Terms to Better Understand Our Health & Well-Being with Autoimmune Diseases
Navigating a new diagnosis often means learning a whole new vocabulary. This autoimmune disease glossary breaks down the terms you’ll hear most often from your care team, online communities, and research articles.
Understanding these terms can make it easier to advocate for yourself at appointments and to follow along in our Blog, or take the free Autoimmune Journey Quiz to see how these concepts show up in your own experience.
For deeper definitions of clinical terms like remission, flare, and autoimmunity itself, the Global Autoimmune Institute has a helpful list of autoimmune terminology worth bookmarking.
Epigenetics is the study of how cells control gene activity without changing the DNA sequence. “Epi-“means on or above in Greek, and “epigenetic” describes factors beyond the genetic code. Epigenetic changes are modifications to DNA that regulate whether genes are turned on or off.
Invigorate Interpretation: For the first time, we now understand that we have the ability to change some of our genes through lifestyle.
Functional medicine is a systems biology–based approach that focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of disease. Each symptom or differential diagnosis may be one of many contributing to an individual’s illness.
Invigorate Interpretation: A smarter approach to tackling disease is by figuring out what’s causing it and addressing that issue vs. only trying to mask symptoms with medication. Often times with autoimmune diseases a two-prong approach is warranted. Meaning, medications can help manage our symptoms, but we’ll have better results if we address the root cause.
This theory aims to understand the environment and interpersonal influences (such as peers) in order to change behavior, which can be more effective than a focus on the individual to change behavior.
Invigorate Interpretation: Discovering that we have more tools to change our thought patters and daily habits is a game changer.
When we shift from willpower to change-power, we learn the tools that influence our behavior vs. solely relying on willpower. Change smarter, not harder.
Ultra-processed foods are foods you cannot recreate in your kitchen even if you had all the ingredients – think packaged goods, like chips, cereal, granola bars. 67% of kids’ diets consist of ultra-processed foods leading to poor nutrition and adverse health affects. (Source)
Invigorate Interpretation: We’re working to reverse the rising trend of consuming ready-to-eat or ready-made ultra-processed foods through education and resources that make it easier to eat healthier. Explore steps and resources to better nutrition and health.
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