Autoimmune diseases have become increasingly prevalent in recent years, affecting millions of people worldwide. These conditions occur when the immune system, the body’s natural defence against harmful invaders, turns on itself, mistakenly attacking healthy cells and tissues. Autoimmune diseases can manifest in various forms, from rheumatoid arthritis to multiple sclerosis, and can significantly impact an individual’s quality of life.
In this review, we delve into a book that addresses the pressing issue of autoimmune diseases and offers insights into their prevention and management. The Immune System Recovery Plan by Susan Blum provides a comprehensive guide for individuals looking to navigate the intricate landscape of autoimmune conditions.
Author’s background

Susan Blum, M.D., M.P.H., holds the position of assistant clinical professor within the Department of Preventive Medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.

With over ten years of experience, she has dedicated her career to both treating and preventing chronic diseases. Dr. Blum is the founder of the Blum Center for Health, located in Rye Brook, New York, and she provides guidance to the Institute for Functional Medicine. Additionally, she is a member of the Medical Advisory Board for The Dr. Oz Show.
What is the book about?

The Immune System Recovery Plan by Susan Blum offers hope and healing for individuals suffering from autoimmune diseases. The book emphasises the seriousness of autoimmune diseases, which are among the top ten leading causes of death in women up to sixty-four years of age.
Throughout the book, Blum sheds light on various factors contributing to autoimmune diseases, such as diet, stress, toxins, and viral infections. She also discusses the limitations of conventional treatments and advocates for the functional medicine approach, which combines traditional treatments with a focus on the root causes of autoimmune conditions.
Blum’s approach to addressing and treating autoimmune systems centres around four key steps to healing and preventing autoimmune diseases: using food as medicine, understanding the stress connection, healing your gut, and supporting your liver.
Overall, The Immune System Recovery Plan by Susan Blum offers a comprehensive and accessible guide for individuals seeking to understand and address autoimmune diseases. It provides practical steps, self-assessment tools, and personalised treatment plans, making it a valuable resource for those looking to improve their immune system and regain their health.
Table of contents

- Chapter 1: Autoimmune Disease Basics
- Part I: Using Food as Medicine
- Chapter 2: Using Food as Medicine
- Chapter 3: Using Food as Medicine Workbook
- Chapter 4: Using Food as Medicine Recipes
- Part II: Understanding the Stress Connection
- Chapter 5: Understanding the Stress Connection
- Chapter 6: Understanding the Stress Connection Workbook
- Chapter 7: Understanding the Stress Connection Recipes
- Part Ill: Healing Your Gut
- Chapter 8: Healing Your Gut
- Chapter 9: Healing Your Gut Workbook
- Chapter 10: Healing Your Gut Recipes
- Part IV: Supporting Your Liver
- Chapter 11: Supporting Your Liver
- Chapter 12: Supporting Your Liver Workbook
- Chapter 13: Supporting Your Liver Recipes
- Part V: Additional Considerations
- Chapter 14: Infections and Specific Autoimmune Conditions
- Conclusions
- Acknowledgments
- Appendix I: Helpful Books, CDs, At-Home Programs, and Destination Programs
- Appendix II: Supplement and Herb
- Guide About Susan S. Blum, M.D., M.P.H.
- Notes Additional
- References
- Recipe Index
- Index
Four key takeaways from The Immune System Recovery Plan

The book presents a four-component plan for addressing and treating the autoimmune system. The key steps include:
1Using food as medicine
In The Immune System Recovery Plan, Susan Blum underscores the concept of ‘food as medicine,’ emphasising that food goes beyond calories and plays a crucial role in how it affects our cells. For instance, comparing an apple rich in anti-inflammatory quercetin to a sugary, pro-inflammatory cookie highlights the significance of choosing food based on its impact on the body. Blum explores the relationship between food and autoimmune diseases, offering insights into how dietary choices can profoundly influence one’s health. Through one of her patient’s experience, she demonstrates that certain foods, like gluten, can trigger pain and immobility, emphasising the need to pay attention to food’s effects beyond calories.
2Understanding the stress connection
Susan Blum delves into the intricate relationship between stress and autoimmune diseases, drawing from current scientific knowledge. She explains how stress affects the body’s hormonal balance, influencing cortisol, adrenaline, testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen levels, ultimately impacting the immune system’s function. Blum highlights the significance of maintaining a balanced immune response, neither too active nor too suppressed, and provides insights into how chronic stress can disrupt this equilibrium, making the body susceptible to infections and autoimmune disorders. By examining the role of cortisol in regulating immature immune cells and preventing autoimmune disorders, she underscores the importance of managing stress effectively to support overall health and immune system function. The book also includes stress-reduction techniques and recipes designed to promote relaxation and well-being.
3Healing your gut
Susan Blum highlights the pivotal role of the gut in immune system health. She explains that the immune system in the gut is responsible for safeguarding the body against various external threats such as viruses, bacteria, parasites, and foreign proteins in food. This defence involves two main components: the innate immune system, which serves as the front line of defence, and the adaptive immune system, which adapts to threats based on signals from the front line. Blum elucidates that imbalances in the gut’s immune response can lead to autoimmune diseases, making the regulation of T cells, particularly T regulator cells, crucial. Furthermore, she underscores that a significant portion of the immune system, up to 70 per cent, resides in the gut, emphasising the importance of maintaining gut health to support overall immune function and mitigate inflammation, a common factor in chronic diseases. Blum also explores the role of intestinal bacteria, noting that imbalances in gut flora are believed to contribute to autoimmunity and worsen autoimmune disease symptoms. She suggests rebalancing the gut with herbs and probiotics as a key strategy for enhancing the immune system.
4Supporting your liver
Susan Blum explores the link between autoimmune diseases and toxins, specifically heavy metals like mercury. She highlights the persistence of heavy metal exposure, especially in less developed countries, and its potential to trigger autoimmune diseases. Blum discusses two prevailing theories on how mercury contributes to autoimmunity: it either damages cells in the body, making them appear foreign to the immune system, which then attacks them, or it stimulates abnormal growth and loss of tolerance in immune cells, leading them to attack the body’s own tissues. Mercury, among all heavy metals, is considered the most significant in this context, with environmental mercury levels reportedly tripling over the past century. Blum cites research suggesting connections between mercury exposure and conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS) and discusses studies on rats that have demonstrated the induction of autoimmune diseases following mercury exposure. While direct human studies are limited, self-reports and case-control studies have provided insights into the potential autoimmune effects of mercury exposure, further underscoring the importance of toxin management in autoimmune disease prevention and management.
Strengths and weaknesses, according to readers’ reviews

Strengths
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Emphasises a dedication to scientific research and evidence.
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Offers practical solutions for autoimmune challenges and persistent health issues.
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Includes valuable recipes that enhance the book’s value.
Weaknesses
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Some dietary information may be redundant for conscientious eaters who are already aware of the negative effects of gluten, dairy, corn, and soy.
Best quotes from The Immune System Recovery Plan

“All this is evidence that the expression ‘You are what you eat’ isn't far from the truth. Everything you eat is digested and absorbed and then ends up floating around in your blood, eventually arriving to feed all your cells. This is how every cell in your body is affected by your diet. When it comes to the immune system, these cells are supposed to be touching and bumping into everything you eat, which is why food has an important influence on anyone with immune dysfunction.”
“In other words, what happened in the past created a foundation that changed her immune system, and made her susceptible to getting sick from the triggering events that came next.”
“The most-studied links between vaccines and autoimmune conditions involve Guillain-Barré syndrome (an autoimmune disease of the nerves and muscles) after the 1976 swine influenza vaccine; immune thrombocytopenic purpura, which is when your platelets are destroyed by antibodies after the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine; and myopericarditis, an inflammation in and around the heart after smallpox vaccination. There have also been reports of an increased risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, MS, or thrombocytopenia (low platelets) in adults receiving the hepatitis B vaccine.”
Final takeaway

The Immune System Recovery Plan by Susan Blum is an invaluable resource that sheds light on a holistic approach to health that will enable readers to prevent and overcome autoimmune diseases and chronic health problems. Dr Blum’s scientific dedication and evidence-based approach stand out, providing readers with a comprehensive understanding of autoimmune conditions. Her emphasis on the role of food as medicine, stress management, gut health, and toxin reduction offers practical solutions to improve immune function and overall well-being.
It is a must-read for anyone struggling with autoimmune issues or seeking to optimise their health.
Where to buy
You may purchase The Immune System Recovery Plan on Amazon at the best price. It is available in paperback, hardcover, audio and Kindle versions, so you may choose an option that appeals to you the most.