Alternative Therapies for Autoimmune Disease

Guest post from fellow-Michigander, Frank, at HealthyHabitReset.com…

Two Alternative Therapies for Autoimmune Disease that Get No Love!

I’m going to shortcut the explanation of what an autoimmune disease is and tell you the super simple version…

Autoimmune disease = chronic inflammation.

Having lived with an autoimmune disease (Celiac Disease) for roughly a third of my life and possibly longer, I can tell you that inflammation manifests itself in numerous, and often times, debilitating ways.

My wife, Anna, also has an autoimmune disease (Hashimoto Thyroiditis), and recently a second currently unspecified mixed connective tissue disease.

And now you might be thinking, did these people intentionally hook-up so they could be the world’s sickest couple?

Umm, the answer would be: NO!

I firmly believe God brought us together (prior to either of us being diagnosed might I add), so that we could successfully combat our respective diseases and help others to find the strength and the right answers to do the same.

We focus exclusively on lifestyle to treat our autoimmunity by using diet, sleep, exercise, clean water, clean products, reduced stress, positive thinking and faith.

Some would suggest that this lifestyle is considered “alternative,” because it is an alternative to the norm.

The more conventional way of treating autoimmune disease sounds more like this: little to no lifestyle interventions and the use of pharmaceutical drugs to combat symptoms (italicized because we should be combatting our environment – the reason autoimmunity gets triggered).

But I really want to tell you about two other methods to help combat autoimmune disease (along with a slew of other diseases, both chronic and acute), that just don’t get enough love.

The Problem

Today’s practice of medicine leans heavily on pharmaceutical drugs to do the heavy lifting.  Doctors are overburdened by paperwork, insurance agencies dictating practice methods, and an influx of patients, resulting in a lack of actual time spent with said patients.

Basically, it’s just a big fat mess!

This is the world we live in though.  Drugs are king.  They are the ultimate Band-Aid.  I’m not saying they don’t do their job… they can definitely help manage symptoms (sometimes… other times they just add more problems to the pile) and so, many people don’t look any further.

Thus lies the problem.

Drugs are the primary source of “medicine”, at least in the United States. 

To make things worse, WHY are so many people becoming chronically ill anyway?

If the conventional standard of care (prescription drugs), is the best way… Then why are 1 in 2 American’s chronically ill, and that number is RISING?!

However, improving autoimmune diseases and chronic conditions without the use of prescription drugs is becoming more common.  The two ways you hear about most are anti-inflammatory food and lifestyle change.

I want to discuss two alternative therapies that should be considered primary.  Something you can already find on this blog, but maybe never thought to look…

Alternative Therapies for Autoimmune Disease:  Homeopathy and Earthing (Grounding)

Yep.  Now, you’re looking at your screen wondering if I just misspelled that entire header.

I didn’t.

Just keep reading and find out what Anna and I have discovered about two of the missing links between autoimmune disease (or almost any chronic AND acute illness) and HEALING.

What is Grounding?

Fortunately, Kelly already did the leg work for the introduction.  She explains some of the benefits, how to do it, and introduces a fabulous book that I encourage you to read.  So go here to check out her post:  Why is Earthing Important?

When it comes to grounding (or “earthing”), the whole premise is based on the fact that we are no longer in contact with the earth.  Back in the day (and I mean WAY back), we used to be in constant contact with the earth.  There was no such thing as rubber-soled shoes, or even non-conductive flooring in houses to keep us apart from the planet!

We just lived our hunter-gatherer lives and grew and evolved with the sun in the sky and our feet on the ground.

Earthing and the Autoimmune Disease Connection 

As I stated at the beginning, autoimmune disease = chronic inflammation, and earthing can help tame it.

The earth’s surface has a net negative charge.  This means it has a bunch of electrons ready to roll (because electrons are negatively charged).

One theory is that chronic inflammation is caused, in part, by oxidation and free radicals that are hungry little electron stealers.  They roam freely in the body, snagging free electrons from healthy tissue and cells which causes stuff to go wrong.

And in the case of people with autoimmune disease, this equates to that pesky inflammation showing up.

But I just told you that the earth’s surface is teaming with free electrons that need a good home!  So fortunately, if you have an autoimmune disease – ground yourself!  Soak up the earth’s free electrons and neutralize those free radicals.

In addition to this, there are literally so many other cool ways that earthing improves health, chronically ill or NOT!

So… I’ll tell you my favorite one just for fun: BLOOD! 

Your blood has something called Zeta Potential, which is basically the size of the charge between the surface of your blood cells.  The charge (zeta potential) of blood is negative (less negative is bad, more is better). When it gets closer to zero, it starts to clot (red blood cells stick together) and gets thick and chunky.

Sounds gross right?!  It is.  Plus, it’s not the best thing for you.

Earthing allows your blood to be at a net negative charge, better suited for your body.  Hopefully you have heard before that opposites attract.  This is true!  And the opposite is true too.  Red blood cells with the same charge (negative) will repel each other.  The greater the negative charge the farther apart the blood cells will be.

This is good, because the increasing negative charge, forces the red blood cells farther apart and makes the blood flow better.

I am so weird.  My heart is racing as I write this because of how cool it is. But you might be saying, so what?

Well here are some things that better blood flow helps improve:

• Hypertension rates
• Blood sugar metabolism (diabetes)
• Nutrient and oxygen circulation
• Stroke prevention
• Chronic inflammation markers

Even if you’re not as amped as I am, it’s hard to ignore the things I mentioned. The point is, there are so many super interesting and powerful benefits that grounding provides.

Some anecdotal evidence of our own

I still have one other groundbreaking therapy to discuss so I can’t drag this out.  Here are some of the most noticeable effects (on us) of grounding:

• WAY better sleep – deeper, vivid dreams, well rested, asleep faster
• Chronic pain elimination – Anna suffers from chronic pain (joint and muscular) during autoimmune flares
• Acute pain reduction – I can exercise hard and be ready to go the next day (very atypical for me)
• Significantly improved mood
• Comforting feeling especially when grounding outside
• Improved digestion and intestinal function (kind of a big one in my case)

We have tried A LOT of therapies and remedies in our decade of living with autoimmune disease, and have found less than a handful of things that are as consistent, fast-acting, and powerful as grounding our bodies.

I’m trying to figure out how to end this section… Oh, I know!  If you can't get outside regularly, go buy a grounding mat here!  And while you’re waiting for it to be delivered, get those shoes off and go walk around on some dirt as much as you can!

The Second “Alternative Therapy”

Without further ado, therapy number two that just don’t get no love is: homeopathy.  If you are unfamiliar or need a refresher you can read more here.

The meat and potatoes (organic of course) is this: homeopathy is a system of medicine that “instructs” your body how to function in times of need (illness, injury, whatever).  It does not control the body like a pharmaceutical drug does, and as a result, it has very minimal (basically zero) side effects.

I wonder why people don’t hear more about this therapy then?  I wonder why it is labeled an “alternative” therapy…?  Probably because Big Pharma can’t compete, so they actively attempt to brush it aside (my conspiracy theory is showing).

Or… it could be that homeopathy is an energetic medicine, which mean we don’t know much about it.  Some people even think its quackery, or witchcraft (come on, guys)!  Don’t worry though, if you think it might go against your religion, it won’t (at least not in my humble opinion) or read what Kelly said about it here:  Is Homeopathy New Age?  Because, when I say energetic, I mean in the sense of frequencies – radios work through frequencies for crying out loud!

But the fact that homeopathy uses these frequencies to work with the body makes research difficult to conduct.  There is really only theoretical evidence and HUGE anecdotal studies to prove its effectiveness.  This tends to trip-up the medical industry.   (This is Kelly jumping in…  Actually there is more research and science coming out on homeopathy all of the time nowadays!  Check out the research listed here.)

So, here is some anecdotal proof from my life that it works:

The best place to start if you ever want to prove to yourself that homeopathy works is by starting with arnica.

Arnica Montana is a remedy that effectively heals bumps and bruises about as quickly as they happen.  We have watched swelling and bruises minimize in seconds after one of our kids falls and bumps a body part.  It is seriously shocking to witness.

Personally, I have found success in a similar way for muscle pain after heavy exercising.  Now that I have grounding though, I usually don’t need to pop the top of our Arnica Montana bottle as often anymore.

The second one that has the most application for the everyday person, is Coffea Cruda.

This little gem will knock your socks off if you are having trouble sleeping.  If I have too much actual coffee in the morning, it can easily cause me to stay wired all day (I’m a slow metabolizer).  Simply toss in a Coffea pellet and within 5-20 minutes (depending just how wired I am) I’m sawing logs.

OK.  I mention Arnica and Coffea because they easily apply to pretty much anyone and are surprisingly effective.  But I want to be sure not to undercut the immense power that homeopathy has.

Periodically, I will have a bout of something that mimics a panic attack, paired with depression, and a little quick-trigger rage thrown in for some unfortunate reason.  It can last for days.

Fortunately, this is relatively uncommon, but does happen a few times per year.  Well this year, Anna listened to a Joette Calabrese podcast and knew just the remedy for me when I was suffering from my clouded head syndrome (we’ll call it that, I guess).

We both know it’s happening when I start explaining that I feel like I’m stuck in neutral with swirling emotions.  It’s debilitating.  So now Anna just hands me Aurum Metallicum and I kid you not, within 20 minutes I am running around the house laughing and playing with the kids.

(Another note from Kelly… Aurum Met, as Frank describes, is great for when men are in a funk.  Read here about a remedy that helps when women are in a funk of their own!)

These are just a few examples of what homeopathy can do.  MANY people have significantly more interesting stories (Kelly’s shingles for example or the little girl whose eczema is gone now!), but my Aurum Metallicum story should not be overlooked.  If you struggle with any single or multiple issue(s), I highly encourage you to check out Joette’s blog and podcast, or check out her classes here.  (The kit pictured here has 100 of the most popular remedies.)

Homeopathy and Autoimmunity

Homeopathy can give great results for the most complicated cases.  I wish more people knew of homeopathy's amazing healing prowess and especially those suffering from an autoimmune disease.

(This is Kelly butting in one last time…  With homeopathy you treat the symptoms, these are different for everyone so this means you have to become a your own health detective by searching online for guidance, taking one of Joette's classes, or emailing me if you need help!  [email protected].  If you have a short question I'll just reply, if you have a longer case I give discounted consults to my Krew members, however remember I'm not a doctor, nor am I a homeopath, I'm just a mom with a growing list of ailments I have experience helping with.)

Autoimmune diseases are messy.  The immune system is intertwined and interlaced throughout the whole body.  This can make understanding, diagnosing, and particularly reversing an autoimmune disease feel nearly impossible.

Yet, this is where homeopathy thrives.

It loves messy situations because its whole foundation is rooted in helping, assisting, and guiding the body.  It loosens the knots that have been formed during our disordered lives and allows the body to finish untangling and uprooting (common homeopathic term) whatever is ailing you.

No, I am not saying homeopathy is perfect or the only way to heal.  It can be confusing and takes a bit of trial and error approach at times.  However, it is powerful, and should NOT be left hidden like it has for so long.  It’s been around for over 200 years!

The Real Story — Alternative Therapies for Autoimmune Disease Work

Homeopathy and earthing have a place in everyday medicine.  They work for me, my wife, and thousands of other people across the globe.

My aim is this: I challenge anyone struggling with chronic illness and autoimmune disease to at least consider these therapies as an option.  There is research and literature that promote the benefits of earthing and homeopathy.

And even for those who don’t have a chronic disease… like the mom who is trying to raise her kids without an inhaler and steroid cream… Give ‘em a shot.  Here are my reasons why:

1.       Unwanted side effects are very uncommon. They might only come with risk if there are pharmaceutical drugs involved.

2.       Both are remarkably inexpensive to try.  I mean… take your shoes off and stand on some grass (free).  And homeopathic remedies can easily be had for less than ten bucks for MULTIPLE doses.

3.       The evidence in support of both therapies is amazingly positive and expanding.

So, whether you suffer from an autoimmune disease, or maybe you have no disease at all but just want to have options for acute illnesses, give these two alternative healing therapies a try.

About Frank and Anna:

My wife Anna and I started blogging because we couldn’t bite our tongues anymore. We talked to, and read about, too many people that had an autoimmune diagnosis, but didn’t know what to do with it.  To make things worse, today’s world is crammed full of information. So much so that people become paralyzed by it.  Suffering with an autoimmune disease is painful, but the proper information needed to heal does exist, and we want to teach people how to use it. You can start at our blog: www.healthyhabitsreset.com.

More you might like:

• Will Homeopathy Become Illegal?  Plus Homeopathy Success Stories!
• Is Homeopathy “New Age”? 10 Homeopathy Q and A’s and the FASTEST Homeopathy Success Story!