Autoimmunity
Functional Medicine Gold Coast
wave functional health
Dr Matt le Roux
Your immune system is not broken, it is responding to something
Autoimmunity occurs when the immune system mistakenly targets the body's own cells, tissues, or organs. At Wave Functional Health in Robina, we do not just ask what diagnosis you have. We ask what is driving immune dysregulation in your body, and what can be measured, modified, and supported.
You are not imagining it
If you have been told to simply manage your symptoms, there is a better conversation to be had
Many people with autoimmune conditions spend years cycling through flares, medications that partially work, and specialists who can name what is happening but not why. You are told your immune system is attacking you, and that the best approach is to suppress it.
That is not good enough. Your immune system does not randomly turn against you. There are reasons -- in your gut, your environment, your hormones, your nervous system -- and those reasons can be found and addressed.
Wave Functional Health combines functional medicine, chiropractic care, frequency specific microcurrent, and neuroscience-based assessment to identify what may be driving complex health concerns. We work with the full picture of your health to understand what has pushed your immune system out of tolerance.
““I had a diagnosis, a prescription, and no explanation. Nobody had ever asked me about my gut health, my stress history, or what I was eating. Six months in, I finally understand what my body has been reacting to.””
An important note. Functional medicine does not replace specialist care, prescribed medication, or medical monitoring. It can help identify modifiable factors that may influence inflammation, immune resilience, symptom burden, flare frequency, and quality of life -- alongside your existing medical team.
Conditions We Support
Autoimmune conditions we commonly work with
Autoimmune patterns may be involved across a wide range of diagnoses. Below are conditions where functional medicine evaluation may offer additional insight alongside conventional care.
Common Presentations
Symptoms that may suggest immune dysregulation
Autoimmune symptoms vary depending on which tissue is being targeted. Some people arrive with a confirmed diagnosis. Others have felt unwell for years without clear markers on standard testing.
Understanding the Condition
Why autoimmune conditions are often complex
Autoimmune disease usually does not come from one single cause. Research suggests that most cases arise from a combination of genetic susceptibility and environmental or physiological stressors. The NIH notes that most autoimmune conditions are thought to arise from genetic risk factors combined with exposures to stressors on the body.
Autoimmunity is best understood as a web of interacting mechanisms, including infection, barrier permeability, immune cell dysregulation, chemical exposures, microbiome changes, and altered immune tolerance. Identifying which threads are active in your case is where the work begins.
The Gut Connection
Why gut health is central to autoimmune care
The gut is one of the most important immune interfaces in the body. It helps decide what should be tolerated, what should be defended against, and how the immune system communicates with the rest of the body.
Research has linked gut dysbiosis, intestinal permeability, and altered immune signalling to a number of autoimmune conditions. When the gut lining is compromised, undigested proteins and microbial fragments can enter circulation, triggering immune responses that may ultimately target the body's own tissue.
This is why gut evaluation is often central to our approach. We assess digestion, microbiome balance, intestinal inflammation, immune reactivity, nutrient absorption, and signs of barrier disruption.
A 2022 review examined gut microbiota and intestinal permeability in autoimmune diseases including lupus, type 1 diabetes, and multiple sclerosis, identifying consistent disruption to the gut-immune interface across conditions.
PubMed: Gut Microbiota, Leaky Gut, and Autoimmune Diseases (2022) →A 2024 review described intestinal permeability as connected to the development or progression of several metabolic and autoimmune systemic diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease and type 1 diabetes.
PubMed: Gut Microbiota, Intestinal Permeability, and Systemic Disease (2024) →Leaky gut has been described as a potential danger signal for autoimmune disease, with intestinal barrier breakdown identified as a mechanism that may precede or amplify systemic immune activation.
PMC: Leaky Gut As a Danger Signal for Autoimmune Diseases →The Wave Approach
How we investigate and address autoimmunity
The goal is not to treat the disease name. The goal is to understand the person, their immune triggers, their terrain, their history, and the systems that may be keeping inflammation active. Every protocol at Wave begins with a thorough clinical intake and is guided by objective testing.
Detailed history and pattern mapping
We review your full timeline, including early health history, infections, gut symptoms, medication use, stress exposure, food reactions, hormonal changes, injuries, toxicant exposure, sleep patterns, and flare triggers. This context shapes everything that follows.
Functional and conventional lab review
Testing is selected based on your presentation. It may include:
- Full thyroid panel with thyroid antibodies
- Inflammatory markers (hsCRP, ESR, homocysteine)
- Metagenomics microbiome analysis
- Intestinal permeability markers
- Comprehensive blood chemistry (OptimalDX)
- Nutrient status: vitamin D, B12, zinc, selenium, iron
- Glucose and insulin markers
- Hormonal and adrenal rhythm assessment
- Autoimmune antibody panels
- Toxic element or environmental exposure markers
- Organic acids or mitochondrial markers
- Coeliac screening where clinically relevant
Identifying triggers and mediators
We look for factors provoking or perpetuating immune activity. These may include gluten, other food proteins, gut infections, dysbiosis, mould exposure, chemical burden, sleep disruption, stress physiology, blood sugar swings, or unresolved inflammation. Identifying these is essential before introducing therapeutic support.
Personalised nutrition and gut support
There is no single autoimmune diet that works for everyone. Some people need a structured elimination and reintroduction process. Others need microbiome restoration, protein adequacy, blood sugar stabilisation, fibre diversity, or targeted nutrient repletion. We build protocols around your results, not generic templates.
Immune tolerance and inflammation support
The aim is to support a calmer, more regulated immune response. This may involve sleep optimisation, nervous system regulation, graded movement, gut barrier repair, microbiome diversity, vitamin D optimisation, antioxidant support, omega-3 fatty acids, and FSM (Frequency Specific Microcurrent) where indicated.
HRV analysis and nervous system assessment
HRV (Heart Rate Variability) analysis provides objective data on autonomic nervous system function and recovery capacity. The neurological dimension of immune regulation is often overlooked. We assess and support this alongside the biochemical picture using chiropractic neurological care and FSM.
Monitoring and adaptation
Autoimmune care requires tracking. Symptoms matter, but so do objective markers. We monitor flare frequency, energy, pain, sleep, digestion, cognition, thyroid markers, antibody trends where relevant, inflammatory markers, and nutrient status. We retest, adjust, and continue working until your markers and quality of life reflect genuine improvement.
Condition Spotlight
Hashimoto's and autoimmune thyroid patterns
Hashimoto's is one of the most common autoimmune conditions we see. Many people are told their thyroid is "normal" because their TSH is in range, yet they still experience fatigue, brain fog, constipation, hair thinning, low mood, weight resistance, cold hands and feet, or poor exercise recovery.
In Hashimoto's, the immune system targets thyroid tissue. Several points of disruption exist, including autoimmune response against thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin, inflammatory down-regulation of T4 to T3 conversion, and impaired thyroid hormone receptor response.
This is why TSH alone is rarely enough. A full picture includes thyroid antibody burden, nutrient co-factors, gut health, stress physiology, and inflammatory load.
Advanced Diagnostics
Testing we use to investigate autoimmunity
Standard blood panels rarely capture the full picture. These are the tests that help us identify what is actually driving your immune response.
| Test | What it assesses | Relevance to autoimmunity | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metagenomics Microbiome Analysis | Full gut microbial ecosystem, functional markers, intestinal inflammation | Identifies dysbiosis patterns and pathogens directly linked to autoimmune triggers | Wave Functional Health |
| Intestinal Permeability Markers | Zonulin, occludin, secretory IgA | Confirms leaky gut as a driver of systemic immune activation | Wave Functional Health |
| Comprehensive Blood Chemistry (OptimalDX) | Full metabolic and nutrient panel to functional reference ranges | Reveals nutrient deficiencies and inflammatory markers missed by standard ranges | Wave Functional Health |
| Advanced Thyroid Panel | TSH, Free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3, TPO and Anti-Tg antibodies | Identifies Hashimoto's and Graves' disease and tracks antibody burden | Wave Functional Health |
| Comprehensive Immune Panel | Immunoglobulins, complement proteins, antinuclear antibodies, cytokines | Maps the specific immune pathways involved in your condition | Via referral |
| Hormonal and Adrenal Assessment | Sex hormones, cortisol curve, DHEA, vitamin D | Identifies hormonal contributors to immune dysregulation | Wave Functional Health |
| HRV Analysis | Autonomic nervous system function and recovery capacity | Assesses the neurological dimension of immune regulation and stress burden | Wave Functional Health |
| Organic Acids or Mitochondrial Markers | Cellular energy production, oxidative stress, B vitamin metabolism | Identifies mitochondrial dysfunction contributing to immune and inflammatory burden | Wave Functional Health |
| Chronic Infection or Latent Pathogen Screen | EBV, CMV, H. pylori, Lyme-related antibodies | Detects reactivated or unresolved infections that sustain immune activation | Via referral |
| Toxic Element or Environmental Exposure Markers | Heavy metals, chemical burden | Identifies environmental triggers that may be perpetuating immune dysregulation | Via referral |
Who This Is For
This approach may suit you if...
We work with people at all stages of their autoimmune journey, from those with a recent diagnosis to those who have been managing a condition for years without clear answers.
We also work with people who have been told their labs are normal but continue to feel unwell. That situation is more common than conventional testing acknowledges, and it is one we take seriously.
Frequently Asked Questions
What people ask about autoimmune care at Wave
No. Autoimmune diseases are complex medical conditions and many require ongoing medical care. Functional medicine does not claim to cure autoimmune disease. The goal is to identify modifiable drivers of inflammation and immune dysregulation, support resilience, and work alongside appropriate medical care.
That said, meaningful improvement and in some cases remission is clinically documented when underlying triggers are systematically identified and addressed.
Yes. Research increasingly supports a relationship between gut microbiome changes, intestinal barrier function, immune regulation, and autoimmune disease activity. The exact relationship varies between conditions and individuals, but the gut-immune connection is now considered central in functional medicine autoimmune care.
This depends on your presentation and diagnosis. Testing may include autoimmune antibodies, thyroid antibodies, inflammatory markers, vitamin D, B12, iron studies, glucose and insulin markers, stool testing, organic acids, toxicant screening, and nutrient assessment.
We prioritise tests based on your clinical picture and do not order panels for the sake of it.
Not everyone needs to avoid gluten permanently. However, gluten is clinically relevant in coeliac disease and may be considered during structured elimination trials in other autoimmune cases. This should be personalised and guided by appropriate testing and clinical context, not blanket advice.
Yes. Stress can influence immune, hormonal, neurological, and inflammatory pathways. Many people with autoimmune conditions notice flares after periods of sustained stress, poor sleep, infection, or nervous system overload. This is one of the reasons we assess HRV and autonomic function alongside the biochemical picture.
No. We work alongside your existing medical care, not in competition with it. Many of our patients continue prescribed medications while addressing root causes. We do not advise stopping prescribed medication. Where inflammatory burden reduces and immune function improves, that conversation is one to have with your prescribing doctor.
Most patients notice meaningful changes in energy, pain, and gut function within eight to twelve weeks of implementing a personalised protocol. Antibody levels and inflammatory markers typically take longer, often three to six months.
Autoimmunity develops over years, and genuine resolution requires sustained, methodical work. We track progress with repeat testing throughout.
Your immune system is trying to protect you.
Let us find out what it is reacting to.
Book an initial functional medicine consultation at Wave Functional Health in Robina, Gold Coast. We will review your history, your prior testing, and build a clear investigative plan together.
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