Our genes may set the stage for autoimmune disease, but how we live often determines whether, and how strongly, that disease takes hold.
Autoimmune conditions, in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own tissues, include Hashimoto's thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis and celiac disease, among many others. Genetics clearly play a role. Yet Dr Frederick Miller, former head of the Environmental Autoimmunity Group at the U.S. National Institutes of Health, makes a striking point in a recent Epoch Times article by Zena le Roux: most genes are neither good nor bad on their own. It is their environment that shapes what they do.
Medication remains a cornerstone of treatment for autoimmune disease, but lifestyle medicine is increasingly recognised as a powerful complementary approach. Here is what the research shows about the factors we can influence.
Diet: The Most Studied Factor
A whole-food, anti-inflammatory way of eating shows the most promise, while stricter elimination diets can help some people when done with professional guidance.
The Mediterranean diet. In a 12-week trial of 45 people with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, those following a Mediterranean diet showed significant improvements in markers of oxidative stress. The pattern has also shown benefits for rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, and a 2026 systematic review found it may improve quality of life in conditions including multiple sclerosis and celiac disease. Its benefits likely come from omega-3 fats, extra-virgin olive oil, polyphenols, fibre, and minerals such as selenium and zinc. The evidence for preventing autoimmune disease is weaker; a meta-analysis found a possible protective effect for multiple sclerosis and Sjögren's syndrome, though the certainty of the evidence was low.
A note on red wine. Red wine is often included in the Mediterranean diet for its polyphenols, such as resveratrol. I do not recommend it. Alcohol is classified by the World Health Organization as a known human carcinogen, and the WHO has stated that there is no safe level of alcohol when it comes to cancer risk. Even light drinking is linked to a higher risk of breast cancer, and some studies suggest a link with prostate cancer as well. Alcohol also promotes inflammation and can weaken the gut barrier, both of which work against anyone managing autoimmune disease. The amount of resveratrol in a glass of wine is small, and the same protective polyphenols can be found in berries, red grapes, pomegranate, extra-virgin olive oil and green tea, without the risks. For those who want a more concentrated source, a resveratrol supplement is another option. Research in humans is still mixed and the body absorbs resveratrol poorly, so look for a quality, third-party tested product and speak with your doctor first, particularly if you take blood thinners or other medications, or have a hormone-sensitive condition, as resveratrol can interact with some drugs and has mild oestrogen-like activity.
Gluten-free diets. These are essential for celiac disease. For people with autoimmune thyroid conditions who don't have celiac disease, however, research hasn't consistently shown that going gluten-free helps, and cutting out whole grains unnecessarily can mean losing valuable fibre.
Elimination diets and the autoimmune protocol (AIP). Some food proteins may resemble the body's own tissues closely enough to confuse the immune system. Elimination diets remove suspected triggers for a period, then reintroduce foods one group at a time to identify reactions. The AIP diet is a structured version: it removes grains, legumes, nightshades, nuts, seeds, dairy, eggs, coffee, alcohol, refined sugars, industrial oils and processed foods, focusing instead on vegetables, fruits, tubers, healthy fats and unprocessed meats, before a careful reintroduction phase. These approaches are demanding and can lead to nutritional gaps, so they are best done with a clinician or dietitian.
Whatever the approach, the common thread will be familiar to readers of my work on ultra-processed food: remove the foods that feed inflammation, and build meals around real, nourishing food.
Micronutrients: Vitamin D and B12
Two nutrients deserve particular attention in autoimmune disease: vitamin D and vitamin B12.
Vitamin D helps regulate the immune response, and low levels are extremely common in people with autoimmune conditions. A 2026 meta-analysis found that vitamin D supplementation had modest anti-inflammatory effects in people with autoimmune disease, lowering markers such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6. More is not always better, though: high doses can raise calcium levels and strain the kidneys, so testing and medical guidance are essential.
Vitamin B12 is vital for energy and nerve function, and a deficiency can worsen the fatigue that so often accompanies autoimmune disease. Early research hints at anti-inflammatory effects, but for now it is best treated when levels are genuinely low.
Gut Health: A Growing Area of Research
The gut and immune system are closely linked. Healthy gut bacteria help train the immune system, and this balance is often disrupted in autoimmune conditions. People with autoimmune thyroid disease, for example, tend to have fewer beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.
Increased intestinal permeability, often called "leaky gut," may allow normally harmless food proteins to cross the gut barrier, where the immune system can misidentify them as threats. Diets rich in plants and fibre, like the Mediterranean diet, are associated with greater microbial diversity, although research has not yet shown that any one diet can fully restore the microbiome or repair the gut barrier.
Movement, Sleep and Stress: The Strongest Non-Diet Evidence
Movement. Regular physical activity is associated with a lower risk of developing autoimmune disease, and in people who already have one, it can reduce flares and improve function by lowering inflammation. Gentle, consistent movement is especially valuable when joints and muscles are affected.
Sleep. Even short-term sleep loss raises inflammatory proteins called cytokines, and poor sleep can reduce the activity of natural killer cells and the regulatory T cells that keep the immune system in balance. Sleep disorders have been linked with a higher risk of rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, lupus and systemic sclerosis.
Stress. Chronic stress activates the sympathetic "fight or flight" nervous system, increasing inflammation and weakening protective barriers in the gut, skin and lungs. Slow breathing, mindfulness and relaxation practices can help calm this response.
Hormones: Why Timing Matters
Sex hormones, particularly oestrogen, influence how the immune system tells the body's own tissues apart from invaders. This helps explain why autoimmune disease is more common in women and often shifts around major hormonal transitions. Pregnancy tends to calm some conditions, like rheumatoid arthritis, but can worsen others, such as lupus. After birth, the sharp drop in oestrogen can trigger flares or even new autoimmune conditions. Tracking symptoms alongside the menstrual cycle, and planning ahead with your care team before and after pregnancy, can make a real difference.
A Note on Cancer Treatment and Autoimmunity
Conventional cancer treatment can itself disrupt the immune system, and in some people it can trigger autoimmune conditions.
Much of conventional oncology is built on the somatic mutation theory, which views cancer primarily as a disease of genetic damage within cells, to be treated by destroying or removing those cells. Chemotherapy, radiation and newer immunotherapies have saved many lives, but they place enormous strain on the immune system.
Immunotherapy: immune checkpoint inhibitors work by releasing the brakes on the immune system so it can attack cancer. In a significant number of patients, the immune system also turns on healthy tissue, causing autoimmune-type conditions such as thyroiditis, colitis, arthritis, hepatitis and, occasionally, type 1 diabetes.
Chemotherapy: certain chemotherapy drugs have been linked, less commonly, to autoimmune reactions, including drug-induced lupus and autoimmune blood disorders. Chemotherapy also damages the gut lining and microbiome, which play a central role in immune balance.
This is not a reason to refuse treatment that may be life-saving. It is a reason to support the terrain throughout and after treatment: nourishing food, movement, sleep, stress care and attention to gut health. If you notice new symptoms such as joint pain, rashes, persistent fatigue, digestive changes or thyroid symptoms during or after cancer treatment, tell your oncology team promptly.
Where to Start
With so many factors at play, it can be hard to know where to begin.
Get the disease under control first. See a rheumatologist or the specialist who manages your condition. Appropriate medication can quickly reduce symptoms and stop ongoing damage. As one integrative doctor in the article put it, this is not the end of treatment but a stopgap to gain control.
Start the work-up early. Specialist appointments can take months. Your primary care doctor can begin testing in the meantime, including vitamin D and B12.
Keep records. Track flares, their timing, family history, and anything that seems to make symptoms better or worse.
Remove what feeds inflammation. Start with ultra-processed foods, refined sugars, industrial oils and alcohol, and build meals around vegetables, fruit, fish, olive oil, nuts, seeds and other whole foods.
Layer in the foundations. Regular movement, restorative sleep and daily stress care each support immune balance.
As Dr Sulagna Misra reminds her patients, healing is not only in the hands of the doctor or practitioner. It is in yours too.
Source and Credit
This post draws on "The Most Important Lifestyle Factors for Autoimmune Disease" by Zena le Roux, published in The Epoch Times on October 2026, featuring Dr Frederick Miller, Dr Nadine Haberfeld, Dr Sulagna Misra and Vincenza Gianfredi.
This content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor or care team before making any changes to your diet, supplements, or treatment plan.
"As to diseases, make a habit of two things: to help, or at least, to do no harm." — Hippocrates