Great Book

[norcalmom]

I read this over the long weekend. It was so good. Its a summary - written in English, not medical terms, uses A TON of research, statistics and analysis to talk about Autoimmune Disease. I've heard or read a lot of what was presented in it over the past 3 years in doing my own research, and it is so nice to see it all summarized and presented in a logical way, along with compelling personal stories that prove each point of the theory being presented.

 

The title is The Autoimmune Epidemic by Donna Jackson Nakazawa

 

I think the first time I saw this concept it was on a bootlegged presentation done by Cunningham at U of T. I said that pandas is a condition that is probably caused by one of several things PLUS a strep infection. The several things were - genetics, environment, or and existing condition that is affecting the immune system (like Lyme or CVID).

 

The analogy that the author uses is a barrel. That is filled up over your lifetime - until you reach the brim. And when you reach the brim you add one drop - which does not lead to one drop spilling out - but rather a whole bunch of water cascading over. like the straw that broke the camels back.

 

Everyone's immune system barrel is different. Some may be born with a barrel half full because they have a genetic disposition. Some may be a quarter full because of viruses or exposures they had in vitro. And over the course of time they add to their barrel. Until one day, one thing happens - that may have happened before without problems - maybe its an emotional trauma, or a physical trauma, or a virus - and that is the drop that causes the cascade over the sides.

 

The book cites a lot of statistics.. It focuses on several of the "big ones" MS, Lupus, and R. Arthritis. Of course one of the statistics is that if you have one autoimmune disease - you are much more likely to get another. Which is part of the reason why I'm posting this. Since, I firmly believe our kids have autoimmune dysfunction. Unfortunely the lack of funds on not just pandas but autoimmune disease in general hampers us from figuring it out.

 

Its also for those that can't understand (like my husband) why doctors just don't have a cut answer. It can take years from symptoms of even well know diseases to be determined which austoimmune disease you have. Its a relatively new area of medicine. IT really wasn't fully accepted that our bodies could attack themselves until 1965. I just ready a summary of history of autoimmunity on Pub Med. Eerily like pandas history!!! Some (jerk) name Elrich wrote a paper in 1900 that said "autoimmunity cannot happen". Around 1904, other doctors were fi were finding proof otherwise - but because of "Elrichs Docterine" it was all refuted and ignored. Until 1945 when there began an outpouring of work to prove autoimmunity, and challenge Elrich's doctrine. It still took another 20 years for it to become accepted widely . Sound familiar??

 

 

Theres a lot in there - gene information, viral studies, links to different chemical exposures and certain diseases... They are even finding protective genes, and ways to "empty" your barrel.

[JuliaFaith]

Thank you for providing info. on this book which was published 2008. While I was looking for it at our library I came upon a more recent book called "An Epidemic of Absence: A New Way of Understanding Allergies and Autoimmune Disease", published 2012. Will order and see if it is any good.

[norcalmom]

I know the book is a little older - and I thought it wouldn't have relevant up to date info (or would be lacking) but what I liked was that its theories - have been around for a few years now, and from all I've read in the past 3 years - which is the more current stuff - the current stuff supports everything in the book. So, it isn't just one voice. I'm hearing the same thing from many sources now, giving it more credibility.

Let us know how you like the !Epidemic of Absence"..can you say - vitual Book club? !

[LNN]

I think the first time I saw this concept it was on a bootlegged presentation done by Cunningham at U of T. I said that pandas is a condition that is probably caused by one of several things PLUS a strep infection. The several things were - genetics, environment, or and existing condition that is affecting the immune system (like Lyme or CVID).

 

Everyone's immune system barrel is different. Some may be born with a barrel half full because they have a genetic disposition. Some may be a quarter full because of viruses or exposures they had in vitro. And over the course of time they add to their barrel. Until one day, one thing happens - that may have happened before without problems - maybe its an emotional trauma, or a physical trauma, or a virus - and that is the drop that causes the cascade over the sides.

 

This was absolutely our experience. My kids had pre-existing issues and strep was the last straw. By reducing the load caused by these other issues, the flair caused by strep is significantly less severe (plus the body is generally healthier and better able to handle illness, stress and other challenges.

 

In that sense, I think you can "reverse" this type of autoimmunity in that, with enough time and healing and treatments aimed at your specific, individual issues, you can re-train the body to not react as severely or maybe not at all. "Cure" isn't the right word but I really agree with this way of looking at Pans.