Autoimmunity Unlocked

5 Keys to Transform Microbiome, Immune, and Digestive Health and Reclaim Your Life. A 5R+ Holistic Guide for Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, and Crohn’s (Encyclopedic Edition)

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

Contents (detailed)

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Introduction

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Hope in the Face of the Incurable

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

The Ugly: An Ailing Immune System

Autoimmune Diseases — A Modern Epidemic

Immune Illness on the Rise
When the Body Attacks Itself

The Bad: Why Conventional Treatments are Limited

Why The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP), Elimination Diets, and Probiotic Supplements are Short-Term Solutions

The Good: The Holistic Way to Restore Immune Health

Immune Cells in Your Body’s Ecosystem

The Five Pillars of a Healthy Immune System

DILL+: Locks and Vicious Cycles

Dangers Beneath the Surface

5R+: Understanding the Healing Strategy

5R+ in a Nutshell

➕ Bonus 1. Complete Mind Map of 5R+ Keys and Tactics

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Key 1. Dysbiosis: Repopulate the Microbiome

The Last Discovered Organ That Reshapes Our Understanding of Health

Microbial Forces Within Us

A Busy, Adaptable Organ

Maintaining a Resilient Microbiome

Healing an Ecosystem

Conquest or Immigration: Overcoming Microbiota Inertia

Aftermath of Microbial Invasions

The Two Dimensions of Microbiome Health

Dimension 1: Microbiome Composition

Who Lives Inside Us

Camels in the Jungle — Why Probiotics are not Enough

Variety — Farmland vs. Forest

Actively Repopulate

Building a Healthy Community

Probiotics

Fermented Vegetables and Pickles
Fermented Dairy
Cheese
Fermented Food Recipes
Fecal Microbial Transplantation: Success or Temporary Fix?

Feeding your Allies

Prebiotics
Good Bitter Truth
Dead or Alive — Enzymes in Your Food
Digesting Raw Vegetables
Frozen, Dried, Salted — Preserving Raw Produce
Polyphenols: The Colorful Path to a Diverse Microbiome
Vitamin K
The Myth of Healthy Toppings on Junk Food

Food Diversity

The Importance of Natural Childbirth and Infant Feeding

Climate and Microclimate

Dimension 2: Microbiome Distribution

Key Factors for Optimal Microbiome Distribution

Consequences of Wrong Microbiome Distribution

SIBO, IBS, IBD, Ulcers: Many Faces of Microbiome Maldistribution

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
SIBO Symptoms
Below the Waterline: Subclinical SIBO
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Ulcers and Helicobacter pylori

Common Approaches to SIBO and Why They Are Dangerous

Kill’em All: Antibiotics
Flush It Down
Starve Them: Low-FODMAP Diet

Healthy Digestion to Fix Microbiota Distribution

Don’t Rush the Reactor

Surgical Procedures to Avoid

Mastication and Salivation — The Underrated Duo

Oral Microbiota

Stomach Acid

Acid — The Protective Firewall
Dilution of Digestive Juices
What Causes Low Stomach Acid
Improve Stomach Juice Production
Natural Supplements — Approach with Caution
Antacids and “Heartburn” (Gastroesophageal Reflux)
Adverse Effect of Low Protein Diet

Bile and Liver Health

Bile Salt Malabsorption and the Microbiome
The Essentials of Healthy Bile Production
Helping Your Liver
Reduce Toxic Load
Hepatoprotective Food
Glutathione
Foods to Boost Bile Production and Enhance Liver Health

Other Tactics for Fixing SIBO and Normalizing Microbiome Distribution

Healthy Motility
Gut Flushing Exercises for SIBO
Meal Spacing and Water-Fasting
Power of Herbs, Spices, and Other Foods to Control Microbial Growth
Spices to Avoid
Antimicrobial Herbs and Spices
N-Acetylcysteine (NAC)

Die-off Reactions

Symptoms of Die-off Reactions
How to Treat Die-Off Reactions
When You May Need Laxative
Integrated Clear-Out Strategy

Fungi: Mold and Yeast

Small Intestinal Fungal Overgrowth (SIFO)

Fungal Spores: Sources and Transmission

Bread — Leavened and Unleavened

Addressing the SIFO Problem

Feeding Your Enemies

Sweet Does Not Equal Good

Sugar
Natural Sweeteners
Added Sugars Labels
Unnatural Sweeteners
Unnatural Sweeteners Labels
Conquering Sugar Cravings
The ABCs of Natural Sweets
Good Options for Sweet Cravings
Children’s Foods — Passing the Problem to the Next Generation

Starch: From Protagonist to Bit Player

Other Risks to Your Microbiome Health

Inflammation

Antibiotics

Antibiotics Residues in Food
Antibiotics’ Effect on the Microbiota of Animal Products
Reverse Osmosis and Remineralization
Why Water Quality Matters

Chemical Additives and Toxins in Our Food

Chemical Toxins in a Polluted World
Organic Produce
Microplastics and Nanoplastics
Fish Safety
Heavy Metals and Chelation Foods
Alcohol
Food Additives: Hacking the Food
Preservatives and Natural Alternatives
Concealing Poverty
Processed Foods: The 1,000-Year Rule
Safe Processed Food
Food Revolution

✔ Practical Recap

➕ Bonus 2. The Art of Fermentation: Delicious Vegetable and Dairy Probiotics Recipes

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Key 2. Inflammation: Reduce

Intermittent Hormesis

Chronic Inflammation

Consequences of Chronic Inflammation

When You Change Your Own Genes

Immune Cells in the Intestine

Inflammation and Other DILL+ Factors

Inflammatory Foods

Fats and Oils

Trans Fats and Hydrogenated Oils
Eicosanoids

Proteins and Animal Products

Characteristics of Various Protein-Rich Foods

Carbohydrates

Individual Food Reactions

Food sensitivity and allergies

Food Panel Tests

Elimination Diet and Autoimmune Protocol (AIP)

Eliminate-Reintroduce-Reset Technique (ERR)

How to Reset Faster
ERR Journey Plan

Training Wheels

Spices and Herbs to Reduce Inflammation

Hot or Not

Supplements and Inflammation

Vitamin D

Zinc

Gum and Teeth Health

Cheatsheet of Inflammatory Foods and their Alternatives

✔ Practical Recap

➕ Bonus 3. Food Baskets: Foods Ranked by Probability of Disrupting the Gut-Microbiome-Immune Ecosystem

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Key 3. Leaky Gut: Repair

Constant Repair

Unhealthy Intestinal Lining and Leaky Gut

Gut Lining and Other DILL+ Factors

Malabsorption, Hypovitaminosis, and Anemia

Anemia in Autoimmune Diseases

Eliminate Obstacles

Obstacle #1: Inflammation

Obstacle #2: Dysbiosis

Obstacle #3: Toxic Byproducts of Digestion

Obstacle #4: Harmful Food Ingredients

Gluten
Saturated Fats and Excessive Omega-6 Oils
Excessive Saponins and Lectins
Alcohol

Obstacle #5: Medication

NSAIDs
Other Medications

Obstacle #6: Gastrointestinal Infections

Obstacle #7: Insufficient Mastication

Obstacle #8: Snacking and Frequent Meals

Avoid snacking
Meal Frequency
Plan Your Meals Differently

Obstacle #9: Chilled Food and Drinks

Active Repair

Nutrition For the Gut Epithelium

Butyrate and Other Short Chain Fatty Acids
Factors Necessary For SCFA Production
Soluble Fiber
Resistant Starch
Acetate and Lactate
Naturally Fermented Foods

Other Nutrients

Sulphur and Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)
Glutamine
Quercetin
Sea-buckthorn
Flaxseed
Traditional Bone Soup vs. Bone Broth
Zinc
Vitamins

Water-Fasting

Rule #1: Safety First
Rule #2: Hydration
Rule #3: Physical Activity
Rule #4: Gradual Exit
What If I Need to Eat During Fasting?

Elemental and Semi-Elemental Diets

Quasi-Elemental Diet

What If I Compromise My Diet? How to Reset

How to Avoid Temptations

Replace With Similar Products

Come Prepared

✔ Practical Recap

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Key 4. Lazy Gut: Reawaken

Gut Motility: Speedy or Sluggish

Healthy Motility

Lazy Gut Condition

Bowel Transit Time

Gut Motility and Other DILL+ Factors

Effect on the Microbiome — River vs Swamps

Chronic Toxic Load

Lazy Gut and Diarrhea

Inflammation

Damage to Interstitial Cells of Cajal (ICC)

Understanding the Root Cause of Lazy Gut

Water: Drink Right

Physical Activities for Optimal Bowel Transit

Strengthening the Core and Abdominal Muscles

Chewing

Flushing the Gut: Ayurvedic Shankha Prakshalana Technique Simplified

Your Food and Gut Motility

What to Avoid

Sugar
Starch
Meat

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

Two Types of Fiber: Tailoring Intake for Specific Conditions
Soluble Fiber
Insoluble Fiber

Prokinetic and Laxative Foods

Magnesium

Water-Fasting for Active Motility

Hunger Hormones

Psychological Factors

Bile and Gut Motility

Careful With Laxatives

✔ Practical Recap

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Key 5. Factors Beyond Digestive Health: Recondition

The Hygiene Paradox: When Cleaning Backfires

Hygiene Hypothesis and “Old Friends” Effect

The Power of Bacteria to Modulate the Immune System

Skin Microbiome and T-Lymphocytes

More Time and Meals Outdoors

Non-Organic Agriculture

Sanitizermania

Vegetables: To Wash or Not to Wash?

Environment and Climate: Where You Live Matters

The Effect on Microbiota

Climate: Good vs. Bad

Microclimate: Small Changes Without a Big Move

Sick House
Air Conditioning Systems and Vents

Hormones. Why Do Females Experience More Autoimmune Conditions?

Testosterone

Xenoestrogens

Physical Exercises

Timing

Exercises for Healthy Testosterone Levels

Core and Abdominal Muscles

Muscle Strength and Joints

Exercise Hangover

Improve Blood Circulation in Your Limbs: A Simple Exercise

Cardio Training

Sleep and Circadian Rhythms

Sleep’s Role in Combating Chronic Illness

Circadian Rhythms

Sleep Cycle Disruption
Screens, Bulbs, and Night Light

Melatonin: Friend or Foe?

Vitamin D and Melatonin

Snoring and Sleep Apnea: Hidden Threats to Brain Health

Oropharyngeal Exercises

Your Digestive System Also Wants To Sleep

Hydrotherapy and Temperature Contrast

Warm Water: Arthritis Relief

Contrast Showers: A Practice You Can Start Today

Sauna and Steam Room

Contraindications and Warnings

Eliminate Other Autoimmune Triggers

Chronic Inflammation in Your Body

Oral Microbiome, Gums, and Teeth

Chronic Gum Inflammation and Dental Pockets
Oral Microbiome
Build a Winning Oral Health Routine
Rinse with Water
Mechanical Cleaning
Spices for Oral Microbiome
Periodic Professional Cleaning

✔ Practical Recap

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Conclusion

Appendix 1. Illustrations, Tables, and Videos

Appendix 2. References and Additional Reading

Bonus 1. Printable Mind Map of 5R+ Keys and Tactics

Bonus 2. The Art of Fermentation: Delicious Vegetable and Dairy Probiotics Recipes

Bonus 3. Food Baskets: Foods Ranked by Probability of Disrupting the Gut-Microbiome-Immune Ecosystem