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Dr. Karl R.O.S. Johnson's Chronic Condition Natural Treatment Blog

Intentional musings of a unique Shelby Township Michigan Chiropractic Physician dedicated to helping people find solutions to improving their health by rooting out causes to chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia, stubborn thyroid disorder symptoms, balance disorders, chronic knee & shoulder pain, migraines, sciatica, ADD/ADHD/ASD, back pain, peripheral neuropathy, gluten sensitivity and autoimmune disorders so they can Reclaim Their Life!

From the Desk of Dr. Karl R.O.S. Johnson, DC.....

Not Knowing If You Have Autoimmune Thyroid is Harmful To Your Health

Posted by Dr. Karl R.O.S. Johnson, DC on Tue, Feb 19, 2013

If you've been reading my blog for a while you know I have revealed the fact that the number-one cause of hypothyroidism is an autoimmune thyroid [1]. Based on the number of medically managed hypothyroid patients who have sought my care for their numerous persistant health challenges, thyroid hormone replacement alone does not address the underlying cause of Hashimoto's (autoimmune thyroid). Too many patients who only utilize thyroid hormone replacement therapy may never feel the way they truly desire. It's a shame and that's why I am dedicated to helping patient's with autoimmune thyroid improve their health with my unique blend of natural methods.

Several years ago I decided to explain the pertinent concepts in my Life Changing Thyroid Workshop, which are held on a regular basis. Just click on the link to find out when the next one is scheduled.

How do you know if you have autoimmune thyroid (Hasthimoto's)? Why would your immune system be attacking your thyroid? That's what I'm going to address in this article.

Certain tests need to be run for proper thyroid function assessment--not just TSH or free T3 or free T4. There are specific antibodies called TPO and TGB antibodies. If these antibody tests are positive, you have an autoimmune thyroid. My guess is that your doctor has not run these two tests as it's not considered medically prudent to do on inital thyroid screening.

 Medically Necessary Thyroid Testing

There are many other tests that need to be run for adequate thyroid function assessment, but these are the two big ones to determine if you have autoimmune thyroid. If you have autoimmune thyroid, you have to find out why you are autoimmune. Not addressing the underlying causes can lead to your immune system to attack other tissues in your body.

Autoimmune Progression

Remember, there are two main parts to your immune system, TH1 and TH2. They
need to work in balance. If one is dominant or working harder than the other, it's usually because there's something called an active antigen. And what is an active antigen? It can be a parasite. It can be a virus, bacteria, mold or fungi. It can also be a food protein, such as gluten (the protein in wheat, barley and rye) or casein (milk protein).

Your immune system could become imbalanced because of dysregulation due to hormonal surges and/or extreme stress. Blood sugar problems and/or chronic inflammation and/or high cortisol levels can all cause your immune system to become unbalanced.

How do you know if your immune system is attacking your body, especially your thyroid? Well...we just talked about the fact that we run tests, specifically TPO and TGB antibodies, to see if you have autoimmune thyroid or Hashimoto's thyroiditis, along with evaluating your immune system with a special "immune quiz".

The reality is...most people already know that they're autoimmune just from the fact that they may already suffer from a current autoimmune disorder, such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, Sjogren's syndrome, scleroderma, and/or lupus.

Another way that people will know if they're autoimmune is that their symptoms may wax and wane. Symptoms that wax and wane are a sure sign that you are most likely suffering from an autoimmune condition.

The third way to know if a person is autoimmune is that they will come to a practitioner, such as myself, with a basket full of supplements--I mean a "truck-load". I've had people bring in so many bottles of supplements it wasn't funny. In many cases, the supplements that they are taking are actually making them worse!

Number four...their life fell apart after they got sick. That's how they know they're autoimmune. They've been to 12 or 15 or 20 different doctors and they have a stack of medical records sky-high, all because it's an undiagnosed autoimmune condition.

They may develop an autoimmune condition following a pregnancy. Usually, women are TH2 dominant in the third trimester and TH1 dominant postpartum. This shift in immune system dominance can be the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back forcing the immune system into attack mode.

And finally, as I've mentioned, there's positive testing via the immune panels and TPO and TGB antibodies. You see, your immune system is designed to protect you. When your immune system malfunctions, it starts attacking different parts of your body. It's important to know that once you realize you have an autoimmune condition, you need to get checked for the causes I've outlined. In addition to the medical management that may be warranted, a functional medicine approach using dietary changes and specific nutritional protocols along with other drug-free means can be highly successful in restoring your health. If you would like to learn more consider purchasing a copy of my book entitled: Reclaim Your Life; Your Guide To Revealing Your Body's Life Changing Secrets For Renewed Health, which is avaliable at Amazon.com.

Reclaim Your Life Johnson

If you found value in this article, please use the social sharing icons at the top of this post and please share with those you know who are still suffering with a chronic condition despite having medical managment. Thank you for helping me reach more people so they may regain their zest for living!

All the best – Dr. Johnson – Digging Deeper To Find Solutions

1. Autoimmunity and hypothyroidism. Baillieres Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1988 Aug;2(3):591-617. [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3066320].

Topics: Hypothyroidism, autoimmune, Hashimoto's, TSH, thyroid, autoimmune thyroid, T4, T3, Immune System, TH1, TH2, TPO Ab, TBG Ab

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