You might not realize just how many chemicals you encounter on a day-to-day basis. Each of us is routinely exposed to thousands of different chemicals – many of which can impact your thyroid health. Some of these chemicals are cleared out of the body through liver “biotransformation.” Commonly called detoxification, this is the process through which liver enzymes convert chemicals into water-soluble compounds that can be properly eliminated through sweat, urine, and feces.

Chemicals that can be processed and eliminated in this way include pesticides, plastics, fire retardants, and many other chemicals in our food, water, and air.

But there’s a group of chemicals that cannot be cleared out of the body, including heavy metals like mercury, lead, and arsenic. Since they cannot be expelled, metals are stored in the fat and bone. Learn more in this episode or in my course, Hashimoto's: Solving the Puzzle.

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If you’ve been diagnosed with hypothyroidism, you should know low thyroid function can impact your gut health. This is why it’s important to properly manage the underlying mechanisms of your hypothyroidism. An intimate relationship exists between your gastrointestinal tract and your thyroid, with each affecting the other. The health of the stomach, gut microbiome, pancreas, liver, gallbladder, and large intestine are all interrelated with thyroid function. Additionally, the inflammation and autoimmune mechanisms associated with Hashimoto’s cause thyroid receptor site resistance and low thyroid function. Learn more in this podcast episode.

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If you're like 3/4 of Americans, you suffer from IBS, diarrhea, acid reflux, constipation, abdominal pain, leaky gut, SIBO, bloating and gas, and so on. In this podcast Dr. Kharrazian explains the number-one rule he follows when working with any gut health patient: Start at the top and work your way down. If you are trying to improve your microbiome but your gallbladder is congested, you likely won't be successful. If you have IBS symptoms but you're not addressing low stomach hydrochloric acid, or if you are constipated and your brain is dysfunctioning due to a head injury, neuroinflammation, or degeneration, again, your success will be limited. In this information-packed episode, Dr. Kharrazian goes over the broad strategies of addressing gut health disorders and takes questions from viewers.

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You may have heard of leaky gut but did you know you can get leaky brain too? The most common symptoms are brain fog and slower mental speed, but an intestinal blood-brain barrier plays a role in numerous brain disorders. Learn more in this episode and from great viewer questions.

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Mold toxicity is a silent factor a lot of people don’t consider when rooting out causes for chronic health issues. Because most of its signs and symptoms are invisible to everyone else, it often goes unsuspected until symptoms become disabling. Many factors can play a role in mold toxicity, from water damage in your home, school, or workplace, to indoor humidity levels, genetic susceptibility, and your unique immune function. In this podcast, Dr. Kharrazian explains how mold toxicity occurs, what to look out for, ways to test for and address it, and more. Followed by a Q&A with listeners.

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Low stomach acid and gallbladders sludge are very common gut issues in Americans. Low stomach acid can lead to symptoms such as acid reflux, heartburn, indigestion, belching and bloating, and discomfort after eating meats and proteins. Gallbladder sludge can lead to belching and bloating, burping up fish oil capsules, and discomfort after eating fats. Both of these disorders lead to problems throughout the digestive tract and can raise your risk of chronic disease. Instead of always reaching for the antacids or other drugs, learn the various underlying causes of these issues and what to do about them in this video. The good news is they often are easily managed. Learn more at drknews.com.

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In this episode, Dr. Kharrazian goes over the primary mechanisms of histamine intolerance and mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS). But first, make sure you even have these conditions as these diagnoses are being tossed around a little too casually these days. While the low-histamine diet may reduce symptoms, it does not necessarily address the underlying causes and it deprives you of cultured foods, which support microbiome diversity. Additionally, MCAS is a very serious condition, so make sure your self-diagnosis is valid or you may be addressing the wrong target.

Dr. Kharrazian covers all these topics in a 20-minute talk and then answers questions from viewers. If you suspect you have histamine intolerance or MCAS, this video gives a great foundation from which to move forward.

• Skin urticaria
• Nasal congestion
• Anaphylaxis
• Wheezing
• Chronic gastrointestinal issues
• Chronic migraine issues

• Determine if you actually have histamine intolerance by taking an antihistamine and looking for relief from symptoms.
• Multiple food sensitivities doesn't necessarily mean you have a mast cell/histamine response.
• Food sensitivities are delayed IgG response or an IgM responses.
• Histamine responses involve immediate IgE responses.
• An allergic reaction IgE reaction to foods and environmental chemicals activate mast cells, which release chemical mediators, including histamine.

• Healthy response: Exposure to the antigen triggers mast cells.
• Occasional symptomatic response: Occasional reactions to triggers such as pollen or pet dander.
• Chronic histamine response: Chronic histamine issues with constant symptoms
• Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS): Massive and chronic mast cell response. The body is producing excess mast cells with exaggerated activity, causing significant and severe symptoms

• Genetically low DAO enzyme
• Methylation issues
• Exposure to an allergen that develops IgE reactions, e.g mold, parasitic, Lyme infection
• Underlying triggers
• What is amplifying the immune responses
• Immune tolerance
• Other chronic health issues (leaky gut, leaky lung, low vitamin D, etc.)

Mast cell activation stream is the most aggressive form of histamine reaction, has criteria for diagnosis, and may require pharmacological treatment.

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Chronic bloating and abdominal distention are common gut health complaints. In this podcast, Dr. Kharrazian covers the primary causes of bloating and how to start implementing solutions. Multiple things can cause bloating, with the underlying mechanisms depending on the individual. You must work north-to-south in the GI tract to identify where your issues lie. Brain-based mechanisms, chewing, stomach health, pancreatic and gallbladder function, microbiome health, motility, and SIBO are discussed in this podcast, followed by a Q&A with listeners. (This is a replay of a Facebook live from June 2020, you can also watch it on YouTube.)

To learn more about how to identify and address common gut health issues, check out the online course Gut Health: Solving the Puzzle.

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Hypothyroidism, or low thyroid function, impacts your skin, hair, nails, joints, body inflammation, systemic inflammation—all of which affect your physical appearance. The most common cause of hypothyroidism is an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s, a disorder that causes the immune system to attack and destroy the thyroid gland. It is an incurable condition but can typically be driven into remission through evidence-backed nutrition and lifestyle strategies.

Hashimoto's creates a heightened state of inflammation. It can also lead to secondary autoimmune diseases that cause hair loss, joint pain, and skin conditions, further affecting appearance.

For many people, thyroid hormone medication alone will not relieve symptoms—the underlying autoimmune condition must be managed as well in order to feel and function better, and address the factors affecting your appearance.

Download Dr. Kharrazian's free guide, Hashimoto's, Hypothyroidism, and the Brain.

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What happens to your health when your thyroid hormones are low? In this episode, Dr. Kharrazian talks about the various conditions that can cause low thyroid hormones, including Hashimoto’s disease, improper hormone conversion, and incorrect hormone replacement. He then goes through the impact of thyroid hormone deficiency on different systems in the body and how that can affect symptoms and health. Of particular concern is the impact of neglect or misdiagnosis of hypothyroidism on the brain and the cardiovascular system. Through this podcast episode, we hope to give you a better understanding of how your thyroid works and what to expect when facing hypothyroidism. 

Download Dr. Kharrazian's free guide, Hashimoto's and the Brain.

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Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/solving-the-puzzle-with-dr-datis-kharrazian.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.