Autoimmune Disease: Could Just Cutting Grains Transform Your Body?

This is precisely where the wisdom of the Donguibogam aligns even more clearly with modern science. Many people today suffer from autoimmune diseases. Numerous autoimmune conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Crohn's disease, atopy, and Hashimoto's thyroiditis, arise from a malfunction where our body's immune system attacks healthy cells and tissues instead of foreign invaders. Studies are now showing that diet, especially grains, is involved far more deeply in this immune system malfunction than previously thought. Components such as gluten found particularly in wheat, or lectins present in corn and soybeans, can be prime culprits triggering inflammatory responses in some individuals. They irritate and damage the intestinal mucosa, potentially triggering leaky gut syndrome, which increases intestinal permeability. Once leaky gut occurs, undigested food particles, bacteria, and toxins cross the intestinal barrier and infiltrate the bloodstream. The immune cells in our body perceive these foreign substances as outside invaders and react hypersensitively. This is cited as one of the core mechanisms driving systemic inflammatory responses and the onset or worsening of autoimmune diseases. In addition, many grains are high glycemic index (GI) foods that rapidly raise blood glucose. When blood glucose spikes, insulin resistance easily develops, which also acts as a potent driver of chronic inflammation. Excessive sugar intake further compromises gut health by promoting the proliferation of harmful bacteria in the gut. Considering that about 70 to 80 percent of our body's immune cells are concentrated in the gut, one can see that gut health is indeed the core of immune health. Consequently, healthcare providers often recommend diets restricting specific grains, dairy products, and processed foods, such as the autoimmune protocol (AIP) diet or the Paleo diet, for patients with autoimmune diseases. Of course, this does not mean all grains are inherently harmful. Because constitution and gut environments differ for everyone, there is significant individual variation in which grains trigger sensitivity. However, if you are struggling with chronic inflammation or an autoimmune disease, restricting grain intake for at least 2 to 4 weeks and observing your body's changes can be an important first step toward extinguishing the embers of inflammation. You need the wisdom to listen to your body and discover your own healthy diet based on scientific evidence.