The Everything Guide to Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

A Healing Plan for Managing Symptoms Naturally

Aimee McNew

• Publisher: Everything
• Year: 2016
• Print ISBN: 9781440598142
• eBook ISBN: 9781440598159
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Diseases & Allergies

Heal your thyroid with the Paleo diet!

If you've been diagnosed with the autoimmune condition Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, you know how difficult it can be to improve symptoms. However, scientists are discovering ways to address this disease without resorting to prescription drugs and synthetic treatments: through the Paleo diet. By using functional medicine and healing foods, you may finally find relief!

In The Everything Guide to Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, you'll discover the causes and symptoms, as well as the link between gut health and thyroid health. You'll learn exactly which foods can help improve your condition and which ones exacerbate problems. This all-in-one health guide features meal plans, 200 nutritious recipes, and easy tips for transitioning to the Paleo lifestyle--so you can improve your well-being and heal your body naturally.

Chapter 1

What Is Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?

Autoimmune thyroid disease, including Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, is the most common autoimmune disorder that exists, according to Endocrine Reviews. It now affects a whopping 14 million people in the United States alone, or about 4 percent of the total population. The Journal of Immunology Research notes that of all autoimmune cases, 30 percent are of thyroid autoimmunity. Because it impacts such a small slice of the American population, Hashimoto’s is classed as a rare disease, but unfortunately, it is often misdiagnosed or goes undiagnosed for years.

The Butterfly Organ

The thyroid is an endocrine gland, which means that it produces hormones. It is located in the lower part of the neck and sits a little lower than the Adam’s apple, and measures about 2" in length. It is shaped like an H, but is also referred to as the butterfly organ because of its similarity in shape.

While the thyroid is a relatively small organ, it regulates a huge percentage of body function because it controls metabolism, or the body’s energy supply. When the thyroid isn’t working as it should, it affects several body systems and symptoms are widespread.

The thyroid makes two different hormones: thyroxine, or T4, and triiodothyronine, or T3. T4 is an inactive form of T3, and T3 is produced when body cells activate the T4. The body’s thyroid hormone production is spurred by the efforts of another endocrine gland, the pituitary, which is located in the brain. The pituitary produces TSH, or thyroid-stimulating hormone, and that instructs the thyroid to produce more T4. The communication between endocrine glands is meant to be effortless, but sadly, hormones are susceptible to many interruptions, and even slight imbalances with other body systems can cause chaos as well as over- or underproduction of hormones. The thyroid is especially sensitive.

Underproduction of thyroid hormone is referred to as hypothyroidism, and overproduction as hyperthyroidism. Both can be a result of several factors that are not autoimmune in nature, but the most common kind of thyroid disorder is Hashimoto’s, or autoimmune hypothyroid disease.

The Immune System and Autoimmune Disease

The immune system is thought to be the protective body force that keeps germs away, or at least eradicates them when they do enter the body. About 70 percent of the immune system resides in the gut in the form of gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). Autoimmune disease is triggered when the gut becomes imbalanced or overwhelmed with toxins, pathogens, or bacteria that break down the barrier function of the intestines. As a result of this weakened barrier, particles not intended to enter the bloodstream make their way throughout the body. The presence of these particles does not go unnoticed, and it is the immune system that sounds the alarm. However, instead of being able to recognize that the particles are foreign, the immune system makes associations with the closest thing that it recognizes so that it can produce antibodies to combat the “disease.” Unfortunately, in cases of autoimmunity, this results in the immune system mounting an attack against its own body. There are more than eighty varieties of autoimmune diseases, according to the research of Johns Hopkins Medicine. Thyroid diseases make up just two of those eighty.

A goiter is swelling of the thyroid gland as a result of inflammation or iodine deficiency. In the United States, goiters are most often a result of autoimmune thyroid disease. Goiters can be reduced in many cases by managing autoimmunity, as well as by proper thyroid hormone replacement. In some more extreme cases, goiters may need to be surgically removed.

The immune system becomes weaponized in cases of autoimmune disease because it finds similarities between the foreign particles that have entered the bloodstream and specific organs or tissues that are present in the body. Some of this is determined by genetic susceptibility, but some of it is also determined by the specific particles that are in the blood. Dairy and gluten, for example, closely resemble thyroid tissue when they are broken down to the cellular level. When the immune system “finds” these particles in the bloodstream, it gets the message that the thyroid is trying to take over the whole body. Being the body’s line of defense, the immune system is activated and launches an antibody attack against the thyroid to put it back in its place. As a result, thyroid function is suppressed. If dietary changes are not made, the immune system continues to attack the thyroid, in some cases resulting in total destruction of the gland’s ability to produce hormones. Continued autoimmune activation against the thyroid can also result in high levels of inflammation that can result in a goiter, which is enlargement of the thyroid gland.

The Basics of Thyroid Disease

There are three varieties of thyroid disease: Graves’ disease, postpartum thyroiditis, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Postpartum thyroiditis does become Hashimoto’s in about 20 percent of cases.

While these factors may not be present in all cases of thyroid disease (i.e., not everyone who has autoimmune thyroid disease will be diagnosed with a visible goiter), some or all of these are commonly found in all three types of thyroid disease:

• An overactive immune system
• Swelling in the gland (goiter)
• Genetic predisposition
• Requires medical treatment in some capacity (does not go away on its own)
• Changes in menstrual cycles for women
• Mood changes such as anxiety or depression
• Changes in libido

There are, however, some distinct differences among these three types of autoimmune thyroid activation:

• Graves’ and Hashimoto’s are often diagnosed between the ages of 40 and 60, while postpartum thyroiditis generally occurs within 12 months after pregnancy.
• Graves’ results in weight loss and increased body heat, while Hashimoto’s and postpartum have the opposite effect—weight gain (usually 10–20 pounds) or the inability to lose weight, as well as sensitivity to cold or chilly extremities.
• Graves’ disease causes an overproduction of thyroid hormone by the body and is often treated with radiated iodine, beta blockers, or antithyroid medications. In some cases, part or all of the thyroid must be removed. Hashimoto’s and postpartum require additional thyroid hormone, and are treated with thyroid hormone replacement and additional nutrient supplementation.

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is the most common form of thyroid disease, affecting women 7–10 times more than men. Of those who develop the disease, an immune defect is present in most, along with a genetic predisposition that is triggered by environmental or hormonal factors (or both).

Hashimoto’s often develops slowly over time, with symptoms presenting so gradually as to almost be imperceptible at first. Over time, perhaps even years, symptoms can become irritating or unmanageable. Unfortunately, Hashimoto’s is frequently misdiagnosed or undiagnosed, leaving patients suffering for months or years until their symptoms become so pronounced that doctors take a second or third look.

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and nonautoimmune hypothyroidism can often be confused. Doctors will often run only one or two of the entire panel of tests needed to properly diagnose autoimmunity, and thus will diagnose hypothyroidism and prescribe thyroid hormone replacement. In some cases, this can be enough to address the disease for a while, since hormone replacement is a key part of addressing Hashimoto’s. But in many cases, hormone replacement alone is insufficient, resulting in symptoms that do not go away and a disease that continues to worsen.

Causes, Triggers, and Risk Factors of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

Hashim...

Table of contents

• Letter to the Reader
• Welcome to the Everything Series!
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Chapter 1: What Is Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?
• Chapter 2: The Physical Impact of Hashimoto’s
• Chapter 3: How to Heal Thyroid Disease
• Chapter 4: What Is Paleo?
• Chapter 5: Adopting the Paleo Lifestyle
• Chapter 6: Fermented Foods, Soups, and Broths
• Chapter 7: Paleo Fats
• Chapter 8: Breakfast
• Chapter 9: Poultry
• Chapter 10: Meats
• Chapter 11: Fish and Seafood
• Chapter 12: Salads
• Chapter 13: Side Dishes
• Chapter 14: Baked Goods and Desserts
• Chapter 15: Smoothies and Drinks
• Chapter 16: Condiments, Sauces, and Dressings
• Appendix A: Sources
• Appendix B: Additional Resources
• Appendix C: Sample Meal Plans
• Appendix D: Paleo Food Lists
• Appendix E: Stocking a Paleo Pantry