Toxins: Pathway to Autoimmunity

Up to ten percent of the population has an autoimmune disease, and this percentage is increasing. Dr. Vojdani explains the cause of the increase in autoimmune disease. Environmental conditions contribute approximately seventy percent of autoimmune conditions. Genetics account for only thirty percent. This unrelenting process starts with environmental toxins. Every year, there are 2,500 new chemicals in 6 billion different products. These toxins accumulate in our bodies and bind to our tissues forming a new antigen (that is an unrecognizable substance in the body resulting in a immune response). The immune response initiates inflammation and an autoimmunity response as the body attacks this unrecognizable substance. This sets off a storm of inflammation that can enter the brain causing neurodegeneration in the brain. This can result in depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, memory problems. Toxins in food and the toxins resulting from infection suffer a similar fate.