Allergies and Autoimmune Disease
At first glance, allergies and diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, may not seem like they have much in common. On one hand, our body is flagging harmless environmental allergens as dangerous and then going on the offense mode. While on the other hand, our immune system is “attacking” our own tissues. However, both are responses generated by the immune system, and that is where their similarities begin. Allergies Allergies involve an abnormal or hypersensitive reaction of the immune system when it encounters certain substances (e.g., pollens, certain foods, dust mites, etc.). The variety of symptoms produced