Title : The gut-autoimmune axis: connecting leaky gut and ama in chronic disease
Abstract:
Autoimmune disease is now recognized as one of the most pervasive chronic health challenges of the modern era, affecting an estimated 50 million Americans and growing globally. Despite this epidemic, most conventional approaches remain focused on symptom suppression rather than root-cause resolution. In this presentation, we examine a deeper and more integrative paradigm, the Gut-Autoimmune Axis, to uncover where inflammation truly begins, and how restoring gut and immune harmony can offer lasting healing. This talk bridges the worlds of functional medicine and Ayurveda to present a unified theory of chronic disease progression and reversal. At the core of both traditions lies a foundational truth: digestion governs immunity. When gut integrity is compromised, whether through dysbiosis, food sensitivities, stress, environmental toxins, or suppressed digestive fire, both modern and ancient systems agree that systemic inflammation and immune dysregulation soon follow. We explore the physiological mechanisms behind intestinal permeability (leaky gut) and its role in triggering autoimmune responses via immune overactivation, molecular mimicry, and loss of oral tolerance. This is then juxtaposed with the Ayurvedic concept of ama, a toxic metabolic residue formed from incomplete digestion, which similarly travels through the system, blocks bodily channels (shrotas), and gives rise to inflammation, fatigue, and disease. Through clinical case examples and detailed treatment frameworks, Dr. Singh will demonstrate how the integration of functional lab testing, gut-repair protocols, Ayurvedic digestive strategies, herbal medicine, and nervous system regulation creates a multi-layered, high-impact roadmap for reversing chronic autoimmune presentations. Real-world outcomes, including symptom reduction, improved lab markers (zonulin, antibodies, microbiome), and enhanced quality of life, will be highlighted. This presentation is ideal for practitioners, clinicians, and wellness professionals seeking to deepen their understanding of gut-autoimmune connections and develop truly integrative, systems-based approaches that go beyond pills, protocols, or symptom chasing.
