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Tag: Attacks

Autoimmune Disease Causes and Why the Immune System Attacks the Body

Autoimmune diseases occur when the body’s defense system mistakenly targets its own healthy tissues, and understanding autoimmune disease causes is key to making sense of this process.

Instead of attacking only viruses, bacteria, and other invaders, the immune system becomes confused and identifies normal cells as threats. This misfire can damage joints, glands, organs, and other tissues, leading to a range of conditions such as type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus.

How the Immune System Normally Works

In a healthy person, the immune system acts like a security team that distinguishes between the body’s own cells and foreign invaders.

White blood cells and antibodies recognize markers on pathogens and respond by neutralizing or destroying them. This recognition process usually protects the body from infection while leaving healthy tissues unharmed.

What Happens in an Autoimmune Disease?

In autoimmune diseases, this recognition system breaks down. The immune system creates autoantibodies that target the body’s own cells or activates immune cells that attack normal tissues as if they were dangerous.

Over time, this can cause chronic inflammation, pain, and organ dysfunction. Some conditions focus on one organ, while others affect multiple systems.

How Many Autoimmune Diseases Are There?

Experts estimate that there are more than 80 autoimmune diseases. Some, like psoriasis or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, are relatively common, while others are rare and harder to recognize. Because symptoms often overlap, these conditions are grouped as autoimmune disorders driven by similar immune system errors.

What Are the Main Autoimmune Disease Causes?

Autoimmune disease causes are complex and usually involve several factors rather than a single trigger. Genetics, environmental exposures, infections, hormones, and lifestyle all appear to influence risk. No single factor explains every case; instead, risk comes from interactions between a person’s underlying susceptibility and their environment.

Is Autoimmune Disease Genetic or Environmental?

Genetics play a strong role in autoimmune disease causes. People with a family history of conditions like lupus, multiple sclerosis, or celiac disease are more likely to develop an autoimmune disorder.

However, many individuals with risk genes never develop disease, suggesting that environmental triggers—such as infections, certain drugs, or pollutants—may “switch on” disease in those who are genetically predisposed.

Can Infections, Stress, and Lifestyle Trigger Disease?

Some infections may trigger autoimmune diseases through mechanisms like molecular mimicry, where parts of a virus or bacterium resemble the body’s own proteins. When the immune system attacks the infection, it may also begin targeting similar-looking tissues, according to Harvard Health.

Stress and physical trauma can alter immune and hormone balance and may contribute to symptom onset or flare-ups, especially in those already at risk. Lifestyle factors such as smoking, obesity, poor diet, and exposure to toxins can amplify inflammation and appear to influence both the development and severity of autoimmune diseases.

Are Autoimmune Diseases More Common in Women?

Many autoimmune diseases are more common in women, especially during their reproductive years. Hormonal differences, including the effects of estrogen on the immune system, may help explain this pattern. Researchers continue to study how sex hormones interact with genes and environmental factors.

Does Autoimmune Disease Run in Families?

Autoimmune conditions often appear in families, even when relatives have different diagnoses. One person might have type 1 diabetes, another thyroid disease, and another lupus. This suggests that people may inherit a general tendency toward autoimmunity rather than a single specific condition.

Organ-Specific vs Systemic Autoimmune Diseases

Autoimmune diseases can be organ-specific or systemic. Organ-specific conditions mainly target one tissue or gland, such as the thyroid in Graves’ disease or the pancreas in type 1 diabetes. Systemic diseases, like lupus or vasculitis, affect multiple organs and often cause more widespread symptoms.

Common Autoimmune Diseases and Early Signs

Well-known autoimmune diseases include rheumatoid arthritis (joints), systemic lupus erythematosus (multiple organs), type 1 diabetes (pancreas), multiple sclerosis (nervous system), Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Graves’ disease (thyroid), celiac disease (intestine), and inflammatory bowel diseases.

Early symptoms are often subtle and nonspecific: fatigue, joint or muscle pain, low-grade fever, skin rashes, digestive issues, hair loss, or numbness. Because these signs resemble many other conditions, autoimmune disease can be difficult to recognize early, as per Cleveland Clinic.

How Are Autoimmune Diseases Diagnosed?

Diagnosis usually combines medical history, physical exam, and targeted tests. Blood tests can detect autoantibodies and markers of inflammation.

Imaging studies such as X-rays or MRI scans may reveal joint or organ damage, and biopsies can confirm immune-related injury. Because symptoms overlap with many other illnesses, it may take time and specialist referrals to reach a clear diagnosis.

How Are Autoimmune Diseases Treated?

Most autoimmune diseases are chronic and cannot currently be cured, but many can be controlled. Treatment aims to reduce inflammation, calm the overactive immune response, protect organs, and relieve symptoms.

Common medications include anti-inflammatory drugs, immunosuppressants, and biologic therapies that target specific immune pathways involved in autoimmune disease causes. Short-term corticosteroids may be used to manage flares, while disease-modifying drugs aim to limit long-term damage.

Can Lifestyle Changes Help?

Lifestyle changes can support medical treatment and improve quality of life. Regular physical activity, balanced nutrition, adequate sleep, and stress management can help regulate immune function and may reduce flare frequency for some individuals.

Avoiding smoking and limiting exposure to known triggers can further support disease control.

Prevention, Daily Life, and Outlook

There is no guaranteed way to prevent autoimmune diseases, in part because autoimmune disease causes are still being fully understood.

However, early recognition of symptoms, attention to family history, and timely medical evaluation can lead to earlier intervention and fewer complications. For those already diagnosed, coordinated care, medication adherence, and healthy routines can make day-to-day life more manageable.

Living with an autoimmune disease often requires adjustments at work, at home, and in social life. Fatigue, pain, and cognitive difficulties may require pacing, flexible schedules, or accommodations.

Many people benefit from a support network that includes healthcare providers, mental health professionals, and peer support. Advances in research are improving therapies and deepening understanding of autoimmune disease causes, offering hope for more precise treatments and better long-term outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can someone have an autoimmune disease without abnormal blood tests?

Yes. Some people have clear symptoms and exam findings of autoimmune disease even when early blood tests are normal or borderline. Follow-up testing over time and specialist evaluation are often needed.

2. Do all autoimmune diseases cause lifelong disability?

No. Many autoimmune diseases can be managed well with treatment and lifestyle changes. Some people experience long periods with mild symptoms or remission and continue working and staying active.

3. Are vaccines a common cause of autoimmune diseases?

Current evidence does not support vaccines as a common cause of autoimmune diseases. Infections themselves are more strongly linked to triggering autoimmunity than vaccination.

4. Can changing diet alone reverse an autoimmune disease?

Diet changes may reduce symptom severity and inflammation for some individuals, but they typically do not replace medical treatment. Food choices work best as part of a broader care plan, not as the only therapy.

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March 13, 2026
Common Artificial Sweetener In Diet Sodas May Raise Risk Of Heart Attacks, Strokes

Are you considering sugar substitutes as a safer alternative to sugar? Think again. Recent research has found that a common artificial sweetener used in diet sodas and other zero-sugar food items may actually increase your risk of heart attacks and strokes.

In a recent study published in the journal Cell Metabolism, researchers evaluated mice fed aspartame, a common sugar substitute, for 12 weeks and compared them with mice without a sweetener-infused diet. The amount of aspartame the mice consumed (daily doses of food containing 0.15%) was equivalent to about three cans of diet soda per day for humans.

The results revealed that mice fed with aspartame had increased inflammation and “larger and more fatty plaques” in their arteries, two main factors that could raise the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

The researchers also noted that the mice’s blood had an insulin surge after aspartame entered their system. They then determined that elevated insulin levels may be the key link between aspartame and cardiovascular health.

“Aspartame triggers increased insulin levels in animals, which in turn contributes to atherosclerosis—buildup of fatty plaque in the arteries, which can lead to higher levels of inflammation and an increased risk of heart attacks and stroke over time,” the researchers noted in a news release.

The study identified a specific immune signal, CX3CL1 that gets activated under insulin stimulation as the key factor for inflammation and plaque buildup.

“Because blood flow through the artery is strong and robust, most chemicals would be quickly washed away as the heart pumps. Surprisingly, not CX3CL1. It stays glued to the surface of the inner lining of blood vessels. There, it acts like a bait, catching immune cells as they pass by,” said senior author Yihai Cao.

Cao believes that the same immune signal, CX3CL1, could be a potential target for treating other chronic conditions that involve blood vessel inflammation, like stroke, arthritis, and diabetes. Developing agents that block the functions of this immune signal could provide a new way to treat and prevent common and deadly diseases in humans.

“Artificial sweeteners have penetrated almost all kinds of food, so we have to know the long-term health impact,” Cao cautioned.

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February 20, 2025
Cannabis, Strokes, and Heart Attacks?

The temporary quintupling of heart attack risk associated with cannabis smoking may be due to increased heart rate, blood pressure, and carbon monoxide levels.

Does “the dark side of cannabis”—both “synthetic and non-synthetic marijuana”—include stroke?

There have been case reports of artery damage due to the “vasoconstrictor effect of cannabis,” which has been well documented. One study found cannabis users had a hundred times greater odds of suffering from multifocal intracranial stenosis, where the arteries inside our brain clamp down at multiple points, as you can see below and at 0:39 in my video Does Marijuana Cause Strokes and Heart Attacks?, but that’s a rare condition. What about strokes?

“The paucity [lack] of high-level evidence regarding the adverse effects of marijuana usage on cerebrovascular [brain artery] health has permitted the false notion that recreational marijuana is safe.” So, researchers decided to put it to the test in a study of millions of cannabis users and found that “recreational marijuana use is independently associated with 17% increased likelihood of AIS hospitalization,” that is, being hospitalized with an acute ischemic stroke, but that may only be among those who use cannabis regularly, “weekly or more often.”

The reason we think it’s cause-and-effect is that the majority of recorded strokes were “during or shortly after marijuana exposure,” and there are even cases in which strokes recurred after re-exposure to marijuana. So, when you put all of that together, it makes a convincing case. Though, to be sure, you’d need to randomize people to use cannabis or a placebo.

It’s like the heart disease story. A similar “temporal” relationship has been found between marijuana use and the development of heart attacks and sudden cardiac death, meaning they seemed to occur while individuals were using cannabis or right after usage. “However, careful evaluation of the cardiovascular effects of marijuana inhalation is complicated by the fact that it is often used in combination with other drugs, such as alcohol or cocaine.” So, you can’t just ask heart attack victims if they were smoking pot at the time of a cardiac event and make the connection; you have to ask about other substance use, too. Within an hour of using cocaine, for example, the risk of having a heart attack goes up more than 20-fold.

That’s about four times more than after smoking pot. The hour after you smoke marijuana, your heart attack risk appears to nearly quintuple, but only for that hour. Then, your risk drops down to normal. So what does this mean? Even though heart disease is our number one killer, the risk of having a heart attack every hour is only about one in a million for any particular hour. So, even if you light up a joint, which may quintuple your risk, that would only bump up the risk to about 1 in 150,000 and only for that one hour. Even if you smoked every day, your annual risk might just go up by a few percentage points. But why the increased risk at all?

Well, we’ve known since the 1970s that within an hour of smoking a joint, our pulse rate goes up about 35 percent, as you can see below and at 3:20 in my video. Smoking a single joint also increases blood pressure, as well as carbon monoxide levels in the blood of angina patients, and it cuts their ability to exercise nearly in half. Now is that just because they’re breathing in smoke of any kind? No, smoking a placebo joint—that is, a marijuana joint from which the THC has been removed—only cuts down exercise capacity by about 9 percent. In contrast, after smoking an actual cannabis joint, the time the study participants could exercise before experiencing chest pain was cut by 48 percent. So, it does seem to be a specific drug effect. Is it as bad as tobacco? We found that out a year later.

“Smoking 1 marihuana [sic] cigarette decreased the exercise time until angina more than smoking 1 high-nicotine [tobacco] cigarette,” which only cut exercise capacity by 23 percent, compared to 50 percent after the joint. This may be because smoking marijuana seems to put more demand on the heart, so it’s no surprise that it was worse than tobacco.

It may also be carbon monoxide. Smoking marijuana leads to nearly five times more carbon monoxide in the bloodstream than smoking tobacco. This is in part because, compared to cigarette smokers, cannabis smokers inhale more deeply and then hold in the smoke for longer, allowing more carbon monoxide into their system. So, the increased heart rate and pressure, the “cardio acceleration,” may account for the accelerated chest pain in heart disease patients.

Does cannabis have any chronic effects on the arteries? Users do seem to have relatively stiffer arteries for their age, suggesting “an acceleration of the aging process.” We are only as old as our arteries.

Even second-hand marijuana smoke may be harmful, according to a recent study in the Journal of the American Heart Association entitled, “One Minute of Marijuana Secondhand Smoke Impairs Vascular Endothelial Function,” meaning artery function. So, there was a call to protect “vulnerable populations, including elderly and disabled [multi-unit housing] MUH residents, pregnant women, and children.” But, that one minute of exposure to second-hand marijuana smoke was in rats, so it’s not clear how applicable this is to us beyond, perhaps, not smoking around your pets.

I have a slew of other videos on cannabis if you’re interested. Check out the related videos below.

I first released these videos in a webinar, and you can find them all in a digital download here.

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December 24, 2024
Why Are Heart Attacks More Common On Christmas Day? Doctor Explains Winter Surge And Warning Signs

As the holiday season brings festive cheer and celebration, beware of a secret risk that quietly looms on Christmas Day. Well, it’s not the Grinch stealing decorations, but a life-threatening emergency.

According to the American Heart Association, heart attacks and strokes spike during the last two weeks of December, and December 25 marks the year’s peak for cardiac events. Dr. Patricia Vassallo, a cardiologist with Northwestern Medicine, explains that the increased risk during the winter months results from a combination of cold weather, holiday stress, and disrupted routines.

“Cold temperatures cause blood vessels to constrict, which raises blood pressure and makes the heart work harder to pump blood. At the same time, stress around the holidays and disrupted routines — like less sleep, more alcohol and skipped medications — add to the strain. Overexertion from winter chores like shoveling heavy snow can further increase the risk, especially in people with existing heart conditions,” said Dr. Vassallo.

Holidays may not be the season filled with joy for everyone, it can bring feelings of stress or sadness due to grief of lost loved ones, managing large gatherings, or dealing with complex family dynamics. Emotional and physical stress have a significant effect on heart health, which is why there is a spike in heart attacks and strokes on Monday mornings when stress levels are at the highest, Dr. Vassallo said.

How to reduce risk:

Since cold weather, increased stress, and changes in routine are key factors driving the winter surge of cardiac events, Dr. Vassallo recommends following specific tips to reduce the risk.

1. Dress for the weather: To stay warm in cold conditions, wear layers, and use essential accessories like hats, gloves, and heavy socks.

2. Come inside often: Spending extended time outdoors in the cold can increase the risk of hypothermia and heart attacks. If you have to spend time outdoors, make sure to take breaks inside to warm up.

3. Avoid excess alcohol: Although alcohol seems to give a temporary feeling of warmth, it can lower your body’s core temperature and make you more vulnerable to the cold.

4. Do not shovel for long periods: Shoveling is an activity that puts extra strain on your heart, especially if you have a pre-existing heart condition. It’s important to check with your doctor whether it’s safe for you to shovel or if you should limit the activity.

5. Wash your hands frequently: Respiratory infections are common in the winter months, and they can increase the risk of heart attacks. Frequent handwashing helps reduce the spread of germs and infections.

6. Get help: If you experience any new symptoms of a heart condition or your existing symptoms worsen, do not hesitate to seek medical help, even if it’s a holiday.

Signs To Look out for:

Knowing the signs of heart attacks and strokes can save lives. It is important to seek immediate medical attention if you notice symptoms like severe chest pain, nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath, pain or numbness in the jaw, back, neck, or shoulders, cold sweat, heartburn, or sudden fatigue.

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December 22, 2024
Mindfulness for Panic Attacks
Through mindfulness practice we can change the relationship we have with the anxious thoughts and feelings that surface during a panic attack.
My relationship with anxiety began as I neared the end of law school. There was so much pressure to “succeed,” to find a good job and validate the investment of three years of my life.

The panic attacks would come like waves. They would start slowly and then build momentum until I was completely overtaken. I would experience physical symptoms, like blurred or tunnel vision, and would feel like the ground had disappeared beneath my feet. I had a hard time catching my breath.

At the time I was not familiar with mindfulness and meditation and the significant benefits that could result from consistent practice. I started trying out mindfulness for panic attacks and other emotionally charged moments. Eventually I learned how to change my relationship to my anxious thoughts and feelings through mindfulness practice, and in the process, found ways to curb the anxiety that used to overwhelm me.

Through mindfulness training we acknowledge that our thoughts and feelings are always changing, and learn to accommodate them with a sense of gentleness and acceptance.

Research has shown that mindfulness meditation is an effective way to reduce anxiety. Through mindfulness training we acknowledge that our thoughts and feelings are always changing, and learn to accommodate them with a sense of gentleness and acceptance. Through the process of focusing non-judgmental awareness thoughts, feelings, and sensations, we strengthen our ability to observe them without identifying with or being defined by them.

After many years of mindfulness practice, the panic attacks still come, but they arrive with much less frequency and intensity. When they do, I use a handful of methods to help me deal with them on the spot.

How to Curb a Panic Attack

1) Investigate
When I am in the grip of a particular fear, worry, or anxiety, I ask myself two questions:
- Is it really true? I try to remember that my thoughts aren’t facts, and that they are transient. They are like the weather, passing through and changing all the time, so I don’t have to take them so seriously, or become attached to them.
- Am I OK right now? Often my anxiety has to do with worry about the future, so it’s helpful to deliberately focus on what’s happening right now, in the present.
2) Shift into taking deep, relaxed breaths
When I am caught up in a swirl of anxious thoughts, I’ll switch my attention to something physical, like deep relaxing breaths, shifting myself out of the mental loop that perpetuates the anxious feelings and calming my nerves. For a few minutes, focus on taking deep, calming breaths. Intentionally breathe slowly and deeply into your belly as you expand your lungs. Then without any effort, exhale naturally. Many people feel relief from anxiety after just a few minutes.

Try this guided breathing practice:

3) Connect to the senses
To create some distance from anxious, repetitive thoughts I’ll bring my attention to each of the senses, grounding myself in the present. Wherever you are, take a few slow, deep breaths, and focus your awareness on your surroundings. Look around, and take notice of what you see. Just observe the variety of colors, shapes and textures of what you see, without necessarily forming an opinion. Then focus your awareness on sound. As you listen, notice what you hear in your environment.

Try listening to the quietest sound you hear, or the loudest sound you hear. See if you can listen without applying any labels to your hearing. Next, focus your awareness on your sense of smell. What do you smell? How many different scents can you detect? Finally, bring your awareness on your sense of touch. Reach down and touch the ground beneath you with your fingertips. Notice how many different sensations you feel. See if you can describe them without thinking about whether you like or dislike the sensations.

Try this guided audio meditation to practice engaging your senses:

4) Visualize the release of anxious feelings as a cloud floating away in the sky
Take a moment to pause. Feel the weight of your body and your feet firmly rooted to the ground. See if you can find where the sensation of anxiety is located in your body, such as in your stomach, chest, or head. Slowly and gently allow yourself to feel the sensation there. Then imagine that the uneasy sensation of anxiety has gathered in that location in the form of a dark cloud. Picture it all puffy and grey.

Take a deep breath, and as you exhale, imagine that the dark cloud is expelled from your body with your outgoing breath. See the dark cloud hanging in front of you a couple of feet away, and then watch as the cloud floats away slowly like a balloon. Keep watching the dark cloud float away until it completely disappears. Try this animation to visualize letting go of negative thoughts.

It may feel challenging at first, and that’s OK! Try to be patient and gentle with yourself. With practice, turning to mindfulness for panic attacks—both as a preventive tool and an in-the-moment form of self care—becomes second nature.
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November 11, 2024
Sugar Substitute Erythritol Raises Risk Of Heart Attacks, Stroke: Study

Sugar is a known health risk for several metabolic diseases, including diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases. But are sugar substitutes risk-free?

Adding more evidence to the increased risk associated with sugar substitutes, researchers of a recent study have identified that erythritol, a common low-calorie sweetener, could raise the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

A team of Cleveland Clinic researchers came across startling findings while they were investigating the physiological effects of common sugar substitutes. Based on the study results published in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, the researchers now caution that erythritol might not be as safe as food regulatory agencies currently classify it, calling for a reevaluation of its use.

Erythritol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol found in fruits and vegetables and is a byproduct of glucose metabolism in human tissue. Since it is a low-carbohydrate sweetener, it is used in many “keto” products. Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority classify erythritol as GRAS, (generally recognized as safe). This classification allows its unrestricted use in food products.

The new study points to the cardiovascular risk associated with erythritol, suggesting that even a standard serving size of the sweetener could raise blood clot risk.

“Many professional societies and clinicians routinely recommend that people at high cardiovascular risk – those with obesity, diabetes or metabolic syndrome – consume foods that contain sugar substitutes rather than sugar. These findings underscore the importance of further long-term clinical studies to assess the cardiovascular safety of erythritol and other sugar substitutes,” senior and corresponding author Dr. Stanley Hazen said in a news release.

In a study conducted last year, it was found that cardiac patients with high erythritol levels were twice as likely to experience a major cardiac event within the next three years compared to those with lower levels. Additionally, the study revealed that adding erythritol to patients’ blood or platelets increased clot formation.

To further investigate the effects of erythritol on blood platelets, researchers used a human intervention study that tested its use on 20 healthy individuals. The participants ingested erythritol in the form of a standard “sugarless” soda or muffin and compared the results with glucose consumption.

The researchers then noted that after consumption of erythritol products, the level of erythritol in the blood increased by over 1,000 times compared to before. Additionally, the study showed that blood clotting increased after consuming erythritol, but this effect was not seen after consuming glucose.

“This research raises some concerns that a standard serving of an erythritol-sweetened food or beverage may acutely stimulate a direct clot-forming effect. Erythritol and other sugar alcohols that are commonly used as sugar substitutes should be evaluated for potential long-term health effects, especially when such effects are not seen with glucose itself,” said study co-author Dr. W. H. Wilson Tang.

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August 9, 2024