iThei mdcdaelcinfd o c elllllrllll thcc stlbhcchfAutoimmune Flare, Intolerance, or Healing Crisis?
A die-off reaction (a.k.a. Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction, Herxheimer, or
“Herx”) is a reaction that occurs when the dying pathogenic organisms
release toxins at a faster rate than the body can clear them.
This type of reaction can occur with changes in diet such as eliminating
sugars, starches, or fiber (sometimes referred to as starving the pathogenic
organisms) as well as with increasing fermented foods containing beneficial
bacteria, which displace pathogenic organisms through competition. It can
also occur after starting probiotics, digestive enzymes, and antimicrobials.
Symptoms of die-off may include lethargy, difficulty concentrating, crav-
ing sweets, diarrhea, rash, irritability, gas, bloating, headache, nausea,
vomiting, increased autoimmune symptoms, and congestion.
These symptoms usually resolve within a few days but have been reported
to last for many weeks in some extreme cases. When the symptoms oc-
cur in response to the above-mentioned interventions, they are generally
associated with a healing crisis. Pushing through or doing colon cleans-
ing, skin brushing, detox baths, and taking liver support supplements,
anatabine, or curcumin may be helpful in managing these symptoms.
Intolerances are associated with some of the same symptoms, but they
occur in the absence of these interventions and in response to foods.
When these symptoms occur after ingesting any of the substances men-
tioned in the Intolerances chapter, they should be especially suspect.
An autoimmune flare can result when the wrong type of immune-
balancing intervention is used or when balance is restored in one part of
the system but not another. Please see the Naranjo Causality Scale in the
Supplements chapter for a guide on how to determine the likely interven-
tion that is causing an adverse event. The suspected interventions should
be stopped. Autoimmune flares should be treated with acupuncture or
counterbalancing supplements.
Challenges of Lifestyle Interventions
Lifestyle interventions for Hashimoto’s and autoimmune conditions are
still in their infancy. This research is not yet well-known and accepted by
the traditional medical system or broader society.
Friends and family and even your physicians may be skeptical when
you tell them you are no longer going to follow the Standard American
Diet in an effort to overcome your autoimmune condition. You may be