In recent years, we’ve seen more evidence that autoimmunity is linked to nutrition. Caloric restriction leads to reprogramming of T cells to be anti-inflammatory and promotes the gut microbiome’s production of anti-inflammatory metabolites. Fasting activates neurons in the brainstem, with a fortuitous redistribution of T cells to the bone marrow and reduction of cytokine production. That inhibits autoimmunity, while obesity promotes it via adipose tissue, which releases cytokines that cause an overproduction of pro-inflammatory T cells and a decline in protective Tregs. Obesity is a known risk
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