The Toronto Functional Medicine Centre Explores the Influence of Toxins on Autoimmune Diseases: A Discussion on Functional Medicine

Toronto, Ontario -

Toronto Functional Medicine Centre in Toronto, ON, Canada, has recently published a blog post that explains the use of functional medicine for autoimmune diseases. The functional medicine practitioners at the Toronto clinic can customize a treatment plan for a particular patient to help manage autoimmune disease symptoms. Although some causes of autoimmune disease are still unknown, toxins have been observed to contribute to the development or worsening of the symptoms.

The immune system plays a crucial role in safeguarding the body against infections caused by various microorganisms, including viruses, thus contributing to overall long-term health.

The problem with autoimmunity is that the immune system fails to differentiate healthy cells from pathogens. The result is that the immune system releases autoantibodies that work against healthy cells rather than the harmful microorganisms, which ultimately leads to damage in the cells and tissues. The severity of the symptoms may vary and there are more than 80 kinds of autoimmune diseases with some of them regarded as chronic conditions. These include Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, Celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, psoriasis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and more.

The root causes of autoimmune diseases are not yet clear but various factors may possibly increase the risks of getting an autoimmune disease. These factors include: sex, lifestyle factors, genetics, obesity, certain medications, infections, and toxins. People are exposed to a range of toxins, including pesticides, heavy metals, and pollutants in the air, water, and soil. Toxins may also be found in food. When toxins accumulate in the body, they may cause inflammation, weakened bodily functions, and poor liver detoxification. Overall, toxins may trigger a series of events that may contribute to the development of autoimmune disease. Toxins may also bind to the gut microbiome and decrease the supply of antioxidants, which may cause excessive inflammation and weakened immune health and cellular health. In addition, toxins may be able to reconfigure proteins in such a way that this may lead to the activation or the dysregulation of immunity.

To be able to come up with a personalized plan, the functional medicine practitioners will conduct a number of functional laboratory tests, such as the heavy metal toxicity profile and organic acids test. After the lab test results have been examined, and they have understood the patient’s current environmental factors, lifestyle, medical history, etc., the functional medicine practitioners would be able to determine the specific functional therapies to include in the treatment plan. For supporting toxin removal and reducing the severity of symptoms, they may suggest oral supplementation, intravenous (IV) therapy and or lifestyle modifications.

IV drips may help because higher oxidative stress and reduction of antioxidant activity is a primary feature of autoimmune conditions. Therefore, they may suggest the use of IV therapy as adjunctive support to reduce the oxidative load and promote detoxification. Some patients may need a tailor-fitted nutritional formula for their IV therapy because oral supplementation might not be properly absorbed due to chronic digestive problems. They may also come up with custom IV drips with nutrients that have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant roles, including vitamin C, glutathione, alpha lipoic acid, and vitamin E.

The Toronto Functional Medicine Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada uses an integrative functional medicine approach that integrates allopathic medicine, restorative medicine, acupuncture, naturopathic medicine, bio-identical hormone replacement, IV therapy, detoxification, and more. This strategy may be applied for a variety of health problems, such as: postmenopausal health issues, acute health issues, neuropathic pain, athletic recovery, hormone imbalances, tissue repair, fertility issues, cellular damage, DNA repair, mineral deficiencies, thyroid issues, chronic fatigue, skin rejuvenation, immune function, adrenal function, and more.

Those who are interested in the integrative functional medicine strategy, including the use of functional medicine for IBS, can go to the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre website or contact them on the phone at (416) 968-6961 or via email at info@tfm.care. They are open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on Mondays and Wednesdays; from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on Tuesday and Thursdays; from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on Fridays; and from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm on alternating Saturdays.