In recent years, healthcare practitioners, particularly in naturopathy, are seeing a rise in complex health conditions. Environmental factors like air pollution, water contamination, herbicides, pesticides, PFAS, microplastic and electromagnetic radiation play a significant role in our health. These influences make it challenging to pinpoint a single cause, especially in cases involving autoimmune conditions. This post details a particularly challenging case of dual blood-related autoimmune disorders that I recently treated.
Understanding the Patient’s Journey: Symptoms and Diagnosis
In July 2024, a 72-year-old woman noticed she was bruising easily and bleeding profusely from minor cuts. She is of good health and hadn’t been sick with common illnesses like cold or flu for years, so this was unusual for her. After visiting her GP and being referred to a hematologist, she was diagnosed with two blood-related autoimmune conditions:
- Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP)
- Lymphopenia
Let’s take a closer look at each of these conditions.
What is Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP)?
ITP is an autoimmune condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks platelets, which are responsible for blood clotting. Low platelet levels can lead to excessive bruising and bleeding. While some people with ITP recover without treatment, the condition often persists for months or even years in adults.
In this case, the patient’s platelet count was getting low : 71 x 10^9/L, while the healthy range is typically 150–400 x 10^9/L.
What is Lymphopenia?
Lymphopenia occurs when there is a lower-than-normal level of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell crucial to the immune system. Lymphocytes help the body fight infections and even some cancers. Low lymphocyte levels can increase susceptibility to infections.
In this patient, the lymphocyte count was 1.0 x 10^9/L, below the healthy range of 1.5–4.0 x 10^9/L.
Naturopathic Approach to Treating Autoimmune Conditions
As a naturopath, I have experience and great results in treating autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and Graves’ disease. However, I’d never faced a case with two simultaneous blood-related autoimmune conditions. Treating this patient required a deep understanding of autoimmunity and an investigative approach to identify the root cause.
Autoimmunity often arises due to:
- Primary Lesion (Root Cause): This could be chronic infection, tissue damage, or other underlying issues.
- Secondary Antigen (Immune Dysregulation): The immune system becomes overly sensitive, sometimes mistakenly attacking the body’s own tissues.
Reviewing the Patient’s Medical History
Fortunately, I had access to the patient’s medical records, blood tests, and results from live blood microscopy and health analysis tools dating back to 2017. Over the years, her records showed viral infection, bacterial infections, and occasional parasites. After careful cross-referencing, I was able to identify patterns and devise a treatment plan.
Treatment Protocol: A Blend of Science, Intuition, and Natural Remedies
Given the complex nature of her condition, I crafted a treatment protocol that combined science-backed supplements and herbal medicine. Here’s a breakdown:
- Complex Herbal Tonic: The tonic was tailored to the patient’s specific needs to support her immune system without overstimulating it. This was crucial in reducing the autoimmune response without compromising her immune function.
- Supplements for Gut Health: Research shows that gut health significantly impacts the immune system. We addressed potential “leaky gut” syndrome, which could have contributed to immune dysregulation:
- Zinc and Selenium: Essential for immune function.
- Vitamin K2 and Vitamin D: For bone health, immune balance, and inflammation reduction.
- Liposomal Vitamin C: A potent antioxidant form of Vitamin C to support cellular health and repair.
- Removal of Blood-Thinning Foods and Supplements: Since her platelet count was already low, we eliminated foods and supplements that could further thin her blood.
- Probiotic Support: Probiotics were included to help restore gut balance and support her immune system from the inside out.
The Outcome: A Remarkable Recovery in Just Three Months
The patient followed this naturopathic protocol closely. After three months, she returned for follow-up blood tests in October 2024. The results were astonishing:
- Platelet Count: Increased to 266 x 10^9/L (well within the healthy range).
- Lymphocyte Count: Improved to 1.38 x 10^9/L, close to the healthy range.
Her hematologist was thrilled with the results, as blood autoimmune conditions are rarely resolved so swiftly. The improvement in her bloodwork also showed how a naturopathic approach could lead to healing, even in complex cases like this.
Key Takeaways
This case highlights the power of a holistic, individualized treatment plan, especially when dealing with complex health issues like autoimmune conditions. Key aspects that contributed to her recovery include:
- Thorough Review of Medical History: Analyzing her past infections and symptoms helped me build a personalized treatment protocol.
- Gut Health as a Foundation: The gut’s role in immunity cannot be underestimated, especially in autoimmune conditions.
- Natural, Science-Backed Supplements: The right combination of vitamins, minerals, and probiotics can provide essential support for blood and immune health.
- Herbal Medicine: Herbal tonics can be powerful allies in supporting the immune system without overstimulating it, which is crucial in autoimmunity.
In a world where environmental factors make health issues increasingly complex, a naturopathic approach offers a valuable path to uncovering root causes and restoring health.
If you would like to know more about how the DH-Natural Medicine Clinic can help you, please call us now on
(02) 4854 0205
Danuta Hulajko is a Naturopath, international speaker and the founder & practitioner at the DH Natural Medicine Clinic in the Southern Highlands .
Danuta specialises in Allergies, Anti-Aging, Auto-Immune Conditions, Cardiovascular Conditions, Female Reproductive, Long Covid, Menopause, Mould Toxicity, Skin Conditions, Stress and Insomnia and Thyroid Dysfunction.
References
Lymphocytes: Function, Types, and Counts
Bone, K.,” Treating Autoimmune Disease”, Part 1, Mediherb, Modern Phytotherapist Vol 1, no 1
1994 Metagenics, 2006, Hemaview TM Training Manual
What Are Platelets? Function & Anatomy
