This Is What Gluten Can Do To Your Thyroid (It Isn't Pretty)

BY DR. WILLIAM COLE

Hormones are the messengers and regulators of the body, determining the function of every cell. For any hormone to be used in the body it has to be attached to its corresponding receptor site, which is found on a cell's membrane.

Think of the receptor site as a special lock that can only be unlocked by that specific hormone. For example, a thyroid receptor site can only be unlocked by a thyroid hormone and nothing else.

Thyroid: The Queen Of All Hormones

There are only two types of receptor sites that are found in every cell of the body, thyroid and vitamin d receptor sites. To put it simply, every cell of our body depends on the thyroid, and it impacts your health in many different ways. If your thyroid hormones don't function healthily, neither will the rest of your body.

Around 20 million Americans and 250 million people worldwide have low thyroid function or hypothyroidism. One in 8 women will struggle with a thyroid problem in her lifetime, and up to 90% of all thyroid problems are autoimmune in nature, the most common of which is Hashimoto's.

It's important to note that there's a 30% chance that the antibody tests to diagnose Hashimoto's will present an indecisive or false negative result, causing many Hashimoto's cases to go undiagnosed for years.

The Gluten-Thyroid Storm

Since the majority of low-thyroid problems are somewhere on the autoimmune spectrum, we have to look at what triggers the immune system to attack the thyroid. What happens is a case of mistaken identity, and gluten is one of the main culprits.

When gluten, the protein found in wheat and other grains, passes through the gut lining and into your blood stream, your immune system will tag the foreign invader (gluten) with antibodies for destruction. The problem is that your immune system can mistake the thyroid for gluten, causing it to come under attack.

Gluten Intolerance Is Not Just A Celiac Problem

When people think of gluten intolerance, they typically think of celiac disease (CD), but this is just one manifestation of gluten intolerance.

To be officially labeled as having CD, there needs to be significant destruction of your instestinal microvilli. Interestingly, one study found that more than 25% of celiacs have some sort of thyroid problem. Only about 10% of people with CD have obvious GI symptoms, causing many people to go undiagnosed.

Functional medicine realizes that there are millions more on the autoimmune spectrum who are falling through the cracks of mainstream medicine and left to fend for themselves.

An estimated 1 in 20 Americans, and by some accounts as many as 1 in 3 have what is called non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). Though many autoimmune sufferers will avoid gluten for a few weeks and give up, unsure if it is causing them problems, it can take up to six months to recover from the inflammatory response!

It's important to know that being mostly gluten-free is like being mostly pregnant. You are or you aren't! It's also crucial to learn exactly how to go gluten-free the right way with healthy whole-food choices.

So what do you do if you find yourself thinking gluten may be causing you issues? Here are six things to consider:

1. Comprehensive gluten intolerance labs

Most mainstream doctors run only basic alpha gliadin labs, which causes many to hear that gluten is not an issue for them. Getting a full panel will give accurate insight into your case.

2. Gut health labs

Ask your doctor to run specific blood and stool labs to assess the health of the microbiome and rule out leaky gut syndrome.

3. Full thyroid panel

You can have normal-looking thyroid-stimulating hormone results but still have an underlying thyroid problem. Make sure to have a full functional medicine view of your thyroid hormone health.

4. Avoid other triggers

In addition to gluten, make sure to educate yourself on the other triggers for autoimmune thyroid problems.

5. Autoimmune healing tools

There are many natural healing tools to balance the immune system that you can start to bring into your life.

6. Personalized functional medicine care

Many people have gone years of their lives having to be their own clinician because doctors have not given them answers. They spend endless hours on Google trying to solve their health problems.

Getting personalized functional medicine care can be a sigh of relief to know someone understands what you are going through.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-18316/this-is-what-gluten-can-do-to-your-thyroid-it-isnt-pretty.html

10 Symptoms of Gluten Intolerance

By Dr. Amy Myers

More than 55 diseases have been linked to gluten, the protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. It’s estimated that 99% of the people who have either gluten intolerance or celiac disease are never diagnosed.

It is also estimated that as much as 15% of the US population is gluten intolerant. Could you be one of them?

If you have any of the following symptoms it could be a sign that you have gluten intolerance:

1. Digestive issues such as gas, bloating, diarrhea and even constipation. I see the constipation particularly in children after eating gluten.
   

2. Keratosis Pilaris, (also known as ‘chicken skin’ on the back of your arms). This tends be as a result of a fatty acid deficiency and vitamin A deficiency secondary to fat-malabsorption caused by gluten damaging the gut.
   

3. Fatigue, brain fog or feeling tired after eating a meal that contains gluten.

4. Diagnosis of an autoimmune disease such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Ulcerative colitis, Lupus, Psoriasis, Scleroderma or Multiple sclerosis.
   

5. Neurologic symptoms such as dizziness or feeling of being off balance.
   

6. Hormone imbalances such as PMS, PCOS or unexplained infertility.
   

7. Migraine headaches.
   

8. Diagnosis of chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia. These diagnoses simply indicate your conventional doctor cannot pin point the cause of your fatigue or pain.
   

9. Inflammation, swelling or pain in your joints such as fingers, knees or hips.
   

10. Mood issues such as anxiety, depression, mood swings and ADD.

http://eatlocalgrown.com/article/11266-wheat-gluten-the-culprit-for-so-many-ills.html

Top 5 Myths About Gluten

Gluten is a protein composite found in wheat and other grains. Gluten gives elasticity
to dough, helping it rise and keep its shape.

In the past few years there has been a surge in gluten-free diets and products that claim giving up the protein can lead to healthier lifestyles. A New York Times article recently cited Mintel, a market research company, noting "sales of gluten-free products were expected to total $10.5 billion last year…[and] estimates the category will produce more than $15 billion in annual sales in 2016." Even the Girl Scouts have jumped on the proverbial bandwagon, introducing a gluten-free chocolate chip shortbread cookie into their lineup. But is gluten truly bad for you or has it gained a big market based on a bad reputation?

FIU News consulted with Student Health Services Registered Dietitian Christine Tellez to debunk the top 5 myths about gluten.

1. Gluten is bad for everyone.

"Gluten is a mixture of two proteins found in foods like cereal grains and wheat products," says Tellez. "Most people probably don't even know when they are eating gluten since adverse reactions generally only affect people who have celiac disease or those with a gluten sensitivity." A doctor can test you for a gluten intolerance through a blood test.

2. Gluten makes you fat.

"Gluten itself cannot make you fat," she says. "Gluten is naturally found in wheat grains, including barley and rye, even beer and soy sauce. Wheat gluten is also added to imitation meats sometimes to improve the texture of the product." Overeating, an unbalanced diet and lack of exercise are still the leading causes of weight gain. In fact, Tellez says gluten-free pastas and breads may actually have more calories and lower fiber, vitamins and minerals than gluten-containing products. "Gluten-free diets really only benefit you if you have a true gluten intolerance or celiac disease."

3. Not eating gluten will improve your skin.

"Most people probably wouldn't notice a difference," says Tellez. "On average, one in 133 people in the U.S. have celiac disease which present severe symptoms, including recurring abdominal pain and bad acne, when consuming gluten." If you want to improve your skin, she says, eat a balanced diet with high fruit and vegetable intake to ensure your body is getting the full spectrum of vitamins and nutrients.

4. Gluten causes allergies.

"Some celebrities have claimed that gluten free diets have improved autism symptoms or autoimmune disorders, but research doesn't support these claims at all," she says. "Gluten isn't like fat. You can't just assume that less is better."

5. Not eating gluten makes you healthier.

"Not eating gluten can actually be bad for you," says Tellez. "Since gluten is present in many of today's staple foods, cutting it out altogether could mean you miss important nutrients." Tellez advises to consult with your doctor if you think you have a gluten intolerance to determine the best course of action.

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-06-myths-gluten.html