An autoimmune disease is a condition in which the immune system mistakes your own tissue for a threat and attacks it. There are more than 80 recognised types, and around four in five people affected are women — which is why they cluster so often around the hormonal shifts of pregnancy, perimenopause and menopause.
What Are the Most Common Types?
| Condition | Tissue attacked | Hallmark signs |
|---|---|---|
| Hashimoto’s thyroiditis | Thyroid | Fatigue, weight gain, cold intolerance, hair thinning |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | Joint lining | Symmetrical joint swelling, long morning stiffness |
| Coeliac disease | Small intestine | Bloating, diarrhoea, iron deficiency, mouth ulcers |
| Lupus | Multiple organs | Butterfly rash, joint pain, photosensitivity |
| Type 1 diabetes | Pancreas | Thirst, frequent urination, rapid weight loss |
| Psoriasis | Skin | Raised scaly plaques, nail pitting |
What Symptoms Should Prompt Testing?
Early autoimmune disease is frustratingly vague. The pattern that matters is symptoms that persist for months, affect more than one system, and do not improve with rest:
- Fatigue that sleep does not fix
- Joint pain or swelling, especially on both sides of the body
- Unexplained rashes, mouth ulcers or hair loss
- Recurrent low-grade fever
- Digestive symptoms with unexplained iron or B12 deficiency
- Numbness or tingling in hands and feet
What Causes Autoimmunity?
Three things generally have to line up: a genetic susceptibility, an environmental trigger such as an infection, smoking or a major stressor, and a loss of immune tolerance. Falling oestrogen is thought to contribute to why so many diagnoses land in midlife. Gut barrier function is an active area of research too — I cover it in gut health and autoimmune conditions.
How Are They Treated?
Treatment is medical and condition-specific: hormone replacement for Hashimoto’s, disease-modifying drugs for rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, strict gluten avoidance for coeliac disease. Starting treatment early changes long-term outcomes, which is the main reason not to sit on symptoms for a year.
Nutrition supports treatment rather than replacing it. What genuinely helps: correcting deficiencies that are common in these conditions — vitamin D, iron, B12 — eating enough protein, sleeping properly, and stopping smoking. What does not help: broad elimination diets adopted without a diagnosis, which leave you more deficient and no better.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can autoimmune disease be cured?
Most cannot be cured, but many can be pushed into remission with treatment. Coeliac disease is the exception where complete symptom control follows strict dietary avoidance.
Does having one autoimmune condition mean I will get another?
It raises the odds. Roughly a quarter of people with one develop a second, which is why doctors screen for thyroid and coeliac disease when another is diagnosed.
Is an ANA blood test enough to diagnose lupus?
No. A positive ANA is common in healthy people. It is only meaningful alongside matching symptoms and further specific antibody tests.
About the Author
Nidhi Kakar is a nutritionist and the founder of Art of Wellness. She specialises in women’s health through the midlife years, from the mid-30s to the mid-60s, and has guided hundreds of women through perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause with personalised nutrition and lifestyle plans.
This article is for educational purposes and does not replace personalised medical advice. Autoimmune conditions need diagnosis and treatment from a doctor.
