When your body attacks itself

 That is the title of an article in the latest issue of AARP.  It's about autoimmune diseases.  

Some quotes: for 'reasons that researchers don't understand cases seem to be rising precipitously, especially among persons 50 plus.' with 'more than 100 conditions' like psoriasis which I had for years before the vasculitis.  '23.5 million people in the U.S. have an autoimmune disorder' such has type 1 diabetes, MS, Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease etc.

Work is being done to address this issue but it is difficult when there is still no idea of the cause.  

'In the past 30 years we have had more than 80,000 chemicals approved for use in this country.  We have a totally different diet with processed foods, additives and fast foods.  We're more sedentary.  There's an obesity epidemic.  We have a different pattern of infectious agents, even pre-COVID-19 with more emerging yearly.  The environment is noisier and there are more stressors.'

I also wonder what is going on in our bodies as we reach our 50's.  Does that make us vulnerable?  

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/hormones-and-the-endocrine-system

That's a website to Johns Hopkins research on hormones. What stands out for me is the Adrenal glands production of corticosteroids which are important in fighting inflammation.  The production of those hormones reduce with age.  Less available in our bodies to fight the effects of inflammation.  So our immune system is weakened and we become susceptible to autoimmune diseases.  Then we get steroids to fight the effects which may or may not work but may cause complications like diabetes and infections.

  And so:

'we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly', endlessly fighting our mortality.