I think immune illnesses are a tsunami of b.s. that hit the human genome so fast that most people haven't woken up to what is happening...
Hi ebethc - If you look at the right hand side of this picture. You see the "incidence of immune disorders" starts to increase dramatically around 1950. The first widely used antibiotics came out in the late 1940's. I don't think that's a coincidence.
Since then they have become more and more potent and are being used more and more often. I think there is a very strong connection between antibiotics causing dysbiosis and increased intestinal permeability and the big increase in immune disorders.
I also don't think it's a coincidence that the 4 NIH funded ME/CFS research centers are focused on 4 things. The gut, immune system, metabolomics and the brain.
I think dysbiosis and an increased intestinal permeability, ties all 4 of these things together. The researchers have to show how it's all connected in the body though, biochemically.
Hopefully, with a little luck and all their expertise and acquired knowledge, this will happen sooner rather than later.
Jim