Foods to be avoided when having an autoimmune disease. Food, as well as nutrients, can provide us with food antigens, which are substances that trigger an activation of the immune system. If you are healthy they should not be a problem, however, there are people with immune problems in which these substances can aggravate the disease.
The relationship of the gut with many autoimmune diseases, such as Crohn’s disease, colitis, celiac disease, or even rheumatoid arthritis, is well known. That’s why number one on the list is gluten.
Gluten:
The relationship of gluten with autoimmune diseases, such as Crohn’s, celiac disease, thyroiditis, or dermatitis herpetiformis (1) among others are well documented, so my recommendation is that you eliminate at least a few months of gluten from the diet.
Cereals and pulses:
At this point we mention two foods, since they share a common cause. In autoimmune diseases should at least reduce their intake, since they have lectins, which are sugars attached to proteins that adhere to the intestinal wall, mimicking lipopolysaccharides of the bacterial walls, that is our body, can believe that they are bacteria and attack them causing an exacerbation of the immune response.
Meat, especially white pork:
Meat due to the presence of saturated fats, nitrites and even excess iron has been linked to inflammation, being, therefore, another of the foods that should limit people with autoimmune diseases. On the other hand, cooking meats at high temperatures, such as in grills or roasts or in barbecues can also create dangerous chemicals that promote inflammation.
Dairy:
Although the evidence is not clear, if we know that they contain antigens that present a mimicry with certain proteins in our body, what is known as molecular mimicry, specifically this mimicry occurs with human joint tissue, more specifically with collagen (4). So although there is no clear evidence, in practice there are many people who benefit from eliminating milk from the diet. You can live without them without suffering calcium deficit, in fact, all mammals except a man do, consuming only milk while they are lactating.
Sources:
Punder K, Pruimboom L. The Dietary Intake of Wheat and other Cereal Grains and Their Role in Inflammation. 2017. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3705319/2 NewPK e. Intake of whole grains, refined grains, and cereal fiber measured with 7-d diet records and associations with risk factors for chronic disease. – PubMed – NCBI
