Autoimmunity Unlocked

5 Keys to Transform Microbiome, Immune, and Digestive Health and Reclaim Your Life. A 5R+ Holistic System Encyclopedia with Tactics for Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, and Crohn’s.

by Anar R Guliyev, M.D. www.autoimmunityunlocked.org

Appendix 1: Illustrations, Tables, and Videos

• Introduction
• Hope in the Face of the Incurable
• Immune System - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
  • The Ugly: An Ailing Immune System
  • The Good: The Holistic Way to Restore the Immune System
• Key 1. Dysbiosis: Repopulate the Microbiome
  • The Last Discovered Organ That Reshapes Our Understanding of Health
  • Dimension 1: Microbiome Composition
  • Actively Repopulate
  • Dimension 2: Microbiome Distribution
  • Feeding Your Enemies
  • Other Risks to Your Microbiome Health
• Key 2. Inflammation: Reduce
  • Inflammation and Other DILL+ Factors
  • Inflammatory Foods
  • Individual Food Reactions
  • Cheatsheet of Inflammatory Foods and their Alternatives
• Key 3. Leaky gut: Repair
  • Constant Repair
  • Unhealthy Epithelium and Increased Intestinal Permeability
  • Eliminate Obstacles
• Key 4. Lazy gut: Reawaken
  • Gut Motility: Speedy or Sluggish
  • Physical Activities for Optimal Bowel Transit
  • Flushing the Gut: Ayurvedic Shankha Prakshalana Technique Simplified
  • Your Food and Gut Motility
• Key 5. Factors Beyond Digestive Health: Recondition
  • Hormones. Why Do Females Experience More Autoimmune Conditions?
  • Physical Exercises
  • Sleep and Circadian Rhythms
  • Oral Health and Other Autoimmune Triggers

Introduction

Figure 1.1 - The 5 Key Components of Autoimmune Disease (DILL+) and the 5 Elements of Holistic Healing (5R+): Restoring the Ecosystem of Microbiome, Immune Cells, and Digestive Health.

Hope in the Face of the Incurable

Figure 1.2

Immune System - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The Ugly: An Ailing Immune System

Figure 2.1 - The increasing prevalence of autoimmune diseases. Source: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coi.2022.102266

Figure 2.2 - Autoimmune disease in the United States (Image Credit: AICS) by Vivek Mandan. Discover Magazine, 2016

Figure 2.3 - Frequent Autoimmune Diseases

According to AARDA there are more than 150 Autoimmune Diseases:
Achalasia Addison’s disease Adult Still's disease Agammaglobulinemia Alopecia areata Amyloidosis Ankylosing spondylitis Anti-GBM/Anti-TBM nephritis Antiphospholipid syndrome Autoimmune angioedema Autoimmune dysautonomia Autoimmune encephalomyelitis Autoimmune hepatitis Autoimmune inner ear disease (AIED) Autoimmune myocarditis Autoimmune oophoritis Autoimmune orchitis Autoimmune pancreatitis Autoimmune retinopathy Autoimmune urticaria Axonal & neuronal neuropathy (AMAN) Baló disease Behcet’s disease Benign mucosal pemphigoid Bullous pemphigoid Castleman disease (CD) Celiac disease Chagas disease Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO) Churg-Strauss Syndrome (CSS) or Eosinophilic Granulomatosis (EGPA) Cicatricial pemphigoid Cogan’s syndrome Cold agglutinin disease Congenital heart block Coxsackie myocarditis CREST syndrome Crohn’s disease Dermatitis herpetiformis Dermatomyositis Devic’s disease (neuromyelitis optica) Discoid lupus Dressler’s syndrome Endometriosis Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) Eosinophilic fasciitis Erythema nodosum Essential mixed cryoglobulinemia Evans syndrome Fibromyalgia Fibrosing alveolitis Giant cell arteritis (temporal arteritis) Giant cell myocarditis Glomerulonephritis Goodpasture’s syndrome Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis Graves’ disease Guillain-Barre syndrome Hashimoto’s thyroiditis Hemolytic anemia Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) Herpes gestationis or pemphigoid gestationis (PG) Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) (Acne Inversa) Hypogammalglobulinemia IgA Nephropathy IgG4-related sclerosing disease Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) Inclusion body myositis (IBM) Interstitial cystitis (IC) Juvenile arthritis Juvenile diabetes (Type 1 diabetes) Juvenile myositis (JM) Kawasaki disease Lambert-Eaton syndrome Leukocytoclastic vasculitis Lichen planus	Lichen sclerosus Ligneous conjunctivitis Linear IgA disease (LAD) Lupus Lyme disease chronic Meniere’s disease Microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) Mooren’s ulcer Mucha-Habermann disease Multifocal Motor Neuropathy (MMN) or MMNCB Multiple sclerosis Myasthenia gravis Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody Disorder Myositis Narcolepsy Neonatal Lupus Neuromyelitis optica Neutropenia Ocular cicatricial pemphigoid Optic neuritis Palindromic rheumatism (PR) PANDAS Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration (PCD) Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) Parry Romberg syndrome Pars planitis (peripheral uveitis) Parsonage-Turner syndrome Pemphigus Peripheral neuropathy Perivenous encephalomyelitis Pernicious anemia (PA) POEMS syndrome Polyarteritis nodosa Polyglandular syndromes type I, II, III Polymyalgia rheumatica Polymyositis Postmyocardial infarction syndrome Postpericardiotomy syndrome Primary Biliary Cholangitis Primary sclerosing cholangitis Progesterone dermatitis Psoriasis Psoriatic arthritis Pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) Pyoderma gangrenosum Raynaud’s phenomenon Reactive Arthritis Reflex sympathetic dystrophy Relapsing polychondritis Restless legs syndrome (RLS) Retroperitoneal fibrosis Rheumatic fever Rheumatoid arthritis Sarcoidosis Schmidt syndrome Scleritis Scleroderma Sjögren’s syndrome Sperm & testicular autoimmunity Stiff person syndrome (SPS) Subacute bacterial endocarditis (SBE) Susac’s syndrome Sympathetic ophthalmia (SO) Takayasu’s arteritis Temporal arteritis/Giant cell arteritis Thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) Thyroid eye disease (TED) Tolosa-Hunt syndrome (THS) Transverse myelitis Type 1 diabetes Ulcerative colitis (UC) Undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD) Uveitis Vasculitis Vitiligo Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease
Figure 2.4

The Good: The Holistic Way to Restore the Immune System

Immune Cells in the Ecosystem of Your Organism

Figure 2.5 - Healthy Immune System

DILL+: Locks and Vicious Cycles

Figure 2.6 - Sick Immune System Connections

Figure 2.7 - Vicious Cycles of DILL+

5R+: Understanding the Healing Strategy

Locks (DILL+)	Keys (5R+)
Dysbiosis	Repopulate the Microbiome with Healthy Bacteria
Inflammation	Reduce Inflammation
Leaky Gut	Repair the Intestinal Epithelium
Lazy Gut	Reawaken Intestinal Motility
+ Other Pathological Factors (Unrelated to Digestive Health)	Recondition Factors Beyond the Digestive System
	As Your Healing Progresses: + Reintroduce (gradually) Healthy Foods Removed During the Active Healing Phase These Steps Lead To: Restored Immune system
Figure 2.8

Complete Mind Map: download at https://bonus.autoimmunityunlocked.org/

Key 1. Dysbiosis: Repopulate the Microbiome

The Last Discovered Organ That Reshapes Our Understanding of Health

Microbial Forces Within Us

Figure 3.1 - Human Microbiome

A Busy, Adaptable Organ

Normal Microbiome Functions	Consequences of Compromised Function
Prevent pathogenic infection through microbiome inertia	Tendency toward food infections, bowel disorders, SIBO, ulcers
Produce an energy source for gut epithelium	Unhealthy gut epithelium, malabsorption, hypovitaminosis, leaky gut, ulcers, anemia, food intolerance, some allergies
Stimulate normal gut motility	Lazy gut, constipation, diarrhea
Synthesize certain required nutrients - essential amino acids, some vitamins (K, B12)	Lack of some nutrients, anemia, bleeding tendency, unhealthy gut epithelium
Maintain a healthy immune system	Immune disorders - allergies, autoimmune diseases, higher probability of some cancers
There are still many unknowns; we are still discovering functions and connections to diseases.
Figure 3.2

Maintaining a Resilient Microbiome

Factors That Keep Your Microbiome Healthy
Factors:	We Cover These In:
Digestive Process, Stomach Acid, Bile, Saliva, Mastication	Key 1. Dysbiosis: Repopulate the Microbiome.
Food Ingredients and Eating Habits	Key 1. Dysbiosis: Repopulate the Microbiome.
Bacterial Ecosystem Inertia and Resilience	Key 1. Dysbiosis: Repopulate the Microbiome.
Intestinal Immune System Status	Key 2. Inflammation: Reduce.
Digestive System Epithelium	Key 3. Leaky Gut: Repair.
Gastrointestinal Motility	Key 4. Lazy Gut: Reawaken.
Continuous Contact with Germs	Key 5. Factors Beyond Digestive Health: Recondition. See Chapters: Commonplace Germs, When Too Clean is Bad
Climate and Microclimate	Key 5. Factors Beyond Digestive Health: Recondition. See Chapters: Environment, Climate and Microclimate
Figure 3.3

Dimension 1: Microbiome Composition

Variety - Farmland vs. Forest

Figure 3.4 - Microbiome Diversity of Hadza hunter-gatherers https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms4654

Figure 3.5 - Gut Microbiota Biomarkers and Functional Diversity Within an Amazonian Semi-Nomadic Hunter–Gatherer Group https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2019.01743/full

Actively Repopulate

Food diversity

Figure 3.6 - World Food Diversity. Source: https://thefuturemarket.com/biodiversity

Figure 3.7 - Main Crops and Animals

Dimension 2: Microbiome Distribution

Figure 3.8 - Concentration of bacteria, oxygenation, and acidity across the digestive tract. Source: https://pharmrev.aspetjournals.org/content/71/2/198

Feeding Your Enemies

Sweet Does Not Equal Good

Natural Sweeteners

Added Sugars Labels

Added Sugars Labels
Agave nectar/syrup Barley malt Beet sugar Blackstrap molasses Brown rice syrup Brown sugar Buttered sugar Cane crystals Cane juice Cane sugar Caramel Carob syrup Castor sugar Coconut sugar Confectioner's sugar Corn sweetener Corn syrup Crystalline fructose Date sugar	Demerara sugar Dextrin Dextrose Diastatic malt Ethyl maltol Florida crystals Fructose Fruit juice/nectars Galactose Glucose Golden sugar Golden syrup Grape sugar High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) Honey Icing sugar Invert sugar Lactose	Malt syrup Maltodextrin Maltose Maple syrup Molasses Muscovado sugar Panela sugar Raw sugar Refiner's syrup Rice syrup Sorghum syrup Sucanat Sucrose Syrup Treacle Turbinado sugar Yellow sugar
Figure 3.9

Unnatural Sweeteners

Unnatural Sweeteners Labels

Unnatural Sweeteners Labels
Acesulfame Potassium: ACK, Ace K, Equal Spoonful (also +aspartame), Sweet One, Sunett Aspartame: APM, AminoSweet, Aspartyl-phenylalanine-1-methyl ester, Canderel (not in US), Equal Classic, NatraTaste Blue, NutraSweet Aspartame-Acesulfame Salt: TwinSweet Cyclamate: Calcium cyclamate, Cologran (cyclamate and saccharin), Sucaryl Erythritol: Sugar alcohol, Zerose, ZSweet Glycerol: Glycerin, Glycerine Glycyrrhizin: Licorice Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate (HSH): Sugar alcohol Isomalt: Sugar alcohol, ClearCut Isomalt, Decomalt, DiabetiSweet (also contains Acesulfame-K), Hydrogenated Isomaltulose, Isomaltitol Lactitol: Sugar alcohol	Maltitol: Sugar alcohol, Maltitol Syrup, Maltitol Powder, Hydrogenated High Maltose Content Glucose Syrup, Hydrogenated Maltose, Lesys, MaltiSweet (hard to find online to buy), SweetPearl Mannitol: Sugar alcohol Neotame Polydextrose: Sugar alcohol (Derived from glucose and sorbitol) Saccharin: Acid saccharin, Equal Saccharin, Necta Sweet, Sodium Saccharin, Sweet N Low, Sweet Twin Sorbitol: Sugar alcohol, D-glucitol, D-glucitol syrup Stevia: Truvia, Pure Via, SweetLeaf, Splenda Naturals Stevia Sucralose: 1',4',6'-Trichlorogalactosucrose, Trichlorosucrose, Equal Sucralose, NatraTaste Gold, Splenda Tagatose: Naturlose Xylitol: Sugar alcohol, Smart Sweet, Xylipure, Xylosweet
* Some of these ingredients are synthetic, while others, despite being plant-based, remain unnatural as regular components of the human diet.
Figure 3.10

Starch: From Protagonist to Bit Player

Starchy Foods
Nutritious natural foods, rich in starch, including resistant starch, and packed with protein and other essential nutrients.	1. Most nutritious	Pulses Lentils Beans Peas Chickpeas Chia Quinoa
Natural foods high in starch but with lower levels of resistant starch and less protein and other nutrients	2a. More nutritious	Grains: Wheat Rice Oats Buckwheat
	2b. Less nutritious	Corn Starchy tubers: Potatoes Sweet potatoes Yams
Processed starchy foods made from refined carbohydrates that lack resistant starch and other beneficial nutrients	3. Not nutritious	Bread Various bakery products Pasta Crackers
Figure 3.11

Other Risks to Your Microbiome Health

Antibiotics

Antibiotics Residues in Food

Figure 3.12 - Antibiotic residues in animal products based on allowed maximum residue limits (MRL). Source: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/10/5/534

Figure 3.13 - Estimates of antimicrobial consumption in cattle, chickens, and pigs in OECD countries. Source: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1503141112

Chemical Additives and Toxins in Our Food

Chemical Toxins in the Polluted World

Microplastics and Nanoplastics

Figure 3.14 - Microplastics in Oceans. Source: https://www.grida.no/resources/13339

Heavy Metals and Chelation Foods

Figure 3.15 - Arsenic Pollution Map. Source: https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2014/1082/pdf/ofr2014-1082.pdf

Figure 3.16 - Lead Pollution Map. Source: https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2014/1082/pdf/ofr2014-1082.pdf

Figure 3.17 - Mercury Pollution Map. Source: https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2014/1082/pdf/ofr2014-1082.pdf

Key 2. Inflammation: Reduce

Inflammation and Other DILL+ Factors

Figure 4.1 - DILL+ Vicious Cycles: Inflammation

Inflammatory Foods

Fats and Oils

Fats and Oils Cheatsheet
Type	Class	Consistency	Products
Saturated fats		solid at room temperature	Animal-based products such as meat, dairy, and poultry. Butter. Coconut oil. Palm oil.
Unsaturated fats	N-3 (omega-3) rich Oils	liquid at room temperature	Fish. * Flaxseed oil. Chia seeds. Hemp seeds. Walnuts. Pecans. Canola oil **
	N-6 (omega-6) rich Oils		Corn oil. Soybean oil. Sunflower oil. Safflower oil. Sesame oil. Peanut oil. Cottonseed oil. Grapeseed oil.
	Other Oils		Avocado oil. * Olive oil.
Trans Fats and Hydrogenated Oils	Partially Hydrogenated (Trans Fats)	Solid or semi-solid at room temperature	Artificially altered vegetable fats found in some processed foods. Mostly banned in foods in the US.
	Fully Hydrogenated		Artificially altered vegetable fats found in some processed foods.
* The highlighted categories are recommended as your primary sources of oils/fats. ** Some studies suggest canola oil may increase inflammatory markers, so it is better to avoid it.
Figure 4.2

Figure 4.3 - Fatty Acids in some Dietary Fats

Individual Food Reactions

Eliminate-Reintroduce-Reset Technique (ERR)

ERR Journey Plan

Food Baskets - The Big Picture
Green Basket (1st choice)	Vegetables & Greens: All except hard, fibrous types. Fruits: All except those that commonly cause allergies or are high in starch. Vegetable Oils: Rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Herbs
Blue Basket (2nd phase)	Vegetables: All except those from the nightshade family. Pulses: High in protein and fiber, and easiest to digest. Spices: Avoid hot and irritating varieties. Fruits: Exclude common allergens. Fish
Yellow Basket (borderline)	Fruits: All that may cause allergic reactions. Grains: Only gluten-free varieties. Seeds Fermented Dairy Probiotics: Easiest to digest and least allergenic.
Orange Basket (minefield)	Nuts Grains and Pulses Vegetables: Nightshade family. Oils and Fats: Rich in saturated fats. Animal Products: Non-processed cheese, meat, poultry, and eggs.
Red Basket (avoid)	Alcohol and Caffeine Artificial Additives Processed and Refined Foods Spices: Hot and irritating varieties (containing capsaicin or isothiocyanate). Dairy Products: Highly processed and raw milk. Soy Products Processed Meat Sugar Fats and Oils: Trans-fats and hydrogenated oils.
For detailed lists, see Bonus 3. Food Baskets: Foods Ranked by Probability of Disrupting the Gut-Microbiome-Immune Ecosystem
Figure 4.4 - Food Baskets: The Big Picture

Cheatsheet of Inflammatory Foods and their Alternatives

Worse	Better
Oils and Fats
Trans-fat, hydrogenated vegetable oils — margarine, shortening, butter-like spreads. Deep-fried foods N-6 (omega-6) rich oils: corn oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, peanut oil, and cottonseed oil. Butter Animal fats, lard Coconut oil and palm oil	Avocado oil Fish oil Flaxseed oil Olive oil Walnut oil
Proteins and Animal Products
Shellfish Red meat (beef, pork). Especially sourced from grain-fed animals. Meat and poultry sourced from animals treated with antibiotics or hormones. Processed meat Cow's milk products Dairy sourced from animals treated with antibiotics or hormones. Dairy with sweeteners or starch Raw milk Cheese, especially processed cheese or cheese with mold. Eggs Soy and soy products Peanuts and most nuts - temporary hold, until significant progress is made repairing DILL+.	Pulses: lentils, chickpeas, and beans Seeds: pumpkin, sunflower, flax, chia, sesame, and quinoa Chestnuts Fish Other nuts - after significant progress repairing DILL+ Relatively ok alternatives: Lamb, goat's meat sourced from animals never treated with antibiotics or hormones - a better option than other meats. Naturally fermented dairy probiotics, made of milk sourced from animals never treated with antibiotics or hormones. Free from additives. Ideally, made of sheep or goat milk. Some kinds of probiotic cheese, ideally, made of sheep or goat milk - after significant progress repairing DILL+.
Carbohydrates
Sugars Refined carbs Synthetic sweeteners Refined flour High-starch food Pasta Potatoes Gluten-containing products and grains Bread, pastry, bakery Nightshade family vegetables: eggplants, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, tomatillos	Vegetables, fruits, greens, herbs — complex carbohydrates with fiber Resistant Starch: pulses, uncooked oats Flatbread of chickpea flour
Spices and Herbs
Mustard Horseradish, wasabi Peppers: chili, jalapeno, serrano, cayenne, etc	Turmeric (Curcuma) Ginger Garlic Onion Cardamom Aloe vera Anise Black pepper Herbs: oregano, peppermint, thyme, dill, melissa (Lemon Balm), rosemary, fennel, chives, etc
Figure 4.5 - A Cheatsheet of Inflammatory Foods and their Alternatives

Key 3. Leaky gut: Repair

Constant Repair

Figure 5.1 - Cell renewal rates in different tissues of the human body. Source: Cell Biology by the Numbers, by Rob Phillips and Ron Milo.

Unhealthy Epithelium and Increased Intestinal Permeability

Eliminate Obstacles

Obstacle #4: Harmful Food Ingredients

Gluten

Gluten-containing products	Gluten-free products
Wheat. Barley. Rye. Triticale. Farina. Spelt. Kamut. Farro. Couscous. Oats: often get contaminated during processing. Additionally, some varieties may inherently possess gluten. Opt for certified gluten-free oats. Soy sauce: it frequently includes wheat as an ingredient.	Gluten-free grains: Quinoa. Buckwheat. Rice. Millet. Sorghum. Oats: Choose oats that are certified gluten-free. Amaranth. Corn. Teff. Other gluten-free options: Legumes: beans, peas, lentils Seeds: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds. Nuts
Figure 5.2

Saturated Fats and Excessive Omega-6 Oils

See Fats and Oils Cheatsheet

Obstacle #5: Medication

NSAIDs

Some of the most common NSAIDs
Generic Name	Synonyms, Brand Names	Selectivity
Acetylsalicylic acid	Aspirin, ASA, Ecotrin, Aspir-Tab, Bayer Aspirin	Non-selective
Celecoxib	Celebrex, Celebra, Onsenal	Relatively more selective
Diclofenac	Voltaren, Cataflam, Dicloflex, Solaraze, Zipsor, Pennsaid, Voltaren Gel, Cambia, Flector Patch	Less selective
Etoricoxib	Arcoxia	Relatively more selective
Etodolac	Lodine, Lodine XL	Relatively more selective
Ibuprofen	Brufen, Motrin, Advil, Nuprin, Nurofen	Non-selective
Ketoprofen	Orudis, Oruvail, Actron, Ketoral, Ketoprofen Delayed-Release, Orudis KT	Non-selective
Meloxicam	Mobic, Mobicox, Arava, ​​Vivlodex, Movalis	Less selective
Naproxen	Naprosyn, Naxen, Aleve, Anaprox, Naprosyn EC	Non-selective
Parecoxib	Dynastat	Relatively more selective
Figure 5.3

Key 4. Lazy gut: Reawaken

Gut Motility: Speedy or Sluggish

Bowel Transit Time

Figure 6.1 - Bowel Transit Time

Physical Activities for Optimal Bowel Transit

Strengthening the Core and Abdominal Muscles

Figure 6.2 - 10 Minute Abs Blaster

Figure 6.3 - How to Plank Properly for Beginners - Step By Step Tutorial

Figure 6.4 - Exercises for Relieving Constipation, IBS Bloating and Abdominal Pain

Flushing the Gut: Ayurvedic Shankha Prakshalana Technique Simplified

Figure 6.5 - Shankhaprakshalana Digestive Tract Cleansing

Your Food and Gut Motility

The Fiber Paradox: Why Eat What You Can’t Digest

Two Types of Fiber: Tailoring Intake for Specific Conditions

	Soluble Fiber	Insoluble Fiber
Types	Pectin Gums Inulin Glucans Fructans	Cellulose Lignin Hemicellulose
Properties	Softer, gel-forming. Fermentable by gut bacteria.	Rough, insoluble. Less fermentable by gut bacteria.
Can cause problems in people with	Disrupted Microbiome Distribution	Leaky Gut and unhealthy intestinal lining.
Mitigate issues by	Bitter herbs, spices and other tactics to suppress bacterial activity. See Key 1 section.	Thorough mastication, opting for soft greens, and mechanical processing. See Key 3 section.
Sources	Fruits, berries - fresh and dried. Vegetables: Carrots, Onions, Garlic, Leeks, Chicory, Dandelion, Jerusalem artichoke, Asparagus, Cucumbers, Zucchini, Squash, Avocado, Okra. Kelp Legumes/Pulses: Beans, Lentils, Peas Chia seeds, Oats, Flaxseed Psyllium (also acts as insoluble fiber, a bulk-forming laxative) Note: Potatoes, yams and other starchy vegetables are high in starch and low in fiber. It is best to reduce or avoid.	Leafy Greens: Spinach, Arugula, Parsley, Kale, Swiss chard, celery. Vegetables: Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, Bok choy, Beets, Carrots, Turnips, Parsnips, Daikon, Radishes, Cucumbers, Zucchini, Squash, Avocado, Okra. Legumes/Pulses: Beans, Lentils, Peas Wheat bran Psyllium (also acts as a source of soluble fiber)
Figure 6.6

Key 5. Factors Beyond Digestive Health: Recondition

Hormones. Why Do Females Experience More Autoimmune Conditions?

Figure 7.1 - Autoimmune Diseases - Males and Females

Physical Exercises

Core and Abdominal Muscles

See Strengthening the Core and Abdominal Muscles

Enhancing Limbs’ Capillary Circulation: A Simple Exercise

Figure 7.2 - Nishi Shiki, Capillary Circulation

Sleep and Circadian Rhythms

Sleep’s Role in Combating Chronic Illness

Age Group		Recommended Hours of Sleep Per Day
Newborn	0-3 months	14-17 hours
Infant	4-12 months	12-16 hours
Toddler	1-2 years	11-14 hours
Preschool	3-5 years	10-13 hours
School Age	6-12 years	9-12 hours
Teen	13-18 months	8-10 hours
Adult	18-64 years	7-9 hours
	65 years and older	7-8 hours
Figure 7.3 - Recommended Hours of Sleep Per Day. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/

Circadian Rhythms

Sleep Cycle Disruption

Recommended Mobile apps: See Snoring and Sleep Apnea: Hidden Threats to Brain Health

Screens, Bulbs, and Night Light

Light Type	Temperature Range (Kelvin)	Applications
A candle	1800K
Very warm, Soft	1800K - 2400K	Creating a cozy and relaxing atmosphere, ideal for bedrooms.
Warm, Soft.	2500K - 3200K	Providing a warm and inviting ambiance, suitable for bedrooms, living rooms, etc.
Neutral, Cool white	3300K - 4000K	Promoting alertness and focus, perfect for kitchens, bathrooms, home offices, etc.
Daylight	4100K - 5000K	Simulating natural daylight, enhancing task performance and mood. Suitable for home offices.
Cool daylight, Natural sunlight	5500K - 6500K	Mimicking natural sunlight, ideal for areas requiring bright illumination, such as workshops.
Blue sky	10000K
Figure 7.4

Snoring and Sleep Apnea: Hidden Threats to Brain Health

Sleep Cycle: Sleep Tracker
Figure 7.5 - Recommended Mobile apps

Oropharyngeal Exercises

Figure 7.6 - Throat Exercises for Snoring and Sleep Apnoea

Figure 7.7 - Exercises for Sleep Apnea, Snoring, Sinus Pressure. Addressing the nose, throat & tongue

Figure 7.8 - Exercises for Snoring, Sleep Apnea & Singing. Tongue exercises, Nasal Breathing & More

Oral Health and Other Autoimmune Triggers

Oral Microbiome, Gums, and Teeth

Build a Winning Oral Health Routine

Figure 7.9 - Teeth Brushing Direction: Effective Cleansing of Periodontal Pockets

Figure 7.10 - How to Brush Your Teeth With Gum Recession