What is the Thyroid?

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland that is located in the front of your neck, just below the larynx (Adam’s apple). It is not visible when it is functioning properly.

The thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate many of your body’s functions including metabolism, growth, heart, muscle and digestive function, nervous system, temperature regulation, cognitive function and bone maintenance.

How does the Thyroid work?

The thyroid gland uses the amino acid tyrosine and iodine from the foods you eat to synthesise two main hormones which are carried to all the cells in the body.

These hormones are known as the Thyroid Hormones.

• Triiodothyronine (T3)
• Thyroxine (T4)

The thyroid gland produces around 20% of T3, the highly active form of the hormone, and 80% of T4, a prohormone which is converted to the active T3 form by specific enzymes in tissues such as the liver and kidneys.

The levels of T3 and T4 are maintained in the body through the release of the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). The Pituitary gland, which is located at the base of your brain, responds to low levels of thyroid hormone in the blood by releasing TSH which tells your thyroid gland to increase thyroid hormone production.

In addition to TSH levels in the blood, the pituitary gland is regulated by the hypothalamus in the brain which releases TSH Releasing Hormone which tells the pituitary gland when to release TSH to stimulate the thyroid gland.

This complex system is known as the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Thyroid Axis (HPT Axis) which functions to maintain normal levels of thyroid hormones circulating in the body.

What could go wrong?

When everything is functioning “normally”, the thyroid gland produces the right levels of thyroid hormones to support healthy metabolism and body function.

However, when the HPT Axis is disrupted, the thyroid may produce too much or too little thyroid hormones.

Thyroid function may be disrupted by a nutrient-poor diet, stress, trauma, environmental toxin exposure, viral or bacterial infection, gut dysbiosis, nutrient deficiencies, inflammation or autoantibodies.

Autoantibodies are associated with autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), which is the most common cause of thyroid dysfunction.

What is Autoimmune thyroid disease?

AITD can be either Hasimoto’s or Graves’ Disease and both result in thyroid dysfunction.

Hashimoto’s Disease occurs when the body’s immune system attacks the thyroid gland causing increased inflammation and destruction of thyroid cells, resulting in a decrease of thyroid hormones (hypothyroidism).

When your thyroid is underactive it does not make enough thyroid hormone to support normal metabolism and body functions. Hypothyroid symptoms may include weight gain, constipation, joint or muscle pain, fatigue, feeling cold, thinning dry hair, sadness or depression, heavy menstrual bleeding etc.
Hypothyroidism affects more women than men.

Graves’ Disease occurs when the immune system stimulates the thyroid to produce too much hormone – hyperthyroidism.

When your body has too much thyroid hormone, the body’s processes speed up and cause symptoms including weight loss, rapid heartbeat, increased bowel movements or diarrhoea, increased sweating, anxiety or nervousness, sleep issues, trembling hands, fewer and lighter menstrual bleeds etc.

Autoimmune Thyroid Disease and other Autoimmune Conditions

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is the most prevalent autoimmune disease and is frequently associated with other autoimmune conditions.

AITD may occur concurrently with coeliac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematous and Sjogren’s syndrome.

How is Thyroid dysfunction diagnosed?

Thyroid conditions can be difficult to diagnose as many of the symptoms are common to other medical conditions. However,  a detailed client and family history can often provide an indication that the thyroid needs to be tested.

Blood Tests:

TSH: High TSH indicates low thyroid function while low TSH indicates an overactive thyroid.

T3: the active form of the thyroid hormone

T4: the prohormone that becomes the active form through conversion in the liver and kidneys

Reverse T3 (rT3): an inactive form of T3 that cannot be used by the body. A high rT3 indicates an issue with T4 to T3 conversion.

Anti-thyroglobulin AB (TRAb) and Anti-TPO AB are thyroid antibodies that are elevated in autoimmune conditions such as Hashimoto or Graves’ disease.

Testing the full thyroid panel is very important in diagnosing thyroid conditions properly.

Ultrasound

A thyroid ultrasound identifies whether there have been any structural changes such as the presence of nodules or cysts or enlargement of the thyroid gland.

Fine Needle Biopsy

A sample of cells may be collected from a nodule during the ultrasound to identify cells that may be cancerous.

Can AIP help manage Autoimmune Thyroid Disease?

The conventional treatment for AITD is through the prescription of medication to replace thyroid hormone in the case of Hashimoto’s Disease, or medication to suppress thyroid hormone for Graves’ Disease. Complementary treatment works side by side the medical treatment.

The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) is used to identify dietary triggers, reduce inflammation, and improve thyroid symptoms. Several studies have shown that people with Hashimoto’s, continue to have debilitating symptoms even while taking thyroid medication. The AIP helps eliminate the symptoms the medication doesn’t address. Efficacy of the Autoimmune Protocol Diet as Part of a Multi-disciplinary, Supported Lifestyle Intervention for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis (nih.gov).

In addition, nutritional supplements may be prescribed such as zinc, selenium, vitamin D, and iodine to support healthy thyroid function. Managing stress, improving sleep, and increasing physical activity are also important components of the AIP.

Read more about the AIP here: Healing Autoimmune Disease Naturally | The Nutrition Factor – Vicky Ellenport | Clinical Nutritionist Melbourne).

If you have been diagnosed with a thyroid disorder or an autoimmune condition and want to know more about managing AID naturally, please book in for a complimentary Discovery Session with Vicky Book Appointment (thenutritionfactor.com.au) to find out how AIP may be helpful for you.

Factors that lead to the development of IBD are complex but immune dysregulation, gut dysbiosis, a nutritionally poor diet, environmental factors (such as mould, lead and other toxin exposure), stress, inadequate sleep, and family history are contributing factors.

The symptoms of both UC and CD can be similar and may include abdominal cramps and pain, diarrhoea, constipation, urgency for bowel movements, incomplete bowel evacuation, rectal bleeding, mucus in stools, fever, reduced appetite, weight loss and fatigue.

In both conditions, symptoms follow a pattern of flare and remission, with severity ranging from mild to severe.

Despite sharing these characteristics, Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease are different conditions.

Ulcerative Colitis causes swelling and ulcers on the mucosal surface of the lining of the colon and rectum. These ulcers may cause bleeding and discharge mucus or pus. This loss of blood in the stools can lead to Iron Deficiency Anaemia.  UC causes a continuous area of damage along, the large intestine beginning at the anus and spreading upward along the colon, rather than appearing as patches of damage.

Crohn’s Disease causes inflammation in the deeper layers of the mucosal tissue of the intestine and can extend through the entire thickness of the bowel wall. CD can affect several patches along the length of the colon and extend into the small intestine. Inflammation in the small intestine disrupts the proper absorption of nutrients from food and can cause elimination of fats and nutrients due to diarrhoea.

How is IBD diagnosed?

Diagnosis begins with a detailed case history exploration to understand when and how symptoms began, assess the severity of the symptoms and identify factors that exacerbate and alleviate the symptoms.

Tests used to diagnose IBD include:

Blood Tests may be used to detect inflammation, autoimmune antibodies, nutrient deficiencies (eg iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D etc).

Stool Tests for the presence of blood, pathogens or inflammation markers.

Gastroscopy

• Colonoscopy to identify inflammation, bleeding or ulcers in the large intestine.
• Sigmoidoscopy is similar to a colonoscopy but only examines the rectum and lower part of the colon.
• Upper Endoscopy is used to examine the small intestine for inflammation, bleeding or ulceration.

Biopsy: tissue may be removed during a gastroscopy to help differentiate between CD and UC.

Imaging Tests such as X-ray, CT scan or MRI may show inflammation, bleeding or ulcers and are often used to differentiate between UC and CD.

Is IBD different from IBS?

Yes!

Though the symptoms may appear to be the same, IBS and IBD are distinctly different conditions.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease is an immune-mediated disease that causes inflammation and damage to the gastrointestinal tract which can be seen during diagnostic imaging.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a syndrome, or group of symptoms, that are not caused by the immune system. They may develop due to food intolerances, microbial infection, family history or mood disorder (anxiety/depression).  There is no apparent inflammation in IBS and it does not cause any visible damage or abnormality to the gastrointestinal tract.

Managing Inflammatory Bowel Disease with AIP

While autoimmune diseases cannot be cured, careful diet, nutritional supplementation and lifestyle planning can help to improve your symptoms, reduce the severity of IBD flares and maintain longer periods of remission.

The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) is a complementary approach to chronic disease management which focuses on healing the gut to improve immune regulation and reduce the chronic inflammation that causes tissue damage. Trigger foods are eliminated until symptoms resolve and then slowly reintroduced to determine what foods are causing your symptoms. Healing is supported by improving lifestyle factors such as stress reduction, exercise and improved sleep quality.

Recent studies have shown that the AIP diet is an effective adjunct to medical treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. (Clinical Course and Dietary Patterns Among Patients Incorporating the Autoimmune Protocol for Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (P12-010-19) | Current Developments in Nutrition | Oxford Academic (oup.com))

You can read more about the AIP here: Healing Autoimmune Disease Naturally | The Nutrition Factor – Vicky Ellenport | Clinical Nutritionist Melbourne

If you have been diagnosed with IBD and would like to know more about the Autoimmune Protocol or how I can help you manage your autoimmune symptoms, book in for a complimentary Discovery Session here: Book Appointment (thenutritionfactor.com.au)

First of all, it is important to know that not all inflammation is bad.

Inflammation is the immune system’s response to injury or infection. It is a protective mechanism which helps to contain and limit the amount of damage caused when the body is affected by pathogens, environmental chemicals, physical injury (cuts, scrapes, bites, stings etc) or radiation. This is acute inflammation and it helps the body heal and fight infection. Acute inflammation presents as pain, redness, swelling, heat or loss of function and usually resolves in a few days to a couple of weeks.

Chronic inflammation is long-term inflammation that may not resolve for a period of months to years. Instead of healing, chronic inflammation can actually be the cause of the disease.

What causes chronic inflammation?

• Persistence of an acute inflammation such as injury or infection.
• Diet high in processed foods and sugar
• Unresolved leaky gut.
• Prolonged exposure to environmental irritants such as chemicals or pollution.
• A defect in the cells that mediate and regulate the immune response.
• Autoimmune disorders, in which damage is caused when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own, healthy tissue.

Chronic inflammation can lead to significant damage to cells, tissues and organs. The extent of the damage varies depending on the cause of the injury that initiated the inflammation, and the body’s ability to repair and overcome it.

Inflammation is associated with chronic diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes, Stroke, Heart disease, Cancer and Autoimmune diseases including Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Rheumatoid Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, Type 1 Diabetes and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).

Inflammation can be both the cause of a health condition or else it may be a symptom, but either way, reducing inflammation is crucial to managing and overcoming chronic illness.

Inflammation in Autoimmune Disease

Autoimmune Disease (AID) is caused by immune system dysfunction and like all chronic illness, inflammation plays a central role in the severity of the symptoms.

Each AID may be characterized by different symptoms however the common link between them all is that they are driven by chronic inflammation.

So, what causes inflammation in AID?

In AID, inflammation may be triggered by poor nutrition, excessive stress, lack of quality sleep and physical activity.

• Foods including processed and fried foods, refined carbohydrates (sugar, flour etc), gluten, grains, and dairy can promote inflammation.
• Physical inactivity can lead to the accumulation of visceral fat which promotes inflammation. Conversely, over-exercising can also create inflammation.
• Stress and lack of Sleep can create an imbalance in the immune system causing it to become overactive, attacking healthy tissue and causing inflammation.

How Does the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) help to reduce inflammation?

The AIP is designed to reduce inflammation by removing those diet and lifestyle factors that promote inflammation.

Top 5 Strategies to reduce inflammation:

1. Eat the rainbow. Include a colourful variety of fruits and vegetables, including plenty of dark green leafy vegetables. Phytonutrients are natural compounds which impart colour, flavour and aroma in plant foods. These phytonutrients provide immune-supportive antioxidants which can suppress inflammation.
2. Add culinary spices. Turmeric, ginger, garlic, cloves, cinnamon. Add these anti-inflammatory and antioxidant spices into your cooking to reduce inflammation. These spices are from flowers, roots, bark or leaves of plants and are safe to have on the AIP diet, while spices made from seeds, berries and fruits (cumin, coriander, pepper, cardamom, chilli etc), are to be avoided during the elimination phase of the AIP diet.
3. Don’t forget Vitamin D. Vitamin D plays an essential role in modulating immune function and regulating the biochemical pathways that are involved in inflammation. Low vitamin D levels may cause symptoms to worsen in people with chronic illness such as AID. Vitamin D may be absorbed through the skin directly from the sun. During the Southern Hemisphere’s Spring and Summer months 10-15 minutes of unprotected sun exposure before 10am or after 3pm provides a good, safe dose of vitamin D. Vitamin D is also found in foods such as salmon, cod liver (and cod liver oil), sardines, brewer’s yeast and eggs.
4. Quality of Sleep. During sleep the body and brain repairs, restores, regenerates and reduces inflammation. In Autoimmune disease, sleep is essential. Aim for 8-9 hours sleep per night. Try to go to sleep by 10 or 10.30 pm as the 90 minutes before midnight is believed to be the most restorative, regenerative sleep phase. Avoid blue light from devices for 1 hour before sleep. Use meditation techniques, relaxation music, essential oils or counting sheep, whatever helps you quieten your mind to allow you to achieve good quality sleep.
5. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. In recent years, mind-body practices such as mindfulness meditation, yoga and tai chi have gained recognition for their role in reducing stress and improving stress resilience. Research findings suggest that mindfulness practices may reduce inflammation in people with chronic inflammatory disease.

Autoimmune disease is a malfunction of the immune system.

The fundamental role of the immune system is to protect the body from invading pathogens such as viruses and bacteria. In Autoimmune Disease (AID), the immune system mistakenly recognizes the body’s own tissues as a threat and produces autoantibodies. This results in inflammation and damage to cells, tissues and organs which can impair normal functioning.

Autoimmune Conditions

Autoimmune disease affects around 5% of Australians and there are around 80 different known autoimmune conditions, with many more diseases that are suspected to be autoimmune in origin. Many are difficult to diagnose and even more difficult to treat. Most autoimmune diseases are chronic and lifelong, and their incidence is increasing year on year in most countries around the world.

Some of the more common autoimmune diseases include: Coeliac Disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, Hashimoto Thyroiditis, Type 1 Diabetes, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (including Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease) and Psoriasis. Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are conditions that are suspected to have autoimmune origins.

Why does the Immune System malfunction?

Though the exact causes of autoimmune disease remain unknown, there are certain risk factors that increase the chances of developing an autoimmune condition.

Genetics accounts for approximately one third of this risk, while the remaining risk is thought to come from environmental triggers such as exposure to pollution, toxins, viruses, intestinal dysbiosis (causing leaky gut) and diet and lifestyle factors.

So what does this mean for you?

This means that autoimmune disease is directly linked to your food choices and how you choose to live your life. What this suggests is that you can manage your autoimmune disease by changing your diet and making more informed choices about sleep, activity, and stress.

The Autoimmune Protocol

The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) is a comprehensive program which focuses on diet and lifestyle factors known to be important modulators of immune function. Healing is supported by the removal of inflammatory stimuli to reduce the chronic inflammation that causes tissue damage.

That may seem like a lot to ‘digest’, so a certified AIP practitioner can help you put this into practice.

The Autoimmune Protocol provides guidelines for both diet and lifestyle changes to successfully manage the symptoms of autoimmune disease.

About the AIP Diet

The AIP diet consists of an elimination strategy, cutting out the foods that are most likely to be holding back our health. After a period of time, many of the excluded foods, especially those that have nutritional merit, can be reintroduced.

The AIP diet provides balanced and complete nutrition by prescribing nutrient dense foods while avoiding processed & refined foods.

The AIP Lifestyle

Lifestyle factors including high stress, poor sleep and minimal activity can contribute to inflammation and increase the risk of immune dysfunction leading to the onset or flare up of autoimmune disease.

The AIP provides strategies for improved sleep, stress management and regular physical activity as these are important immune modulators and are key to successfully managing AID.

Is this lifestyle difficult to maintain?

Autoimmune diseases are difficult to manage and at times can feel out of control.

By adopting diet and lifestyle strategies, such as the Autoimmune Protocol, the frequency and severity of symptoms may be reduced and quality of life improved.

If you are someone who has been recently diagnosed with an AID, or maybe you have been struggling to manage your AID for some time, the Autoimmune Protocol is for you. Book in for a Complimentary Discovery Session with Vicky to find out more. https://thenutritionfactor.com.au/book-appointment/