Autoimmune Disease & Chronic Inflammation
Calm the Immune Storm. Reclaim Your Life.
Dr. Teresa Rispoli uses advanced functional medicine to identify and correct the root triggers of autoimmune disease — reducing inflammation, restoring immune balance, and helping patients feel well again.
A Different Approach
Autoimmune Disease Has a Root Cause — and It Can Be Addressed
Conventional medicine treats autoimmune disease by suppressing the immune system with steroids, biologics, and immunosuppressants. These drugs can reduce symptoms but do nothing to address why the immune system attacked in the first place — and often come with serious long-term side effects.
Dr. Teresa Rispoli takes a root-cause functional medicine approach. Using advanced lab testing, she identifies the specific triggers driving your immune dysregulation — gut permeability, chronic infections, environmental toxins, hormonal imbalances, or food sensitivities — and builds a personalized protocol to correct them. Many patients experience dramatic reductions in symptoms, flares, and medication dependence.
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Conditions We Address
Autoimmune Conditions Dr. Rispoli Treats
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis
The most common autoimmune condition, causing the immune system to attack the thyroid gland, leading to hypothyroidism, fatigue, weight gain, and brain fog.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Immune-driven joint inflammation causing pain, swelling, stiffness, and progressive joint damage — addressed through anti-inflammatory protocols and trigger identification.
Lupus (SLE)
Systemic autoimmune disease affecting skin, joints, kidneys, and organs. Functional medicine focuses on reducing flare triggers and calming systemic inflammation.
Multiple Sclerosis
Autoimmune attack on the myelin sheath of the nervous system. Functional support focuses on gut-brain axis healing, vitamin D optimization, and inflammation reduction.
Psoriasis & Psoriatic Arthritis
Skin and joint autoimmunity driven by gut dysbiosis, food sensitivities, and systemic inflammation — often dramatically improved through gut healing protocols.
Celiac Disease
Autoimmune reaction to gluten causing intestinal damage, malabsorption, and systemic inflammation. Managed through strict dietary protocols and gut repair.
Sjögren's Syndrome
Autoimmune attack on moisture-producing glands causing dry eyes, dry mouth, fatigue, and joint pain — supported through anti-inflammatory nutrition and immune modulation.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis as autoimmune gut conditions — addressed through the 5R gut healing protocol, microbiome restoration, and trigger elimination.
Root Cause Triggers
What Drives Autoimmune Disease
Autoimmune disease rarely has a single cause. Dr. Rispoli investigates the full spectrum of known triggers to build a complete picture of what is driving your immune dysregulation.
Leaky Gut (Intestinal Permeability)
Breakdown of the gut barrier allows undigested proteins and toxins into the bloodstream, triggering immune activation and molecular mimicry.
Chronic Infections
Epstein-Barr virus, H. pylori, Lyme disease, and other stealth infections are known triggers of autoimmune onset and flares.
Environmental Toxins
Heavy metals (mercury, lead), mold mycotoxins, and chemical exposures can disrupt immune regulation and trigger autoimmunity.
Food Sensitivities
Gluten, dairy, and other reactive foods drive chronic gut inflammation and molecular mimicry — where immune antibodies cross-react with body tissues.
Hormonal Imbalances
Estrogen dominance, thyroid dysfunction, and adrenal dysregulation all modulate immune function and can amplify autoimmune activity.
Chronic Stress & HPA Dysregulation
Prolonged stress dysregulates cortisol and immune signaling, lowering the threshold for autoimmune flares and worsening existing conditions.
Advanced Functional Testing
We Find What Conventional Labs Miss
Standard rheumatology panels often detect autoimmune disease only after significant tissue damage has occurred. Functional medicine uses earlier, more sensitive markers — and investigates the upstream triggers that conventional labs never test for.
Comprehensive Autoimmune Panel
ANA, anti-dsDNA, anti-CCP, RF, complement levels, and specific antibody panels tailored to your suspected condition and symptom pattern.
Intestinal Permeability (Leaky Gut)
Zonulin and intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP) to assess gut barrier integrity — a key upstream driver of most autoimmune conditions.
96-Panel Food Sensitivity Test
IgG and IgA immune reactivity to 96 foods to identify dietary triggers driving chronic inflammation and molecular mimicry.
Comprehensive Stool Analysis
Microbiome diversity, pathogenic organisms, yeast overgrowth, and intestinal inflammation markers — the gut is the origin of most autoimmune disease.
Heavy Metal & Toxin Testing
Urine or blood testing for mercury, lead, arsenic, and other heavy metals known to trigger and perpetuate autoimmune conditions.
Viral & Infection Panel
EBV reactivation, H. pylori, Lyme co-infections, and other chronic infections that are known autoimmune triggers and perpetuators.
Our Programs
Personalized Autoimmune Healing Programs
Autoimmune Root Cause Protocol
Our comprehensive 90-day program uses advanced functional testing to identify your specific triggers, then builds a personalized protocol to address each one — gut healing, dietary modification, targeted supplementation, detoxification, and stress support.
- Full trigger identification panel
- Personalized anti-inflammatory diet
- Gut healing & microbiome restoration
- Targeted supplement protocol
Hashimoto's & Thyroid Program
Specifically designed for patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis or autoimmune thyroid disease. Combines thyroid antibody monitoring, gut healing, gluten elimination, and hormone optimization to reduce antibody levels and restore thyroid function.
- TPO & TgAb antibody monitoring
- Gluten & dairy elimination protocol
- Thyroid hormone optimization
- Adrenal & cortisol support
Inflammation & Flare Management
For patients with established autoimmune diagnoses who want to reduce flare frequency, lower inflammatory markers, and decrease medication dependence. Focuses on trigger avoidance, anti-inflammatory nutrition, and immune modulation.
- Inflammatory marker tracking (CRP, ESR)
- Anti-inflammatory nutrition plan
- Stress & HPA axis support
- Medication tapering support
How It Works
Your Path to Immune Balance
Free Discovery Call
Discuss your diagnosis, symptoms, current medications, and goals with Dr. Rispoli to determine the right program for your situation.
Comprehensive Functional Testing
We run a full autoimmune trigger panel — gut permeability, food sensitivities, infections, toxins, hormones, and autoimmune markers — to map your root causes.
Personalized Healing Protocol
Dr. Rispoli designs a custom multi-pronged protocol addressing each identified trigger with targeted nutrition, supplements, and lifestyle modifications.
Ongoing Monitoring & Adjustment
Regular check-ins, antibody retesting, and protocol refinement ensure your immune system continues to calm and your symptoms keep improving.
Patient Results
Real Patients, Real Recovery
These are real outcomes from Dr. Rispoli's functional autoimmune programs.
"I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's and told to just wait until my thyroid failed enough to need medication. Dr. Rispoli found leaky gut and gluten sensitivity as my triggers. After 6 months my TPO antibodies dropped from 900 to under 100 and I feel completely different."
Christine B.
Hashimoto's — TPO antibodies reduced 89%
"I had rheumatoid arthritis for 8 years and was on two biologics. Dr. Rispoli found EBV reactivation and severe gut dysbiosis driving my flares. After her protocol my inflammation markers normalized and I was able to taper off one medication entirely."
Susan W.
Rheumatoid Arthritis — reduced medication dependence
"My lupus flares were constant and debilitating. Dr. Rispoli identified mercury toxicity and food sensitivities as major triggers I never knew about. After detox and dietary changes I've been flare-free for over a year."
Angela R.
Lupus — flare-free for 12+ months
"Psoriasis covered 40% of my body for years. Every dermatologist just gave me more creams. Dr. Rispoli healed my gut and removed my food triggers. My skin is 90% clear and I haven't used a prescription in 8 months."
Michelle T.
Psoriasis — 90% skin clearance
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Address the Root Cause?
Book a free discovery call with Dr. Rispoli and take the first step toward calming your immune system and reclaiming your health.