Putting The Damn Puzzle Together

Putting this particular puzzle together is really baffling. I will try to sum up what I have read and written about, but summing up information is much easier than putting it into practice.

To sum up my posts:

*Gluten = Bad.
*Some Foods Are Inflammatory, For Everyone or Just For You. Avoid Them.
*Heal Your Gut. Probiotics, Whole Foods, Avoid Processed Foods.  
*Certain Vitamins, Minerals, & Nutrients are Necessary For Thyroid Health

Dr. Weil's site has an article about regulating Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. His advice is below:

• "Decrease protein intake toward 10 percent of daily calories; replace animal protein as much as possible with plant protein.
• Eliminate cow's milk and all cow's milk products, substituting other calcium sources.
• Eat more fruits and vegetables regularly and make sure that they are organically grown.
• Eliminate polyunsaturated vegetable oils, margarine, vegetable shortening, all partially hydrogenated oils, and all foods (such as deep-fried foods) that might contain trans-fatty acids. Use extra-virgin olive oil as your main fat.
• Increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids.
• Take ginger (start with one capsule twice a day) and turmeric supplements (follow the dosage directions on the package).
• Protect yourself from harmful effects of stress, start by learning and practicing the 4-7-8 breathing exercise I recommend."

Chris Kresser's site has additional information.

• Removing Autoimmune Triggers

  • Gluten, iodine, stress and a leaky gut trigger an autoimmune response.

  • "Other potential triggers include estrogens, infectious agents, and environmental toxins. Estrogen fluctuations can trigger the gene expression of Hashimoto’s in the presence of inflammation and genetic susceptibility. In addition to turning on the genes associated with Hashimoto’s, estrogen surges have been shown to exacerbate the autoimmune attack on the thyroid."

• "Autoimmune thyroid disease has also been associated with a variety of infectious agents, including Rubella, Rubeolla, Epstein-Barr Virus, Retrovirus, Influenza B virus, Coxsakie virus and Yersinia."

• Enhancing Immune Function-"These strategies are all designed to enhance the function of regulatory T cells (also referred to as the Th3 system). Regulatory T cells are used to balance the activity between T-helper cells (Th1 & Th2) and T-suppressor cells (which “turn off” the immune attack)."

• Vitamin D has been shown to influence regulatory T cells.

• "The gut flora play a significant role in both cell-mediated (Th1) and humoral (Th2) immunity. Studies show that this protective role can be maintained and modulated by taking probiotics."

• "Acupuncture has recently been shown to regulate the Th1 and Th2 immune response. In this study of patients with depression, both Prozac and acupuncture were shown to reduce inflammation. But only acupuncture restored the balance between the Th1 and Th2 systems."

• Reducing Inflammation

• "Essential fatty acids (EFAs) play an important role in preventing and reducing inflammation."

Takeaway? Eat well, live well. :) And also, eliminate stress and toxins from your life as much as one can.