Naturopath Toni Baker talks through what conditions or environmental triggers might result in developing Hashimoto’s Disease.
Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune condition that attacks your thyroid. Inflammation from Hashimoto’s can often lead to an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism).
Whilst great inroads can be made by cleaning up the diet with gluten and dairy in particular, it is often better to find out the root cause of what has triggered it.
Here are 3 of the key triggers of Hashimoto’s Disease:
- Gluten Sensitivity – Both gluten sensitivity and Coeliac disease have been implicated with Hashimoto’s but many people with gluten sensitivity do not realise they are sensitive until they actually remove the gluten. If this was the cause then a significant lowering of antibodies will be seen. Coeliac can be tested through a simple blood test.
- Gut Health – Parasites, bacterial infections, fungal infections and small intestinal bacterial overgrown (SIBO) are all causes of gut permeability that can lead to Hashimoto’s. By finding out exactly what’s going on in the gut and also looking at some food sensitivities can greatly improve the antibody count.
- Environmental Triggers – In people that are genetically susceptible to Hashimoto’s, a change in environmental factors might be responsible for this. It could be an increase in iodine or a virus that has disrupted the immune system or just our daily increase of the chemical cocktail that our bodies have to endure these days.
We have many ways of testing and supporting Hashimoto’s with functional medicine. Call us at the clinic to gain further information.