We like to think of the immune system as our defensive mechanism that is always ready to recognise and kill harmful pathogens. But when the immune system goes rogue and starts damaging our own tissue, it can have devastating effects. Autoimmune disease (AiD) collectively impacts millions of people around the world and contributes significantly to the burden of chronic illness. A recent UK study of 22 million people investigating 19 of the most common autoimmune diseases found autoimmunity now occurs in around 1 in 10 people, with women twice as likely to be affected as men.

The exact causes of AiD are not fully understood. A combination of genetic predisposition, immune dysfunction and environmental triggers is believed to contribute to the development of these diseases, but the specifics vary from one disease to another.

In this two-part presentation, Kerry Bone explores the supporting evidence and clinical ramifications of the core functional herbal therapy (FHT) strategies for supporting the patient with AiD.

Topics covered in Part 1 include:

• The mosaic of autoimmunity
• What really causes AiD
• Pathogens and autoimmunity, with stunning recent discoveries that elevate the phenomenon of molecular mimicry to a new level of credibility
• Gut health, our microbiome and autoimmunity
• The critical role of diet
• Key FHT strategies for autoimmune disease

In Part 2, Kerry examines the practical application of and supporting evidence for the key FHT treatment strategies explored in Part 1, demonstrating with case histories how they can be successfully applied to a range of autoimmune diseases including:

• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Multiple sclerosis
• Grave’s disease
• Type 1 diabetes