St. George, Utah · Functional Medicine & Acupuncture

Your Immune System Is Not Your Enemy — It's Confused

Autoimmune disease has root causes. Dr. Justin Lane uses functional medicine to identify and address what's triggering your immune system — so your body can stop attacking itself and start healing.

12+ Years Clinical Experience Functional Medicine & Acupuncture St. George, Utah Free Initial Consultation

Autoimmune Conditions We Treat

There are over 80 recognized autoimmune conditions. While they affect different organs and tissues, they share the same underlying mechanism — and respond to the same root-cause approach.

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis
Graves' Disease
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Lupus (SLE)
Multiple Sclerosis
Psoriasis
Celiac Disease
Crohn's Disease
Ulcerative Colitis
Sjögren's Syndrome
Fibromyalgia
Collagenous Colitis

What Triggers Autoimmune Disease?

Genetics loads the gun — but the environment pulls the trigger. Functional medicine focuses on identifying and removing the environmental factors that activated your immune system in the first place.

Leaky Gut

The most well-established trigger. When the gut lining breaks down, foreign proteins provoke immune reactions that can lead to the body attacking its own tissues.

Chronic Infections

Epstein-Barr virus, H. pylori, and Lyme disease are known to trigger and perpetuate autoimmune conditions through molecular mimicry.

Food Sensitivities

Gluten is strongly linked to autoimmunity — even without celiac disease. Other common triggers include dairy, eggs, corn, and soy.

Nutrient Deficiencies

Vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, zinc, and B12 are critical immune regulators. Deficiencies are extremely common in autoimmune patients.

Chronic Stress

Elevated cortisol and HPA axis dysfunction directly impair immune regulation and increase intestinal permeability — creating conditions for autoimmune disease to develop.

Environmental Toxins

Heavy metals, mold toxins, pesticides, and endocrine disruptors alter immune function and have been linked to multiple autoimmune conditions.

Why Conventional Treatment Isn't Enough

Conventional medicine manages autoimmune disease primarily with immunosuppressive medications — drugs that reduce immune activity across the board. While these can reduce symptoms, they do not address why the immune system is attacking the body in the first place.

The result is that most patients remain on escalating doses of medication, experience drug side effects, and never see the lasting improvement they're hoping for.

Functional medicine asks a different question: not "how do we suppress the immune system?" but "why is the immune system misfiring — and what can we do to correct it?"

Our Autoimmune Approach

1

Comprehensive Diagnostic Testing

Advanced immune panels, stool analysis, food sensitivity testing, heavy metal screening, nutrient levels, and full hormone workup.

2

Remove the Triggers

Eliminate identified food sensitivities, treat underlying infections, reduce toxic burden, and correct nutritional deficiencies.

3

Heal the Gut

Restore intestinal integrity, rebalance the microbiome, and reduce systemic inflammation — the foundation of immune regulation.

4

Acupuncture for Immune Regulation

Acupuncture modulates immune cytokines, reduces chronic inflammation, and supports the nervous system's role in immune regulation.

5

Long-Term Monitoring

Ongoing retesting and support to confirm antibody reduction, track progress, and adjust protocols as your health evolves.

Before coming to see Dr. Lane, I was diagnosed with collagenous colitis as a result of my autoimmune disorder. I did not want to rely on drugs to treat my symptoms. I wanted to try a more holistic approach. Although my condition is a chronic illness, I feel I now know better how to handle my symptoms. I would recommend trying this approach for any autoimmune disorder.
— Carol M., Patient at Elemental Natural Medicine

Meet Dr. Justin Lane

Board-certified in acupuncture and Oriental medicine, with over 12 years of clinical experience treating autoimmune and chronic conditions.

Dr. Justin Lane DACM — autoimmune specialist St. George Utah

Dr. Justin Lane

DACM · L.Ac. · Dipl. OM · NCCAOM Certified

Dr. Lane holds a Doctorate in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine and is licensed in Utah, California, and Rhode Island. His integrative model combines functional medicine's investigative depth with acupuncture's immune-regulating effects — giving patients with autoimmune disease a genuinely different path forward. He has helped thousands of patients who were told there was nothing more to be done find real, lasting relief.

Frequently Asked Questions

While autoimmune conditions are rarely considered "cured" in conventional medicine, many patients achieve remission and dramatic symptom reduction through functional medicine. By addressing root causes — gut permeability, chronic infections, nutrient deficiencies, and environmental triggers — the immune system can be recalibrated and inflammatory activity significantly reduced.
Autoimmune disease is triggered by a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental factors including: intestinal permeability (leaky gut), chronic infections, heavy metal toxicity, food sensitivities (especially gluten), chronic stress, hormonal imbalances, and micronutrient deficiencies. Functional medicine identifies which factors are driving your condition.
Acupuncture modulates the immune system by regulating inflammatory cytokines, reducing cortisol and stress hormones, supporting adrenal and thyroid function, and promoting parasympathetic nervous system activity — a state in which healing occurs. It is a valuable complement to functional medicine protocols.
Research increasingly shows that leaky gut is a prerequisite for autoimmune disease. When the gut lining is compromised, foreign proteins enter the bloodstream and through molecular mimicry, the immune system can begin attacking the body's own tissues — which is how many autoimmune conditions begin.
Dr. Justin Lane at Elemental Natural Medicine, 285 W Tabernacle St Suite 202, St. George, UT 84770. Call (435) 246-7642 or book a free consultation at elementalnaturalmedicine.com.

There Are Answers. You Are Not Alone.

Schedule a free consultation with Dr. Lane and take the first step toward understanding what's driving your autoimmune condition — and what's possible when you address it at the root.

Book Your Free Consultation Or call us: (435) 246-7642

285 W Tabernacle St Suite 202 · St. George, UT 84770