The 5 Root Causes of Autoimmune Disease (And How to Start Healing)

Autoimmune disease is often treated as something random, lifelong, and out of your control. But what if it’s not your body malfunctioning—what if it’s your immune system responding exactly the way it’s designed to, to something it sees as a threat? When you understand what’s driving that response, everything changes. Here’s what I cover in today’s episode: • The 5 key drivers—food, toxins, gut health, infections, and stress—and how they disrupt the immune system • Why diet is one of the most powerful levers for turning inflammation on or off every single day • The connection between leaky gut, the microbiome, and immune dysfunction • A practical, functional medicine framework to start reducing symptoms and addressing the condition at the root Autoimmune disease isn’t random—it’s the result of cumulative inputs over time. When you begin to change those inputs, you can shift your biology, calm the immune system, and change the trajectory of your health. Visit ⁠functionhealth.com for 160+ lab tests at just $365 a year. Join the 10-Day Detox: Have a question you’d love answered on Office Hours? Submit it here The waitlist is open** Sign up for Dr. Hyman’s Brainshaping Academy to learn how to nourish the biological systems that support your mental, emotional, and cognitive health - Click here (0:12) Introduction, Sponsor: Function Health, and Overview of Autoimmune Diseases (1:38) Immune System, Causes, and Triggers of Autoimmune Disease (3:45) Common Mistakes and Root Causes in Treating Autoimmune Disease (5:26) Food, Diet, and Anti-Inflammatory Strategies (11:47) Toxins, Gut Health, and the Microbiome (17:32) Hidden Infections and Treating by Root Cause (19:38) Stress and Other Triggers for Autoimmune Disease (23:14) Sponsor: Brain Shaping Academy (24:10) Audience Engagement, Sharing, and Subscription (25:19) Disclaimer, Professional Advice, and Sponsor Gratitude

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The 5 Root Causes of Autoimmune Disease (And How to Start Healing) is an episode from The Doctor's Farmacy with Mark Hyman, M.D. by Dr. Mark Hyman.

This episode is 27:08 long.

This episode was published on May 11, 2026.

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