what is hashimoto's disease?

Hashimoto’s disease is an autoimmune disorder that mostly occurs in women. Basically, instead of the body being able to correctly recognize itself, it goes haywire and attacks its own thyroid gland. This is known as a malfunction of the immune system. Right now, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis has no cure.

The thyroid gland is what regulates the overall speed of the body, or metabolism. So, when thyroid tissue gets destroyed, the body slows down, leaving a person prone to weight gain, fatigue, feeling cold, and constipation. The disease was named after Dr. Hashimoto, a Japanese physician who discovered it in 1912.

Sometimes Hashimoto’s causes swelling of fat pads to develop behind the eyes, causing a pop-eyed” look, which can be surgically treated.

In Hashimoto’s disease, there is an inflammatory response where the thyroid gets over run by white blood cells and becomes scarred and swollen with enlarged tissue in the thyroid, (which is located in the font of the neck). This swollen thyroid gland is called a “goiter” which is when most people notice something is wrong and get diagnosed.

Standard treatment is synthetic thyroid hormone replacement, derived from the thyroid glands of pigs.

What causes Hashimoto's disease, and how do you treat it?

The best explanation we have is it’s a disease caused by a complex interaction between your genes and environmental factors (toxins, drugs, pathogens, dietary factors, etc).

What I will say from my clinical experience so far is that the precipitating factor for many women I’ve interviewed was some sort of stressful event… death of a family member, a hard to manage work environment, change in living situation, disruption of a major relationship. STRESS!

The best method of treatment depends on how advanced the disease is. Early on you may be able to find some combination of therapies that arrest autoimmune attack on the thyroid gland and preserve thyroid function.

At later stages, thyroid replacement becomes the rule. Levothyroxine, Cytomel, Tirosint, Naturethroid, NP Thyroid, WP thyroid… there’s a lot of them. Figuring out what works best for you is the toughy.

Additionally dietary changes, managing stress, ensuring good sleep hygiene, exercise are the fundamentals.

Can thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) be cured through diet?

Hashimoto’s Disease is the most common cause of hypothyroidism. In Hashimoto’s Disease, the body has made a mistake in self tolerance, that is, instead of it recognizing its own tissues, in Hashimoto’s disease, the body attacks its own thyroid gland. This is an autoimmune disorder that primarily affects women.

Doctors know that restoring low levels of DHEA and testosterone can help decrease the attack on the thyroid gland. Also, selenium deficiency has been linked to thyroid inflammation.

On the one hand, expecting a cure is a bit optimistic once you realize that scientists do not know EXACTLY what causes Hadhimoto’s and so, for now, we must accept the current treatment, which is replacement of the low thyroid hormones to improve metabolism.

On the other hand, there is definitely reason for cautious optimism for a cure in the future … which is coming in the form of antigen specific immunotherapy. This therapy involves administering increasing doses of the molecules that the body is attacking until it builds up a tolerance and will basically ignore them.

A white blood cell called a CD4 T cell is one of the main players and scientitists have discovered which genes affect these cells.

The reason for excitement is that this form of treatment does NOT involve immunosuppressant medication. Immunosuppressant meds are like a double edged sword; on the one hand they suppress, calm down, dial back the immune system so it will stop attacking itself, but on the other hand, it is dangerous to dial back your immune system because it is likely to be needed to stay strong to fight off other illnesses and disease and cancer.

What lifestyle behaviors can improve victims of Hashimoto's thyroiditis?

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Disease 6 years ago. It's a tough disease because lab results can be within range but you can still have symptoms and feel terrible. Because you are young, I believe you have years of bouncing between hypo & hyper symptoms. It's a challenge & you will have some tough moments. Here are my suggestions:

1). Find a forward thinking endocrinologist who will listen to your symptoms and not just watch labs. Everyone is different and needs individualized treatment.

2). Try an elimination diet for 21-days. Re-introduce foods one at a time. This will help you find out if you any food intolerances.

3). You may have low intolerance for exercise and tire easily. Pay attention to this and find what works for you. I take long walks vs jogging because that's what works for me.

4). Limit stress. You have to be your own best advocate here. Find what fulfills your soul and make sure you leave time and energy for it.

5). Learn when you are having a "hypo" or "hyper" moment. Never make big plans or overcommit when you feel like you have a lot of energy. Your energy may not be there when the event comes around. Find someone close to you who can recognize if you are not being yourself. You may need your medicine increased over time and the less time you spend depressed (hypo), the better your quality of life will be.

6). Find a solid support system. When I was first diagnosed, family & friends thought this stuff was in my head. They thought my weight gain was from diet and laziness. Over time, I have learned to accept this disease and understand the challenges it creates. I've also found people who support me and understand the disease.

7). Take selenium twice a day (200 mcg total per day) and check your vitamin D levels. Take a vitamin D supplement if necessary.

8). Be consistent. Take your medicine at the same time each day. Do not drink coffee for about an hour after taking your medicine. Do not eat for about an hour after taking your medicine. Do not take calcium for 4 hours after taking your medicine.

Hope this is helpful. Best wishes!