On-Demand CE/CME · Watch anytime · Lifetime access
When the Body Attacks Itself
Autoimmune & Autoinflammatory Fundamentals
Autoimmune and autoinflammatory conditions are far more common than most clinicians realize, and rising. In 60 minutes, build a clear framework for how the immune system loses its ability to tell self from non-self, why current care so often misses the root cause, and exactly where to start with the patient in front of you.
1 hr
CE/CME credit
On-demand
Start instantly
∞
Lifetime access
$391.0 CE/CME · on-demand
No functional medicine background required
Session outline
6 sections · 60 min
1
Why autoimmunity is rising
2
Self vs. non-self: how the immune system decides
3
Autoimmune vs. autoinflammatory: key distinctions
4
The drivers: inflammation, barriers & triggers
5
A root-cause evaluation framework
6
From theory to practice: cases & protocols
Taught by Thomas G. Guilliams, PhD
The shift
The immune system doesn’t fail all at once
Autoimmune and autoinflammatory conditions are among the most common chronic diseases in America, and still rising. Yet too often they’re caught late, split across specialties, and treated as a problem to suppress rather than a system to understand. This session gives you the framework most clinicians never received.
Standard care today
What most patients still get
The immune system is only considered once an autoimmune diagnosis is already on the chart
Symptoms are split across specialties such as rheumatology, dermatology, and GI, with no one connecting the dots
Treatment suppresses the immune response without ever asking why it turned on
Labs look “fine” for years while low-grade inflammation quietly compounds
“It’s all in your head” is the story too many patients hear before anyone looks deeper
After this course
What you’ll do differently
Explain in plain language how the immune system decides self from non-self
Distinguish autoimmune from autoinflammatory conditions and pick the right clinical lens
Identify the upstream drivers (inflammation, barriers, and triggers) you can actually influence
Apply a root-cause evaluation framework to the patient in front of you
Leave with evidence-informed starting points you can use on Monday
The competencies
After 60 minutes, you’ll be able to
Three clinical competencies you can apply right away.
Distinguish Autoimmune from Autoinflammatory
Explain the mechanistic difference between adaptive (autoimmune) and innate (autoinflammatory) immune dysfunction, and why the right lens changes management.
Map the Drivers of Immune Dysregulation
Identify the barriers, triggers, and inflammatory drivers that tip a tolerant immune system into attacking, and which of them you can actually influence.
Apply a Root-Cause Framework
Use a practical evaluation and support framework to find where the system is going awry, and where to start with the patient in front of you.
Why this course was created
“Most of my patients didn’t arrive labeled with an autoimmune diagnosis. They arrived tired, inflamed, dismissed, with labs that looked “fine” and a body that clearly wasn’t.”
Autoimmune and autoinflammatory conditions are among the most common chronic diseases in America, and their prevalence is rising. Yet the biology that governs them, how the immune system decides self from non-self and what makes it go awry, is rarely taught beyond a paragraph. I built this session to close that gap. Understand the fundamentals and the “mystery patient” finally has a coordinate system. This isn’t about suppressing the immune system. It’s about understanding why it turned on.
Thomas G. Guilliams, PhD
Course instructor
Who this is for
Built for clinicians caring for patients with autoimmune & autoinflammatory conditions
No functional medicine background required, just an interest in treating the cause, not the label.
Pharmacists
Expanding into immune, inflammatory, and lifestyle care.
NPs & PAs
Seeing autoimmune and inflammatory patients in primary care and specialty clinics.
Physicians
Family medicine, internal medicine, rheumatology, and endocrinology.
Dietitians & Health Coaches
Supporting nutrition, supplement, and anti-inflammatory lifestyle change.
Clinicians Tired of the Symptom-Suppression Model
Who want an approach that looks for why the immune system turned on.
Anyone Whose Patients Feel Dismissed
Who’ve searched for answers while the system had no framework for them.
How it’s different
Not a vocabulary lesson. A clinical upgrade.
Knowing the fundamentals is table stakes. Knowing what to do about them is the edge.
Current
Grounded in current immunology and the peer-reviewed research on rising autoimmunity.
Actionable
Leave with a root-cause framework you can apply in your very next patient visit.
Evidence-Informed
Built on the peer-reviewed literature, translated into concrete clinical decisions.
Complete curriculum · 60 minutes
What you’ll cover in 60 minutes
A structured path from the fundamentals to the protocol.
1
Why Autoimmunity Is Rising 8 min
Prevalence trends, the immunology of the modern environment, and why these conditions feel suddenly everywhere.
2
Self vs. Non-Self: How the Immune System Decides 10 min
Tolerance, the molecules that identify self, and what happens when recognition breaks down.
3
Autoimmune vs. Autoinflammatory: The Key Distinctions 12 min
Adaptive vs. innate immune dysfunction, and why the right lens changes management.
4
The Drivers: Inflammation, Barriers & Triggers 12 min
The upstream factors that tip a tolerant system into attack, and which of them are modifiable.
5
A Root-Cause Evaluation Framework 10 min
A practical structure for finding where the system is going awry, from history to labs.
6
From Theory to Practice: Cases & Protocols 8 min
Real clinical scenarios and evidence-informed starting points you can use Monday.
The takeaway
You’ll walk away with
A clear framework for how the immune system decides self from non-self
Confidence explaining autoimmune vs. autoinflammatory to patients and colleagues
An understanding of the modifiable drivers (barriers, triggers, and inflammation)
A root-cause evaluation roadmap you can apply in your very next visit
PhD
Course instructor
Thomas G. Guilliams, PhD
Founder & Director, Point Institute · Functional Medicine CE Faculty
Dr. Thomas G. Guilliams is a pioneer in nutritional science and the founder and director of the Point Institute, a functional medicine research and education organization. For more than two decades he has researched and taught the mechanisms linking immune function, inflammation, and metabolic health, and how to restore balance at the root. His work has shaped how clinicians understand and support the immune system through diet, lifestyle, and targeted supplementation. In this session he distills that expertise into a clear, evidence-informed framework you can apply in your very next patient visit.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Who is eligible for CE/CME credit?
Eligible for pharmacists, physicians, NPs, PAs, nurses, and RDs. Credits are provided through our accredited continuing education partner.
Do I need a functional medicine background?
No. This session is built for clinicians at all levels. If you care for patients with autoimmune or inflammatory concerns, you can use it.
Is this just an immunology lecture?
No. The fundamentals are the foundation. The majority of the session turns them into a root-cause evaluation framework and practical starting points you can apply.
Will this help with patients who aren’t diagnosed yet?
Yes. A core goal of the session is recognizing the drivers and patterns before a label appears, so you can intervene earlier.
What if I can’t attend live?
You’ll receive full on-demand access, with lifetime access to the recording.
Stop treating symptoms. Start understanding the immune system.
Autoimmune and autoinflammatory conditions are rising. Make sure your care reflects what the immune system is really telling you.
1.0 Hour CE/CME · $39On-demand · start instantly · lifetime access
AMA PRA Category 1 · ACPE · AAPA · AANP · ANCC · accredited via AKH & Joint Accreditation