Episode 89: Let’s Talk About Autoimmunity with Dr. Anthony de Pontes

Episode Description:

Mary Greensmith and Dr. Anthony De Pontes start this episode by chatting about their exciting life changes. Both have moved to new places, focusing on balancing life, work, and health — an important foundation for living well, which ties perfectly into today’s topic: autoimmunity.

What Is Autoimmunity?

Dr. Anthony explains that autoimmunity is when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues. Instead of fighting off harmful invaders, it confuses the body’s own cells for threats. This can result in conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disease, psoriasis, and many others. Shockingly, there are now over 80 recognized autoimmune diseases, and their numbers are rapidly growing.

Why Are Autoimmune Diseases on the Rise?

Anthony highlights several reasons:

• Environmental toxins from food, pollution, and chemicals.
• Stressful lifestyles with too little sleep and too much work.
• Emotional trauma, which plays a deeper role than many realize.
• Genetic tendencies, although genes only contribute about 5%; it’s how we live that really turns these genes on or off (epigenetics).

Women are much more likely to develop autoimmune diseases, and being overweight increases risk too.

How Medicine Approaches Autoimmune Problems

Conventional medicine usually treats autoimmunity with anti-inflammatory drugs and painkillers to manage symptoms. However, Anthony points out that this doesn’t address the real cause — it just suppresses the symptoms.

In contrast, homeopathy and functional medicine aim to find and treat the root causes by supporting the body’s natural healing ability.

The Emotional Connection to Healing

One of the most important insights shared is how emotions and trauma affect the body. Dr. Anthony discusses the Polyvagal Theory, explaining how trauma can leave a person stuck in “fight, flight, or freeze” survival modes, making true healing difficult.

Homeopathy, along with addressing emotional healing, can help people shift their bodies into a relaxed, healing state. Helping clients process emotions like fear, sadness, or anger allows their immune system and overall health to improve naturally.

Using Homeopathy and Functional Medicine Together

Dr. Anthony uses homeopathic remedies alongside functional medicine tools like testing for heavy metal toxicity and nutritional imbalances. This holistic approach treats the whole person — mind, body, and spirit — not just the diagnosis.

Healing autoimmune conditions isn’t overnight work. It’s a journey of emotional release, lifestyle changes, and restoring balance, but full recovery is possible.

Visit Dr. Anthony de Pontes’s website: https://drdepontes.com/