Autoimmune disorders are on the rise in the West. This increase began about 40 years ago. As well, various autoimmune diseases are arising in places that previously did not experience them, such as the occurrence of inflammatory bowel disease in the Middle East and east Asia.
What is the cause? One hypothesis is that as human genetics could not have changed in the short time span, the primary cause must be environmental. The move towards the wide consumption of fast food, food lacking in fibre and high in sugar and saturated fat is hypothesised to have altered the human gut microbiome. In recent research the gut has emerged as having a vital role in many body functions. When the gut microbiome is thrown out of balance, autoimmune disease can arise. And it has in epidemic proportions.