The Dr. Hedberg Show

The gut-thyroid connection is one of the most important and overlooked aspects of healthy thyroid function.  Did you know that many diseases can be traced to a breakdown in the gastrointestinal tract?  70 percent of your immune system resides in this area - your gut, and the GI tract has many important functions for your health including digestion, nutrient absorption, elimination, detoxification, hormone metabolism and energy production.  99% of the neurotransmitters in your body are actually created in the intestine (part of your GI tract), and every brain chemical known as a neurotransmitter is found there. This means the GI tract, or gut, plays a very important role in achieving optimal thyroid health.

For proper thyroid function, your body must convert T4 into the more active T3 and 20% of this happens in your intestines. In order for this conversion to happen, healthy colonies of beneficial bacteria must be present in the GI tract.  An imbalance in the bacteria ratio (of good vs. bad) in the GI tract (dysbiosis) can lead to low thyroid function.  This explains why so many patients with thyroid hormone imbalance also have digestive problems but normal thyroid blood chemistry panels.

Why do people get Gut Problems?

One of the most important things to look at is how many rounds of antibiotics you have taken in your life. The more antibiotics you have taken, the more likely you are to have abnormal gut bacteria as well as yeast overgrowth and parasites.  Antibiotics can cause an imbalance in your gut bacteria for up to 13 months after just a single round of antibiotics.  Additionally, antibiotics change the DNA of your bacteria which makes some of them more resistant to antibiotics.

Stress also causes gut problems because it decreases stomach acid production, bile flow and pancreatic enzyme production.  This will significantly impair your ability to digest and absorb your vitamins and minerals as well as protein, healthy fats and right carbohydrates.  This will even decrease your absorption of prescription thyroid hormone.

Poor dietary choices and food sensitivities are another big factor both of which create inflammation that damages your GI tract.  Sugar and processed carbohydrates are like fast food to your gut bacteria which causes them to grow out of balance.  Food sensitivities such as gluten, dairy, eggs, soy and peanuts to name the top five, create inflammation and will also spike your blood sugar too much.

Additional problems can be created by antacid medications called proton pump inhibitors.  They shut down your acid production which is extremely vital for a healthy gut.  Birth control pills also cause gut problems because they deplete your body of important nutrients for the gut such as folic acid.

Eating to fast or "eating on the run" is common in our society today which is an additional stress to your gut.  You should be in a relaxed state focused only on your meal and refrain from reading, texting, watching TV etc.  Alcohol and caffeine in excess further stress the GI tract.

How to Determine if You Have a Digestive Problem

If you are having digestive problems, there is a good chance that it is affecting your thyroid function. Bloating after meals, gas, cramping, loose stools, constipation, burping, heartburn, and inconsistent stool formation can all be signs of a digestive problem.  You can begin to see if you have digestive problems by doing an easy test at home.  This is known as the transit time test.

Performing the Transit Time Test

Food should pass through your intestines in 18-24 hours.  If it takes longer than twenty-four hours, there is something wrong with your digestive tract.  This easy to do test can be done at home to measure food transit time.

Purchase a product called “activated charcoal” which is an inert substance that will turn your stool black or dark gray.

Swallow four capsules with a meal and write down the day and time that you take the capsules.

Observe your stool until you see black or dark gray stool appear.  At this point, write down the day and the time.  Look at the time that you originally swallowed the capsules and the time that you see the dark stool and write down the total time it took for this to happen.  If it took longer than twenty-four hours, you have some work to do on your digestive tract.  If it took less than 18 hours, that may also be a problem meaning that there is something irritating the digestive tract causing increased peristalsis.

Get a Full Analysis

The best way to determine if you have problems in your digestive tract is to complete a stool analysis.  This will be ordered by your functional medicine physician.  I order stool tests on all of my patients with thyroid problems so we can if there is a gut-thyroid connection.  This test will tell you if you have any infections that could be affecting the thyroid gland.  It also tells you how well you are digesting food, if you are absorbing the food you are eating, if you have any yeast overgrowth, parasites, fungus, and/or mold and whether you have an inflammatory bowel versus an irritable bowel.  This test will also reveal if you have intestinal dysbiosis which is basically an imbalance in the bacterial colonies in the gut. This test is vital for everyone who has autoimmune thyroiditis because of the possible infectious triggers in the gut.

How to Address Imbalances in a Stool Analysis

If there are any imbalances found in the stool analysis, the following guidelines should be followed:

The “4 R’s” to Repair Gastrointestinal Dysfunction:

Remove:  Eliminate known food allergens such as gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts, etc. I do blood testing on patients for food sensitivities to pinpoint food reactions. Alcohol, caffeine and NSAIDS should be avoided as well. A stool analysis will diagnose infections that can be eliminated with natural medicines or medications.

Repair:  Supplements to repair the intestinal barrier are taken.

Replace:  Hydrochloric acid and pancreatic enzymes offer digestive support.

Reinoculate:  Probiotics that contain friendly bacteria such as lactobacillus and bifidobacter are taken to reinoculate proper bacterial colonies.  I will also educate every patient on specific foods that can help to rebuild your healthy gut bacteria.

Cortisol's Role in Thyroid Imbalance

In addition, there is another mechanism in the GI tract that can lead to low thyroid function.  Your digestive tract is lined with lymph (immune) tissue known as GALT (Gut-Associated Lymphoid Tissue). Stress to the GALT can be caused by food sensitivities, undigested proteins, leaky gut, and infections from bacteria, yeast and parasites.  These GALT afflictions can cause a major stress response which raises the cortisol production by your adrenal glands.  Cortisol will cause a shift in thyroid hormone metabolism including decreased thyroid hormone production, inhibition of T4 converted into T3 and also increasing reverse T3 which blocks T3 receptors.

Chronic elevations in cortisol from stress will suppress the immune system in the GI tract.  This can lead to dysbiosis, parasites, yeast and leaky gut - creating a vicious cycle that further disrupts thyroid function. As you can see, a healthy and balanced GI tract is extremely important in optimizing thyroid hormones and function.  I have even seen many patients whose thyroid function normalized after simply treating imbalances in the GI tract.

Estrogen's Role in Thyroid Imbalance

Excess estrogen in the body can suppress thyroid hormone function by increasing proteins that bind to thyroid hormone.  The GI-Estrogen-Thyroid relationship is very important in optimizing thyroid function.  The GI tract contains an enzyme called beta glucuronidase that can reactivate estrogen that has been metabolized in the liver.  The metabolized form of estrogen would normally be excreted in the feces but in the face of too much beta glucuronidase, it can be reabsorbed into the bloodstream.  This enzyme is dependent on optimal nutrition and healthy gut bacteria ratios.  Once again we see how important healthy gut bacteria are to the health of the thyroid.  Poor diet, stress, toxins, unresolved psychological issues, inadequate stomach acid production and digestive enzymes can lead to dysbiosis (abnormal bacterial ratios).

The Liver's Role in Thyroid Imbalance

Hormones and toxins are metabolized in the liver and excreted in the feces through the GI tract.  Remember that a majority of thyroid hormone is converted into its active form in the liver.  When the GI tract is out of balance from dysbiosis, inflammation, leaky gut, infections or too many food allergies, this puts a major strain on the liver’s ability to metabolize hormones and thyroid-disrupting chemicals.  This leads to a toxic liver impairing its ability to activate thyroid hormone.  This scenario also increases the chances of thyroid-disrupting chemicals recirculating and impairing thyroid function.  This continues the vicious cycle of the enzyme beta glucuronidase which undoes what the liver has done to metabolized hormones such as estrogen which may be reactivated and reabsorbed into the bloodstream and the liver.

When the intestinal barrier is broken, autoimmune thyroid may result.  Infections such as candida, parasites and bacteria are a constant stress on the adrenal glands and also contribute to chronic inflammation.  These infections must be eliminated in order to have optimal thyroid function.  Your natural physician will order a stool analysis to diagnose GI infections.  These tests will also tell you how well you are digesting and absorbing food, if there is inflammation and if you have sufficient beneficial bacteria to convert some of your thyroid hormone into its active form.

The Gut Thyroid Connection is often one of the most overlooked aspects of thyroid disorders so make sure you have had a thorough analysis of your digestive system health

The ferritin test may be the most important blood test you ever get, especially if you have a thyroid problem.

When I began my training in the diagnosis and management of internal disorders immediately after graduation, one of the first things we studied heavily was blood chemistry analysis. My teachers always stressed the importance of taking a careful look at iron levels in the blood and a rare test known as the ferritin test.

What is ferritin?

Ferritin is an iron-containing protein and is the primary form of iron stored inside your cells. Even though there is a small amount of ferritin released into your bloodstream, it is an accurate marker of how much iron is actually stored in your body. Iron is primarily stored in your liver, muscles, spleen and bone marrow but if you have too much it can accumulate in your organs and the brain.

You either have too much iron, too little or just the right balance in your body and the ferritin test can give us an excellent picture of how much iron is actually stored in your body. Iron is found in your red blood cells but it also accumulates in your organs and tissues.

Iron is important for healthy oxygen transport throughout your body so you can see how vital it really is for your health. Too little iron will result in anemia which basically means that your red blood cells cannot carry enough oxygen to your cells and you start to develop signs of oxygen deficiency. Signs of anemia include:

Weakness

Dizziness

Headaches

Pale skin

Fatigue

Low body temperature

Memory loss

Hair loss

Poor brain function

Hypothyroidism

Spoon-shaped finger and toenails

Smooth tongue

Burning sensation in the tongue

Sores at the corners of the mouth

Dry skin

Shortness of breath

Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)

Leg pains

Chest pain

Pica (cravings for specific substances, such as licorice, chalk, dirt, or clay)

Too much iron can have the opposite effect because iron creates a lot of oxidative stress which is basically too many free radicals that create inflammation. These free radicals eat up your antioxidants like vitamin C and E creating deficiencies.

Menstruating females lose a small amount of iron every month during their cycle so they tend not to build up too much iron in their bodies. However, iron levels can get too low when your diet is deficient in iron and you have absorption issues due to things like gluten and gut infections. I tend to see low ferritin levels quite a bit in chronically-ill women who are still cycling but it is also common in postmenopausal women who never restored their iron levels before entering menopause.

Since men do not have a menstrual cycle, we are the most at risk for accumulating iron. As iron builds-up in a man’s body he may develop the following symptoms as it accumulates in the brain and other body tissues (most of these also apply to women):

Brain fog

Fatigue

Low sex drive and erectile dysfunction (iron accumulates in the testicles)

Mood swings, especially anger

Digestive problems as iron builds-up in the gut

Anxiety

Depression

Fatigue after meals (insulin resistance)

Memory loss

Joint pain

Weight loss

Abdominal pain

Hair loss

Congestive heart failure

This is why the ferritin test is so important because it can tell us if there is too much or too little iron in your body. It’s a simple blood test but rarely ordered during general check-ups and standard blood panels however I believe it is one of the most important and overlooked tests in medicine today. This is why I include it in every patient’s blood panel even if it was normal within the last year.

What should you do if your iron levels are too low?

One extremely important fact to note is that your iron levels can become depleted due to internal bleeding from serious diseases such as cancer or an ulcer in your gut. If you or your doctor suspect serious disease then you should be evaluated by a gastroenterologist, internist or hematologist to rule out something more serious.

If your iron is simply low due to insufficient dietary intake or absorption problems then you may begin to take the following steps to restore your levels once you consult with a licensed medical professional:

Iron supplementation. Iron is best taken in a chelated form for the best absorption. Combining iron with vitamin C will help it’s absorption.

You may require intravenous or iron injections by a hematologist if your ferritin levels are extremely low.

Indentify food sensitivities such as gluten which can create absorption problems.

Get your thyroid checked since low thyroid function results in low stomach acid which will negatively affect absorption of vitamins and minerals.

A stool analysis may be in order to identify infections such as parasites, bacteria or yeasts that can also create poor absorption. In fact, some parasites such as worms feed on iron and b-vitamins resulting in deficiencies.

Increase your consumption of iron-rich foods.

Additionally, you may want to limit your consumption of the following which inhibit the absorption of iron (these can be used if your iron is too high as a treatment strategy):

Calcium supplements and calcium-rich foods

Eggs

Phytates: Reduce iron absorption about 50% (nuts, seeds, legumes, cereals, whole grains). Proper preparation of these foods such as soaking and sprouting significantly reduces the phytate content.

Oxalates: spinach, kale, beets, nuts, chocolate, tea, wheat bran, rhubarb, strawberries and herbs such as oregano, basil, and parsley.

Polyphenols: cocoa, coffee, black tea, herbal teas, green tea, berries, walnuts, apples.

If you have too much iron in your body then you may have a genetic condition known as hemochromatosis. This disease basically means that your body is absorbing too much iron so it builds-up in massive quantities. It can be deadly if not found early as iron continues to build resulting in heart attack and organ failure.

Hemochromatosis is handled by a gastroenterologist or hematologist who will have you do frequent therapeutic phlebotomies to reduce your iron levels. This usually works quite nicely to get iron levels down to a healthy level and then you must be monitored and prescribed a schedule for regular phlebotomies or blood donations to keep your iron levels in a healthy range.

Additionally, there are a few things you can do to keep your iron levels low and reduce the oxidative stress from the excess iron:

Drink green tea. This will inhibit iron absorption and the antioxidants in green tea will help reduce inflammation.

Increase consumption of the spice turmeric or supplement with curcumin. This has actually been shown to help your body get rid of excess iron.

Stop cooking on iron cookware which can result in iron in your cooked food. I only recommend menstruating females to eat off of iron cookware. I have seen many patients over the years who use iron cookware and their iron levels have built up to an unhealthy level.

Decrease consumption of foods that are high in iron. Red meat has the highest level of iron which is great if your iron levels are low, but not so great if they are too high.

Be careful with vitamin C supplements since vitamin C improves absorption of iron. Some say the antioxidant effects of vitamin C cancel out the negative effect of increased iron absorption, but I recommend just not going overboard if you are going to take it.

Avoid alcohol, sugar, nicotine, and beta-carotene which all increase the absorption of iron.

Iron and your thyroid

Too much iron can build-up in your thyroid gland creating inflammation and imbalanced hormone production. However, iron is required for thyroid hormone production, the conversion of T4 into the more active T3, and for utilization of thyroid hormone in the cell, so your ferritin levels must be healthy for optimal thyroid hormone levels. I have found that low ferritin levels have been the missing link in some patients with hypothyroidism who just can’t seem to get their thyroid levels in balance. If you have a thyroid problem, definitely have your ferritin levels checked to make sure your ferritin is not too high or too low.

Click here to read my detailed article on ferritin and hypothyroidism.

Iron at war?

Too much iron can create an internal battle among iron and the following nutrients:

Zinc

Manganese

Molybdenum

Copper

As iron accumulates in your body, you may develop deficiencies in these vital nutrients which are key factors in hundreds of processes in your body. I have patients do a “Zinc Taste Test” every 30 days to check their zinc levels. If they are low, we supplement with zinc and a small amount of copper for 30 days and then retest on a regular basis. Just as iron competes with these 4 nutrients, they also compete with each other so it’s a matter of finding the right balance and not taking too much of one of these for long periods of time so you don’t develop deficiencies.

What is a healthy ferritin level?

Standard lab ranges are pretty broad currently set at 15-150 ng/ml for adult women and 30-400 ng/ml for adult men. I prefer a ferritin of about 80-110 for optimal health. Some women need to have a ferritin at 100 or above just to start seeing hair regrowth, to normalize thyroid function, and to really feel better. It’s amazing how symptoms can set in when the ferritin drops below 100. One other important thing to note is that your ferritin levels can be extremely low but you may not show signs of anemia on standard blood tests.

Are there other tests you should have?

You should also have these iron values tested along with ferritin to get a more accurate picture:

Serum iron

% iron saturation

TIBC (Total iron binding capacity)

If you only check ferritin without the above three markers then you're not getting the complete picture.

The ferritin test is by far one of the most important tests you can have done on a regular basis yet it is almost never orde

The thyroid-adrenal-pancreas axis is one of the most important connections in understanding and healing your thyroid.  In addition to gastrointestinal and blood sugar disorders, adrenal gland dysfunction is one of the most commonly seen imbalance in today’s society.  Adrenal gland imbalances are also one of the major factors that cause thyroid hormone imbalance.  Stress from work, relationships, electronics, poor diet choices such as consumption of refined carbohydrates and trans fats, infections, and environmental toxins all contribute to adrenal disorders.  Let's discuss the thyroid-adrenal-pancreas axis in detail so you can understand this complex connection

The Adrenal Glands

The adrenal glands are about the size of a walnut and lie on top of the kidneys.  The outer adrenal cortex comprises eighty percent of the gland and produces many hormones including cortisol and DHEA from cholesterol.  Ninety percent of the cholesterol in the body is made by the liver and only ten percent comes from the diet.

Cholesterol converts into the hormone pregnenolone in the adrenal cortex which then converts to cortisol, the stress hormone, or DHEA, the sex hormone source, immune enhancer and anabolic.  Cortisol is our “fight or flight” stress hormone.  Cortisol slows down digestion, suppresses immune function and raises blood sugar as a survival mechanism when we are under stress.  The problem arises when this becomes chronic and over time, elevated cortisol will tear down your body.

Cortisol is secreted on a circadian rhythm with highest production in the morning that slowly tapers off as the day progresses.  Sleep is when our bodies repair and rejuvenate but high cortisol during sleep will prevent this from happening.

Hormones Secreted by the Adrenal Glands

DHEA

DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is a precursor to estrogens, progesterone and testosterone.  DHEA is extremely important for immune system function and anabolic (building up) processes in the body.  DHEA levels begin to decline after age thirty-five but cortisol can remain elevated during continuing periods of stress.  Low DHEA levels are also found in diseases such as multiple sclerosis, cancer, fibromyalgia, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis and of course, thyroid disorders.

The inner medulla produces adrenalin and noradrenalin also known as norepinephrine and epinephrine.  The cortex is under the control of hormones produced in the brain and the medulla is under the control of the nervous system.

Healthy adrenal glands are vital for women who are peri- and post-menopausal.  The adrenal glands are responsible for producing the majority of sex hormones in a menopausal woman once the ovaries stop functioning.  If the adrenal glands are fatigued and not ready for menopause, there will be an exaggeration of menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, weight gain, sleep problems, bone loss, mood swings, depression, anxiety, loss of sex drive and vaginal dryness.  Healthy adrenals ensure an easy transition into menopause and beyond.  A vast majority of the women I see in practice approach menopause with adrenal imbalances leading to severe menopausal symptoms and hormone dysfunction.

Aldosterone

Aldosterone is produced by the cortex and causes sodium absorption and potassium excretion.  Low salt diets and high water intake put a major stress on the adrenal glands to retain as much salt as possible as the blood becomes more diluted from the extra water intake.  One of the easiest ways to maintain healthy adrenals is to consume a half- teaspoon of unrefined celtic sea salt every morning with a few glasses of water.  It’s important to consume half of your bodyweight in ounces of water every day but it must be balanced with salt to remove stress from the adrenal glands.

Understanding the importance of gluten and Hashimoto's disease may be the key factor in healing your thyroid.

The Link Between Gluten and Hashimoto's Disease

Has your doctor talked to you about the link between gluten and Hashimoto's Disease? Hashimoto's Disease is an autoimmune condition that causes 90% of all cases of hypothyroidism. Gluten is a combination of proteins found in grains such as wheat, rye, barley, spelt and many others. Ongoing scientific research indicates that there is a dangerous link between eating foods that contain gluten and Hashimoto's disease.

The hard truth is that gluten and Hashimoto's Disease are a destructive combination. If you have been diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease, also known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, you need to completely avoid gluten to avoid triggering autoimmune attacks on your thyroid gland.  However, you may not have to avoid gluten forever but this depend on a number of factors.

What decides if someone must be gluten-free forever?

Once my patient's antibody levels are in a healthy range, their thyroid and blood tests look great, and they are feeling great, then we can try a gluten challenge.  I always make sure they are eating small quantities from high quality sources such as sourdough bread.  Sourdough has much lower concentrations of gluten than normal bread because the leavening process breaks down a lot of the gluten.

I'll have a patient eat some high quality sourdough bread a few times a week and see how they feel. Sometimes they will know right away that they must completely avoid gluten.  In other cases, they will feel fine and when we test their thyroid antibodies and thyroid numbers, they actually look great and have not changed.  These individuals can have gluten in moderation.

So as you can see, the answer is not black and white as it is very patient-specific.  It would be a tragedy for someone to have to avoid gluten for their entire life unnecessarily.  Most people will have to avoid gluten for life but there are always exceptions to this statement.

Why should gluten be avoided if you have Hashimoto's Disease?

Gluten has been shown in multiple studies to be a contributing factor to not just Hashimoto's disease, but many autoimmune diseases.  Gluten can break down the intestinal barrier leading to “Leaky Gut Syndrome” which can lead to autoimmune disease.  Gluten can also be an irritant to Hashimoto's disease by creating inflammation in the thyroid gland.  The process is known as “molecular mimicry” which basically means that your body’s immune system is attacking the gluten, infection or environmental toxin but also attacking it’s own tissue.

Get the Facts on Gluten and Hashimoto's Disease

Many physicians do not discuss the connection between gluten and Hashimoto's disease with their patients but instead put them on a regimen of thyroid medications. But medications do not deal with the autoimmune response that damages the thyroid. A functional medicine perspective is that a practitioner must find out what triggers the immune system to attack the thyroid, and work with the patient to develop strategies to avoid those triggers.

To get a comprehensive overview of the connection between gluten and Hashimoto's disease, as well as other triggers of autoimmune attacks that lead to hypothyroidism, read The Complete Thyroid Health and Diet Guide by functional medicine practitioner Dr. Nikolas R. Hedberg.

The Functional Medicine Approach to Gluten and Hashimoto's Disease

A functional medicine practitioner like Dr. Hedberg will discuss gluten and Hashimoto's Disease with you because the functional medicine approach thoroughly investigates underlying causes of dysfunction and targets the unique causes of low thyroid in each person. That means each patient undergoes a comprehensive examination, including health history, environment, diet and nutrition, exercise level, psychological and emotional state, social interactions, hormone levels, and genetics.

Dr. Hedberg has dedicated his life to researching thyroid dysfunction. Since a majority of cases of hypothyroidism are caused by Hashimoto’s he has done a lot of research into the connection between gluten and Hashimoto's Disease.

How long can it take to see improvements once you stop eating gluten?

It can take up to 18 months for the inflammation in the intestine to calm down on a gluten-free diet.  Many people with Hashimoto's disease experience quick results in a matter of weeks once coming off of gluten.  There are other foods that can contribute to inflammation in the intestine along with gluten such as dairy products, eggs, soy and other food allergens to name a few.  It is important to have food sensitivity testing done to identify what foods your body is reacting to in addition to gluten.

Get a Holistic Perspective on Gluten and Hashimoto's Disease

Blood tests alone are not enough to determine if there is a relationship between your consumption of gluten and Hashimoto's Disease. If you are ready to partner with a practitioner who will seek the underlying causes of your illness, and then follow a treatment plan that might recommend changes to diet, supplementation, herbal medicine or natural hormones, then make an appointment to consult with Dr. Hedberg either in his office or virtually from anywhere in the world. When you truly understand the connection between gluten and Hashimoto's disease, then you have the power to change your health and begin renewing your thyroid, and your health, naturally.

Understanding the importance of gluten and Hashimoto's disease may be the key factor in healing your thyroid.

The Link Between Gluten and Hashimoto's Disease

Has your doctor talked to you about the link between gluten and Hashimoto's Disease? Hashimoto's Disease is an autoimmune condition that causes 90% of all cases of hypothyroidism. Gluten is a combination of proteins found in grains such as wheat, rye, barley, spelt and many others. Ongoing scientific research indicates that there is a dangerous link between eating foods that contain gluten and Hashimoto's disease.

The hard truth is that gluten and Hashimoto's Disease are a destructive combination. If you have been diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease, also known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, you need to completely avoid gluten to avoid triggering autoimmune attacks on your thyroid gland.  However, you may not have to avoid gluten forever but this depend on a number of factors.

What decides if someone must be gluten-free forever?

Once my patient's antibody levels are in a healthy range, their thyroid and blood tests look great, and they are feeling great, then we can try a gluten challenge.  I always make sure they are eating small quantities from high quality sources such as sourdough bread.  Sourdough has much lower concentrations of gluten than normal bread because the leavening process breaks down a lot of the gluten.

I'll have a patient eat some high quality sourdough bread a few times a week and see how they feel. Sometimes they will know right away that they must completely avoid gluten.  In other cases, they will feel fine and when we test their thyroid antibodies and thyroid numbers, they actually look great and have not changed.  These individuals can have gluten in moderation.

So as you can see, the answer is not black and white as it is very patient-specific.  It would be a tragedy for someone to have to avoid gluten for their entire life unnecessarily.  Most people will have to avoid gluten for life but there are always exceptions to this statement.

Why should gluten be avoided if you have Hashimoto's Disease?

Gluten has been shown in multiple studies to be a contributing factor to not just Hashimoto's disease, but many autoimmune diseases.  Gluten can break down the intestinal barrier leading to “Leaky Gut Syndrome” which can lead to autoimmune disease.  Gluten can also be an irritant to Hashimoto's disease by creating inflammation in the thyroid gland.  The process is known as “molecular mimicry” which basically means that your body’s immune system is attacking the gluten, infection or environmental toxin but also attacking it’s own tissue.

Get the Facts on Gluten and Hashimoto's Disease

Many physicians do not discuss the connection between gluten and Hashimoto's disease with their patients but instead put them on a regimen of thyroid medications. But medications do not deal with the autoimmune response that damages the thyroid. A functional medicine perspective is that a practitioner must find out what triggers the immune system to attack the thyroid, and work with the patient to develop strategies to avoid those triggers.

To get a comprehensive overview of the connection between gluten and Hashimoto's disease, as well as other triggers of autoimmune attacks that lead to hypothyroidism, read The Complete Thyroid Health and Diet Guide by functional medicine practitioner Dr. Nikolas R. Hedberg.

The Functional Medicine Approach to Gluten and Hashimoto's Disease

A functional medicine practitioner like Dr. Hedberg will discuss gluten and Hashimoto's Disease with you because the functional medicine approach thoroughly investigates underlying causes of dysfunction and targets the unique causes of low thyr...

What is Adrenal Fatigue?

"Adrenal fatigue" doesn't technically exist despite what many people have read on the internet.  Adrenal fatigue is a term used by many alternative healthcare practitioners but there is no evidence that it is actually a condition.  I'll use the term "adrenal fatigue" however throughout this article to simply describe a hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis that is out of balance.

Adrenal fatigue basically means that your adrenal glands are out of balance with the brain and aren't producing healthy levels of the hormones cortisol, DHEA and aldosterone.   Additionally, your adrenals may be over-producing or under-producing adrenaline (norepinephrine & epinephrine).  When you first become stressed the adrenals will pump out a lot of cortisol and adrenaline but over time they become out of balance from prolonged stress.

What causes Adrenal Fatigue?

Anything that creates stress to the human body can result in adrenal fatigue.  When your body can no longer keep up with the daily stresses of your life it becomes too overwhelming for the adrenal glands and they finally become out of balance.  Single moms working two jobs, financial anxiety, divorce, death of a loved one, environmental toxins, infections, junk food, the shock of a loved one diagnosed with cancer or heart disease, electromagnetic radiation, food allergies, leaky gut, excessive caffeine intake, sugar, too much alcohol, staying up late and a society that is losing good manners and consideration for those around us is really wreaking havoc and causing stress to our bodies.  Your body can only handle so much stress and when it reaches it's breaking point, adrenal fatigue sets in.

Adrenal Gland Basics

The adrenal glands sit on top of the kidneys and weigh approximately 5 grams each.  Per gram of tissue the adrenals have one of the highest rates of blood flow and the highest concentration of vitamin C.  There are actually two parts to the adrenal gland.  The cortex produces the steroid hormones cortisol, DHEA and aldosterone while the medulla (inner portion) produces epinephrine and norepinephrine.

The adrenals actually function based on a circadian rhythm with the greatest amount of hormones produced early in the day and then decrease as the day progresses.  An abnormal adrenal rhythm can wreak havoc on many functions of the body.

What are the symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue?

* Fatigue

* Slow-starter in the morning

* Frequent urination

* Muscle and joint pain

* Low blood sugar

* Migraine headaches

* Osteoporosis

* Sleep disturbances

* Poor memory

* Low sex drive

* Low body temperature

* Weak immune system

* Abnormal thyroid function

* Sugar or Salt cravings

* Difficulty recovering from exercise

* Weight gain and difficulty losing weight

* Rapid muscle loss even within a few days of working out

* Dizziness when standing up from a seated or lying position

What is the best test for adrenal fatigue?

You may be surprised to learn the salivary hormone testing is not an accurate way to measure adrenal function.  Salivary hormone testing has become extremely popular but unfortunately is only gives you a small part of the picture.

The besting testing is DUTCH hormone testing from Precision Analytical. This is spot urine testing which not only gives you the actual hormone levels but also all of their metabolites.  Hormone metabolites are just as important as actual hormone levels, and even more important when it comes to cortisol.

What treatments are helpful?

Adrenal adaptogens are herbal medicines that help support your body's ability to adapt to stress which takes stress off o...

Low Thyroid Symptoms in Women are Widespread

Thyroid symptoms in women are sadly prevalent today. In general, women are more vulnerable to thyroid disorders than men for a variety of reasons. It is estimated that as many as ten percent of women suffer harmful effects from underactive thyroid, a condition also known as hypothyroidism.

Thyroid symptoms in women are more frequently caused by the autoimmune disease Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Up to ninety percent of all cases of hypothyroidism are caused by Hashimoto’s Disease, an autoimmune disorder that is about seven times more likely to affect women than men.

Why are women more prone to thyroid disorders than men?

Women experience autoimmune disease at a higher rate than men due to many factors.  Excessive estrogen levels can lead to autoimmune disease because high estrogen causes immune system problems.  Epstein-Barr virus is a common cause of Hashimoto’s disease and too much estrogen inhibits the body’s ability to fight this virus.

Women also experience higher levels of inflammation compared to men when they are under stress.  Relationship stress, family stress, conflict, lack of sleep, weight gain, and social isolation with loneliness increases inflammation in women to a greater extent than in men.  This causes chronic inflammation which is a key factor in developing autoimmune disease and hypothyroidism.

Common Low Thyroid Symptoms in Women

The most common low thyroid symptoms in women are fatigue, weight gain and depression. Other symptoms include:

Alopecia (Hair Loss)

Muscle Weakness or Pain

Sensitivity to Cold

Dry Skin, Hair & Nails

Constipation

Sleep problems

Joint pain

Heavy menstrual flow

PMS

Puffy face

Hoarse voice

Difficulty swallowing

You will not necessarily have all of these common thyroid symptoms in women. There are many causes of hypothyroidism and each one will lead to different symptoms in different patients.

Causes of Thyroid Symptoms in Women

Dr. Nikolas Hedberg has extensively researched thyroid symptoms in women. His book The Complete Thyroid Health and Diet Guide offers comprehensive information on the thyroid and all of the many factors that cause or contribute to thyroid dysfunction including:

Lyme Disease

Epstein-Barr Virus

Blood Sugar Imbalances

Adrenal Imbalances

Leaky Gut Syndrome

Gluten Intolerance

Heavy Metal Toxicity

Autoimmune Disease

Excess Estrogen

GI Infections

Various Viruses & Bacteria

Vitamin D deficiency

Genetics

Traumatic emotional event

The most common Western medicine approach to treating low thyroid symptoms in women is thyroid hormone replacement. Most physicians prescribe medications that treat or mask symptoms but do not deal directly with any of these underlying causes of disease.

Thyroid medication is prescribed for hypothyroidism that is non-autoimmune in nature as well as for Hashimoto’s disease.  But there is no treatment for the autoimmune component if you have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

This is where functional medicine is extremely valuable because it searches for the underlying causes of the thyroid problem for both types of thyroid issues.

The Functional Medicine Approach to Low Thyroid Symptoms in Women

If you are looking for a natural solution for low thyroid symptoms in women, consult with Dr. Nikolas Hedberg, a practitioner of functional medicine. Functional medicine is a holistic approach to wellness that does not reduce a patient to a single organ, but instead addresses the whole person.

Dr. Hedberg investigates all the possible underlying causes of low thyroid symptoms in women by comprehensively evaluating each patient’s health history, environment, diet and nutrition, exercise level, psychological and emotional state, social interactions, hormone levels, digestive health and genetics.

If you are ready to partner with a practitioner who seeks the underlying causes of thyroid symptoms in women, and then creates a treatment plan that might recommend changes to diet, supplementation, herbal medicine or natural hormones, then make an appointment to consult with Dr. Hedberg in his office or via a virtual health consultation.

Approximately 1 in 10 Americans suffer symptoms from abnormally low activity of the thyroid gland, known as hypothyroidism. These hypothyroid symptoms can be debilitating and frustrating to deal with on a daily basis.  You may still be experiencing symptoms even if your lab tests looks normal and you are taking medication.

Hypothyroid symptoms are numerous, but the most common are:

Weight gain and inability to lose the weight even with diet and exercise

Fatigue

Depression

Constipation

Cold hands and feet

Cold intolerance

Muscle and/or joint pain

Dry skin

Dry brittle nails and hair

Hair loss

Insomnia

Puffy face

Hoarse voice

Muscle weakness

High cholesterol

Impaired memory

Slow heart rate

Heavy periods/PMS

Why does hypothyroidism cause these symptoms?

Your thyroid gland controls your metabolism meaning how much energy you produce.  If you can’t make energy from the food you eat, then everything starts to slow down.  You start to get tired and since you can’t burn fat, you start to gain weight.

Thyroid hormone drives the movement of food through your intestines so you get constipated.  Moisture in your body is produced through the metabolism of fat so everything starts to dry up when you are hypothyroid.

You get cold because heat is produced by the metabolism of the food you eat so your temperature drops in hypothyroidism.  The quality of your skin, hair and nails will suffer because you can’t absorb and metabolize all the vitamins and minerals you consume from food and supplements.

Thyroid hormone is vital for estrogen metabolism so estrogen levels may build-up causing heavy periods and PMS.  The heart slows down, your brain slows down and your cholesterol may go up.

Having Hypothyroid Symptoms Despite Treatment?

Have you have been frustrated by hypothyroid symptoms that persist despite medication? Do your blood tests show normal ranges, yet you still feel unwell? Medication doesn’t always work for everyone. Normal blood tests do not necessarily mean that your thyroid is functioning optimally.

Do you feel your practitioner has fully investigated the causes of your illness?

Patients with hypothyroid symptoms require a thorough and comprehensive evaluation. Dr. Hedberg’s philosophy is such that, before a patient can get well, the underlying causes of their chronic illness must be identified. That is why he trained as a functional medicine practitioner.

The Functional Medicine Method and Hypothyroid Symptoms

Functional medicine is patient-centered care. Lab tests are helpful but they are not a substitute for listening to a patient with hypothyroid symptoms, learning their story, and addressing their unique needs. A functional medicine approach to hypothyroid symptoms involves an examination of various factors that affect health:

Environment

Psychological and Emotional Health

Lifestyle

Genetics

Nutrition/Diet

Exercise Level

Hormone Imbalances

Proper Supplementation

In functional medicine, we look at every single aspect of a patient’s unique health and perform laboratory diagnostic tests to find the underlying causes of disease.  Many of these tests are not run by conventional medicine because they aren’t necessarily looking for a disease, but rather biochemical imbalances that can lead to the disease.

It’s also important to be tested for Hashimoto’s disease which causes 90% of hypothyroidism in the world.  If you haven’t been tested for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, then this is the first step to healing your thyroid.  If you do have Hashimoto’s disease, then you must be thoroughly evaluated for the underlying causes of this autoi...

In this podcast, I chat with Michael Diettrich-Chastain about three things you can do for anxiety.

We discussed the importance of having a daily routine that you sustain for a long time in order to get the best results.  The following can be extremely helpful for anxiety that you can implement into your daily routine:

Meditation

Journaling

Some type of movement such as exercise or just a walk in nature

Spending more time with people and removing yourself from isolation

Taking a break from technology and social media

Here are some great articles that teach you how to journal and the health benefits including reducing anxiety and depression:

The Health Benefits of Journaling

Journaling for Mental Health

Additional Resources Recommended by Michael

Meditation/mindfulness for the individual and organization 

Mind/Body approach to Anxiety 

More information on the Muse device 

How Should you Implement all of this?

You’ll probably create even more anxiety if you put too much on your plate right away, so start slowly and build from there. You may find that you don’t even need to journal, for example, if you are doing well just meditating, taking the occasional nature walk and avoiding social media whenever you can.

Set the bar as low as possible so you set yourself up for success rather than failure.  Example, don’t try to meditate, journal and exercise every day right off the bat.  Take just one of these and start small such as meditation for 5 minutes a day.  One nature walk a week is a great start as another example.

And as always, any changes in your life shouldn’t add more stress so trust your gut when making these decisions.  You should feel good about implementing any of these recommendations.

Enjoy these extremely helpful tips for reducing anxiety and our three things you can do for anxiety interview.

More about Michael Diettrich-Chastain

Michael Diettrich-Chastain is the founder of Path to Synergy, where he provides Organizational Consulting, Coaching and Counseling services.

As an executive or leadership coach, Michael has helped organizational leaders and teams become more effective in recognizing how to inspire, engage, resolve conflict and communicate with others. Through coaching, Michael also helps individuals recognize and develop strengths in order to become more effective in their careers and personal lives.

Michael is also a Licensed Professional Counselor who is passionate about helping individuals resolve anxiety, stress, conflict, burnout and work/life balance. Through much of his work Michael sees the value in empowering clients to re-engage with their sense of purpose. In addition to his background in mental health and coaching, Michael has facilitated trainings on leadership, team building, communication, emotional intelligence, employee engagement, self-care and other topics.

Is Facebook making you sick?  Many have the false belief that Facebook was created for the benefit of people to stay in touch and see what their “friends” are up to.  In actuality, Facebook was created strictly to gather as much data as possible about its users for the single purpose of making a profit.

Is Facebook Having an Ill-Effect on your Health?

Is Facebook making you sick - nothing more than a “rat wheel” filled with advertisements, negative injections of news, agendas, depersonalization and a true money-making machine built on manipulating human psychology?

Is it having a negative effect on the health of our population at large?

Social isolation and lack of human contact is becoming more and more of a problem as technology brings us “closer together” without actually seeing or talking to people in person.

One of the things we know about human beings is that we require physical contact and face to face interaction with other humans in order to be healthy. When we isolate ourselves, a few things begin to happen:

Immune system becomes less competent

Reproductive hormones become imbalanced (especially women)

Adrenal hormones become imbalanced

Autonomic nervous system imbalances arise (sympathetic fight or flight dominance)

Inflammation increases

Does Facebook Actually Decrease Your Interactions with People?

I’ll be the first to admit that using Facebook has definitely decreased the amount of times I choose to pick up the phone and say hi to people to see what they are up to.  I already know what they are up to because I can just look on Facebook.

My Facebook feed is filled with pictures, videos and “updates” about people’s lives, so there is no need to take the effort to find out more intimately what my friends are up to.  Some people are addicted to Facebook and rightly so.  Many people make posts so they can get a “hit” of “likes” for each post or a reaction or response from people they know.

Studies show that checking texts, emails and “likes” are like little hits of the feel good neurotransmitter dopamine just like cocaine.  In fact, constantly checking notifications on our devices has been shown to lower your IQ!  Facebook has also been shown to activate areas of the brain that are related to addictive behaviors such as gambling.

Another issue that arises with Facebook during this political season is its use to spread political or religious agendas.  It’s always the same old “my side is better than yours” and this or that candidate sucks.  All the while, all these people making these posts assume that everyone who they are “friends” with agrees with them.

I have seen many, many heated debates on Facebook regarding religion and politics which actually do nothing positive or useful for anyone.  It’s much easier to have a debate hiding behind one’s keyboard than to have an intellectually honest conversation about such topics.

After reviewing many of these debates, it is clear that most people are arguing based on emotions rather than factual data and good evidence.

This approach to debating creates a stress response and possibly anger and frustration which wreaks havoc on the human body.

I also see many posts coming through about the latest health fad that are completely void of scientific inquiry.  Everyone jumps on the fanatical band wagon, signing this petition or that, without ever really making positive change or discussing scientific evidence.

Now that we know the more time you spend on Facebook, the more depressed you become, what is the best approach to Facebook?

I deleted my Facebook account earlier this year and I have never felt better about my life and myself.  I posted that I was going to delete my account asking for anyone who wanted to stay in touch to please message me their contact information.  Ironically, all of my true friends messaged me so now I have everyone's email and phone number to stay in touch the real way.  I now call my friends more than I ever have and we have real communication rather than the fake way on a computer screen.

Improve your Quality of Life

Here are a few tips that I think will improve your quality of life if you decide to continue using Facebook:

Next time it is someone’s birthday, pick up the phone and call them to wish them Happy Birthday or send them an actual birthday card.  It’s so easy to wish someone Happy Birthday on Facebook, rather than make more intimate contact with them.

If you want to see what people are up to, pick up the phone and call them or arrange a get together.  We need human-to-human contact to be healthy.

Don’t engage in political or religious agendas and debates.  Respect everyone’s beliefs and keep these issues to yourself, or discuss them in the appropriate venue.  Remember that when you attack a political party or belief system, you insult the person who has a different view.  You will never change anyone’s mind about their beliefs or political affiliation in a Facebook comment section.  In fact, you may actually get an effect that is opposite from what you were aiming for.

Take a complete tech holiday whenever you can.  Technology is fantastic, but too much computer and smart device use isn’t good for us.  Get out in nature as often as possible; this type of activity has been shown to reduce stress, depression and enhance creative thinking.

If you’re going to use Facebook, give yourself a certain amount of time to use it and limit your exposure each week.

One of the things you’ll notice by calling people, meeting them in person or writing to them the way we used to do things, is an improved sense of well-being.  It kind of feels strange even writing this, but I think it’s a good reminder for all of us.

Lastly, remember that you don’t need Facebook for anything.  You can be involved in your friends’ and family members’ lives without it, so don’t let it control you or change the way you live your life.  Your physical and psychological health is dependent on human-to-human interaction, so don’t forget about this simple, yet extraordinarily profound, aspect of a healthy life.