Written by Janelle Pica
“You may just have to wait ten years, at which point we can arrange medication for you.”
I can still hear those words echoing in my head even though it has been years since that day in the office of my endocrinologist (who, might I add, I never saw again after this visit). I was 21 years old at the time and was dealing with a laundry list of symptoms that were all related to an autoimmune condition I had acquired. In my family, we are predisposed to thyroid disease. At the ripe age of 21, I found myself coming down with the disease, and what was happening to my body was frightening.
I remember coming home from college at the end of my sophomore year for my 2007 summer break. I had spoken with my father (a physician himself) and told him I was feeling ill, but this ill feeling was unlike any flu like type of illness I had ever experienced. I told him that I had lost 12 pounds in two weeks, my hair was falling out and I was tremulous. My heart would race and my hands would shake on a regular basis. I told my dad when I got home that I was convinced I was dying. My first day home was filled with panic as I asked my father in a quivering voice “Dad, what if this doesn’t stop? What’s happening to me?”
Per the recommendation of my dad (and after a series of what seemed like five million phone calls) I was able to schedule an emergency appointment with an endocrinologist who immediately ran lab work on me. The results? I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. For those of you who may not be familiar with this disease, Hashimoto’s disease is an autoimmune disease that results in the slow and steady destruction of your thyroid gland. Your immune system begins to attack your thyroid gland, mostly due to bizarre “nodules” that grow on the thyroid gland itself. After my lab work determined high levels of thyroid antibodies in my system, I was then sent for a thyroid ultrasound. My endocrinologist did find a nodule growing on my thyroid that was, at the time, roughly 6 mm in diameter. That may not sound very large, but it was large enough that I began to experience serious biological problems. The doctor told me that nodules are subject to grow and that I would have to essentially wait for additional follow up testing at three, six, then twelve months intervals. I would then have to follow up with him yearly to notice increases in my antibody levels and increases in the size of my nodule. I asked if there was anything I could do in the meantime to at least minimize my suffering.
“You may just have to wait ten years, at which point we can arrange medication for you.”
The solution was to wait 10 years until my thyroid would eventually shut down so I could go on thyroid hormone replacement therapy. To me, it sounded like a death sentence. I could not imagine living ten more years feeling as sick as I did. As much as I’d like to say I handled this office visit well, I did not handle the news well at all. In fact, I actually stormed out of the office after the appointment because I felt so devastated. I ran to the parking lot, got into my car, and broke down in tears. I cried because I felt so lost. I cried because I was afraid of feeling worse. I cried because I was told there was nothing that could be done to help me. I cried because this bizarre illness was affecting me at a young age, and it felt so unfair.
For three years I let that day in the Doctor’s office emotionally wreck me. Not only did I become depressed, my body started to do more bizarre things. With Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, there can be times when your thyroid gland is overactive (“hyperthyroid”) and times when your thyroid is under active (“hypothyroid). This happens in response to the damage thyroid antibodies inflict on the thyroid gland itself. When my thyroid was overactive, I experienced panic attacks, hair loss, weight loss, and tremors. When my thyroid was sluggish, I would feel immobile and depressed. I would gain weight and feel incredibly lethargic. My energy at times was so lacking that I was unable to exercise. What made things more stressful is that my immune system (while it was busy destroying my thyroid gland) failed to take care of my body as a whole. I would get chronic sinus infections, chronic yeast infections, skin infections, and well, just a whole lot of infections. I was miserable, and becoming increasingly bitter because of it. At that point in my life, I began to lose hope. I yearned for the day to feel well again, but had no idea what I could do to make that day come.
Then one day in the fall of 2010, I was randomly talking to a friend about my health. He told me to take a look at a book called “The Paleo Diet” by Dr. Loren Cordain. My friend told me that perhaps it might be of some help to at least “minimize” my symptoms from my autoimmune issue. At the time, it sounded crazy that a simple change in diet could be an answer to my problem. Yet, that small seed of hope lead me to drive to the nearest Barnes and Noble to purchase the book. I came home, sat down with a notebook and a pen to take notes, and DEVOURED the information. The book did not guarantee my health would return, but what the book DID suggest that there was a possibility of being able to reverse the inappropriate autoimmune response that was wreaking havoc on my thyroid. I decided to pick up supplemental reading from Robb Wolf’s “The Paleo Solution” book. Mr. Wolf had more research articles that linked dietary elements to autoimmune conditions. THIS WAS IT! This was what could help me! I decided to take matters into my own hands. I was going to learn about my condition as much as possible, change my diet, and pray that something positive would happen to my body in the mean time. Of course, step one for me was to find a good endocrinologist to follow up with me, as I knew I did not want to see the first one ever again.
By December 2010, I found an endocrinologist that was knowledgeable about diet and autoimmune issues. She agreed to follow up with me on a regular basis (normally at six month intervals) to see any changes in my antibody levels as well as the size of the nodule on my thyroid. Within the first six months, interesting things were happening. The panic attacks had ended. My weight stabilized. My hair was growing thicker by the day. My hands weren’t shaking. My energy skyrocketed. The infections all went away. I was able to exercise again. In April of this year, I had labs drawn and an ultrasound done on my thyroid. My doctor was happy to report that my antibody levels dropped to a nearly non-existent level and the nodule in my thyroid actually shrank to 4mm. When she asked me if I had changed anything significantly, my only response was “Well, I just changed my eating and exercise habits. I never once thought the effects could be THAT dramatic!” But they were. Much to my amazement, my health had returned! My endocrinologist typed away some notes on my medical records and told me not to come back into the office for 3 years because I was “beyond healthy”.
When I left my recent doctor’s appointment this year, I cried, but this time tears of joy flooded my eyes. I was so happy, and still am happy, that one random conversation with a good friend of mine led me back to my health. The Paleo Diet gave me my life back, ripped me out of a dangerous depression, and inspired me to help others reach for exceptional health themselves. Now at age 24 I am training for a certification to be a Russian Kettlebell Instructor. My first certification will be in September of 2012. From there on out, I plan to teach others how to eat and how to exercise for optimal health knowing everything I know now. I could not have reached this level of health without the help from Dr. Cordain and Robb Wolf, the food advocates who taught me how to eat and exercise. I almost feel indebted to them for the work they have produced. Knowledge is power, and everything those two have written on the Paleo Diet has proven to work well for me. The Paleo Diet is the only diet that will truly change your life. Don’t lose hope! There is life beyond your suffering. Trust me. The Paleo Diet will be your miracle!
You can hear more from Janelle at her blog http://primalburgher.com/
The Crunchy Pickle says
This is great! I have been eating paleo too for two years for my thyroid and despite having the antibodies for Hashimoto’s, I don’t have any noticeable symptoms. It is a blessing to have discovered this information, isn’t it?! So happy for you – it sounds like your whole life has changed!
Mickey @ Little Fig says
This is a great testimonial – I also have Hashimotos and have been feeling far better on paleo. Did you do the autoimmune protocol?
Josh says
That was a very moving story, thank you for sharing.
Rella says
So glad to read your success story, Janelle. Congratulations on regaining your health, and for deciding to “pay it forward” with the fitness certification and future plans.
Dimitrije says
Gluten indeed can be connected with autoimmune problems, but I’m baffled by your original physicians decision to not give you meds tolower your thyroid hormone levels while in hyper.
It’s a standard procedure.
It’s no cure, but it gets rid of hyper symptoms which themselves can lead to serious problems, not least of which is possible cardiac failure.
julianne says
I too have hashimotos, but as yet it causes hardly any symptoms. I’m trying to keep it that way. My thyroid anti-bodies were also very high when diagnosed and my doctor said pretty much the same – nothing you can do, you’ll end up on medication one day.
That was 3 years ago. I’m still just fine, and the closer I am to the auto-immune paleo protocol the better my thyroid test results
GB says
Good for you Missy! Rock on!
Go see that first Dr. again. He might learn something that would help his other patients.
Kathleen says
What a great story! I, too, have hypothyroid disease however because my antibodies are present yet low, they cannot diagnose me with Hashi’s (I was already on some thyroid medication at the time of testing for antibodies). I may be one in a rare few of those who have Hashi’s but antibodies are not always detected.
I went Paleo a few months ago (as well as avoid gluten) and I wish I could say that my results have been as successful as yours. I am hoping to keep my little academic trial going to see if things improve – so reading your story does give me hope!
Good luck with your certifications! You will be a great motivator and inspiration to people.
Evelyn says
Kathleen,
Make sure you are using no iodized salt as iodine is extremely bad for those of us with hypothyroid and hashimottos. You also need to make sure all beauty products are GLuten free. Also make sure any multivitamins are free of iodine and gluten. Some things people don’t think about. I’ve been GF and sugar free for a year and my antibodies have gone from 1,000 to 300. I’m almost there and have started Paleo to kick this awful disease once and for all. I take a non GMO organic b12 vitamin, coconut oil pills, vitamin d3, and vitamin c. All help support a healthy thyroid. I hope these tips help you! There is so much information out there that it can be overwhelming at times!
Squatchy says
Just to clarify, iodine isn’t something that is necessarily bad for someone with Hashimoto’s. Chris Kresser has a great free ebook that has a section that talks about iodine http://chriskresser.com/thyroid
Sheila says
Thank you for sharing your story and giving me new hope. I am currently experiencing a major antibody attack and just started the Paleo plan.
Continued good health to you.
DC says
I’m really happy for you!
I’m 41 now, but was diagnosed with Graves Disease at 24. I had similar issues: trembling, brain fog, hair falling out, high body temps and went from 126lb to 107 in less than a month. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t know about paleo at the time. The doctors were very aggressive with immediate radioactive iodine treatment because they said I was at risk for a thyroid storm. I went on to develop two other autoimmune diseases. As with the Graves disease, they are focused on fixing symptoms, not causes.
I applaud you for finding a way to treat the causes and find a way to be healthy.
Lynn says
Thanks Janelle for sharing your story. Good luck with your cert and I agree with GB, contact that first endocrinologist and let him know what you have done and how good you feel. If we don’t share our stories with these docs, they’ll most likely never understand the healing power of the Paleo diet and lifestyle!
carol says
Sorry, this is a little long, but I hope it helps others make some connections.
When I was 21, I was diagnosed with Grave’s disease. In hindsight, my autoimmune problems started before then and each passing year seemed to bring something new — I never realized until I adopted a Paleo diet that all these seemingly unrelated conditions have at their root a common cause: inflammation from my Standard American Diet (love those healthy grains). Some of us are just a helluva lot more sensitive than others!
My personal roll call of AI conditions: severe seasonal allergies, keratoconus, Grave’s disease, chronic tonsillitis, lymphocytic colitis, Raynaud’s syndrome, endometrioses, and a stage 1 melanoma diagnosis for good measure. The funny thing is I always thought I was healthy because I ate a good diet, exercised, was at a good weight, and for some odd reason bragged that I hardly ever got sick (at least in the traditional sense).
I’ve felt for a long time that I’m playing a chess game with my health and I keep losing pieces off the board — thyroid gland, tonsils, ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes,and a sizeable chunk of tissue from my forearm.
The Paleo diet has given me hope that I can win this autoimmune smackdown. It’s pretty much cured my lymphocytic colitis, reduced my Raynaud’s attacks, and I haven’t developed anything new in the 18 months I’ve been a PPP (practicing Paleolithic person). Here’s hoping!
David says
Hi Carol – I have been searching for keratoconus info ever since first noticing it a couple years ago. I’m 31 and have now been eating paleo for about 9 months, noticing an improvement in many aspects of my health such as digestion, mental clarity, mood, quality of sleep, energy, etc. (I can also very much relate to thinking I was very healthy most of my life until many things started to suddenly fall apart without much lifestyle change.)
The keratoconus appears to have stabilized (still there but not getting worse) but I’ve been scouring the internet trying to see if anyone has found natural ways to improve cornea health instead of going for cross-linking surgery which kind of frightens me. So if you have any resources about keratoconus that you’ve come across or any observations of paleo’s impact on your own symptoms I’d be very curious! I also find it interesting that you list it under the AI umbrella – I have instinctively put it there too along with all the other diseases that modern medicine can’t explain. But the protein and collagen factors in cornea health suggest to me that it’s all connected, more than just “well it can be hereditary but nobody really knows” as the optometrists have offered as their best guess.
Thanks,
David
Billy says
David,
I have been dealing with Keratoconus for about ten years and have spent a lot of money on several procedures to help stabilize it. I’ve been practicing Paleo (intermittently) for 2 years now. This post and your reply is the first I’ve seen Keratoconus mentioned as possibly being linked to AI or can possibly be stabilized or improved by a Paleo diet. You posted this over 2 years ago, I’m curious if you have found any other information on this. thanks, Billy
Ella says
Hi Carol,
Try probiotics, they should help. Read the book called “Bacteria for Breakfast: Probiotics for Good Health” by by Kelly Dowhower Karpa. I hope it’ll help.
NA in Calif says
What an amazing, moving story. Thank you for sharing. (I’m 12 days into paleo myself.)
Shanna says
Thank-you for.sharing your inspiring story and valuable information. I’m beginning to dabble In the Paleo.Diet. I am hoping that it will help with my hypothyroid issues.
Raj says
I suffered with this one from childhood. Doctors in India couldn’t understand what is low grade fever. Now after 25 yrs we call it auto immune disease. Pretty much body was torn apart by my own immune system. modern diet “SUGAR” and chemicals and pathogens that love sugar diet killed me inside out.
People please eat whole foods with elimination diet and lot of probiotics. Heal well!!
Raj
Lisa says
I found this link and wanted to add my situation and concerns. I did not switch to the Paleo diet, but through a progession of diet changes, I cut out sugar, processed foods, wheat and other grains, and milk dairy. In the last month I started eating lots of fruits and vegetables, both raw and slightly cooked. I eat grass fed beef, bison, wild seafood, organic chicken, legumes, and small amounts of brown rice, gluten free flours, and gluten free oatmeal. My health has improved dramatically. I have so much energy and have lost 30 pounds easily with 30 more to go. I had a C-reactive protein of over 25 last year and now it is around 4. I wanted to test my thyroid antibodies to see if I was curing myself and they are now double what they were 3 months ago. My nodule shrunk about 20% since last year so I don’t know what is going on. I take 60 mg of Armour down from 120 mg because my doctor thought I seemed hyper as I started to feel better. I am hyper – I don’t stop talking, I’m happy, and I feel good. My pulse ranges from 85 to 100 so I’m afraid of taking more Armour. My TSH and T4 have always been fine. I had a high reverse T3 a few months ago before I changed my diet and now everything is within the optimal range. What’s going on? My doctor doesn’t want me to worry because she thinks that I have improved my health so much in 5 months and is happy that I feel good. I want to get rid of Hashimoto’s. Is that unrealistic?
KA says
Lisa, getting rid of Hashimoto’s is not unrealistic, as Janelle did it, and many others have as well. I suggest cutting out the legumes, gluten-free flours, oats, and rice. Check out the autoimmune protocol. If you haven’t, you will probably need to eliminate foods such as eggs, coffee, nightshades, etc in order to find out what is causing your antibodies to go up. Remember, it’s an autoimmune disease, so something is causing your body to attack itself, and it’s probably something you’re eating without knowing you’re allergic. In addition, there is research published that suggests taking 200 mcg of Selenium with 400 mcg of Vitamin E reduces TSH and antibodies.
Lara says
While diet will help with any disease, and may even put an autoimmune condition into remission, there is no evidence that diet alone will cure autoimmune thyroid disease. Autoimmune thyroid disease is due to genetics, and makes up 90% of thyroid patients. Thyroid medication is designed to replace thyroid hormone, but doctors need to look at other deficiencies and take a full thyroid panel to diagnose correctly. TPO antibodies need to be high to conclusively diagnose someone as having Hashimoto’s.
For the other 10%, lifestyle changes are the cause, and “cure”, often due to inadequate iodine, iron and other critical nutrients.
Hashimoto’s patients have been documented to go into remission for up to eight years. Sometimes the birth control pill will help put patients into remission, and/or help ease symptoms.
Hypothyroidism, due to lifestyle, may be able to be reversed by ensuring adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals, regular exercise, healthy diet high in fruit, vegetables and adequate protein and healthy carbs.
It is misleading to state that diet will cure this condition when the evidence for this does not exist, to date.
I am not a doctor, tried plenty of diets before being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s. I wish cutting sugar, and lowering carbs, eating coconut fat actually worked. Please seek medical advice from a qualified medical professional, find a doctor you trust, and if in doubt get a second opinion.
Kristin Mineah says
Lara,
First of all, treating any disease – autoimmune or otherwise – symptomatically, will never result in a cure. Having been diagnosed with Hashimototo’s in 1985, treated by a platoon of MD’s, Endos, Naturopaths, Accupuncturists, etc., ad nauseum, I can say with some authority that, the allopathic approach to treating autoimmune disease is pretty much useless. While I have used primarily alternative medicine since 1974, I have generally maintained a relationship with one MD or another, both for access to testing and for some diagnostic work. My latest MD and an thyroid-specialized NP both told me that ultimately, there really isn’t much that allopathic medicine can do for Hashimototo’s, short of prescribing thyroid replacement hormones. Mostly, they don’t even get that right, so it is up to us to know what is working and what isn’t, particularly where our T4 and T3 dosages are concerned. I went to Richard Shames back in the ’90s (doc specializing in thyroid issues, wrote a book, got pretty famous in his field,) and the most he could do for me was switch me to a thyroid med that included T3 – which had NEVER been done in more than 10 years of being treated for Hashimoto’s.
The point I’m trying to make is that no one will ever cure Hashimototo’s or any other autoimmune disease unless they are addressing the reasons for the autoimmunity – NOT the symptoms of the specific ‘disease’, be it Hashi’s, MS, RA or any other of the 100 or so recognized autoimmune conditions we’re now dealing with, including cancer. Diet, lifestyle, energy medicine and self-knowledge are the tools we all have available to us without having to ask an outside authority how to heal. Appropriate herbs, supplements and interventions are certainly useful if under the guidance of a good Functional Medicine doctor and/or Naturopath. Rarely will you find an allopathic doctor who is willing or able to deal with autoimmune disease – even immunologists don’t really know what they’re doing – it’s all trial and error and guesswork at our expense. I went through that process with my brother who died of AIDS in early 1992.
As far as evidence is concerned, at a certain point, the preponderance of experience-based evidence outweighs the usefulness of clinical trials and studies in determining what is true and what is not. It is also useful to remember that all trials and studies are funded by SOMEONE – most often that someone is trying to maintain the status quo so as not to jeopardize their industry’s bottom line. Just imagine what would happen to the American Medical system if people began to suspect that they were being taken for a ride when in reality, it is completely within the realm of possibility that, with a little direction and help, they can heal themselves. By the way, ‘cure’ and ‘heal’ are not the same thing. ‘Cure’ is a term that western medicine uses and reserves for their exclusive use. ‘Heal’ is what our bodies know how to do all by themselves if given the right environment and opportunities.
Connie says
Teenage parenting is stressful enough, without knee-jerk reactions making things worse.
Well keep reading and together we’ll hit it out of the park. You might be anxious or scared or confused about setting limits and ultimately end up losing control.
Tracy says
Not to be a downer, but a diet change won’t necessarily cure/get rid of Hashi’s (though obviously for some people it does, or at least eliminates symptoms). My thyroid tanked after I’d been Paleo for several years. Paleo didn’t cause it… I’d had Hashi’s symptoms for a long time (without knowing what they were) and am celiac as well. I went Paleo (low carb first, completely grain-free) after finding out I was celiac, and all of my symptoms went away – until some of them came back 7 years later, along with sudden weight gain. Testing discovered my FT3 in the toilet, FT4 low, TSH rising (though TSH is a poor indicator), antibodies low, but present.
I was so upset – I’d been so careful about what I ate for so long! Wasn’t that supposed to make me immune to this stuff? Anyway, I got over it – sometimes, what’s gonna happen to your body is just what’s gonna happen, even if you eat a ‘perfect’ diet. Some supplemental natural thyroid hormone got me back on track… and I think at least in part because I eat so well, I take less than most people I’ve spoken with (my doc also said that my cortisol test results looked like I’d had adrenal issues which were clearing up on their own, which I’d also chalk up at least partly to good diet).
I say this just because I know how let down I felt when this happened to me, and if you are someone whose Hashis (or anything else) doesn’t become cured on Paleo, don’t feel bad or like you did something wrong – sometimes it just happens. And if your condition does improve or go away completely on Paleo, like Janelle’s – congrats!
Sheila says
Thank you for sharing your experience. I am only a few months into the Paleo lifestyle, but I have already lost 24 pounds and found the energy to start running. And the best thing for me is I have had no panic attacks.
JC says
Hi – What were your initial antibodies (when first diagnosed) and when you were diagnosed as Hashimoto’s in remission? Thank you in advance for writing back. My initial antibodies were 13,200 and I am trying to figure out if there is hope to decrease the antibodies via diet. I have been following the paleo autoimmune protocol for 3 months. thank you!
Charles Weber says
Dear Janelle Pica,
Fluoride damages the thyroid. It also causes dementia similar to Alzheimer’s disease and probably Alzheimer’s disease itself.
Irrigating with municipal water poisons the soil with fluoride. I hope to persuade you to use your influence and contacts to get this evil custom ended.
Fluoride in water is recommended for tooth protection. Fluoride in water no longer provides this protection, probably because of increasing fluoride in food from fluoride insecticides and tooth paste. However, even if it did, it would not be worth it, because it is more poisonous than lead and only marginally less so than arsenic. Once in the environment, it has an infinite life. If you know how long it takes to reach the groundwater, please let me know.
It inhibits thyroid ( http://www.fluoridealert.org/health/thyroid/steyn-1955.html ), synergistically with aluminum causes a disease similar to Alzheimer’s disease http://jech.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/50/4/401 (Masters) , causes bone degeneration [Reddy] [Susheela and Mohan] for fluoride interferes with the hydroxylation of proline to hydroxyproline. And fluoride exposure disrupts the synthesis of collagen and leads to the breakdown of collagen in bone, tendon, muscle, skin, cartilage, lungs, kidney, trachea and arteries [Susheela and Sharma] [Sharma] [Susheela and Mukerjee] [Marian Drozdz et al]. It decreases intelligence in children (Lu). (See http://charles_w.tripod.com/fluoride.html ) These side effects are far more serious than tooth caries especially since caries can be prevented with a diet adequate in calcium, magnesium, copper, vitamin D, and phosphate. Also they can be cured with anacardic acids in cashew plants and nuts (see http://charles_w.tripod.com/tooth.html ).
In addition to the above circumstances mildly adversely affecting health (“mildly”, that is, if applied properly in minute amounts), fluoride enters the bodies of people in wildly varying amounts. Fluoride is applied largely for the purpose of protecting children. But to expect small children to apply tooth paste poison correctly without medical instruction, or for that matter even with instruction, is inane. There is also the danger that some parts of the adult population will have more than small intakes. Many municipal water supplies have fluoride added, so that people who must drink large amounts of water, such as people with damaged kidneys, or who do drink large amounts of water because of recommendations of health purists, will receive large amounts. Richmond says that fluorinating water has no perceptible affect on kidneys in children, but that fluoride in water for dialysis should be controlled [Richmond]. Another group at risk are people who eat large amounts of dried food that must be reconstituted with water such as babies and maybe soldiers. All this happens with no or little reduction of tooth caries from water fluoridation [Seppa]. The ADA has warned mothers not to make up formula with fluoridated water.
This increased fluoride intake is also true for people who drink much tea [Gulati], since tea leaves pick up large amounts from some soils , and probably other plants do also [Xie]. Coffee has high amounts of fluoride from insecticides. Fluoride compounds are applied to plants as insecticides, especially grapes. Most of these fluorides end up in the soil, and therefore probably in many plants.
I would like to gain your support in getting poisonous fluoride and fluoride insecticides removed from United States food . It has bad side effects on the thyroid and the brain. It is especially damaging to people who drink a lot of fluoridated water such as babies drinking made up milk formula, old people with kidney problems, and perspiring people who use reconstituted fruit juice, If it can not be removed, at least a tax should be put on it sufficient to pay for the diseases it causes. That would be only fair.
If you can not get fluoride removed, perhaps you can at least acquaint people about an iodide cure or antidote. You may see these concepts discussed in http://charles_w.tripod.com/fluoride.html . That antidote may wok for the thyroid, but I doubt if it will strengthen fluoride damaged bone
Sincerely, Charles Weber, MS
PS Dr. Rastmanesh, a nutritionist from Iran, would like to secure a position in an American university because of political problems. He has an impressive CV. If you know of an opening I will send you his CV.
REFERENCES
Arnesen AKM 1998 Effect of Fluoride Pollution on pH AND Solubility of Al, Fe, Ca, Mg, K and Organic Matter in Soil from Årdal (Western Norway). Water Air and Soil Pollution 103 (1-4); 375-378.
Bibby BG Zander HA McKelleget M Labunsky B 1946 Preliminary reports on the effect on dental caries of the use of sodium fluoride in a prophylactic cleaning mixture and in a mouthwash.J Dent Res 25(4): 207-211, 1946.
Bryson C 2004 The Seven Stories Press.
Dhruva N. Rao1 and Dhirendra Pal 1978 Effect of fluoride pollution on the organic matter content of soil. Plant and Soil 49; 653-656.
Eichbaum FW 1946 Biological properties of anacardic acid (O- pentadeca dienylsalicylic acid) and related compounds. General discussion-bactericidal action. Memorias do Instituto Butanen 19 71-86.
Emsley J, et al 1981 An unexpectedly strong bond: Ab initio calculations and spectroscopic studies of amide fluoride systems. Journal of the American Chemical Society 103; 24-28.
Gulati P et al 1993 Studies on the leaching of fluoride in tea infusions. The Science of the Total Environment 138 (1-3); 213-221.
Holick MF 2004 Sunlight and vitamin D for bone health and prevention of autoimmune diseases, cancers, and cardiovascular disease. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 80; No. 6, 1678S-1688S.
Lu Y, Sun ZR, Wu LN, Wang X, Lu W, Liub SS 2000 Effect of high fluoride water on intelligence in children. Fluoride 33; 74-78.
Marian Drozdz et al., 1984 “Studies on the Influence of Fluoride Compounds upon Connective Tissue Metabolism in Growing Rats” and “Effect of Sodium Fluoride with and without Simultaneous Exposure to Hydrogen Fluoride on Collagen Metabolism,” Journal of Toxicological Medicine, Vol. 4, pp. 151-157.
Masters RD and Coplan M 1998 Water Treatment with Silicofluorides and enhanced lead uptake, Fluoride, Vol. 31, No 3, Aug,
Orcel P, et al 1990 Stress fractures of the lower limbs in osteoporotic patients treated with fluoride. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research 5 Suppl 1:S191-4.
Pendrys DG Katz RV 1989 Risk of enamel fluorosis associated with fluoride supplementation, infant formula and fluoride dentifrice use. American Journal of Epidemiology 130; 1199-1208.
Reddy GB, Arjun L. Khandare, P. Yadagiri Reddy, G. Shankar Rao, N. Balakrishna and I. Srivalli 2003 Antioxidant Defense System and Lipid Peroxidation in Patients with Skeletal Fluorosis and in Fluoride-Intoxicated Rabbits Toxicological Sciences 72, 363-368.
Richmond VL 1985 Thirty years of fluoridation: a review. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 41; 129-138.
Seppa L Karkkainen S Hausen H 2000 Caries trends 1992-1998 in two low-fluoride Finnish towns formerly with and without fluoridation. Carries Research 34(6):462-8.
Sharma YD, 1982 Effect of Sodium Fluoride on Collagen Cross-Link Precursors, Toxicological Letters, Vol. 10, pp. 97-100
Susheela SK and Mohan Jha, 1981 Effects of Fluoride on Cortical and Cancellous Bone Composition,” IRCS Medical Sciences: Library Compendium, Vol. 9, No.11, pp. 1021-1022
Susheela AK and Mukerjee D, 1981 Fluoride poisoning and the Effect of Collagen Biosynthesis of Osseous and Nonosseous Tissue,” Toxicological European Research, Vol. 3, No.2, pp. 99-104
Susheela and Sharma 1981 Fluoride poisoning and the Effects of Collagen Biosynthesis of Osseous and Non-osseous Tissue”, Toxicological European Research, Vol 3, No.2, pp99-104.
Varner, J.A., et al., 1984 Chronic administration of aluminum-fluoride or sodium fluoride to rats in drinking water: Alterations in neuronal and cerebrovascular integrity. Brain Medicine, Vol. 4, pp. 151-157.
Weber CE 2006 Eliminate infection (abscess) in teeth with cashew nuts. Medical Hypotheses 65; 1200.
Weisman G et al 1972 Leukocyte proteases and the immunologic release of lysosomal enzymes. American Journal of Pathology 68; 539-569.
Xie ZM Ye ZH Wong MH 2001 Distribution characteristics of fluoride and aluminum in soil profiles of an abandoned tea plantation and their uptake by six woody species. Environmental International 26; (5-6) 341-346
Suad says
Thank you for the inspiration. .I am just diagnosed with the same disease but they gave me the hormone immediately. .I wounder why they should wait for 10 years!
Layla says
Thankyou for your article. I swear I just read my entire life! I had the “panic attacks” since I was 18 and was told just that…Panic attacks. 20 years later and several doctors later I was diagnosed with Hashimotos, and have 6 nodules (all of which are benign). I was put on synthroid and my levels go back and forth with and without the meds.I stopped taking the meds and my levels were perfect…then 6 weeks later they are off, then 6 weeks later back to normal…hence the reason I am very hesitant to take synthroid. Im scared I’ll go into a thyroid storm. My levels as of right now are completely normal but I still feel miserable. I know my body and I know when I’m hypo and hyper. Its just very frustrating when you have an endo who thinks your crazy. Im going to try this diet and hopefully it works….Im just exhausted with the way things are now.
Khali says
I have a hyper flare. Up for three weeks now and I am thinking on taking 25 mcg Synthroid because the symptoms are horrible. I haven’t sleep since yesterday because. Of all the symptoms. What do you think?
Alice says
Check out L-carnitine which diminishes the effects of thyroid hormone on the thyroid and the effect of muscle cysteine level depletion due to hyperthyroidism.
Khali says
Forgot to mention that have been in AIPaleo for around 5 months but still have bad symptoms, I am desperate!
Aarianna says
Very inspirational story. Thank you for sharing this.
http://www.netdbs.com/ForumRetrieve.aspx?ForumID=2803&TopicID=224533&NoTemplate=False says
Some dogs and cats can actually develop an allergy to fleas.
Surgical therapy, on the other hand, include skin grafts from a person. If an individual is totally
hydrated, his or her skin is soft, smooth as well as
supple, as opposed to the dryness and also flakiness of dry skin. Furthermore, this insufficient circulation could lead to thrombosis,
or varicose veins, due to the extra fluid
build up. In 2000 the International Incontinentia Pigmenti
Consortium concluded that the condition is caused by a genomic rearrangement of the NEMO gene.
The allergy is normally to a substance within the food that
is being consumed. It destroys the free radicals that destroy your skin cells
causing the problem. The more I research into it, the more lists I find that indicate the right nutrition that can help treat
any type of skin condition. Again, if you notice this, you should have a Vet look at
it as it can be very uncomfortable. Allergic eczema creates like warning signs but is due to items
such as pollens, dust mites or reactions from pet hair and dander.
It is described as scattered patches of small coarse bumps on the skin normally in the arms, thighs and buttocks and in some cases in the face.
The health and appearance of his male organ is important to every man, and
when problems crop up on the male organ skin, most men are eager for an easy, no-fuss solution. However, they rarely
are the sole or primary cause of skin disease for pets. The
most important for skin are green and red (also orange) vegetables: for example,
spinach and carrot. Mainly it is vitamin E, which is contained in almonds.
Acne is one of the most common skin conditions that affects up to 80% of teens during
adolescence and can affect adults into their 40s along with women who are pregnant.
Again, over-the-counter antifungal medications can treat most outbreaks.
The same can be mentioned about the other ‘participants’ of the list.
Prickly Heat- Prickly Heat is a serious of tiny red bumps that can occur anywhere
on a baby’s body. Luckily this is the most common variety, and it isn’t that bad once you get through the initial stages and begin to treat it.
Alsb says
Hello, I’ve just been told I have underworking Thyroid on and off and vit D3 deficiency. The Dr have put me in levothyroxine 25mcg but I don’t want to take it yet. Looking for something more natural with no deadly side effects. I started drinking distilled water to help me to detox and I am trying to purchase the Paleo Diet book but there are so many out there. Would you recommend the autoimmune ptotocol? And if so which one? Or any Paleo book would do? Would you be so kind and give some titles please? Many thanks!!
Robb Wolf says
The Wahls Protocol is fantastic.
Lisa says
ALSB,
Hello, my son who is 20, just found out through a blood test his TSH was 6.010. He was immediately prescribed the same meds as you. I feel he should get a second opinion. His has the SAD, and I think maybe making changes with his diet could help. I think a more natural approach or at least more testing to see what the “cause” of this would make more sense. Did you every find help?
Thank you,
Worried mom
Squatchy says
Check these out:
http://ccfmed.com/
http://drruscio.com/
http://amymyersmd.com/
http://paleophysiciansnetwork.com/
http://www.primaldocs.com/
Dee says
Wondering about any connections with Lupus and this diet?
Robb Wolf says
Dee- The short answer is all these autoimmune conditions seem to have similar root cause.
Alice says
Yeah, They all involve inflammation and adverse levels of IL-17, TNF-alpha, IL-6, and probably other inflammatory cytokines and some issues of gut permeability which is caused by high levels of Zonulin, which opens tight junctions in the intestine.
Gisele Kreider says
Thanks for ones marvelous posting! I really enjoyed reading it, you will be a great author.I will ensure that I bookmark your blog and will eventually come back very soon. I want to encourage yourself to continue your great writing, have a nice morning!
Ionela says
Can you please tell me how much were your antibodies at first? Thank you.
Mozelle Scheffler says
This website was… how do I say it? Relevant!! Finally I’ve found something that helped me. Thanks!