As an immune health naturopath in London, I look at what’s actually driving immune dysregulation, rather than treating each flare in isolation. A healthy immune system looks to keep you safe from microbes and diseases. However, if you have immune dysregulation, this could result in conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, or autoimmune conditions such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, multiple sclerosis, or rheumatoid arthritis.
Being the person who’s “always sick” wears on you in ways beyond the illness itself, cancelled plans, a creeping doubt from people around you about whether it’s really that bad, and your own dread every time something’s going around, wondering if this is the one that knocks you out for weeks.
What the evidence actually points to
Gut health and immune function are directly linked
Around 70 to 80% of the body’s immune cells sit in gut-associated lymphoid tissue, making the gut the largest immune organ in the body, not a side concern to immune health but one of its central structures. This is exactly why gut health is one of the first places I look when immune function is dysregulated.
Vitamin D is a genuine immune regulator, not just a bone nutrient
Vitamin D directly modulates both the innate and adaptive immune response, and deficiency is common even in people who spend reasonable time outdoors, particularly across a UK autumn and winter. It’s one of the simplest, most under-tested pieces of the immune picture.
Diagnostic delay is a genuine, documented problem
One study found 76% of autoimmune patients had received at least one misdiagnosis before the correct one, often because conditions like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis share overlapping symptoms with other issues. Autoantibodies for some autoimmune conditions are detectable years before a formal diagnosis, which is exactly why catching immune dysregulation early matters.
Immune dysregulation shows up beyond the obvious autoimmune conditions
It’s increasingly implicated in conditions like IBS, and in some neurodegenerative presentations, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, which is why I look at immune function even when the presenting complaint doesn’t look like a textbook immune condition.
How I work with immune health
I start with testing to identify relevant immune, inflammatory and vitamin D status, investigate cross-reactive foods and environmental triggers, then build a tailored plan using dietary adjustment, herbal medicine or hyperbaric oxygen therapy, alongside whatever medical care you’re already receiving.
If this sounds like where you are, apply for a 15 minute consultation, in person or online, and let’s work out the best way forward.
