What to know about autoimmune diseases as Nadiya Hussain gives health update

Kate Ng
·Trending Lifestyle Reporter
Updated ·5-min read
TV chef Nadiya Hussain during the filming for the Graham Norton Show at BBC Studioworks 6 Television Centre, Wood Lane, London, to be aired on BBC One on Friday evening. PA Photo. Picture date: Thursday October 17, 2019. Photo credit should read: PA Images on behalf of So TV
Nadiya Hussain, who won The Great British Bake Off in 2015, has been diagnosed with two autoimmune diseases in the last two years. (Getty Images)

Nadiya Hussain has revealed she is living with two autoimmune diseases, which she was diagnosed with over the course of two years.

The Great British Bake Off star, 39, shared the health update in an Instagram post on Monday 7 October and urged fans to take care of themselves and their health.

In the video post, Hussain said: "I cannot express enough the importance of taking care of yourself. I am the kind of person who burns the candle at both ends, takes care of everyone’s needs but my own. I don’t take time out for myself. I don’t really know what that means or what that feels like. Not really. And when I do take time for myself, I feel incredibly guilty."

The television chef and cookbook author continued: "But recently, mostly this year, but over the course of two years, I’ve been quite unwell. I’ve just been getting sick. And over the course of the two years, I’ve been diagnosed with two autoimmune diseases, which I’m not going to go into now."

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Hussain added that having a diagnosis will help her manage her illness better, and spoke of the importance of "listening to your body". However, she admitted that she is "the worst at that" and revealed it’s been "a tough year" of hospital tests.

Studies suggest that autoimmune disorders affect around one in 10 people in the UK. According to a population-based study of 22 million people, published in The Lancet last year, a higher proportion of women (17%) are affected by autoimmune disease compared to men (7%).

An autoimmune disease occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy cells and tissues instead of protecting them from foreign cells.

There are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases known, including conditions like type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis. They are often chronic and a diagnosis can be life-changing as patients must learn to adjust to taking lifelong medications and treatments to help them cope with their condition.

There is no cure for autoimmune diseases, but symptoms can be managed through medication, lifestyle changes and other treatments. The exact cause of the conditions is unknown, but scientists theorise that some microorganisms, such as bacteria or viruses, or medications may trigger changes that confuse the immune system.

Close-up of the peeling skin of a man on his hands with eczema, psoriasis and other skin diseases such as fungus, plaque, rash and spots. Autoimmune genetic disease.
Psoriasis is one of the most common autoimmune diseases. (Getty Images)

Some of the most common autoimmune diseases include:

  • Rheumatoid arthritis

  • Type 1 diabetes

  • Coeliac disease

  • Multiple sclerosis (MS)

  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

  • Lupus

  • Crohn’s disease

  • Thyroid disease (including Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and Graves Disease)

  • Psoriasis

These conditions cause inflammation that can affect different parts of the body. For instance, psoriasis affects the skin, while coeliac and Crohn’s disease affect the digestive system. Type 1 diabetes and thyroid disease affect hormones, rheumatoid arthritis affects the joints, and MS affects the nervous system.

As a result of autoimmune diseases affecting different body parts, symptoms can vary widely. How severe the symptoms are also varies from individual to individual and can range from fleeting and fluctuating to debilitating pain.

Detail of a young woman in home clothes sitting on her sofa holding her lower stomach with both hands in pain leaning forwards.
Different autoimmune diseases affect different parts of the body, such as Crohn's disease and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which affect the digestive system. (Getty Images)

While researchers don’t know the exact cause of autoimmune disease, there are certain risk factors that can increase the chance of developing a disorder, according to John Hopkins Medicine.

1. Genetics can play an important role, particularly for certain disorders like lupus and MS, which tend to run in families.

2. Being overweight or obese can raise the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis, as it is thought more weight puts greater stress on the joints.

3. Smoking has been linked to a number of autoimmune diseases, including lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, hyperthyroidism and MS.

4. Certain medications may also trigger autoimmune conditions, such as drug-induced lupus and statin-induced myopathy. You should speak to your doctor before starting or stopping any medications.

Receiving a diagnosis for an autoimmune condition can take a long time and may be challenging, particularly if the disease affects multiple parts of the body instead of just one.

This is because patients tend to go to different doctors for different symptoms, and they may not connect the symptoms to one another.

The Autoimmune Association recommends getting to know your family’s medical history and keeping a list of major symptoms in order to get a clearer picture of your condition.

You can also get a more accurate diagnosis by getting a thorough clinical examination and seeking multiple opinions. There are a number of immunology tests that your GP can refer you for if you suspect an autoimmune disease.

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