A Common Condition May Be the Silent Driver of Alarming Health Statistics
- 12 minutes ago
- 2 min read
According to The World Data (1), autoimmune diseases are on the rise:
Type 1 diabetes has almost doubled over 40 years
Celiac Disease is almost 5 times more prevalent than 30 years ago
Multiple Sclerosis shot up 30% between 2013 and 2022
What do these and other autoimmune diseases all have in common? Inflammation!
Long-term, chronic inflammation can create the environment for autoimmune diseases to flourish. In fact, inflammation is recognized as the primary environmental driver that can turn genetic susceptibility into active autoimmune disease.
What are common signs of chronic inflammation (2)?
Fatigue, anxiety, or depression
Rashes, mouth sores, or acid reflux
Sudden change in weight (increase or decrease)
Fever or frequent illness
Pain in joints, chest, or abdomen
Changes in frequency of waste elimination
Identify the Clues
Sometimes symptoms of inflammation will drive a person to a doctor; other times blood lab results may be the first clue that inflammation is active! With an experienced provider’s oversight, labs can also help diagnose an autoimmune disease, sometimes years before symptoms begin.
The Take-Away
A robust blood panel gives patients the gift of early detection - allowing time for a doctor’s treatments to reduce the severity of symptoms, or even completely eliminate an oncoming health threat.
1. The World Data. Autoimmune diseases statistics in US. The World Data; 2026 Jan 8 [cited 2026 Jul 1].
2. Cleveland Clinic. Inflammation: What is it, causes, symptoms & treatment. Cleveland (OH): Cleveland Clinic; 2024 Mar 22 [cited 2026 Jul 1].
The Temecula Center for Integrative Medicine is an Integrative Medical Clinic specializing in all aspects of Functional Medicine.
Our focus is solely on the treatment and prevention of chronic disease and we specialize in helping patients with serious, life-altering illnesses.
951-383-4333
Dr. Erik Lundquist is the founder and medical director for the Temecula Center for Integrative Medicine. He is a member of the American Holistic Medical Association as well as the Institute of Functional Medicine. He specializes in endocrine disorders especially thyroid and adrenal dysfunction, chronic fatigue, migraine headaches, cardiometabolic disorders, and chronic pain.
