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About This Episode
I speak with Tanya Borowski on Hashimoto’s – an autoimmune condition of the thyroid. We discuss potential underlying causes of the condition, which lab tests we may want to consider, the concept of oral tolerance, and the importance of good liver function in supporting thyroid function. This is placed in the context of what Tanya calls “lightening the load”. If we can reduce the ‘strain’ on the body by improving digestive function, managing our stress, optimising nutrient status, among others, we create an environment for healing to occur. After all, the body has an innate ability to rehabilitate, and rejuvenate, given the right environment.
Tanya’s website is www.tanyaborowski.com.
The frequency of Hashimoto’s disease is a growing trend and among Caucasians it is estimated at approximately 5%. The pathology is diagnosed five to ten times more often in women than men and its incidence increases with the age (Pyzik et al., 2015)
Important Nutrients In Thyroid Function:
- Selenium
- Vitamin D
- Iron
- Vitamin B12
Infections That Have Been Associated With Hashimoto’s:
- Epstein Barr Virus
- Coxsackie virus
- Yersinia enterocolitica
- Borrelia burgdorferi
- Helicobacter pylori
- Retroviruses
Other Key Things To Consider:
- Iodine
- Stress
- Gluten
Testing Options:
- GI MAP to assess the gut microbiome and digestive function – available by Invivo Clinical, click here
- Advanced Intestinal Barrier Assessment (to assess for the endotoxin Tanya mentioned called Lipopolysaccharides, LPS) – available by Invivo Clinical, click here
- A hydrogen breath test for small intestine bacterial overgrowth – available by Invivo Clinical, click here
- A comprehensive thyroid and metabolic panel – one option would be a basic thyroid panel from Medichecks, (www.medichecks.com), for a more advanced and more comprehensive assessment FDX, Functional Diagnostics, offer excellent blood tests (www.functionaldx.com)
- Viral Screen Essential, or Viral Screen Comprehensive – available from Invivo Clinical, click here
Episode Links
The paper Tanya mentions related to food sensitivities can be found by clicking here. The title of the paper is “Immunological Reactivity Using Monoclonal and Polyclonal Antibodies of Autoimmune Thyroid Target Sites with Dietary Proteins”.
The paper we mentioned discussing the role of the digestive system in thyroid function is called “With a little help from my friends – The role of microbiota in thyroid hormone metabolism and enterohepatic recycling” – click here.
