It has been a full month since my last post! What happened?? In short – I have gotten myself into a downward spiral of worry. It all started when I read the book the Autoimmune Epidemic.
As I mention in an Amazon.com post, the book was literally life changing for me. (See full post below) But, now I am not so sure that is a good thing. The book points to the numerous environmental toxins that are poisoning our bodies and leading to an increased incidence of autoimmune disease. The information is important to understand and spread, but it is really terrifying. I now look at everything around me with fear. I had been drinking from plastic cups – BAD. I had been dying my hair – WORSE. And, I had even been eating fruits and vegetables that weren’t organic- TOXIC? Even the body lotions, shampoos, and perfumes I use daily are starting to worry me. Am I poisoning myself so I can smell good??? I promised myself earlier this year when I tossed my toxic nail polish that I would pick my battles, but now I am literally feeling like I am in a full fledged war and everything around me is the enemy.
HERE IS MY Amazon.com post on the book.
A Medical Provider Must
I agree with many of the other reviews – everyone in the medical community should read this book. It is not only extremely well-written and thoroughly researched, but it also conveys the true anguish and fear that patients with autoimmune disease experience. I had to take numerous breaks from reading because it was so emotionally draining. Donna is a phenomenol writer who is able to truly get to the heart of this problem by enabling the reader to “feel” the impact of autoimmune disease through the personal stories of several people (not just her own, and not just lupus as another reviewer implied). I have actually found a real appreciation for my own body, as I have 4 different autoimmune disorders, but thankfully none have caused me the severe disability that others have experienced. I am happy Donna covered the dietary approaches to managing immune function. I am a dietitian and I have long suspected that diet plays a key role. Personally, I have found relief in many of the supplements that are mentioned in Chapter 6- fish oil (omega 3), ginger, turmeric (curcumin), and vitamin D. And, although I know there is truth to the need to focus on a whole foods diet, I think this is going to be very challenging to achieve in a country that runs on processed foods. Regardless, being mindful of everything we put in our bodies really is the only way to insure optimal health. I used to take the stance that we can’t be obsessed with every little thing, but I am definitely changing my mind about that. It seems that all the little things – pesticides, chemicals, food colorings, preservatives – are adding up to big problems. Before reading this book I thought I knew a lot about autoimmune disease. But, the truths surrounding our toxic environment and the ignorance surrounding treating this problem are far beyond what I could ever imagine. This book truly is life changing.