune Institute
Doctors who Diagnose & Treat Autoimmune Disease Many people are still experiencing delayed autoimmune disease diagnosis or misdiagnosis. Seeking out doctors with greater awareness of these chronic, immune-mediated conditions can help speed up the process.
Read Post Doctors who Diagnose & Treat Autoimmune Disease
Autoimmune Terminology To Know For Your Next Doctor’s Appointment While having guidance and support from your doctor is essential, taking control of your own health is important for planning and making informed decisions about your autoimmune disease. Being on board with the terms used to describe autoimmunity and specific diseases during your doctor’s appointments can help you receive the care you need as you […] Autoimmune Care & Caregiver Support
Read Post Autoimmune Terminology To Know For Your Next Doctor’s Appointment

Microbiome and Autoimmune Disease

We’ve learned a lot about the microbiome in recent years, from its role in digestion to its influence on immune function. This series explores how microbial communities in the gut, mouth, and skin may shape inflammation and play a role in autoimmune disease.

What is the Microbiome and Why is it Important? Many chronic illnesses, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and inflammatory bowel disease, appear to be affected by the microbiome. The relationship between autoimmunity and the microbiome is still being studied intensely, but these conditions are likely associated with an imbalance in the gut microbiome. Although strong evidence is still emerging, studies suggest that autoimmune patients exhibit reduced microbial diversity. Living Well with Autoimmune Disease
Read Post What is the Microbiome and Why is it Important?
oral microbiome and autoimmune disease
Is Your Oral Microbiome Fueling Autoimmune Disease? Trillions of microorganisms colonize our bodies. These microorganisms, collectively known as the microbiome, help us out in many ways, from protecting us from invading bacteria to digesting our food. However, the microbiome can sometimes get out of balance, which has been correlated with a variety of diseases, including autoimmune diseases.  In this article, we examine the […] Living Well with Autoimmune Disease
Read Post Is Your Oral Microbiome Fueling Autoimmune Disease?
Pesticide Use & the Gut Microbiome The gut microbiome is shaped by more than diet. See how pesticides and other environmental exposures may alter microbial balance and contribute to autoimmune disease risk. Living Well with Autoimmune Disease
Read Post Pesticide Use & the Gut Microbiome