Autoimmune Diseases Handbook & Resource Guide, the third title in the new Grey House Health & Wellness Guides series, is designed to bring together necessary and valuable information for the millions of individuals and their families who are suffering from and affected by autoimmune diseases. This resource provides easy-to-understand and helpful information about autoimmune diseases and connects readers to many sources of support. More than 24 million people in the U.S. are affected by one of at least 80 types of autoimmune diseases. This category of conditions were first described in the early 1900s, and are caused by an abnormal immune response to a functional body part. The cause is generally unknown, and nearly any body part can be affected. The latest title in this new health series, Autoimmune Diseases Handbook & Resource Guide includes several major sections: valuable educational material and statistics; information on the two broad types of autoimmune diseases — systemic and organ-specific; and individual chapters on the most prevalent autoimmune diseases. Studies & Statistics About Autoimmune Diseases includes about 300 colorful pages of charts, descriptions and data points, including trends, prevalence, maps and treatment options. Categories of Autoimmune Diseases describe the difference between Systemic (affecting many organs) and Organ-Specific (affecting one main organ) autoimmune diseases. Types of Autoimmune Diseases comprise dozens of chapters, each describing a specific condition, including alopecia, celiac disease, diabetes type 1, Graves disease, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and more. Each chapter includes a brief description of the disease, followed by valuable resources for patients and their families. Back matter sections include material regarding treatment and medications, a glossary, and entry and geographic indexes.