There are over 80 autoimmune diseases (where the immune system attacks the body itself, including diseases such as Type 1 Diabetes, Coeliac Disease, Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriasis, MS, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Hashimoto’s & Raynaud’s) and their incidence in the West continues to grow rapidly. It is now ten years since the concept that autoimmunity develops via a complex interaction between our genes, the environment and the health of our digestive system was first postulated by professors Fasano and Shea-Donohue.. Our genes are set at conception, but we do have control over our environment and the health of the gastrointestinal tract. These professors conclude that

'...once the autoimmune process is activated, it is not self-perpetuating; rather, it can be modulated or even reversed...'

So by modulating the health of our digestive tract in conjunction with removing triggers from our environment (changing diet, removing/reducing toxins/stress), we might be able to alter disease outcome... that’s quite a thought.