What are autoimmune diseases?
Autoimmune diseases occur when the body attacks itself through negative immune system responses. The causes of autoimmune diseases are not definitively known. Examples of autoimmune diseases are rheumatoid arthritis, psoriases, multiple sclerosis, lupus, and celiacs disease. Type 1 Diabetes (link) is also sometimes considered an autoimmune disease.
Why do I need to know about them?
Studies show that many autoimmune diseases are on the rise. This may be linked to environmental factors, such as pollutants and chemicals, as well as to diet(link).
How are allergies and autoimmune diseases related?
Similarly to autoimmune diseases, allergic reactions are immune responses. In an allergic reaction, the immune system recognizes a normally harmless substance, called an allergen as harmful, and releases antibodies, causing the cells to produce histamine. The leads to itching and swelling. Allergic reactions have varying severity. Some anaphylactic reactions can be life threatening. In such cases, an epipen must be used. Allergies are linked with asthma, eczema, and other immune responses. Rates of allergies are increasing, and may be attributed to environmental and chemical factors, such as the increased rate of antibiotics. There has been a recent uptick in mammalian meat allergy, a rare allergy thought to be caused by tick bites.