Living with an autoimmune condition is not fun. Every day brings new challenges, and you wonder whether it will ever go away. 

Fortunately, there are some things you can try if you have an autoimmune disease. These approaches aren’t guaranteed to work, but they could lead to remission or at least improve your quality of life. 

Photo by Polina Tankilevitch from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-in-white-shirt-using-a-glucometer-5469165/

So, what are the tactics you can use? Let’s take a look: 

Get More Sleep

Getting more sleep is one of the best ways to deal with autoimmune conditions, especially if you are on a treatment plan. The more time your body has to rest, the better. 

When you sleep, it gives the immune system a chance to rest and reset. Sometimes, you’ll notice that flares are worse when you’re tired than well-rested. 

Getting more sleep is relatively straightforward. Just practice going to bed and waking up at the same time every day to establish a routine you can stick with. 

Exercise Smartly

Next, you’ll want to exercise smartly. Getting a little physical activity is essential for keeping you healthy, but you want to ensure that you’re doing the right movements that don’t lead to more flares. 

For example, swimming and cycling are excellent low-impact activities for people with autoimmune conditions. Stretching can also be helpful if it boosts circulation. 

Manage Stress Effectively

Another option is to look into your stress levels and manage them more effectively. If you can get a handle on these, you can often improve your symptoms significantly. 

Stress is a major contributor to immune system dysfunction. If you feel it all the time, it can change the way your body works and prevent you from living the healthy life you want. Constant immune activation due to whole-body tension can cause autoimmune diseases to develop, sometimes in the strangest places. 

For instance, many people with chronic stress develop irritable bowel syndrome. Signals from the brain pass down the vagus nerve and into the intestines, leading to bloating, gas, cramping, and other unpleasant symptoms. 

Adopt An Anti-inflammatory Diet

Another approach worth pursuing is adopting an anti-inflammatory diet. Eating the right foods can douse the immune system and improve its behavior over time. 

Researchers are still looking into this, but a simple diet of greens and flax effectively reduces inflammation. People with seemingly intractable conditions can sometimes go into remission on these restrictive diets as long as they maintain healthy practices once the restrictive phase ends (usually after a few weeks). 

An anti-inflammatory diet fundamentally changes how the body works. It also eliminates common triggers like gluten and dairy, which can harm many people. 

Treat Your Skin

Another approach to dealing with autoimmune conditions is to treat your skin. For example, using creams for hand eczema is a good idea, as they can help repair the skin’s barrier. 

When you treat your skin, it can have bodywide effects. While skin is on the outside of the body, its health affects what goes on inside, potentially helping you feel better. 

The more you treat your skin, the better it will look, which can give you confidence. 

Avoid Environmental Triggers

You should also fight back against autoimmune conditions by avoiding environmental triggers. These can be particularly dangerous and damaging if you have a sensitivity. 

For example, it’s worth looking for ways to reduce exposure to smoking and pollutants. These toxins can get into the body and cause unwanted reactions. 

Also, avoid any foods or bacteria that might worsen your symptoms. Sometimes, these can trigger the immune system to respond to something that it shouldn’t or is relatively harmless. Reducing the amount you allow these to come into contact with you can make a difference sometimes. 

Stay Consistent With Medication

You should also stay consistent with medication if you’re dealing with an autoimmune condition. Following the prescription makes it more likely your problem will remain manageable. 

For example, if you have rhinitis and your doctor tells you to stick with the steroid sprays, then do so. Often, you have to take them for several months for them to have an effect. 

Many of these medications won’t reverse the disease, but they can slow the progression. 

So there you have it: some lessons on how to fight back against autoimmune conditions.