If you’ve lived with ITP for more than five minutes, you’ve probably heard this phrase:
“Be careful — you don’t want to stimulate your immune system.”
I remember hearing this early in my own ITP journey — from doctors, from well-meaning friends, and even from people in the wellness world. At the time, it left me feeling stuck and afraid to try anything. I wanted healing, but I didn’t want to make things worse.
At first glance, that advice sounds wise. After all, ITP is an autoimmune condition. The immune system is attacking platelets. Why would we want to encourage it to do more? But here’s the truth I didn’t understand until much later — and wish someone had explained sooner:
Autoimmunity is not caused by an immune system that’s too strong.
It’s caused by an immune system that has lost regulation, tolerance, and has become overwhelmed with toxins.
Once I began to understand which immune cells were misfiring — and which ones actually help restore balance — my fear began to loosen its grip.
Which Immune Cells Are the Real Problem in ITP?
In ITP, the immune system tags platelets as dangerous and destroys them. The main players involved are:
🔥 Autoreactive T Cells (Especially Th1 and Th17)
- These are helper T cells that drive inflammation
- Th1 and Th17 dominance sends constant “attack” signals
- They encourage the immune system to stay in fight mode — even when no real threat exists
🧨 B Cells (Autoantibody Producers)
- B cells create antibodies
- In ITP, some of these antibodies mistakenly bind to platelets
- Once tagged, platelets are cleared out by the spleen and liver
🚨 Chronic Inflammatory Cytokines
- Signals like TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-17 keep the immune system on high alert
- This creates immune exhaustion, not healing
👉 So when ITP warriors fear ‘stimulating’ the immune system, what they’re really afraid of is further activating these inflammatory, autoreactive pathways.
That fear makes sense — but it’s only part of the story.
A Complementary Perspective from Eastern Medicine
One of the reasons I stopped being afraid of my immune system was learning how Eastern medicine understands autoimmune conditions like ITP.
Rather than viewing ITP as a broken or aggressive immune system, Eastern traditions often describe it as a terrain problem — a body overwhelmed by toxins, stagnation, or poor detoxification, leading to what might be described as “sick” or stressed platelets.
In this view, platelets aren’t being attacked at random. They are being flagged because they no longer appear healthy within an overloaded internal environment.
When the terrain is inflamed, toxic, or congested:
- Platelets may become damaged or altered
- The immune system responds to what looks “abnormal”
- Destruction becomes a downstream effect — not the root cause
The Immune Cells That Help Restore Balance
Not all immune activity is harmful in autoimmunity.
🌲 Natural Killer (NK) Cells: The Regulators
Research on forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku) shows that time spent in nature:
- Increases Natural Killer (NK) cell activity
- Lowers cortisol and stress hormones
- Improves immune surveillance and regulation
NK cells are part of the innate immune system. Their job is to:
- Remove damaged or infected cells (including cancer cells)
- Help regulate immune responses
- Prevent immune chaos
NK cells do not cause autoimmunity.
They help keep the immune system from spiraling into confusion.
They help keep the immune system from spiraling into confusion.
This is why practices like gentle movement, prayer, rest, laughter, essential oils, and time in nature don’t “rev up” autoimmunity — they help retrain the immune system.
Why the Word “Immune Stimulation” Creates So Much Fear
The phrase immune boosting has done a lot of damage in autoimmune spaces.
ITP warriors don’t need:
- ❌ Immune activation
- ❌ Immune boosting
- ❌ More inflammatory signaling
They do need:
- ✅ Immune modulation
- ✅ Immune tolerance
- ✅ Nervous system calming
- ✅ Reduced inflammatory load
Think less gas pedal and more steering wheel and brakes.
Supporting the Immune System Without Fueling Autoimmunity
This shift — from fear to understanding — changed everything for me. My platelet recovery wasn’t about suppressing my body into silence. It was about reducing confusion, calming inflammation, and giving my immune system the right environment to relearn balance.
In my own healing journey and in my work with ITP warriors, the focus is always on restoring regulation — not suppression and not reckless stimulation.
🌿 Gentle, Regulatory Supports
- Supporting gut integrity (where immune education begins)
- Supporting liver detox pathways (to reduce immune confusion)
- Ensuring mineral sufficiency (magnesium, zinc, etc — when appropriate)
- Reducing toxin exposure
🧠 Calming the Nervous System (This Is Huge)
Chronic stress directly pushes inflammatory immune pathways.
Prayer, breathwork, slow walks, essential oils, and stillness aren’t “extra.”
They are foundational to immune healing.
They are foundational to immune healing.
Where Essential Oils Fit In
Essential oils became one of my favorite tools along the way — not because they were a magic fix, but because they supported something I was missing for a long time: a calm, regulated nervous system.
When the body is constantly stressed, inflamed, or in survival mode, the immune system follows suit.
One reason I love essential oils for autoimmune warriors is that many of them:
- Support nervous system balance
- Encourage parasympathetic (rest-and-repair) signaling
- Gently support immune communication without forcing stimulation
Oils such as Frankincense, Lavender, Copaiba, Blue Tansy, and Citrus oils can support calm, inflammation balance, and emotional resilience — all of which influence immune behavior.
Used appropriately, essential oils don’t shout at the immune system.
They whisper safety.
They whisper safety.
And when the body feels safe, healing becomes possible.
A Reframe for Every ITP Warrior
One of the most healing mindset shifts I made was realizing this:
My immune system was never my enemy.
It was trying to protect me — it was just receiving bad information and living in a constant state of alarm.
Your immune system is not your enemy.
It is:
- Overworked
- Misinformed
- Stuck in survival mode
Healing isn’t about silencing it into submission.
It’s about restoring leadership, communication, and trust.
Want Support on This Journey?
If you’re an ITP warrior who feels confused by conflicting advice, fearful of doing the “wrong” thing, or overwhelmed by all the noise around immune health — I understand. I’ve lived it.
Today, I help other ITP warriors explore gentle, faith-rooted, and science-informed ways to support immune regulation, reduce inflammation, and rebuild trust with their bodies.
✨ If you’d like to learn more, I’ve also created an ITP Guide for warriors who want clear, compassionate education on traditional and natural approaches to healing — without fear or overwhelm.
Whether you’re just diagnosed or years into your journey, the guide walks through immune balance, nutrition, toxins, stress, and supportive tools I wish I’d understood sooner.
You can explore the guide, learn about essential oil support, or reach out if you’d like to work together to help your immune system find its way back to balance. I’d love to connect.
Healing is possible — and it doesn’t require fear
Why I Believe Remission from ITP Is Possible: My Healing Manifesto of Faith and Hope
If you’re living with ITP and wondering if healing is even possible, you’re not alone. I’ve been there too—scared, overwhelmed, and unsure where to turn. But today, I stand on the other side of that valley, in remission, with a message burning in my heart:
Healing is possible.
Not just symptom relief. Not just temporary remission. True, deep, life-changing healing.
Not just symptom relief. Not just temporary remission. True, deep, life-changing healing.
This is my personal healing manifesto—what I believe, what I’ve lived, and what I want you to know as you search for answers and hope.
I Believe the Body Was Made to Heal
Even when lab reports look grim, I believe your body is not broken—it’s communicating. Low platelets don’t mean your immune system has failed. It means it’s asking for help, for restoration, for a chance to reset.
I learned to stop fighting my body and started listening to it.
I Believe in Root-Cause Healing, Not Just Immune Suppression
Most conventional ITP treatment plans focus on suppressing the immune system. And while there may be moments where that’s necessary, I don’t believe that’s the only—or best—way.
I believe in working with the immune system:
- Removing toxic triggers
- Supporting the gut and liver
- Reducing inflammation
- Nourishing the body through anti-inflammatory foods and essential nutrients
For me, this meant combining natural therapies, nutrition, and lifestyle changes grounded in faith and intention.
I Believe in the Power of Faith
I didn’t walk this healing path alone. God was with me every step, guiding me to the right information, the right support, and the right mindset shift.
Healing from ITP is physical—but it’s also spiritual and emotional.
Fear and hopelessness are heavy burdens. But when we give those to God, we create space for peace, clarity, and healing to begin.
Fear and hopelessness are heavy burdens. But when we give those to God, we create space for peace, clarity, and healing to begin.
I Believe Words Matter
What we say over our bodies matters. For a long time, I repeated what I’d been told—“I’m sick. I have an incurable autoimmune disease.” But eventually, I started speaking life instead.
Now I say:
🟣 “I’m healed.”
🟣 “My body is resilient.”
🟣 “I serve a God who still heals.”
🟣 “I’m healed.”
🟣 “My body is resilient.”
🟣 “I serve a God who still heals.”
I Believe Remission Is Real
Not just for me. For you. For others.
I’m not a doctor, but I’m someone who’s lived this and walked into remission with God’s help and a natural healing plan that supported my body instead of suppressing it.
I’m not a doctor, but I’m someone who’s lived this and walked into remission with God’s help and a natural healing plan that supported my body instead of suppressing it.
My story isn’t the exception—it’s a reminder that there is hope.
You Are Not Alone
If you’ve just been diagnosed, if you’re feeling discouraged, or if you’re searching late into the night for anything that offers real answers—know this:
✨ You are not alone.
✨ You are not broken.
✨ There is hope.
✨ And healing is possible.
✨ You are not broken.
✨ There is hope.
✨ And healing is possible.
Want Support on Your Healing Journey?
I created a guide for those newly diagnosed with ITP (or feeling stuck in fear) that walks through natural and faith-filled approaches to support your platelets, reduce inflammation, and care for your whole body.
👉 [Download the ITP Guide here]
👉 [Download the ITP Guide here]
Or explore more blog posts on:
- [My favorite immune supporting food for ITP]
- [Reducing toxins that affect platelets]
- [Faith, mindset, and autoimmune healing]
You are deeply loved. Your body is capable. And your healing journey matters.
As someone who has battled an autoimmune disease triggered by chronic stress, I've learned firsthand the crucial link between inflammation and our body's stress response. My journey with Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP) taught me that managing inflammation is key to overall well-being. Reducing inflammation can significantly lower stress levels and promote healing.
Chronic inflammation and stress often feed each other in a vicious cycle. By addressing inflammation, we can interrupt this pattern and experience numerous benefits:
1. Improved mood and mental health: Inflammation is closely tied to depression and anxiety. Reducing it can uplift your spirits and ease psychological stress.
2. Enhanced sleep quality: Better sleep from lowered inflammation helps your body manage stress more effectively.
3. Increased energy levels: Less inflammation means more vitality to tackle daily challenges.
4. Reduced physical discomfort: Alleviating inflammation-related pain lowers overall stress on your body.
5. Supported gut health: A healthier gut, less affected by inflammation, positively impacts stress management.
6. Enhanced cognitive function: Clearer thinking helps you navigate stressful situations more easily.
7. Improved cardiovascular health: A healthier heart contributes to both physical and mental well-being.
To reduce chronic inflammation and lower stress, consider these strategies that have helped me in my recovery:
- Embrace an anti-inflammatory diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and omega-3s.
- Exercise regularly, aiming for 30-45 minutes of aerobic activity 4-5 times weekly.
- Practice stress-reduction techniques like meditation, prayer or Tai Chi.
- Prioritize quality sleep with a consistent schedule.
- Explore anti-inflammatory supplements, some of which may even support healthy platelet function.
- Maintain a healthy weight to minimize inflammation.
Addressing chronic inflammation creates a positive feedback loop, reducing both inflammation and stress over time. By implementing these (and other) lifestyle changes, I've not only stayed in remission but also discovered a more balanced, energetic way of living.
Remember, everyone's path to healing is unique. Listen to your body, and be patient with your progress. Breaking the stress-inflammation cycle is possible, and the rewards are truly life-changing.
Each month, I invite friends and other “wellness warriors” to join me in an anti-inflammatory protocol called “The 11 Day Jumpstart”. It implements many of the strategies listed above. For more information, click below.
As a survivor of Immune Thrombocytopenia Purpura (ITP), I've walked the challenging path of managing this autoimmune disease. Now in remission, I've discovered a powerful ally in my journey to maintain good health: goji berries. If only I had known about these little red powerhouses during my struggle with ITP! Today, I'm sharing the potential benefits of goji berries for those battling this condition.
Goji berries are more than just a tasty snack. They're packed with antioxidants and polyphenols that may help increase platelet count in ITP patients. Here's how:
1. Fighting Inflammation: Goji berries contain anti-inflammatory compounds like betaine. By reducing inflammation, they may help decrease the immune system's attack on platelets.
2. Antioxidant Shield: Rich in vitamin C, zeaxanthin, and carotenoids, goji berries combat oxidative stress. This protection could improve platelet function and survival.
3. Polyphenol Power: Quercetin and rutin in goji berries may regulate platelet function, potentially preventing thrombotic complications.
4. Immune Balancing Act: Compounds like betaine and polysaccharides in goji berries might help modulate the overactive immune response in ITP.
While goji berries show promise, it's crucial to remember that more research is needed to fully understand their effects on ITP. As with any dietary change, moderation is key, and you may want to consult with your healthcare provider, especially if you're on medication or have other health conditions.
Incorporating goji berries into my daily routine has been a game-changer for me. They're not just a superfood; they're a symbol of hope and healing. After my ITP got into remission, my immune system was still very unbalanced. Goji berries, along with some other lifestyle changes, continue to help keep me feeling my best.
If you're curious about using goji berries as part of an anti-inflammatory protocol, I invite you to learn more.
Click RESET to discover how to harness the power of goji berries for your health journey.
Remember, your path to wellness is unique. Let's explore natural solutions together, one berry at a time. FREE CONSULTATION
Discover the incredible health benefits of Goji Berries, nature's little superfood! Packed with essential nutrients, Goji Berries can significantly contribute to your overall well-being, especially when complemented with high-quality essential oils and supplements.
1. Support Immune System: Goji Berries are loaded with antioxidants that help balance your immune system, preventing illnesses and supporting a healthy defense against free radicals.
2. Improves Energy Levels: These berries are rich in complex carbohydrates, which provide a steady release of energy, keeping you energized throughout the day. Combine Goji Berries with invigorating essential oils for an added boost!
3. Enhances Brain Health: Goji Berries are known for their high levels of antioxidants and vitamins, promoting mental clarity, focus, and memory. Incorporating essential oils known for their cognitive support properties takes it a step further!
4. Supports Healthy Aging: The powerful antioxidants found in Goji Berries fight oxidative stress, promoting youthful-looking skin. Pair this natural goodness with essential oil infused skincare products for a comprehensive anti-aging routine.
5. Aids Digestion: Goji Berries are a great source of dietary fiber, assisting in maintaining a healthy digestive system. Incorporate essential oil-infused supplements to further support gastrointestinal health.
6. Protects Eye Health: With high levels of zeaxanthin, Goji Berries help protect and nourish our vision by reducing the risks related to age-related macular degeneration and other vision-related issues.
Remember, for the best results, it's essential to choose high-quality Goji Berries. When you combine their benefits with high-quality essential oils and supplements, you'll experience the amazing synergistic effects that can enhance your overall health and vitality.
For more info on how to use Goji Berries in an anti-inflammatory "Jumpstart", click the button below!
