It wasn’t until I was speaking over the phone with the president of a Fibromyalgia association in the Midwest that I realized this subject was even up for debate. As far as I was concerned, Fibromyalgia is as much an autoimmune problem as MS or any other autoimmune disease.

Many who suffer from Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) also pile on various autoimmune disorders, as I did. Whether you believe that Fibromyalgia is another autoimmune disorder or condition that leaves you vulnerable to autoimmune diseases, it is an indisputable fact that pro-inflammatory cytokines are a cause of Fibromyalgia/CFS and traditional autoimmune disorders.

In traditional autoimmune disorders, cytokines gather in certain areas of the body causing pain, inflammation, and the body to attack itself. For example, in the case of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), these cytokines gather in the joints. In Fibromyalgia and CFS, cytokines are able to cross the protective barrier of the brain (BBB) because of “gaps” in the barrier. In the brain, these cytokines cause “brain fog,” sleep disturbances, increased pain, and increase or cause depression and anxiety.

Viral infections can allow cytokines to cross the BBB. This is also true of stress. A study published in June 2002, in the scientific journal “Differentiation”, reported new evidence that mobile phone radiation can weaken the BBB against harmful substances. (http://tuberose.com/Germ_Theory.html) Cell phones further increase the “gaps” in the blood brain barrier allowing even more cytokines to cross into the brain.

Heidi Whitaker is an author and popular speaker on the topic of nutritional support of autoimmune disease. An advocate for alternative health solutions, she co-founded http://www.healthydivas.com, a resource center for those autoimmune sufferers looking for real answers outside of what conventional medicine can provide.

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