Leona Lewis Gets Candid About Her Autoimmune Disease And How Going Natural Helped

According to Dr. Douglas Kerr, M.D., Ph.D., incidents of autoimmune diseases have skyrocketed in the last 40 years. While one in 20 Americans will develop coronary heart disease and one in 14 will develop some form of cancer, one in 12 Americans will develop an autoimmune disorder. The odds are worse for women which are about a one in nine chance.

There are many reasons why our immune systems might attack themselves, but exposure to toxins is one cause that we have a good chance of controlling. In a Glamour.com interview, 2006 X-Factor winner Leona Lewis talked about how chemically straightening her hair for nearly a decade contributed to her diagnosis of Hashimoto's disease. This condition attacks the thyroid causing a myriad of other health problems.

It was at that moment she decided to take a long look at what she was putting both in and on her body. "I began taking medication but also turned to Ayurveda (my mum is a master herbalist) to help heal my body naturally," Lewis said. "Having an autoimmune disease really made me take a long, hard look at how I can reduce the toxins I come into contact with daily."

Lewis stopped straightening her hair and started using natural beauty and hair care products to reduce her toxin load. Dr. Mark Hyman, M.D., says that this is a good practice considering that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that industrial facilities release 2.5 billion pounds of toxic chemicals every year. On top of that, six million pounds of mercury contaminate our air supply yearly.

With toxin loads this heavy, it's no wonder that millions of people suffer from these disorders. "There is no doubt that autoimmune diseases are on the rise and our increasing environmental exposure to toxins and chemicals is fueling the risk," Kerr says. "The research is sound. The conclusions, unassailable."

Hyman recommends seeing your doctor for a full assessment. Treatment plans should aim to improve diet, reduce stress, cure infections, avoid allergens, and remove toxins. He says that taking a holistic approach is critical.

For Lewis, acceptance of her natural beauty is what helped her walk away from the "creamy crack." When she was younger, Lewis was very insecure about her looks which made her give into the pressures of straightening her hair in the first place. With a healthier and more hopeful outlook on life, she now embraces herself. "I didn't see the beauty in my natural state, but now I do," she said.

And you should, too!