someone else’s battle. Unfortunately, being thin doesn’t prevent autoimmune diseases, like type 1 diabetes.
“In Chinese medicine, we say we can see the “shen” or, spirit, in a person’s appearance. That is true for a trained professional eye, but there are many times when people look outwardly healthy because people make the assumption that thin is healthy. [That’s] not necessarily so,’ says Teri Goetz, a Chinese and Integrative medicine practitioner.
There are nearly one hundred autoimmune diseases and they are most likely to affect women and girls up to the age of 65, according to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, Inc. (AARDA). The initial symptoms of an autoimmune disease are often intermittent or unspecific.
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“Here’s the thing. Inflammation is silent in the beginning. It might show up as an occasional headache, joint pain or upset stomach. We think nothing of it and continue in our unhealthy habits until one day that turns into a chronic disease. So, you might look healthy. But if you have an unhealthy habit, you’re likely brewing an inflammation storm inside!” says Goetz.