Download Autoimmune Publication - Beyond The Basics Health Academy

March/April 2016
BTBHA MAGAZINE | 02
BTBHA.COM
CONTENTS
HEALTH + SCIENCE + EDUCATION + NUTRITION
04 FROM THE DESK OF
DR. MEAGHAN KIRSCHLING
10 SUPPLEMENT OF THE MONTH: LITHIUM
A small dose of a supplement called Lithium
Orotate might be exactly what you are missing in
your supplement lineup.
6
SUPPLEMENTING FOR
IMMUNE BALANCE
14
12
WHAT ARE SNPS?
LEARN ABOUT SINGLE
NUCLEOTIDE POLYMORPHISMS
11 HASHIMOTO'S THYROIDITIS
CHECK OUT OUR
PODCAST OF THE
MONTH
Dr. Meaghan and Wendy
had the pleasure of sitting
down and talking to THE
Suzanne Somers. Check it
out and listen to all the
great health and wellness
information she has to
share
LEARN ABOUT OUR
NEWEST COURSE
Epigenetics is a huge
component of health and
wellness. In this new class,
we discuss how to master
your epigenetic and
methylation processes.
Visit us at
btbha.com
3432 DENMARK AVE,
EAGAN, MN 55123
952-255-9689
[email protected]
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03
MARCH/APRIL 2016 |
14
There are so many individuals experiencing low
thyroid function. This excerpt from Dr. Meaghan
Kirschling's blog explores many of the different
aspects of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis
Autoimmune
From the desk of Dr. Meaghan Kirschling.
Happy Almost Sprint Everyone!!!
What an exciting time of year when the snow starts to melt, the ground starts
to unfreeze and the days start to become longer. Maybe I like this time of a
year a little bit more because the Minnesota lakes are starting to unfreeze
which means spring (and summer!!) is right around the corner. I have always
loved transition seasons because they are a time of change and those times
of change bring palpable excitement with them.
100
I am even more excited because this month is Autoimmune Awareness
Month for BTBHA. Autoimmune is such a complex issue that affects so many
people. The NIH, National Institute of Health, predicts that 23.5 million
Americans are suffering from an autoimmune disease. And I know from
clinical experience that there are way more out there that have autoimmune
responses going on that are not being diagnosed and treated properly.
We are really just starting to understand the complete sophistication of the
immune system and how it can be so greatly affected by genetics,
environmental toxins, dietary choices, and gut health. So we have a lot of
topics to address with podcasts, blogs, and guest speakers this month.
094
Our goal this month is to tackle many of the issues and education topics that
are necessary to arm all of our followers and listeners with what they need to
know. Whether you feel that you are dealing with an autoimmune concern
that has not been diagnosed or you want to understand more about what
causes autoimmunity, this month should be jam packed with great
information.
And all that information starts to come your way right now with this
publication.
Thanks everyone for following BTBHA. We really appreciate all of you and
hope that this month is full of great information and healthy transformations!
DR. MEAGHAN KIRSCHLING
TOP PODCAST
EPISODES IN THE LAST
MONTH
Editor-in-Chief
BTBHA MAGAZINE | 04
www.btbha.com
EDUCATE GLOBALLY,
TREAT LOCALLY
BTBHA
Th1
Supplementing
For Immune
Balance
When dealing with an autoimmune or chronic
disease, it’s essential to look at how the
immune system works.
HOW DOES THE IMMUNE SYSTEM WORK?
The immune system is separated into two
parts: Th1 response and Th2 response.
Immune balance is about making sure that
one of these portions is not out of whack and
that both Th1 and Th2 are working together
in a controlled manner to fight off any
invaders.
PAGE 6
When we talk about immune
issues, it is important to
remember that we are talking
about an antigen causing the
response. Antigens can be
bacteria, mold, parasite, virus,
allergy, chemical or heavy metal.
If this response is ineffective, the
Th2 system will kick in and create
antibodies against the antigen. This
is how our body was initially
designed to keep us healthy. In
most cases this works, and the
antigen will be destroyed.
Th1 and Th2 cells are responsible
for different aspects of the
immune cascade. Th1 cells are
pro-inflammatory, and Th2 are
anti-inflammatory. The Th1
response is geared towards
releasing numerous
inflammatory mechanisms in
order to kill off any invaders. The
Th2 response stimulates B cells
which help generate antibodies
to help with the long-term
battles.
However, if we are dealing with
something such as a food allergy or
a heavy metal that cannot be killed,
then the immune system is firing
without productivity. If the body is
confused about what is the exact
problem, the overactive immune
system will start to attack healthy
tissue. Due to the improper
response of the immune system,
sometimes the immune system
gets out of balance. This causes
the Th1 response or the Th2
response to become dominant.
The first immune response is the
Th1, which is the “police force”
that will attempt to get rid of the
invader.
If your immune system is out of
balance and becomes confused to
the point that it starts to attack your
own body, we then have AN
AUTOIMMUNE RESPONSE.
In an autoimmune condition, there
is an imbalance in the immune
system. One side of the immune
system, either Th1 or Th2, is either
overactive or dominant. This leads
to both an increase in symptoms
and a waxing and waning of
symptoms which is common in
autoimmune.
This is because the immune system will fight until it
finally becomes fatigued and will take a break.
Usually the result of the “moment of seize fire” will feel like a relief and your symptoms will diminish. In autoimmune disorders,
the discomfort and pain are actual as a result of the immune system at war and the intermittent decreases are due to a
fatigued immune system. Ironically, as your body starts to recover, the immune response kicks in again followed by the
symptoms and pain returning. It’s a vicious cycle, and it can be very confusing to determine what is causing the pain.
BALANCING THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
I find this to be a common problem
with people who come to me after
years of dealing with Lyme Disease or
autoimmune issues. Many people are
being prescribed the wrong type of
immune stimulant, and they are
empowering their body to attack
themselves. The key is that immune
stimulants are different and are
designed to stimulate in a particular
manner. The supplements that
designed to stimulate Th1 may be
opposite of what the body needs.
There is a tremendous lack of
information in this area. I have found
very few natural practitioners are
taking immune balance into
consideration. When I was given this
information during my struggle with
late-stage Lyme Disease, I experienced
an enormous relief by stopping the
supplements that were doing me
harm.
Issue 27 | 234
Page 8
Commonly the western medicine
approach is to shut down the
immune system using steroids. In
my opinion, this is one of the most
harmful responses that can be
taken! For example, in the case of
Multiple Sclerosis (MS), most patients
will be given steroids which will
indeed provide them with a relief of
their symptoms since it shuts down
the autoimmune attack. However, if
the root of the MS is Lyme diseases,
the steroids have now enabled the
bacteria to thrive. The result will be
that the patient indeed progresses
down the typical MS journey just as
the doctors predicted. The
vulnerable patient may accept this
diagnosis and all the horrible effects
that come along with MS. I suggest a
different approach, which looks for
the root cause and balancing the
immune system instead of shutting it
down.
In dealing with any disease, we
always need to search for the cause.
In some cases, there are more than
one antigens. This may involve a
detox diet and testing for allergies. It
may involve destroying the bacteria
or mold overgrowth. It could also
involve chelating the heavy metals
out of the body.
While we are addressing the
antigens, we need to determine if
the body is in a Th1 dominant mode
or a Th2 dominant mode. This can
be done through an elimination
process. Interestingly, we commonly
see those with Lyme Disease in a Th1
dominant mode vs. cancer which is
frequently Th2 dominant. This leads
to the conclusion that immune
stimulants such as Beta Glucan or
other mushrooms might be excellent
for cancer but be very harmful to
someone with Lyme Disease.
Of course, the number one response
should be to remove the antigen.
For example, if you take a look at the list, a Th1 dominant person
will want to AVOID all the stimulants on the Th1 list and ADD
some on the Th2 list so they can balance out the immune system.
Most importantly people can shift between Th1 and Th2 so it can be tough for the most fragile individuals to control excessive
reactions. In this case, you may want to avoid all immune stimulants for some time.
IMMUNE SYSTEM SECTION
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LIST OF COMMON STIMULANTS:
Th1 Stimulants
Th2 Stimulants
• Vit C
• Resveratrol
• Astragalus
• Pycnogenol (apples)
• Garlic
• Curcumin (turmeric)
• Licorice root
• Genistein
• Reishi
• Quercetin
• Beta-Glucan
• Green tea
• Lemon Balm (Melissa)
• Lycopene
• Noni
• Pine bark
• Ginseng
• White Willow Bark
• Golden Seal
Some important immune system stabilizers
that everyone needs are Vitamin D,
glutathione, and Omega 3 fish oils. It’s also
important to ensure you have a healthy gut
flora by taking a good prebiotic and
probiotic. As you can see, the immune
system is an extremely sophisticated
response, but this is meant to help lay out
the basics. This knowledge, however, can
alleviate a lot of symptoms so that a genuine
root of disease can be found.
Supplementing
for Immune
Balance
• Medicinal mushrooms
Julie Roberts
• Cat’s Claw
OriginalRX.org
• Samento
• Pau D Arco
• Grape Seed Extract
• Chlorella
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|
10
HASHIMOTO’S
THYROIDITIS
It has been theorized that there are approximately 27 million
people with thyroid conditions in the United States, both low
and high thyroid function, and up to half of them have not
been diagnosed. And women have a much higher risk for
thyroid dysfunction.
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is a common autoimmune disorder
also known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis or chronic
autoimmune thyroiditis. Hypothyroidism occurs when your
body doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormone or when your
body fails to use thyroid hormone efficiently. There are many
types of hypothyroidism, but Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is the
most common.
In Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, we see an underactive thyroid
(hypothyroid) with an overactive abnormal immune
(autoimmune) response.
WHAT GOES WRONG WITH
HASHIMOTO’S THYROIDITIS?
Why does the body attack the thyroid gland in an autoimmune
condition?
It is important to realize that Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is not just about
supporting the thyroid but also treating the underlying cause of the
autoimmune concern. Therefore, it must be addressed that it is not just a
thyroid condition but also an inflammatory autoimmune disease.
An autoimmune disease occurs when the body and the immune system
attack its tissues. The immune cells, lymphocytes, and antibodies are
produced against tissue in your body. In this case, it is against the thyroid
or the thyroid enzymes responsible for converting thyroid hormone.
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11
TRIGGERS FOR AUTOIMMUNE RESPONSE
1. Hormone imbalances
including pregnancy and post-pregnancy
2. Nutrient deficiencies
3. Certain drugs
4. Immune imbalances
Th1 Dominance
5. Digestive inflammation and imbalance
6. Trauma
7. Environmental toxins
such as heavy metals, chemical irritants, and mold
exposure
8. Viruses and bacterial infections
such as Epstein-Barr Virus or Lyme Disease
9. Stress
including both emotional oxidative stress
10. Impaired biotransformation/detoxification
Antibodies are formed due to the immune system being stimulated by one of the above triggers.
Naturally, for a comprehensive approach to be taken with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, we need to focus
on:
1. Addressing and reducing triggers
2. Eliminating intestinal inflammation
3. Supporting the body and providing nutrient support
4. Improving the function of the thyroid
www.btbha.com |
12
LIFESTYLE CHANGES AND SUPPLEMENTATIONS THAT HELP WITH HASHIMOTO'S
Importance of going completely gluten-free
I take all of my thyroid patients off of gluten immediately. Why? Research.
Research now connects celiac and gluten sensitivity to thyroid disease. When
the body reacts to gluten and other proteins, then an autoimmune process is
triggered. Since about 70% of the immune system is in the gut, when the body
starts to view proteins that we are eating as foreign and a threat, then the
immune system goes into overdrive. There is not the only destruction of villi of
the small intestine and tissue of the digestive system, but it also triggers
responses in other tissue. The thyroid is a common secondary tissue since it is
extremely biologically active. When the immune system goes specifically after
the tissue and enzymes of the thyroid and antibodies are present, then either a
deficiency (hypothyroidism) or an excess of hormones (hyperthyroidism) can
occur. This wrecks havoc on the body's metabolism.
A growing amount of research now suggests that when people with celiac
disease and an autoimmune thyroid disease go gluten-free, then there is an
increased potential to improve thyroid function by reducing autoimmune
reactions in the body. This can lead to both an improvement in thyroid
hormones and a decrease in antibodies.
Research also suggests that when people with celiac disease and autoimmune
thyroid disease adopt a gluten-free diet, not only do their celiac-related antibody
levels improve, but their thyroid antibody levels also decrease.
A 2010 study in Journal of Pediatrics found that 11 of 15 children with celiac
disease who had elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone levels at diagnosis with
celiac disease saw thyroid numbers normalize after 12 to 18 months on a glutenfree diet.
Gluten grain also is high in phytates, also known as phytic acid. These bind up
nutrients that can cause additional stress on the body and with the thyroid.
They are known to bind to certain minerals including iron, zinc, manganese, and
calcium. No matter if you are sensitive to gluten or not, the phytates bind
essential vitamins and minerals that feed the body, especially the metabolically
active thyroid.
This patient population, though, needs to be completely gluten-free. Many
clinicians report that eating a gluten-free diet helps to improve thyroid
markers in both celiac and gluten sensitive patients.
Need to Limit or Avoid Other Foods
• Sugar and coffee are two of the biggest culprits to thyroid exhaustion.
• Cruciferous vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, kale, bok
choy, cabbage. These vegetables are goitrogens and can increase the size
and concern of the thyroid gland.
• Any food sensitivities that you might have. The most common are dairy,
gluten, refined sugar and soy.
Foods That Support the Thyroid
• Organic eggs
• Omega-3 fatty acids
• Fish
• Poultry
• Steamed Vegetables
Also, need to look into
Inflammation of the Gut and Food Sensitivities.
Environmental Exposures
Hormonal Concerns
Managing Stress
Visit
btbha.com
for the full article under "Blogs"
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13
Exciting Updates
We have added a new course
This course explores the topic of epigenetics and
methylation. We are learning more and more about
how our genes affect our health. With this
information, we are also starting to realize how we
can control the destiny of our health and wellness by
interpreting this data. The problem is that this
information can be cumbersome and tedious. This
course is meant to break it down in a way that
anyone can understand. Whether you are looking to
learn this information for yourself or you are a
functional medicine doctor that wants to know more,
this course is perfect.
Check
It Out
Suzanne
Somers
Dr. Meaghan and Wendy sat down and talked to Suzanne
Somers about various topics regarding health and wellness.
This is such a great podcast and Suzanne has so much
knowledge to share.
Here are some of the topics we discuss in the podcast:
What environmental factors are leading to so many people
being so sick
What is hormone therapy and who would benefit from it
What clinical trends are we seeing with health, especially the
aging population
How can you live a more fuller and healthy life
How did Suzanne become so passionate about health and
wellness and BHRT
How to use her network of Forever Health to find a local
practitioner
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| 14
Check
It Out