Autoimmunity and Nutrition
A central function of the immune system is to distinguish foreign molecules, such as infectious
agents, from the molecules that belong to the body tissues. The immune system attacks foreignparticles by creating an army of specialized white blood cells (lymphocytes) and by producingantibodies.Sometimes there is a failure to discriminate between self and non-self (foreign), and aninappropriate immune response will arise, an autoimmune  response. In an autoimmune
response, the specialized lymphocytes and the antibodies attack normal body tissues andorgans.More than 78 clinically distinct autoimmune diseases are identified and the list continues togrow. Some of the autoimmune diseases are well known, including; Diabetes type 1, IrritableBowel syndrome, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Juvenile Arthritis.Others are less familiar, including Crohn’s disease, Graves’ disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis,Mixed Connective Tissue Disease, Pemphigus, Progressive Systemic Sclerosis, Sarcoidosis,Sjogren's Syndrome, Temporal Arteritis, and various skin conditions. Collectively these diseasesafflict more than 15 million Americans, with women being affected disproportionately.Autoimmune conditions represent a significant physical, emotional, and financial burden forsociety.Many separate mechanisms have been described that may contribute to the failure of theimmune system leading to autoimmunity. Among them, drugs and hormone interaction, geneticconfiguration, cross reactivity of some bacterial and virus immune factors, and the scarcity or theexcess of some specific food ingredients in the diet form a puzzling assortment of triggers. Links between food ingredients and immunity have become a hot topics of research. Recent
publications demonstrate a remarkable and close concordance between the host overallnutritional status and immunity.An example is:
Deficiencies of minerals, including iron and zinc, are well documented to impair immunefunction in experimental animals, and to the extent studied, in humans as well. One postulatedmechanism is that both of these metals are essential for the function of a number ofmetalloenzymes required for nucleic acid synthesis and cell replication. (Gerald T. Keusch , 2003)
Other links have been delineated between specific food ingredients in the diet and autoimmunity.Examples are the link between a scarcity of some carbohydrates and errors in cell identification,and the links between an elevated omega-6 to omega-3 essential fatty acid (EFA) ratio in the dietor an elevated blood sugar level and an exaggerated immune response.Here is how the links work: Target recognition directs the immune response, while theprostaglandins hormones we make from EFAs modulate its intensity.A - Target Recognition. Cells wear identification molecules protruding from their membranes. The cell's identificationmolecules are made of various carbohydrates and carbohydrate derivatives. Without the supplyof a variety of carbohydrates, cells have problems making their identification molecules. Errorsin these molecules confuse the immune system recognition system. Think of the identificationmolecules as bar codes and the immune system recognition system as a bar code reader. Think ofthe mess caused by errors in a bar codeA cell’s bar code contains the carbohydrates glucose, galactose, mannose, xylose, fucose, andderivatives. One of these carbohydrates— glucose, is in excess in our diet, while the othercarbohydrates are scarce or missing in our refined food. The missing carbohydrates exist in fruitand vegetables. 2 - Intensity Modulation
The intensity of an immune response is modulated by prostaglandins hormones. We make two
types of prostaglandins hormones. Type 1 increases immune response, type 2 reduces it. Auseful immune response depends on the balance between the two types. We makeprostaglandins from Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) exclusively. There are two types of EFAs,the Omega-6 and the Omega-3 EFAs. We use the omega-6 EFAs to make the prostaglandins thatincrease immune response, and the omega-3 EFAs to make the prostaglandins that reduce theimmune response. The omega-6 EFAs are abundant in our diet, while the omega-3 EFAs arevery scarce. The omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in the American diet is about 12 to 1, in theAustralian diet the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is around 18 to 1, instead of an ideal 2 to 1. Withratios higher than 2 to 1, the immune system is overactive. With ratios around or higher that 10to 1 the immune system runs with no brakes. Hence, the proliferation of autoimmune conditions
with our omega-3 EFA deprived diet.To correct the ratio we should avoid omega-6 EFAs rich fats and oils and supplement the dietwith omega-3 EFAs rich fats and oils. Omega-3 EFAs are available in flax seeds, in cold oceanfish (sardine, salmon, mackerel, and herring), and in fish oil supplements like Ultimate E.F.A.and Ultimate E.F.A. Plus. Here we have to make a distinction between Alpha Linolenic Acid(ALA), and other more active omega-3 EFAs. ALA is the sole omega-3 EFA found in plants andin the supplement Ultimate E.F.A. Cold ocean fish and the product Ultimate E.F.A. Pluscontains ALA and other omega-3 EFAs, among them the active omega-3 fatty acidsEicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). We make the prostaglandinsthat reduce immune response from EPA. Although we are capable of making EPA and DHAfrom ALA, many people have lost that capacity. ALA has little biochemical function except tocontribute to cell membrane fluidity, and to be the raw material for making more active omega-3EFAs. People that can not make EPA and DHA from ALA can not make enough
prostaglandins to down regulate an overactive immune system. They need food and
supplements containing EPA and DHA. They need it at least to start with. Indeed some EPAand DHA intake is for our biochemistry like seed money for a business. When correcting the diet to reduce autoimmunity, we have to take into account the life span of
the lymphocytes the immune system has multiplied, the lymphocytes that attack the tissue andorgans and the lymphocytes that produce antibodies. Once the storage of EPA and DHA isreplenished—it takes about 6 weeks, the omega-3 derived prostaglandins production halts thelymphocyte multiplication. However the lymphocytes produced previously are still available.The lifespan of lymphocytes is from six months to two years. Therefore six months is theperiod of time one has to consider for some improvement to become noticeable and two yearsfor remission to occur. Some food (offending food) contains molecules that stimulate theproduction of omega-6 derived prostaglandins. A high blood sugar level (hyperglycemia) alsostimulates the production of omega-6 derived prostaglandins. People with an autoimmunedisease should avoid eating offending food and food that increase the blood sugar level, likerefined sugar, and food with a high glycemic index. A list of immune system offending food, an informative text about hyperglycemia with food
listed by its glycemic index, a list of food with its essential fatty acid content, and the text aboveare available in the website of the Longevity Institute at <http://www.longevinst.org> (Click on“downloads” in the left navigation strip)
Copyright: 2003-2004 Edmund Devroey MD.
Autoimmune_Diseases_and_Diet.txt
Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        Autoimmunity and Nutrition
A central function of the immune system is to distinguish foreign molecules, such as infectious
agents, from the molecules that belong to the body tissues. The immune system attacks foreignparticles by creating an army of specialized white blood cells (lymphocytes) and by producingantibodies. Sometimes there is a failure to discriminate between self and non-self (foreign), and aninappropriate immune response will arise, an autoimmune  response. In an autoimmune
response, the specialized lymphocytes and the antibodies attack normal body tissues andorgans. More than 78 clinically distinct autoimmune diseases are identified and the list continues togrow. Some of the autoimmune diseases are well known, including; Diabetes type 1, IrritableBowel syndrome, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Juvenile Arthritis. Others are less familiar, including Crohn’s disease, Graves’ disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis,Mixed Connective Tissue Disease, Pemphigus, Progressive Systemic Sclerosis, Sarcoidosis,Sjogren's Syndrome, Temporal Arteritis, and various skin conditions. Collectively these diseasesafflict more than 15 million Americans, with women being affected disproportionately. Autoimmune conditions represent a significant physical, emotional, and financial burden forsociety. Many separate mechanisms have been described that may contribute to the failure of theimmune system leading to autoimmunity. Among them, drugs and hormone interaction, geneticconfiguration, cross reactivity of some bacterial and virus immune factors, and the scarcity or theexcess of some specific food ingredients in the diet form a puzzling assortment of triggers. Links between food ingredients and immunity have become a hot topics of research. Recent
publications demonstrate a remarkable and close concordance between the host overallnutritional status and immunity. An example is:
Deficiencies of minerals, including iron and zinc, are well documented to impair immunefunction in experimental animals, and to the extent studied, in humans as well. One postulatedmechanism is that both of these metals are essential for the function of a number ofmetalloenzymes required for nucleic acid synthesis and cell replication. (Gerald T. Keusch, 2003)
Other links have been delineated between specific food ingredients in the diet and autoimmunity. Examples are the link between a scarcity of some carbohydrates and errors in cell identification,and the links between an elevated omega-6 to omega-3 essential fatty acid (EFA) ratio in the dietor an elevated blood sugar level and an exaggerated immune response. Here is how the links work: Target recognition directs the immune response, while theprostaglandins hormones we make from EFAs modulate its intensity. A - Target Recognition. Cells wear identification molecules protruding from their membranes. The cell's identificationmolecules are made of various carbohydrates and carbohydrate derivatives. Without the supplyof a variety of carbohydrates, cells have problems making their identification molecules. Errorsin these molecules confuse the immune system recognition system. Think of the identificationmolecules as bar codes and the immune system recognition system as a bar code reader. Think ofthe mess caused by errors in a bar codeA cell’s bar code contains the carbohydrates glucose, galactose, mannose, xylose, fucose, andderivatives. One of these carbohydrates— glucose, is in excess in our diet, while the othercarbohydrates are scarce or missing in our refined food. The missing carbohydrates exist in fruitand vegetables. 2 - Intensity Modulation
The intensity of an immune response is modulated by prostaglandins hormones. We make two
types of prostaglandins hormones. Type 1 increases immune response, type 2 reduces it. Auseful immune response depends on the balance between the two types. We makeprostaglandins from Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) exclusively. There are two types of EFAs,the Omega-6 and the Omega-3 EFAs. We use the omega-6 EFAs to make the prostaglandins thatincrease immune response, and the omega-3 EFAs to make the prostaglandins that reduce theimmune response. The omega-6 EFAs are abundant in our diet, while the omega-3 EFAs arevery scarce. The omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in the American diet is about 12 to 1, in theAustralian diet the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is around 18 to 1, instead of an ideal 2 to 1. Withratios higher than 2 to 1, the immune system is overactive. With ratios around or higher that 10to 1 the immune system runs with no brakes. Hence, the proliferation of autoimmune conditions
with our omega-3 EFA deprived diet. To correct the ratio we should avoid omega-6 EFAs rich fats and oils and supplement the dietwith omega-3 EFAs rich fats and oils. Omega-3 EFAs are available in flax seeds, in cold oceanfish (sardine, salmon, mackerel, and herring), and in fish oil supplements like Ultimate E. F. A. and Ultimate E.
To distinguish between foreign molecules and the body's own tissues
What is the primary function of the immune system?
An autoimmune response is when the immune system attacks normal body tissues and organs. Examples of autoimmune diseases include diabetes type 1, irritable bowel syndrome, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and various skin conditions.
What is an autoimmune response, and what are some examples of autoimmune diseases?
The passage mentions that autoimmunity can be triggered by a variety of factors, including drug interactions, genetic predisposition, and an imbalance in the diet. To reduce the risk of autoimmunity, it is recommended to avoid omega-6 rich foods and high glycemic index foods, and to supplement with omega-3 rich foods.
What are some potential triggers of autoimmunity, and what is the recommended dietary approach to reduce the risk of autoimmunity?
The omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio is crucial in the immune system's functioning. A ratio higher than 2:1 can lead to an overactive immune response, and a ratio higher than 10:1 can lead to a complete loss of control of the immune system. To correct this imbalance, it is recommended to avoid omega-6 rich foods and supplements with omega-3 rich foods, such as flax seeds, cold ocean fish, and fish oil supplements.
What is the significance of the omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio in the diet, and how can it be corrected?
For people with autoimmune diseases, it is recommended to avoid "offending" foods that stimulate the production of omega-6 derived prostaglandins and high glycemic index foods.
What is the recommended approach for people with autoimmune diseases, and what are some important considerations?