Autoimmune Diseases Therapies

WHAT IS AUTOIMMUNITY?

Autoimmune Diseases Therapies: Autoimmunity is when our immune system perceives some tissues in our body as foreign and attacks them.

HOW DOES AUTOIMMUNITY DEVELOP?

Autoimmunity usually follows an inflammatory process that overwhelms the immune system. At some stage, the immune system loses coordination in the process it fights against due to overstimulation of its perception and starts to attack its own tissues by perceiving them as foreign (harmful).

DO AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES DISAPPEAR ON THEIR OWN?

Unfortunately, NO. However, the autoimmune process is dampened by eliminating the inflammation that initiated the process.

WHAT ARE AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES?

• Type 1 Diabetes
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Sjogren’s Disease
• Systemic Lupus Erythematosis (SLE)
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
•  Psoriasis
•  Vitiligo
• Crohn’s Disease
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
• Autoimmune Eczema
• Addison’s Disease
• Graves’ Disease
• Guillain-Barré Syndrome
• Celiac Disease, etc.
• Leaky gut syndrome
• Autoimmune Vasculitis

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES?

• Chronic Fatigue
• Muscle Pain (Myalgia)
• Declining Educational Achievement
• Attention Deficit Disorder
• Skin Lesions
• Numbness in Hands and Feet
• Joint Swelling or Pain
• Nutritional disorders
• Depression, etc.

WHY SHOULD AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES BE TREATED IMMEDIATELY?

Regardless of which one it is, autoimmune diseases facilitate the development of other autoimmune diseases. Therefore, the underlying autoimmune process must be treated as soon as possible. If the cause of autoimmunity is eliminated, the diseases it causes are dampened.

INFLAMMATIONS THAT TRIGGER AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES, WHERE DO THEY START?

The process leading to autoimmunity starts with inflammations in the intestines, nose, eyes, skin, respiratory tract and ears

HOW IS DIGESTIVE FLORA RELATED TO AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES?

The immune system alert that follows the passage of intestinal contents that should not be absorbed from the intestines into the bloodstream due to the impairment of the selective permeability of the intestines results in AUTOIMMUNITY.

WHAT IS THE SELECTIVE PERMEABILITY OF THE INTESTINES?

Our small intestine is about 8 meters long. As our intestines have a curved structure (villi) inside, they have a very large absorption surface area. The average internal absorption surface area of our intestines is 16,000-18,000 m2 on average. This area is as big as a large football stadium. The villi also incorporate microvillus structures with a curved absorption surface to increase the surface area. Microvilli are lined with a single row of endothelial cells. These cells are tightly interlocked. Those tight junctions are called “Tight Junctions (zonula occludens)”. The protein “ZONULIN” plays an essential role in establishing and maintaining a tight junction. The digested nutrients are absorbed by these cells and then pass into the bloodstream. Our intestines are selectively permeable. This particular feature of our intestines prevents harmful substances, microbes, incompletely digested macromolecules from passing through the intestines into the bloodstream. The surface of this intestinal absorption layer, which is covered with mucosa, is covered with a gel-like secretion called “MUCUS”, which is produced by the mucosa. This mucus prevents the contents of the intestine (food, digestive secretions) from coming into direct contact with the mucosa and thus protects it from external factors. The flora of the region is a must for the formation of MUCUS. In the absence of mucus, the mucosa is damaged and as a result, the selective permeability of the intestine is impaired, resulting in the condition called “LEAKY GUT SYNDROME”. As a consequence of leaky gut syndrome, our defense system is alarmed by the passage of substances that should not pass through the intestines into the bloodstream and tries to destroy them. And this starts the allergic process. While attempting to destroy the pathogens that pass into the bloodstream, our defense system gets out of control after a while and begins to perceive its own tissues as foreign (harmful) and attacks its own tissues as well. This is what is called AUTOIMMUNITY and the resulting diseases are called AUTOIMMUN DISEASES (Arthritis, Vasculitis, Gout, Psoriasis, Eczema, Vitiligo, Hashimoto’s Disease, etc.).

WHAT IS LEAKY GUT SYNDROME?

Leaky Gut Syndrome is a condition that occurs with the loss of the selective permeability of the intestine due to the disruption of mucus production after flora damage and the consequent damage to the mucosa.

HOW ARE AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES TREATED?

Autoimmune diseases are treated with immunosuppressive drugs. The main medication used in treatment is called corticosteroids. These drugs work by suppressing inflammation and stopping autoimmune damage. However, as the autoimmune disease flares up again when the corticosteroids is discontinued, the drug is used for a longer period of time. The use of corticosteroids causes damage to the flora of the digestive tract. Consequently, the selective permeability of the intestines is impaired. Hence, the drugs used in the treatment of autoimmune diseases pave the way for the development of a leaky gut, resulting in a VICIOUS CYCLE.

In cases where autoimmune disease is accompanied by leaky gut syndrome, firstly FLORA TRANSPLANT is performed to provide the intestines with healthy flora and selective permeability. And so, as a consequence, other autoimmune diseases fade away. No additional treatment is needed following FLORA TRANSPLANT.

WHAT CHANGES OCCUR FOLLOWING LEAKY GUT SYNDROME?

• With flora damage and subsequent formation of the leaky gut syndrome, the most dramatic change is a IRREVERSIBLE reduction in intestinal absorptive surface area depending on the severity of inflammation. Treatments can only preserve the existing reserve or reduce the rate of loss.
• As, in leaky gut syndrome, intestinal contents that should not pass into the bloodstream also pass into the bloodstream, our defense system fights to destroy them. At some stage, this fight becomes misdirected and starts to attack the body’s own tissues. This picture is called “AUTOIMMUNITY”. The onset of one of the autoimmune diseases (rheumatism, fibromyalgia, GUT, vitiligo, psoriasis, etc.) triggers the development of other autoimmune diseases.
• This results in nutritional disorders,
• and developmental disorders, as well.
• This picture can lead to the onset of many psychiatric illnesses, especially depression.
• There may occur defecating disorders.
• Irritable bowel disorders may develop (IBS, spastic colitis).
• Inflammatory bowel diseases may be triggered (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis).
• Lactose and gluten enteropathy may develop.
• And there may also appear food allergies to an increasing number of foods.

WHAT IS FLORA?

Certain parts of the human body are inhabited by microorganisms which peacefully live with us, do not harm us, contribute to the vital functions of the region in which they live, cause health problems when not present, whose functions cannot be compensated in any other way, which constantly renew themselves, whose diversity increases under favorable living conditions, and whose number and biodiversity decrease in some unfavorable conditions. Their generic name is FLORA.

HOW MANY TYPES OF FLORA BACTERIA HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM?

The number of flora bacteria identified in the human digestive tract to date is 1054.

HOW MANY TYPES OF FLORA BACTERIA DO HUMANS HARBOR IN THE ENTIRE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM?

The most important factor in this is the environmental conditions.  Whereas the diversity of flora in those living in large metropolitan areas is as low as 50-60, this figure tends to increase in rural areas. This figure is around 100 to 110 on average in Turkey.

WHAT IS A FLORA TRANSPLANT?

Flora transplantation is the process consisting of collecting flora samples from at least one healthy FLORA DONOR under general anesthesia through endoscopy and colonoscopy from approximately 30 different anatomical regions of the digestive system, with each region being washed with serums suitable for its own characteristics and aspirated back, subjecting these samples to some series of specific procedures, and then transplanting them endoscopically and colonoscopically to the equivalent anatomical regions of the patient under general anesthesia.

IS FLORA TRANSPLANT A PERMANENT TREATMENT?

Yes, it is. If the remaining intestinal tissue accepts the transplanted flora, the treatment will have a lifelong effect.

 

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