The Autoimmune Solution: A Comprehensive Guide to Preventing and Reversing Inflammatory Diseases Through Functional Medicine

by Amy Myers

Over 90 percent of the population suffers from inflammation or an autoimmune disorder. Until now, conventional medicine has said there is no cure. Minor irritations like rashes and runny noses are ignored, while chronic and debilitating diseases like Crohn's and rheumatoid arthritis are handled with a cocktail of toxic treatments that fail to address their root cause. But it doesn't have to be this way.

In The Autoimmune Solution, Dr. Amy Myers, a renowned leader in functional medicine, offers her medically proven approach to prevent a wide range of inflammatory-related symptoms and diseases, including allergies, obesity, asthma, cardiovascular disease, fibromyalgia, lupus, IBS, chronic headaches, and Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Nutrition, Food, Self Help, Science, Medicine

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 27, 2015

About the author

Amy Myers, MD is a renowned leader in Functional Medicine. She has helped tens of thousands around the world recover from chronic illness through her dietary based program, The Myers Way. Dr. Myers has been featured by Dr. Oz, Huffington Post, The New York Times, Women's Health, Yahoo Health, Prevention Magazine, Everyday Health, The New York Post and more.

Dr. Myers is passionate about autoimmune and thyroid dysfunction because of her own journey with Graves' Disease.

Her book first book The Autoimmune Solution is a New York Times Best Seller.

Her website is: www.AmyMyersMD.com

Follow Dr. Myers on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest @AmyMyersMD

Reviews

[Katya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like another reviewer said, "every time I picked up this book I had an anxiety attack." It was a scary, stressing read.
Do you bathe in unfiltered water?
Do you sleep on a non-organic mattress?
Do you eat eggplant, tomatoes, or lentils?
Do you go to a conventional dentist?
According to Dr. Meyers, there's literally nothing that isn't out to get you. This may actually be true, but she left me feeling hopeless instead of inspired to change.

The first portion of the book was filled with big science words and was really interesting to read, although I can sum it up for you: "we're all on the autoimmune spectrum and we're all pretty much screwed". But wait!- there's one path to salvation... The Meyers Way! Dr. Meyers is to health what Gwyneth Paltrow is to lifestyle: someone championing a way of life that the rest of us don't have the funds or willpower to follow. Who can afford to tear out their toxic "conventional" carpets and repaint the walls? Replace all their cookware? And don't even get me started about "cross-contamination"...

I did learn A TON from this book and these ideas will undoubtedly influence me in the future: maybe the next apartment we live in will have a wood floor instead of carpet, or I'll get a glass water bottle instead of plastic. But Dr. Meyers is not into slow change, she's into do-all-the-things-right-now. For those people who do follow her every word, they will probably live forever and go on to develop superpowers like flight and x-ray vision. But it seems like the rest of us - the kind of people who might drink a beer once in a while or [gasp] even eat a vegan cookie (page 286) - will muddle on in pain, brain-fog, weariness. As much as I liked most of her ideas, she lost me when she explained that eating a single "bad" food once will disrupt your health for the next three months. The best doctors leave us with a feeling of hope, something which I found lacking in this book.

PS: Gotta say, the meal plan looks really good!

[Aud · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't want to review this book until I had tried the author's diet for 30 days to see if it made a difference for me. I have struggled with fatigue and headaches for several years now (about 9), and I wanted to put this diet to the test to see if it was autoimmune related. I'm actually not sure if I have an autoimmune disease or not - I was diagnosed with Hashimotos about 4 years ago, but had my thyroid taken out just over 2 years ago due to cancer, and my endocrinologist told me I no longer have Hashimotos since my thyroid is gone. So I don't know.... The author of the book seems to think that the majority of us are on the autoimmune spectrum, so I figured I had nothing to lose by trying her diet. I have tried hormone balancing, and the headache situation has helped a lot by adding a certain hormone. I was still feeling fatigued all the time, though.

The diet is very hard - or at least it was for me. No grains of any kind, no beans, no rice, no nuts, no dairy, no eggs, no sugar. So clean meat, fruits, and vegetables is all that's left. And then there are several forbidden vegetables: No tomatoes, no white potatoes, no corn, no peppers, no eggplant. And sea salt is the only salt allowed. You pretty much can't eat out or buy prepared foods. I think that's it.

I didn't set out to lose any weight on this diet, I simply wanted to know if I would feel better. But in 30 days, I actually lost 15 pounds, so that was a bonus! I thought I had been overly optimistic when I put my weight on my driver's license form, but now I weigh several pounds less than what it says on my DL! I think I'll need to call the DMV to get that fixed!

About 8 days into the diet, I was feeling very optimistic, and I felt less fatigued. After 30 days, I would say that I felt considerably less fatigued than before. I was starving all the time, though, because I felt that all foods were forbidden. I had to hold on to something almost every time I stood up because I was close to fainting.(No wonder I lost weight.) I did have several headaches during the 30 days of the diet, so about the same as before the diet. I don't think I can eat this way all the time, though, and I have already reintroduced eggs into my diet. I think I will reintroduce dairy soon, as I don't think I have a problem with dairy. I may end up just going gluten free, which sounds super-hard to me. But if I feel more energy from avoiding gluten, I guess it would be worth it.

I like that she's an MD who has an autoimmune disease herself. I feel like the author knows what she's talking about. At the same time, I feel that she goes a little overboard with all the stuff you have to avoid. Who goes to an organic dentist???

So that was my experience - I am very impressed with anybody who can keep this diet up forever! It took a lot of self control for me!

UPDATE 3/25/17: I thought I would write an update on what I've figured out. I have certainly learned that what I eat (or I should say don't eat) makes a big difference in how I feel. And I really didn't believe that it was food related for so many years! I have eaten gluten free now since July 2015, and for a whole year I felt so much better than before without the brain fog and headaches. Then in the summer of 2016 I took on a very stressful job. The company went under and the job only lasted a little over a month, but in the fall of 2016 I started having many bad days again. I knew there was probably something else in my diet I needed to avoid, but it wasn't until January 2017 that I eliminated dairy completely. I have been dairy and gluten free now in 2017 and things seem to be going really well again. But it is very hard to find gluten and dairy free versions of my favorite treat; chocolate; so it is a very hard diet for me. But I've gotta do it if I want to be able to work and feel well!

[Kris Patrick · Rating 1 out of 5]

What she calls The Myers Way, I call The No Way.
No grains
No gluten
No beans
No nuts
No peppers
No tomatoes
No dairy
No caffeine
No alcohol
No thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bharath · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the third health related book I have read and reviewed in the past few months (the others being ‘Brain Food’ by Lisa Mosconi and ‘How not to die’ by Michael Greger). It can be difficult to reconcile the advice offered – as there are contradictions. And yet some conclusions are clear – we severely underestimate the role the food we eat plays in our health and the benefits of consulting a good dietitian. My interest in reading this book was because of some prevalent autoimmune conditions in people close to me. As I read on, I found I have an autoimmune condition myself.

This book makes an interesting start – it delves on the various types of autoimmune diseases ranging from allergies, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and others. The first section of the book details how the immune system mistakenly attacks inflammatory agents it encounters. The key principles of addressing this includes: healing the gut, reducing intake of inflammatory foods, limiting exposure to toxins and managing stress. This is referred to as ‘The Myers Way’ – a phrase which repeats multiple times on each page. The author talks about how conventional medicine does not help much – progressively requiring more medication, compounded by the fact that people with one autoimmune condition are at high risk of developing others. I cannot agree more that better solutions are needed to treat autoimmune disorders.

Amy details the foods we should strictly avoid – gluten, grains, dairy and legumes. She explains how she ate largely vegetarian food herself but changed her diet to come out of her autoimmune condition. She states that vegetarians & vegans have no way to improve their autoimmune condition. While this view came across as disappointing to me – I also know this to be incorrect as I personally know a few people who have improved their autoimmune condition with a strictly vegetarian diet. Also, a lot of her diet recommendation contradicts studies on people living long and healthy lives. So, assuming ‘The Myers Way’ does work for limiting autoimmune conditions in the short term, what about the longer term? Unlike the other two books I have referred at the start of this review, this book refers to almost no research.

There is detailed discussion on inflammatory foods, especially gluten, grains, dairy & eggs and the harm they cause us – even people without a current autoimmune condition can progress towards one. The book includes a detailed 30-day diet plan and recipes of many of the dishes mentioned. The author claims that people taking up this diet will feel better in a week, and are most likely to significantly limit their symptoms in a month.

If people are able to take up this diet, I suppose there cannot be any harm in trying this for a short period (after all the author says the difference should be noticeable in a month). I would be very wary of adopting something like this for the long term.

I considered my review and rating carefully to see to what extent I am allowing my personal values & diet habits to influence it. This book suffers from an egotistical tone, repeating material, non-evidence based conclusions and almost no references to credible research. So, not guilty.

[Erica · Rating 1 out of 5]

I agree with the basic premise, that diet, exercise, mindfulness and avoiding stressors are integral to feeling well while living with an autoimmune condition, however, the information was presented so obnoxiously commercialized with the barest veneer of scientific credibility that I could never recommend this steaming turd of a book to anyone.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

To follow everything in the Myers Plan will be incredibly difficult as her eating plan is super strict however living with three autoimmune diseases that are all caused by inflammation is also incredibly difficult so I'm going to give it a shot. Her science seems sound and the patient stories she includes won me over. If in thirty days, I'm substantially better (which is her promise) than it will be totally worth it.

[Kali · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am 100% on board with most of what Dr. Myers has to say. I truly believe diet has a huge role in autoimmune disease. I think the science is starting to show that and I can't wait until there are more studies. That being said, it seemed like every time I picked up this book I had an anxiety attack. The entire book seemed very alarmist. This is the first "autoimmune solution" book I read and it almost turned me off of the whole idea. I just pictured Dr. Myers screaming at me for wanted to eat quinoa each time I tried to read the book. As someone who has had great success on a vegan diet, I didn't really appreciate her attitude toward my current diet. I also couldn't get passed how often she used her own name. After finishing the book, I was a little sick of hearing the term "The Myers Way". I think Dr. Myers is doing great work and her book is worth a read; however, it was the less extreme books I read after this one that finally brought me into the functional medicine doctor's office. Don't let this book turn you away from the functional medicine approach. There are successful and much less strict plans out there.

[Jacquelyn Richardson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could only read this book until I got to the section on dentistry. Her recommendations are not based on any actual science, but rather the musings of a couple of quack dentists including one who has had his license revoked and was legally punished. I am not even referring to their ideas on "mercury" fillings or fluoride, but rather the ideas on cavitations and root canals. The expert she cites even states that diagnosis of "cavitations" requires a good imagination. Based on this, I am highly skeptical of the other scientific resources cited by Dr. Myers.

[Sarah Esmae Wolfe · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book made me a hypochondriac. It was the fire and brimstone of health books. Everything is out to make you sick. It feels like a panic attack waiting to happen. The majority of the book is spent talking about all the things you can't avoid that will give you an autoimmune disease. I already have one and I was hoping this would help me manage it, but I did not have that experience.

To follow the "Myers Way" you must have a lot of extra time and money to throw around, build a secluded house in the mountains, install a whole house air filter, expensive water filtration system, no electricity, and live self-sufficiently off the land growing your own organic produce. Because you can't trust anyone. They're all out to get you.

So in other words, this book tells me it's impossible to "reverse," as she says, an autoimmune condition. As I'm going through a relapse now, the message she gives me is I can never afford to feel better.

The diet portion of the Myers Way is nothing new or special. It essentially is the Autoimmune Protocol, which you can easily find online just by doing a quick Google search. I would recommend that over picking up this book.

The redeeming qualities of this book is that the author did a great job of explaining autoimmune disease and how the body works, and also there are some pretty good recipes in the meal plan. Would be better if there were a shopping list for each week.

[Lubinka Dimitrova · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book suffers from the common ailment that plagues this sort of readings - the solution to one's problem is much worse than the problem itself, at least when it comes to mild autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto's. Moreover, the Myers' Way may be at least somewhat realistic in the USA, but for anybody else where I live it's pure utopia. Cut out all the grains, legumes, dairy, eggs, nightshades? Even the tiniest particle of gluten that re-enters your system, even from shampoo (?!) could destroy all the previous effort? No sugar or alcohol whatsoever?

I suppose existing is better than dying, but living sure beats existing. I can comprehend the author's reasoning, and it seems quite convincing, but unfortunately this is not a viable solution for me personally, not by a long shot.

[Sabrina Pudlewski · Rating 1 out of 5]

Same kind of psuedo new-age diet nonsense any book with "Solution" in the title is peddlng. A waste of time and money, and a sad addition to quack medical books.

[Francesca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had some very good information. From what I read, the majority of people would fall somewhere on the "auto-immune spectrum. However I think it would be very difficult to implement all of the suggestions if one is on a budget. The dietary recommendations are the tip of the iceberg, and although they would take discipline, are affordable. Most functional medicine practitioners (the author is one) don't take insurance. Purchasing and maintaining water filters for all of the water in one's home is expensive. And then there are the air filters, organic mattresses and bedding, and shower curtains, and organic dry cleaning. I'm a very health-oriented person, and felt overwhelmed reading this. I (along with most people, according to the analysis of the quiz in the book) am on the "auto-immune spectrum", so I'm not going to sweat it too much. As my finances permit, I'll gradually integrate these changes. There are a lot of people out there with full-blown autoimmune conditions who can't afford to make the changes recommended in this book though.
One thing I found really irritating is the author's naming her approach to autoimmune conditions "The Myers Way", and repeating this throughout the book, in fact numerous times on each page! I think it was wise not to put it on the cover. There are other people out there who write about autoimmune conditions, for example, Sarah Ballantyne and Mickey Trescott. The diet Myers recommends is basically Autoimmune Paleo Protocol -- she didn't invent it.
I think it's great that a doctor is advocating this approach, but inappropriate for him or her to claim credit for it.

[Jenna ❤ ❀ ❤ · Rating 1 out of 5]

I chose to read this book on autoimmune disease because the author is a doctor. Well, just because someone is in the medical profession, doesn't mean they aren't just a quack selling snake oil. I did not finish this book, so perhaps I'm not entitled to a review, but I'll give my opinion anyway.
Read this book only if you want to feel even more despondent about your condition! I am suspicious of only/or claims, and that's certainly what Amy Myers delivers. Pretty much, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't, but hey! If you follow the Myers Way to the tee (ahem, aren't we a bit full of ourselves here, Doc, naming the "cure" after yourself?), then you can live a life free of pain--
but you must follow her orders to the tee!
I find her alarmist claims in the introduction to be a mere fish hook to reel people in. She claims that EVERYONE needs to follow The Myers Way. Don't have an autoimmune disorder? Well, that will change at any moment unless you jump on board the Myers wagon! Already have an autoimmune disorder? Well, it's your own damn fault for not being in Amy's club, and doing exactly as she says! And if you read her book, you will know EVERYTHING you can possibly learn in a book about autoimmune disease! Yep, we are a bit full of ourselves, Doc.
There is no cure-all for anything. Everyone's bodies are different with different needs and ailments. To claim everyone should follow the same diet is utterly insane. I will not waste my time reading the entire book. False claims, pseudoscience, and egotistical ravings are not my cup of tea.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this book 3.5 stars. The Myers Way is extreme. In addition to cutting out a LOT of foods for 30 days (such as gluten, dairy, eggs, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, sweets, artificial ingredients, caffeine, alcohol, and nightshades like tomatoes and peppers), it requires a lot of research and effort to reduce exposure to contaminations and toxins in the air in the home and office, tap water, beauty products, and household products.

Instead, I simply bought organic food as much as possible and ate mainly meat, vegetables, and fruits. Surprisingly, arthritis in my hands went away. I found out dairy, coffee, whole wheat, and shrimp were triggering it. I've been slowly introducing foods back into my diet and identifying which ones are causing the inflammation to flare up.

[Alison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Warning: if you're not already prone to worry and anxiety, this book will make it worse. Things that could be causing an autoimmune disease in your body could be your dental fillings, your carpet, your un-filtered shower water, your gluten-filled toothpaste, etc.

I broke down and checked this out from the library due to my existing autoimmune condition having flared up and now possibly having developed another one, and I say "broke dow" because I have a habit of being skeptical of (and annoyed by) people who preach this sort of stuff or who insist on going GF even if they don't have celiac disease. I don't want to start taking more, or harsher, drugs, so I was curious about what this book had to say.

I'm going to give it two stars instead of 1 because she did, at least, open my mind to the idea of the immune system being linked to the gut. I did learn a few things here and there. And I'm willing now to explore other books about treating autoimmunity through diet, food as medicine, etc.

However, I wished she'd have taken a more relatable approach -- there's like one whole sentence in the book where she says, "Hey, want to know a secret? Getting rid of sugar was hard for me." (Um that's not a secret.) I wished she'd have written in a more human-interest way about what she felt or noticed in her body when she started eliminating things, using humor here and there, and acknowledging that the life-altering changes she's recommending are extremist and need to be worked on over time, instead of in 30 days (and instead of gratingly trying to coin the name "The Myers Way" on every page).

Finally, I just cannot handle her claim that even if you do try to go completely gluten-free, accidentally ingesting ONE TEENY BIT of gluten again will completely destroy your efforts and you have to start all over again. Seriously, how can that give anyone hope to even try? It will be interesting, as I start reading other web sites and books about autoimmune diets, to see if others make that claim.

More thoughts on this (and related) books on my blog: https://thankthatshtandletitgo.wordpr...

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I liked the book for the information. However, I grew really tired with the constant hawking of "The Myers Way" as well as the author's alarmist opinion about everything with even the slightest possibility of causing inflammation. I understand why she chose these tactics but I felt they were overdone and made the writing of the book more of a 2 star. I have an autoimmune condition and plan to try at least the 30 day plan but the diet is so restrictive I'm not certain of sustaining it over the remainder of my life. If I truly could get off of my medications and feel better than I have in years as she claims then I'll be surprised and convinced.

[Tim Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found Dr. Myers's book to be full of great information on AI disorders and how to use diet and lifestyle changes to help with them. Even though most of it was a review from other materials I've read she puts things in such easy to understand language that I seemed to get more out of it. I was stunned at the similarities between her own case history and mine. I had already implemented pretty much all of the Myers Way over the last year and it has helped me a lot. I'd recommend this is anyone dealing directly with AI disorders or any family member of someone dealing with them.

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great resource, filled with up to date information. Highly recommended!

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who lives daily with pain, fatigue, and "memory issues" -- I have waited for many years for a book on inflammatory symptoms and autoimmune diseases. It began in 1978 which was never diagnosed until in 2002 when surgery was required, then there was a diagnosed of Lupus and Sjogrens Disease. I was so surprised as I lost weight and later was diagnosed with a damaged Thyroid which required two surgery removals-- while I was being completely WIDE AWAKE as the Doctor cut open my throat, and did what he had to do. Sadly, he needed for me to have another surgery two months out, it would have to wait until a Lupus Flareup would be quiet. Over my life, In the addition to the surgeries I've posted, so far I have had 23 surgeries-- multiple endoscopies for "watermelon stomach" (slow stomach bleed); surgeries for appendectomy; three cesarean sections (1 daughter, 2 sons); gallbladder surgery (I was watching a play); two uterine fibroid surgeries; two endometrial ablations; multiple Lithotripsies to remove kidney stones (7!!! yes I have had 7 kidney stones removed!) and a lot of X-rays (radiation including Iodine Radiation.) I have had four Rheumatologists so far, each one is different from the rest.

I am trying (with all my strength) to go into remission. My focus is on a diet of vegetables, fruit, nuts, and water as my only drink; I've return to minimum exercise; and swimming in the pool to build strength. It was very challenging to have Lupus and Sjogrens while working in a fulltime career, and raised three children who were very active in sports, music, and soccer tournaments. Sadly I missed much of their activities, while I was home, bed ridden and in horrendous pain, taking many pills which sometimes made things worse. Finally when I was able to return to work part-time, I started having pain in my leg. After work went to the hospital, and was diagnosed with a blood clot. I was hospitalized with mega medicines. After I was released, It required me to inject blood thinners twice a day, to prevent a clot and/or death. I did that daily for 7 years, and was allowed to stop taking it. This is my experience of living with Lupus, Sjogrens, and other "side effects." It was long between surgeries, flare-ups, hospitalizations, but I am extremely grateful for my husband, children, and extended family members.

[Nicole Colter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this while staying with a friend recently diagnosed with an autoimmune condition. It was very enlightening and started me on a path toward healing and protecting myself from further health issues. Amy Myers is a Functional Medicine doctor and there are FM doctors who can help with other conditions such as diabetes, cancer etc. If you aren't familiar with this new medical movement, do some research or buy this book. It changed my life. I'm off gluten for 2 weeks now and I feel amazing. The pain and stiffness in my joints is gone and I don't feel swollen and bloated anymore. Most of what we accept as uncurable about our health can be changed through proper nutrition and care for our bodies. Don't wait until you are really sick, start to reverse the progression now.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been a life changer for me. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease in 2009 after years of searching for an answer. I thought I found the solution in the form of taking prednisone for years. If you have ever taken prednisone for any long period of time, you know how great it seems at first, only to become your worst enemy. I was faced with difficulty just working a full time job. I read this book and immediately implemented Dr. Myers plan. Within two weeks I had energy I haven't felt in almost 20 years! My skin is glowing and I lost weight. I haven't had a flare up since I implemented this. I feel this book literally saved my life. It's well written and easy to understand. The recipes in it are amazing! I highly recommend this book to anyone with autoimmune issues.

[Kari Yergin]

If her research and “Way” is true, I may just have to just live with these weird, annoying, sometimes very difficult effects of my weird autoimmune stuff going on. In ADDITION to basically eating proteins and veggies, she suggests eliminating all nightshades and eggs as well. Plus getting rid of root canals, curtains, upholstered furniture, etc. she’s probably covering all her bases but it gets a bit overwhelming. Reminds me of the old Boy in the Plastic Bubble.

[Elaine - Small Farm Big Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so helpful. I have an autoimmune condition and have gone through 7 doctors trying to find one that would/could help me. I wish I would have found this book first! I'm also listening to all of her podcasts. There is so much helpful and encouraging information.

[Jennifer Rasmussen rupp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing explanation of some of the causes of autoimmune diseases, and a no-nonsense treatment protocol to help get people with these conditions feeling better. Great resource listings, recipes, supplement recommendations.

[Colette]

Having just finished this book, I have yet to implement any of Dr. Myers' suggestions, but I am very encouraged and excited after reading this book that there may be hope beyond what the doctors have been telling me. I hope to update after putting some things into practice!

[Tiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a TON about autoimmunity, but it is definitely an overwhelming read. I trust she believes that she is trying to make it as easy to follow as possible, but without a ton of funds to restart cooking supplies, household goods, beauty products, supplements, pantry/fridge, and a functional medicine doctor, it seems nearly impossible. We will try what we can though!

[Katherine Reay]

This taught me so much... Much more to learn, but it was a great start!

[Kim Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just got diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and had this book recommended to me by my cousin. I’m looking forward to giving the diet a shot for the next month.

[Iona Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have several pesky autoimmune ailments, thus I had been looking forward to see if this book offered any valuable solutions. But I have to say, no, not for me.

Four of the most important chapters are as follows: Heal your Gut, Get rid of Gluten, grains and legumes, Tame the toxins and Heal your Infections and Relieve your stress.
1) Heal your gut. I never really found out how to heal my gut. Step 1 was to remove the bad foods and I´ll get to that in the next point. Step 2 was to restore the Good. Here it is suggested to take digestive enzymes, and this might be a good idea, Step 3 is to reinoculate with healthy bacteria, and I have been taking good probiotics for years and also fermented vegetables regularly. Step 4. Repair the gut. Here the suggestions are to take L-glutamine and Omega-3 fish oils. I haven´t been able to get hold of the former as yet, but have been taking krill oil capsules, which Dr. Mercola, I think it was, thinks are preferable to fish oil.
2) Get rid of Gluten, Grains and legumes, we are informed of what we must totally exclude from our diet. This turned out to include all food products (except fish) that I use as my source of protein:
Gluten (I have excluded this.)
All grains –wheat, rye, barley, rice, millet, and oats. Also corn and quinoa though they are technically not grains.
Legumes – lentils, chickpeas (i.e. also humus), peas, green beans, and red, white, black and kidney beans.

However, Amy explains that gluten-free is not an option either, since these products are loaded with sugar, salt, preservatives, additives and dyes.

We must also avoid nightshades i.e. eggplants (which I never eat anyway), potatoes, though sweet potatoes are okay (hurray!) and tomatoes.

Also, dairy products are out of bounds, e.g. milk, butter, cheese, goat´s cheese, etc. Also eggs, my main source of protein other than fish. And nuts, peanut butter and seeds,

Amy´s diet may be perfect for an inveterate carnivore, since you can eat all the organic meat you might desire, but for me it´s inadequate. At least, at present, since I´m unable to get hold of the organic salmon fillets I usually eat. I can of course eat tinned sardines and anchovies, but I´m not keen on all the BPA you get to consume together with these fish.

3) Tame the toxins. There is good information here about getting rid of toxins, cleaning your air and water and buying clean body products. We are informed of the excellence of glutathione, which is “your body´s biggest detoxifier”, but this has proved difficult for me to get so far,
4) Heal your infections. I didn´t get much out of this chapter. I myself have to take considerable amounts of garlic every day to deal with interstitial cystitis, since my doctor can´t/won´t (both of these) help me.

Amy recommends a 30-day protocol. Avoid all foods she tells you to avoid for 30 days and see if your condition improves. This may well be a good idea, also for me, but I´m afraid I might feel quite weak and faint.

She offers many appetizing recipes. I might just try “Hearty Sweet Potato Mash” though I wouldn´t have time to make it for breakfast, as she suggests.

The author is a doctor and she herself has an autoimmune disorder, so she needed to find a way to thrive with this ailment, and came up with this system, which she calls “The Myers Way”.

To sum up, the book does in fact contain much valuable information, and it may prove useful to many, particularly carnivores. But I won´t go out of my way to recommend it, since I do not feel the author leaves us vegetarians with enough basic, nourishing foodstuffs to thrive on. But it is well-written and informative.

[Monika · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I liked about this book is that she summarizes all the bits of information that I've come across about autoimmune disease and how to keep it under control all in one place. I haven't seen that in other autoimmune type books. She really covers every little piece that may contribute to autoimmunity. I also like that she provides information of useful supplements and recommendations for brands. I spend way too much time trying to find information about supplements that my doctor recommends I take and she makes it easier to know where to start. With that said, the book is quite overwhelming as there are so many things that can contribute to autoimmunity and most likely, they all do! I think the key is to start with one thing and take it one day at a time and add things as time and money allows. Personally, I've cut out chemicals from my home and use natural cleaners and clean body products. I've also gone gluten-free (which surprisingly was easier for me than trying to go diary free) and am in the process of trying to go diary free. I think I'll give her 30 day meal plan a try and bring back foods to see what I may be sensitive to. It's nice to have all the information in one place.