The prevalence of autoimmune diseases is growing with more than 23.5 million Americans affected by them. And, over 100 autoimmune conditions have been documented. An autoimmune disease occurs when your own immune system attacks your body, which results in an array of symptoms and additional health problems.
However, with appropriate changes to your lifestyle and diet, you can help improve your autoimmune symptoms. Fasting is an effective strategy to deal with autoimmune conditions. By fasting, you abstain from food for a set period of time to help your system and reduce inflammation.
Let’s take a look at what autoimmune diseases are and how they develop and progress. Then let’s take a look at how fasting affects your immune system and several fasting strategies to try. We will also review how to use the various fasting strategies and how often to use them to improve your autoimmune symptoms.
Normal versus autoimmune responses
In a normal immune response, when antigens invade your body, your immune system produces antibodies that remove the invading antigens. The antibodies remain and protect you from future attacks.
In a dysfunctional autoimmune response, your immune system forms antibodies to self-antigens. Those antibodies attack the self-antigens resulting in inflammation and tissue damage.
What are autoimmune diseases?
Autoimmune disease is a cluster of symptoms that occur with your own immune system attacking your body by mistake. A normal immune response helps protect your body from harmful microorganisms like viruses, bacteria, fungi, and toxins. A healthy immune response differentiates between your own cells and invading microorganisms. A dysfunctional response releases autoantibodies into your system, which then attack healthy cells.
Autoimmune disease can negatively impact many areas of your body including your brain, the cardiovascular system, muscles, bones, skin, thyroid, lungs, GI tract, kidneys, and liver.
Autoimmune diseases
Researchers have identified more than 100 autoimmune diseases. Some conditions, like lupus, affect your entire body. Others, like type 1 diabetes, affect only a single organ or a small area of your body. Some of the most common autoimmune diseases are:
- Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis: Psoriasis affects your skin and causes your skin cells to multiply quicker than normal resulting in dry, red skin patches and scales. Over a quarter of people with psoriasis also develop related arthritis symptoms as well.
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS): MS causes damage to the protective coating around your nerve cells, called myelin sheath. Its symptoms may include weakness, numbness, balance problems, and mobility issues.
- Type 1 Diabetes: Type 1 diabetes affects your pancreas destroying insulin-producing cells interfering with blood sugar regulation. Symptoms include thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, blurry vision, and hunger.
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA): RA impacts your joint health. Its symptoms include pain, soreness, stiffness, warmth, and redness.
- Celiac Disease: Celiac disease is closely connected to gluten consumption. If people with Celiac disease consume anything with gluten, they experience an autoimmune reaction, inflammation in their gastrointestinal tract, and an array of symptoms including digestion issues, fatigue, and skin reactions. If you have Celiac disease, you must avoid any traces of gluten, including potential cross-contamination.
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): IBD, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, affect your gastrointestinal tract. Ulcerative colitis affects your large intestine and rectum, while Crohn’s disease may affect the entire GI tract.
- Autoimmune Thyroid Conditions: Hashimoto’s thyroiditis causes slow thyroid hormone production, whereas Graves’ disease results in too much thyroid hormone. Symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease may include weight gain, fatigue, cold, and hair loss, whereas Graves’ disease causes weight loss, heat intolerance, anxiety, and fast heartbeat.
- Lupus: Lupus affects multiple organs in your body, including your skin, joints, brain, heart, and kidneys. It’s characterized by fatigue, pain, and rashes among other symptoms.
Autoimmune diseases that affect specific organs include:
- Brain: multiple sclerosis, autism, cerebellar ataxia, autoimmune encephalitis
- Thyroid: Hashimoto’s disease, thyroiditis, Grave’s disease
- Bones: ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica
- Blood: antiphospholipid syndrome, lupus erythematosus, hemolytic anemia
- Muscles: lupus, autoimmune myositis, polymyalgia rheumatica, rheumatoid arthritis
- Nerves: peripheral neuropathy, multiple sclerosis, Guillain Barre syndrome,
- GI tract: celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis
- Skin: vitiligo, psoriasis, eczema, scleroderma
- Lungs: lupus, scleroderma, Wegener’s granulomatosis
Pancreas: type 1 diabetes, autoimmune pancreatitis
Major factors contributing to autoimmune diseases
Autoimmune diseases are complex. However, research has identified several key factors that may worsen your symptoms and condition.
Chronic stress
Chronic stress creates a continual state of fight-flight-or-flee response resulting in higher levels of adrenaline and cortisol.
Chronic stress also increases chronic inflammation in your body which may lead to gut imbalance and an autoimmune response.
The signs of chronic stress include:
- Teeth grinding
- Apathy
- Anxiety
- Trouble concentrating
- Anger
- Muscle tension
- Headaches
- Skin irritations
- Stomach problems
- Lower sex drive
- fatigue
Nutrient deficiencies
Eating an inflammatory diet low in nutrient-dense greens, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, and clean protein can result in nutrient deficiencies. And a nutrient deficiency can increase your risk of inflammation and autoimmune disease.
There are several key nutrient deficiencies that frequently play a role in autoimmunity including magnesium, vitamin D, zinc, omega 3 fatty acids, B vitamins, glutathione, and selenium.
Gut dysbiosis and infections
An imbalance in your gut microbiome may result in a compromised immune system, inflammation, and leaky gut syndrome. These can worsen the symptoms of an autoimmune disease. Leaky gut syndrome occurs when the microscopic junctions of the gut lining increase in size and allow toxins, microbes, and undigested food particles to pass into your bloodstream. Your body may respond to these as harmful invaders and trigger an inflammatory, autoimmune response.
In addition to gut dysbiosis from diet and lifestyle, infections may also trigger autoimmunity. These infections include the Epstein Barr Virus (EBV), E. coli, and Herpes Simplex 1 and 2. These infections can remain dormant for long periods until a trigger produces an autoimmune response.
Food sensitivities
Food sensitivities don’t create an immediate reaction in your body like a food allergy. However, if you regularly consume foods that you are sensitive to, it results in inflammation, gut dysbiosis, and an array of symptoms, including digestion problems, skin issues, headaches, and fatigue.
Food sensitivities may also trigger an autoimmune response and autoimmune symptoms. Common food sensitivities that may trigger autoimmunity include gluten, dairy, sugar, eggs, legumes, nuts, seeds, and nightshades.
Toxin exposure
Our modern world has created an environment in which we are continuously exposed to toxins from air pollution, chemicals, cleaning products, tap water, plastic, personal care products, cigarette smoke, and more. The average American adult is overburdened by more than 500 toxins.
Toxin overload can result in an autoimmune response. In addition to the toxins listed above, you may be exposed to mycotoxins, mercury in amalgam dental fillings, pesticides, and herbicides.
Fasting and the immune system
Fasting is the practice of abstaining from food and drinking only water for a set period of time. It has many health benefits, especially for your immune system. Let’s take a look at those benefits.
Autophagy
Autophagy is the process by which your body breaks down old, weakened cells and recycles them for energy. This stimulates the production of new, healthy cells.
Autophagy assists your immune system to control viral and intracellular parasite replication and reduce inflammation. Research shows that food restriction by fasting is an effective method to encourage autophagy in your body.
One study has found that the upregulation of autophagy through fasting may prevent, delay or ameliorate the development of neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), such as MS.
The microbiome
The balance of your gut microbiome plays a key role in the health of your immune system. Research shows that fasting has a positive impact on your gut. One study showed that fasting encouraged the growth of beneficial bacteria over harmful bacteria like salmonella. Another study showed that intermittent fasting can improve antioxidative metabolic pathways, enhance your immune system, and increase gut microbiome diversity.
Immune cell regulation
Fasting may also improve immune cell regulation in your body. According to one study, prolonged fasting for a period of 48 to 120 hours can improve your immune system. Fasting may also activate certain pathways that enhance your resistance to stress and toxins. It can help activate immune cell regeneration as well. This may be beneficial for those with autoimmune diseases, tumors, and cancer.
Methods of fasting
Begin with intermittent fasting
Before doing a lengthy fast, begin with intermittent fasting, which is a method by which you fast for a certain number of hours each day. There are several types of intermittent fasting, and you can choose a method that best fits your lifestyle and preference. Some may be practiced each day or others are best used only a few times per week.
The quick fast
This is an excellent option if you have never fasted before. You fast for 12 hours, which allows you to eat for 12 hours. If you finish dinner at 6:30 p.m., then you can eat again at 6:30 a.m. Drink water or herb tea at night, and begin your day with 8 to 16 ounces of water. A quick fast practiced each day will help you sleep better, allows the liver to cleanse the bloodstream, helps your body burn fat, and reduces food cravings and addictions.
The cycle fast and strength fast
Once you are comfortable with the quick fast, you can try the cycle fast, which has a 16-hour fasting period. However, you practice this method only 3 times per week with one day off in between. For instance, if you finish dinner at 6:30 p.m., then you can eat again at 10:30 a.m. the next day. Then you eat normally that day and the next. On the following day, you begin the cycle fast again.
The strength fast is just a bit different with a window of 16 to 18 hours for fasting. This is the method that typically produces the highest level of health benefits. A variation on the strength fast is to lengthen the fasting period to 19 to 21 hours. Or you can try eating one major meal each day with fasting in between.
Partial fasting
Partial fasting may be an option if you prefer not to abstain from food for a day or more. It has similar benefits for your immune system. Partial fasting focuses on high-quality nutrients while supporting your immune system and giving your digestive system some downtime. It has some restrictions on food consumption but allows you to consume specific nutrient-dense liquids including bone broth, green juice, and others.
Bone broth fast
During a bone broth fast, you consume only bone broth, which is nutrient-dense and provides minerals, amino acids, and electrolytes. The benefits include:
- Healing the gut
- Repair and strengthen joints, ligaments, and tendons,
- Improve hair and skin
- Support a healthy metabolism
- Support detoxification
Green juice fast
Green juice fasts are also called green juice cleanse or green juice detox. You will be drinking green juices for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.
Green juices are high doses of minerals, vitamins, and live enzymes in their most bioavailable form that allow you to meet your micronutrients while boosting your immune system and giving your digestive system some downtime. The benefits include:
- Easily absorbed nutrients
- Improved focus
- Reduces inflammation
- Supports immune function
- Better energy and vitality
- Better fat burning
Fat or Keto Fast
Fat or Keto Fasting is designed to achieve quick weight loss. For 3 to 5 days, focus on a high-fat and low-calorie diet between 500 to 1000 calories per day.
You want 90% or more of your calories to come from high-quality, healthy fats, such as avocados, coconut oil, olive oil, grass-fed butter, and pasture-raised eggs.
Daniel Fast
The Daniel Fast gets its name from the book of Daniel in the Bible. Daniel refused to eat the rich royal foods offered to him and asked for only vegetables and water. The Daniel Fast is a 10 to 21-day strategy that allows you to eat plant-based foods, including vegetables, low-glycemic index fruits, plant fats, nuts, seeds, spices, and herbs.
While the original plan is a bit longer, you may also benefit from practicing it for 3 to 5 days as a stepping stone to a healthier diet and more advanced fasting methods.
The Daniel fast excludes the following foods: processed and fast foods, meat and dairy products, sugar and artificial sweeteners, leavened breads, hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils, alcohol, and caffeinated beverages.
The 3-5 day water fast
Water fasting is a fasting strategy where you are only drinking water and not consuming any food or other liquid during your fast. Water fasting has been practiced throughout history for its health and spiritual benefits. While it provides immune-boosting and other health benefits, it is advisable to try intermittent fasting until you are comfortable.
It is important to prepare your body well for a water fast. Follow a nutrient-dense ketogenic and intermittent fasting for at least 2 to 3 weeks before beginning your water fast. This helps your body to enter into a fat-burning mood and to experience ketosis, so water fasting will be easier on your body. You can also try a weekly 20 to 24 hour fast for at least 1 to 2 weeks prior to your water fast. This will prepare your body for going without food for 3 to 5 days.
How often should you practice fasting?
How often you fast to achieve your health goal depends on the type of fasting, your body type, and your personal health goals.
You can practice intermittent fasting on a daily basis. If you are a thin or lean person, you might try a partial fast or water fast every 8 to 12 weeks for 3 to 5 days. If you are at a normal weight, try every 6 to 8 weeks for 4 to 7 days.
If you are overweight, you may try it every month for 5 days or longer. However, fasting is very personal. You may want to consult with a health care provider first who is experienced with fasting.
Final thoughts on fasting and autoimmune disease
Autoimmune diseases happen when your immune system attacks your body by mistake. They affect 23.5 million Americans and cause various uncomfortable symptoms and further health problems. You can improve your symptoms by practicing fasting. Follow the tips above to support your immune system and improve your overall well-being.