When was the last time you received thorough and comprehensive lab work?
Autoimmune Thyroiditis is the most common reason for hypothyroid disease.
Is there a connection? Researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden think so because they found people with celiac disease were more likely to have used antibiotics in the year before their diagnosis.
Celiacs were more likely to have been prescribed multiple courses of antibiotics.
Plagues and infectious diseases that were previously the leading causes of death were largely eliminated with medical advances like vaccines and improvements in living conditions. Now, instead, we are plagued by chronic degenerative diseases. Several changes have occurred since the end of World War II that have contributed to the decline of our microbiomes and, from that, dysbiosis and the development of disease.
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, also known as chronic autoimmune thyroiditis, is the most common autoimmune disease affecting the thyroid gland. When functioning properly, the thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate metabolism and other processes. With this disease, the thyroid is attacked by its own antibodies, leading to atrophy and decline in thyroid function. It affects women at a greater rate than men, possibly due to women’s low levels of androgens (i.e., testosterone), which protect against and treat autoimmune disorders. Often, cases of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis eventually progress to hypothyroidism.
It's not just a gut feeling. There is tangible evidence that CFS Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is either accompanied or caused by gram negative enterobacteria that migrates through the gut wall. Normally kept in check by tight gap junctions in the intestines, these enterobacteria translocate easily through a permeable mucosa membrane causing elevated IgM and IgA markers for endotoxins in the blood. This in turn causes systemic oxidative stress.
While leaky gut has become a well known term, leaky skin is worthy of some attention, especially in these times of frequent hand washing and use of hand sanitizers. Leaky skin is connected to leaky gut and often times leaky gut first presents as skin issues. Leaky skin is not as effective as healthy skin at keeping allergens out. You can have leaky skin allergens cross the epithelial barrier and trigger an immune response. Leaky skin also makes it more likely to absorb potentially hazardous chemicals, which might cause reactions in the skin or systemic toxicity. Conventional treatments for atopic dermatitis often miss addressing the the underlying causes, and lead to overzealous hygiene routines which worsen the issues. Antibiotic prescriptions are also common in dermatology, and excessive use has created the emergence of "superbugs". With a naturopathic approach to atopic dermatitis, we want to support a healthy microbiome and restore skin hydration and Ph to improve skin barrier function. We recommend a few good companies who make non-toxic skin care products.