• Hormones aren’t even the root cause, but it’s close!
• Conspiring Pharma-Insurance and the Physicians role
• A general protocol for healing from Autoimmunity
• Detox, Reset, Restore.

Curing the “Incurable”

“Nocebo” is the opposite of a placebo effect. When a doctor misdiagnoses a patient, and the patient progresses in symptoms in the typical way.  When the physician and nurse diagnosed me with an incurable autoimmune condition, I believed there was more to the story than what they knew. Perhaps it was stubborn arrogance, but I had met a few people who have recovered from Hashimoto’s disease. I followed the protocol, and a couple months ago re-tested my thyroid hormone levels, and they were back to normal! I couldn’t wait to tell the nurse and doctor who said it was incurable. I also couldn’t wait to share the news with everyone else, so I created this comprehensive blog post to help you on your recovery. 

If you would like to get straight into the protocol without reading, or you need something more streamlined to follow for the next 30 days, I am providing some resources such as a checklist for this protocol, as well as a recipe book. It’s so challenging to take out your comfort foods that are causing inflammatory reactions and inhibiting the thyroids ability to function properly, but focusing on the good food we can explore will make the transition to health-giving food much easier. Click the button below. It is not a lead magnet or e-mail capture. It is a free book, no strings attached, to support you on your wellness journey. Donations and consultation leads appreciated, but not expected!

Download Recipe Book!

The Symptom is not the Problem

At first my symptom was inability to concentrate, then it was a fear-filled racing heart, low energy, depression, sudden crying spells, and weight loss. The doctor asked me the depression screening questions and asked if I wanted a medication for it. I declined, knowing that the my life situation could be the cause of it. I tried to simplify my life instead. Depression and anxiety are so widespread. I wonder how many people get medicated for it.   Dave Asprey’s “Biohacking” work turned me to getting my hormones tested. More than 12 percent of Americans will experience a thyroid issue at some point in their life.  20 million Americans have a thyroid problem. This is not even to mention the other endocrine gland dysfunctions we deal with. Many people will deal with mysterious illnesses, unaware of how their hormones are operating (or not!) Many people are being prescribed anti-anxiety and anti-depressive pharmaceuticals without addressing the root cause. Can you imagine how many youth are suffering with anxiety, depression, and mood swings because of reactive foods, but are being given lithium as a mood stabilizer instead, and further exacerbating their thyroid problem? Continue reading to see how toxins in our regular environment contribute to this problem, but note here that psychiatric issues are being attributed to what is actually a hormone issue that can be detoxified and supported. 

The Role of Hormones

Hormones are silently orchestrating a vast array of vital processes. Practically ALL of the processes. From regulating our appetite and metabolism to governing our sleep-wake cycle, mood, behavior, energy levels, and reproductive functions, hormones play a pivotal role in our overall well-being.

Insulin, leptin, and ghrelin, for example, work in tandem to control our appetite and metabolism, ensuring we have the energy we need to function. Melatonin, on the other hand, is responsible for the circadian rhythm that governs our sleep-wake cycle, allowing us to rest and rejuvenate.

Hormones like serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins influence our mood and behavior, shaping our emotional experiences and responses. Thyroid hormones and cortisol, meanwhile, are responsible for regulating our energy levels and vitality, ensuring we have the drive to power through our day.

For women, estrogen and progesterone play a crucial role in reproductive function and mood regulation, while testosterone governs various functions such as motivation!

When hormonal imbalances occur, symptoms can manifest, often going unnoticed as we may perceive them as a normal part of life. How standard is it for people to be coping with adrenal or thyroid dysfunction by suppressing the ‘tired’ feeling with caffeine or chocolate? We can be more mindful of our bodies and take proactive steps to maintain hormonal balance. This involves adopting a healthy lifestyle, making dietary changes, and seeking medical advice when necessary.

The Thyroid and the Endocrine System

Located in the neck, the thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate metabolism and influence various bodily functions. It produces Thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), which regulate metabolic rate, heart and digestive functions, muscle control, brain development, and maintenance of bones. The parathyroid glands located near the thyroid gland produce parathyroid hormone, which helps regulate calcium levels in the body. The hormone-producing glands interact with each other through  the endocrine system, affecting organs and tissues.

Let me demonstrate how complex the endocrine system is: Many hormones act through feedback loops to regulate their own production. For example, the hypothalamus in the brain produces hormones that stimulate or inhibit the release hormones from the pituitary gland, which in turn regulates the activity of other glands. Some hormones released by one gland can stimulate or inhibit the release of hormones from other glands. Hormones from different glands work together or oppose each other to regulate various physiological processes. For example, insulin and glucagon, produced by the pancreas, work together to regulate blood sugar levels. 

The thyroid works in conjunction with other glands, such as the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, through a feedback loop to maintain hormone balance. The hypothalamus produces thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) which signals the pituitary gland to release thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). This TSH stimulates the thyroid gland to produce T4 and T3. As those levels rise in the blood, they inhibit the release of TRH and TSH, through negative feedback. 

TSH has a circadian rhythm, with levels peaking at night, and reaching a nadir during the day, so disruption of the circadian rhythm can lead to irregular TSH secretion. The pineal gland may not work properly due to stress, lifestyle, shift work, light pollution, EMFs, diet, and also calcification through fluoride, toxins, inflammation, or hyperparathyroidism. 

Chronic stress can lead to elevated cortisol levels, which may suppress TSH production and reduce the conversion of T4 to the more active T3, which can lead to hypothyroidism, despite normal thyroid gland function. 

Symptoms of an improperly functioning thyroid 

Anxiety, nervousness, restlessness, sleep problems, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, constipation or diarrhea, joint or muscle pain, hair loss, hand tremor, weakness, cold intolerance and inability to sweat and pounding or racing heart for hypothyroid and heat intolerance and increased sweating and slow heartrate for hyperthyroid, changes in appetite,  weight loss/ weight gain, thickness change/flaking of the nails, itchy skin, skin blushing, flushing, rash. 

This gives us a pretty vast array of possible symptom-management medications that do not get to the root cause. This does not even cover any dysfunction going on in the adrenal glands, pituitary gland, pineal gland, pancreas, ovaries, testes, or parathyroid glands. If you included those, it’s basically every unwell feeling you could have that can be traced to a hormone. 

Mainstream Treatment Options

Treatment that conventional doctors will prescribe are synthetic hormones, destroying the thyroid gland through radioactive iodine, or surgery to remove the thyroid. This is a great option for congenital diseases where the gland doesn’t work at all due to a genetic reason, but if it’s environmental, perhaps we should treat the environment first!

For the symptoms I thought to mention, I was told to take antidepressants for my emotions, muscle relaxants for my muscles and joints, and now the leading drug recommendation is a synthetic hormone for the rest of my life. I was labeled as having an incurable autoimmune disorder.

I like my doctor. She is a kind and compassionate woman, treating people of all walks of life and cultures. Her training in allopathic medicine allows her to diagnose and treat illnesses, treat symptoms, and refer patients to specialists. She is aware of lifestyle and environmental modifications to be made for better health, and open to alternative/complementary pathways for healing. She told me to go see a functional medicine doctor (which was not covered by insurance, and $500 for initial consultation). Therefore, she is open-minded and humble. Many doctors do not have that characteristic and may be arrogant about their own knowledge, authority, and recommendations. There are true dangers of the “Nocebo effect” when doctor’s diagnose people and contribute harm through instilling a belief that they can not and will not recover from this diagnosis. (It’s the opposite of Placebo effect and are both very real and noteworthy examples of the power of the mind in healing.)

Training in allopathic medicine does not allocate much time, resources, or training to delve into non-pharmaceutical interventions. That would make med-school even more lengthy and arduous! The results of a sub-optimal Thyroid test leads to a prescription for synthetic hormones. 

According to Janie, creator of website stopTheThyroidmadness.com, taking these hormones don’t always help. Some never feel better, others do better but have other issues that aren’t addressed like fibromyalgia, hair loss, depression, anxiety, and some of them never needed treatment in the first place because the root cause such as chronic stress, or infection wasn’t addressed, and they were simply put on t4 until the stressor for infection went away. 

 

The Provider-Insurance-Pharmaceutical Trifecta

Medical providers covered by insurance companies often lack expertise in treating chronic illness because the current insurance system incentivizes conventional lab-tested treatments over holistic and individualized approaches (which by their nature are harder to lab-test). Primary Care Doctors are specifically trained in the paradigm of diagnosing and using pharmaceutical interventions to treat the symptoms or the underlying infection. Pharmaceutical companies and insurance companies existing model relies on pharmaceutical interventions and symptom management for profitability. Natural treatments provided by ‘functional medicine doctors’ or naturopaths do not tend to be covered by insurance companies because of the holistic and individualized nature of its approach. There’s a lack of research for some of the methods such as lifestyle interventions like sauna use, diet modification, and supplement use to treat nutritional deficiencies caused by a degrading environment and industrial agriculture. Certainly there would also be challenges with figuring out reimbursement for holistic treatments such as sauna use and supplements. 

To compound the problem of receiving adequate preventive or holistic care, the primary care physician is limited in the prescriptions they can write to us based on the drug formularies that insurance companies negotiated with pharmaceutical companies, which accounts to variations in coverage between different insurance plans. Insurance system’s convoluted nature is influenced by complex coverage structures, diverse regulations, and negotiated pricing, all of which are tied to the pharmaceutical industry through drug formularies. Our doctor cannot coach us into a better lifestyle, That is not their role! They are, however, at the mercy of pharmaceutical companies and insurance companies. 

 

Breaking Free and Healing Ourselves

We have to educate ourselves and each other. We must be willing to pay for supplements and be willing to make challenging lifestyle  modifications. These lifestyle modifications and dietary habits can be changed slowly but surely, as we educate ourselves and continue to learn and keep our motivation towards change high. You don’t need to be noticeably sick to start your preventive care regimen. You can start now. 

 

You can ask your Primary care provider for more complex blood work. The t4 thyroid pill, for example, can do damage. Read testimonials and learn more about specifically what tests to take by clicking the image which will take you to the page on recommended lab work at StopTheThyroidMadness.com 

 

Autoimmune Conditions

 

Izabel Wentz’s is a pharmacist who had a terrible case of autoimmune hypothyroid (“Hashimoto’s”). She has been in ‘remission’ for many years and has helped thousands of people beat their diagnosis with lifestyle, nutrition, and supplements. This information is valuable for anybody who is suffering from any kind of autoimmunity or mystery illness, as having one autoimmune condition leads to another. Eczema, anyone? Due to our agriculture and lifestyle practices the mysterious illnesses are going to increase until we elevate our collective consciousness and have access to wholesome nourishment and a generally relaxed collective lifestyle. 

 

Wentz’s first book covers all her nerdy research on how this came to be, and how gene expression is triggered, and she covers these topics through her Dig-At-It acronym. 

D-depletions digestion

I- iodine, inflammation, infection, immune imbalance,

G – gut, gluten

A- adrenals, alkaline, phosphatase

T – Triggers

I – intolerances

T- Toxins

 

Her second book puts that whole acronym into a usable protocol, and also draws on her experience of helping thousands of patients. Between her first book and her second book, she recognized that there’s a best-order-of-service to do things in, namely to detox the liver before calming the adrenals and then restoring the gut.

Due to our standard diet is suffering from a leaky gut which promotes autoimmune issues amongst other things. Leaky gut is gut permeability where bacteria can get directly into the bloodstream without going through the complete digestion process. This is becoming common thanks to pesticides that Monsanto created. It’s not that “conventional,” really!

The 3 factors necessary for autoimmunity to develop are a genetic predisposition, triggers that turn on the genes, and intestinal permeability.

 

1. Gene expression is not your destiny. Lifestyle can turn on genes and it can likewise turn off genes. 
2. Triggers can be managed if we know what they are. 
3. Gut permeability can be healed. 

 

 

The Reset Protocol

 

The Hashimoto Protocol by Izabella Wentz will be useful for anybody suffering from mystery illnesses. I have met people who recovered from Hashimoto’s using this protocol. One woman I met simply did an elimination diet and recovered! In Wentz’s protocol, detoxing all the environmental toxins that we have mindlessly consumed is the first step. The protocol she lays out is a liver detox for two weeks, followed by adrenal reset for four weeks, and a gut health program for six weeks. Other practitioners do variations on addressing these three areas, but Wentz observed that some people make no progress until the liver is detoxed. It seems that this is then the best practice. 

Step 1. Detox the Liver and support the Gallbladder

The body has the liver, kidney, and lymphatic system for detoxing, as well as the bowels, respiratory system, sweat, and urine. Infrared saunas (and saunas in general) are great for sweating to detox. Rebounding on a trampoline or whole-body vibration is a method to activate the lymphatic detox system, as well as dry brushing, and light massage. Cleansing the large intestine through a colon cleanse is a good option. Coffee enemas have been really helpful for cancer patients who are in the midst of breaking apart their tumors, in helping the body rid the tumor quicker. Some doctors recommend everyone do a kidney cleanse once a year, by drinking or eating watermelon for six days. 

 

Isabel Wentz noticed that patients were not having success with their adrenal reset or gut relining protocols when their livers were overburdened, so her first step for the autoimmune protocol is to cleanse the liver. The liver detox recommended by Wentz involves taking out some potentially triggering foods: gluten, dairy, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, soy. Other triggering foods may be corn, eggs, nightshades, and nuts. Chocolate and coffee often contain mold toxins, so other health advocates like Dave Asprey recommend eliminating those as well. 

 

After we have stopped ingesting toxins through our mouth, we must also reduce exposure to toxins through our skin. More than 80% of personal care items, scented items, and cleaning supplies contain toxic impurities. Go to EWG.com/guides and switch out products we use with some that are not loaded with toxins.  We need to assess our deodorant, toothpaste, antibacterial soap, and artificial fragrances, because they often contain triclosan, which resembles a thyroid hormone in its structure and so alters the level of our thyroid hormones. 

 

There are heavy metals like lead, cadmium, mercury, barium, cobalt, thallium, tungsten, and the metalloid arsenic which can affect all our organs and overburden our liver. And then there’s halogen containing chemicals such as bromide, chloride, and fluoride, which are structurally similar to iodine and take up receptor sites in the thyroid gland making us iodine deficient. So, by using the website and checking labels, and using reverse osmosis filtered water, we will be reducing exposure to these toxins. We definitely should no longer be drinking tap water!

 

Now let’s focus on what we can have, and should have. We add in some helpful, healing, detoxifying, and supportive foods: 

 

Drinking hot lemon water in the morning is said to get the metabolism and energy going. 

Making green Smoothies is a good way to get many of the following healing foods into our body. 

Beets, berries, cruciferous veggies such as cabbage, broccoli cauliflower, kale, turnips, radishes, cilantro, turmeric, basil, watercress, sprouts and seedlings (radish seedlings remove 88% bpa!) Green juices and chlorophyll, fermented foods – coconut yogurt, fermented coconut water/ fermented cabbage. There are many more foods, but these are the powerhouses for liver detoxing. 

 

Supplements

We will also be supporting detox pathways through supplements, which are best absorbed when taken with food. . There are lots of supplements we could take and too many companies, but Isabella wentz created supplements that are tested to pharmaceutical standards. Supplement companies don’t have to do this, but Rootcology.com does. Those supplements were formulated specifically to address liver detoxification, and the prices aren’t different from other supplement companies. She has a liver support kit for $300 at rootcology.com, but I just chose a few a la cart to support my liver detox. 

 

The chemical pathway for detox utilizes oxidation, reduction, and dehalogenation of fat soluble toxins, which are then eliminated in another pathway such as glutathione conjugation, acetylation, amino acid conjugation, and methylation. 

For this it’s important to have an amino acid support, of which our regular may have left us deficient in. Rootcology’s Amino Support contains L-Glutamine, Glycine, MSM, NAC, Taurine, Alpha-Ketoglutarate, L-Glutathione, L-Methionine, L-Ornithine, and Calcium-D-Glucarate.  Supplements such as Calcium D-Glucarate improves excretion of metabolized estrogen and carcinogens. NAC (n-Acetyl- L Cystein) turns into glutathione, neutralizes hydrogen peroxide, and helps heal intestinal permeability and aids with detox.

 

Rootcology’s liver and gallbladder support formula has Vitamin A, B-6, B-12, L-Methionine, Milk Thistle extract, Taurine, Inositol, Ox bile, artichoke extract, and beet powder. The MTHFR pathway maintains a healthy homocysteine pathway, of vitamin b12, b6, and folate to break down homocysteine to create other chemicals like amino acids taurine, cysteine, and norepinephrine and dopamine. Rootcology’s MTHFR pathways supplement has Riboflavin, B-6, Folate, B-12, Trimethylglycine, and L-Serine. Genetic mutations in us could cause that pathway not to be functioning properly, and although I haven’t gotten tested, it is necessary for detox, healthy immune function, and ideal joint and cartilage structure, and brain and cardiovascular health. These supplements all contain B-12, and having too much of that may cause headaches or nausea. The excess passes through your urine, so it’s not dangerous, but it’s worth noting. Vitamin C reduces the available amount of B-12 in your body, so should be taken two hours apart from supplements containing B-12. I am making sure to take supplements containing B vitamins in the morning, since they give energy. 

 

More on Supplements

 

For my low testosterone i’m also going to be taking Shilajeet, which has been shown to raise testosterone. 70% of people are magnesium deficient and that could be why I cannot fall asleep  and stay asleep. Magnesium has also helped reduce headaches, muscle pains and cramps, constipation, and anxiety.Specifically, 400mg magnesium citrate and 100mg magnesium glycinate before bed are great sources of oral magnesium supplements, and four hours between thyroid medication. 

 

Without doing a complex test, we won’t know if we are deficient in certain minerals or amino acids. Thiamine, which is also known as the B1 vitamin, is important for metabolizing and degrading sugars and carbon skeletons, and is also involved in neuronal communication and activation of the immune system. Benfotiamine is a lipid-soluble derivative of thiamine, which allows it to penetrate nerve cells more readily. Taking this supplement for a few days and seeing if there is a marked difference in your energy levels may be an easier method for checking if you are deficient. If you are not, you can give it to loved ones who also struggle with energy production, and see if it helps them. Besides promoting energy production, it also improves memory, appetite, protects nerves, prevents heart disease and cataracts. 

 

I’ve already mentioned that Vitamin C should be taken two hours apart from B-12. Fat-Soluble Vitamins like D, A, K, and E must be taken with something fatty, like an avocado or nuts. 

 

Step 2. Adrenals 

The adrenal glands make hydrocortisone (aka cortisol), adrenaline (aka epinephrine), and pregnenolone which is the precursor for DHEA, estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, cortisol and the mineralocorticoid called aldosterone which regulates blood volume, pressure, and body’s sodium and potassium levels. DHEA supplementation can help reduce thyroid antibodies, and is also touted as a youth hormone… The inner medulla secretes epinephrine, norepinephrine, and small amounts of dopamine. The outer cortex secretes glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, and androgens, which are hormones made from cholesterol, in rhythmic patterns of highest in the morning and lowest at night. When the rhythm gets disrupted or the quantities are insufficient, then adrenal dysfunction exists. Cortisol helps regulate our blood sugar, body fat, protects the body against infection, helps adapt to stress, manages inflammation, and helps convert food into energy.  In people with autoimmune conditions, it’s common to have adrenal dysfunction, known as hypothalamic-pituitary axis dysfunction, adrenal insufficiency, or hypocortisolism. 

 

Testing

Conventional doctors do not tend to test for adrenal function through adrenal saliva or urinary stress hormone panels, because it’s not considered a real condition. People with Hashimoto’s and other autoimmune disorders are more likely to develop Addison’s disease, which results in the destruction of adrenal glands, usually not diagnosed until 90% of the adrenal glands have been destroyed. 21-hydroxylase antibodies may be present for decades before adrenal crisis sets in. Your conventional doctor can screen you for Addison’s with an ACTH test and blood cortisol levels. Additionally, you can request a 21-hydroxylase autoantibody test even if the ACTH and blood cortisol levels are normal. The adrenal stress profile test from ZRT will show if you have adrenal dysfunction. However, instead of doing potentially expensive testing, we could simply do the adrenal reset protocol and take care of ourselves proactively if we know we are having symptoms. 

 

Symptoms

 

The adrenals and the thyroid have a feedback loop. Adrenal hormone imbalance symptoms are feeling overwhelmed, feeling tired despite adequate sleep, difficulty getting up in the morning, craving salty foods, increased effort for everyday activities, low blood pressure, feeling faint wen getting up quickly, mental fog, alternating diarrhea and constipation, low blood sugar, decreased sex drive, decreased ability to handle stress, slowed healing, mild depression, less enjoyment in life, feeling worse after skipping meals, increased PMS, poor concentration, reduced ability to make decisions, reduced productivity, and poor memory. 

 

The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis (HPA axis) is a feedback loop between these three endocrine glands. The hypothalamus scans the environment and glands for overall status,and sends messages to the pituitary gland which manages other glands to work, and provides resources to those glands. With chronic stress and relentless demand for cortisol, the body decreases production of other hormones such as DHEA, progesterone, and testosterone. This is how chronic stress affects the HPA axis and cascades into all these symptoms with energy, weight, sleep, libido, motivation, increased inflammation, pain, and decreased mental acuity or concentration. 

 

Adrenal Recovery Protocol

An adrenal saliva test such as given by bio health, can show whether you have adrenal dysfunction, and you can get recommended treatment for that. Energy, wait, strength, calmness, crying spells, libido…”adrenal fatigue” is not a made-up term. Adrenal dysfunction affects many people who don’t even know it. The trigger is for adrenal dysfunction is inadequate rest, emotional stress, blood sugar imbalances and inflammation. 

To support our adrenals we will optimize sleep, correct blood sugar imbalances, minimize stress, and reduce inflammation through food modifications. Gluten, dairy, and soy come out of Wentz’s protocol in this step. Caffeine, grains, hot peppers legumes (except green beans and pea protein,) seaweed, and sugar are also excluded in Wentz’s protocol .

It includes nuts, seeds, meats, eggs, vegetables, and fruits and excludes processed food and grains. In addition we will be adding adaptogens. Ashwagandha (unless nightshade sensitive), rhodiola, and holy basil are believed to support the body’s ability to manage stress and can help support healthy cortisol levels.

The adrenal supplements introduced at this stage are the previously mentioned adoptogenic herbs, and vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that support the adrenals. This includes: B complex, Thiamine/Benthiothiamine (which support energy levels, doses of 600 mg per day are recommended…) vitamin c  (500 to 3,000 mg per day, Reducing dose if diarrhea occurs,) Selenium (which reduces thyroid antibodies and anxiety, 200 to 400 MCG of selenium methionine are recommended,) Magnesium (supports healthy DHA levels and promotes restful sleep.) Magnesium Citrate salt helps promote bowel movements. Reduced dose or switch to magnesium glycinate if diarrhea occurs, but initially she is recommending magnesium citrate by pure encapsulations. 

 

Our fight-or-flight responses turn on through inadequate sleep, mental/emotional stress, blood sugar imbalances, and chronic inflammation. We must address our sleep by creating a good bedtime routine on  a regular schedule, limiting stimulants, managing stress, eating foods that support our melatonin production, and engaging in appropriate physical activity. Here is a checklist for good sleep hygiene habits, and identify some targets you can implement into your lifestyle for 4 weeks, and then reassess your sleep quality assessment from Dr Megan Rossi’s book which can be found at Guthealthdoctor.com/book

1. Establish a regular sleep schedule, maintaining consistent bedtimes and wake times to optimize your body’s internal clock.
2. Create a conducive sleep environment in your bedroom: ensure it’s relaxing, dark, tidy, quiet, and kept at a cool temperature.
3. Expose yourself to natural morning light to support and reset your body clock.
4. Minimize technology use before bedtime, or use blue light filters to reduce exposure to stimulating light.
5. Avoid consuming food or beverages, especially caffeine and stimulants, within 2 to 3 hours before bedtime, with a cut-off time for caffeine consumption around 3:00 p.m.
6. Establish a relaxing bedtime routine to help unwind before sleep. This may include activities such as taking a warm (but not too hot) bath, engaging in relaxation exercises, listening to calming music, practicing meditation, or reading a book under dim lighting.
7. If worries or to-do lists interfere with sleep, schedule dedicated “worry time” during the day to journal concerns and organize tasks, allowing your mind to rest easier at night.

The right type of exercise: WIth adrenal disruption, the right amount of physical activity may not be very strenuous. Whatever it is, it  should leave you feeling good, not tired. Depending on the level of adrenal dysregulation you might benefit from muscle toning and walking alone, instead of higher intensity cardiovascular activity. Dave Asprey recommends REHIT: Reduced exertion High intensity intervals, which is a twenty second sprint, followed by a recovery of your heart rate, and then another twenty second sprint, followed by intentional recovery. This takes only a few minutes  a day, yet depending on your level of inflammation (common symptom of hormone issues) it may not be possible or restorative. You need to learn to listen to your body. 

 

The best and most challenging part of adrenal recovery is to do more of what you enjoy, and less of what you do not enjoy. 

 

Step 3 – Gut Lining restoration

The adrenal recovery protocol is a prerequisite to the gut balance protocol because the rate at which our gut heels is controlled by the cortisol that the adrenals release, and a deficiency or excess in cortisol can prevent proper gut healing. Cortisol controls inflammation. Excess cortisol means we are breaking down the gut barrier for fuel. 

Removing the rest of the commonly reactive foods now for 6 weeks gives you time to adjust, and then you can reevaluate gut function and start reintroducing foods if your gut related symptoms resolved. If not, continuing for another 6 weeks. We are taking out caffeine dairy eggs grains legumes nightshades nuts seaweeds seeds and sugar, but we are including fruit, especially coconut, meat, olive oil, shellfish, and vegetables.

The gut lining, specifically the cells that line the gastrointestinal tract, plays a significant role in the endocrine system. Leaky gut syndrome is an increase in intestinal permeability. The lining of the small intestine becomes more permeable than normal, allowing toxins and undigested food particles and bacteria to pass through the intestinal wall and enter the bloodstream. It has been associated with certain autoimmune conditions. 

Why does the gut become permeable? It’s not a black and white syndrome. The tight junctions between the cells that make up the wall of our intestine open and close all the time in response to a variety of things including diet, exercise, medication and stress. Usually it’s a short-term effect on the tight junctions not causing any major issues.  Here are some factors: adrenal fatigue, alcohol, capsaicin in peppers and paprika, dysbiosis, enzyme deficiencies, food sensitivities, gluten, gut infections, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, nutrient depletions, psychological stress, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, sinus infections, mouth infections, strenuous exercise, stress, surgery or trauma, or toxins. eating gluten if you’re sensitive has a more sustained and severe effect on the tight junctions and therefore the leakiness of the gut. 

1. Remove Reactive Foods:
   • Eliminate reactive foods for 30-90 days to address deficiencies in hydrochloric acid, particularly common in individuals with Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism.
   • Reactive proteins like gluten, dairy, and soy, which are difficult to digest, can lead to the formation of circulating immune complexes (CIC), contributing to liver congestion, autoimmune diseases, inflammation, and fatigue.
   • We must also check any medications such as NSAIDs that irritate the gut lining. 
2. Supplement with Enzymes:
   • Address low stomach acid by supplementing with:
     • Thiamine to naturally increase stomach acid levels.
     • Betaine (trimethylglycine) to raise stomach acid levels; also known as HCl.
     • Pepsin, a digestive enzyme aiding protein breakdown in the small intestine.
   • Start with low doses and adjust based on individual tolerance, monitoring for adverse reactions like burning sensations.
   • Avoid these supplements if you have or had ulcers, or while taking certain medications.
3. Balance Gut Flora:
   • Address gut dysbiosis caused by undigested proteins and low stomach acid through:
     • Fermented foods consumption, unless SIBO is present.
     • Probiotic supplementation, starting with small doses and gradually increasing.
   • Recommended probiotics include lactobacillus casei, pediococcus acidilactici, and spore-based probiotics.
4. Nourish the Gut:
   • Support long-term gut health with:
     • Bone broth for gut nourishment.
     • L-glutamine supplementation (5g, 3x/day) for intestinal permeability healing.
     • Zinc (30mg/day) for enzyme reactions, immune function, and thyroid health.
     • N-acetylcysteine (NAC), omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin D for immune balance and gut health.
   • Monitor vitamin D levels and adjust supplementation accordingly.

Dosage:

• Systemic enzymes: 10 capsules/tablets, 3x/day on an empty stomach.
• Probiotics: Work up to target dose gradually.
• L-glutamine powder: 5g, 3x/day (pure encapsulations).
• Zinc picolinate: 30mg/day (pure encapsulations).
• NAC: 1800mg/day.
• Omega-3s: 1-4g/day (pure encapsulations EPA/DHA).
• Vitamin D: 5000 IU/day.

Probiotics and fermented foods promote a healthy balance of gut flora, so incorporating kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi can also  provide probiotic support. Chronic stress affects the digestive system, so we continue the Step-2 protocol of stress-reduction and fun-production. It’s important to individualize dosages and monitor for any adverse reactions while following this protocol, especially if dealing with specific health conditions like SIBO or ulcers. Consulting with a healthcare professional is advised for personalized guidance and supervision.

The Gut Health Action Plan Template I found in TheGutHealthDoctor.com/book says to check how your emotions are, how your poop looks and performs, and more. Check out these tips:

Step One: Listening to Your Gut

• Check in with your gut feelings.
• Assess the diversity of your gut microbiota.
• Evaluate your overall happiness.
• Complete a gut-brain assessment.
• Investigate potential food intolerances.
• Determine if you’re experiencing symptoms of IBS or another functional gut disorder.

Step Two: Overall Health Assessment

• Assess your sleep quality.
• Evaluate your immune system health.
• Determine your stress levels.
• Consider your activity levels.

Step Three: Creating New Habits

• Set clear goals based on your assessments.
• Implement strategies to improve gut health, sleep, immunity, stress management, and activity levels.
• Monitor your progress and adjust your action plan as needed.

Finally, make sure you diversity your plant species to get more inulin, and explore the 35,000 plant species that exist on our beautiful planet that we could be eating!

 

Advanced Root Cause Assessments

1. Medication:
   • Consider medications like Accutane for acne or Amiodarone for heart conditions as potential triggers.
2. Infections:
   • Investigate bacterial infections such as H. pylori, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, hepatitis C, herpes virus, HPV, Lyme disease, or yersinia bacteria as possible triggers.
3. Environmental Exposures:
   • Assess exposure to environmental factors like dental x-rays, excessive iodine intake, fluoride, heavy metals, mold, radiation, or toxins.
4. Stress and Emotional Factors:
   • Recognize emotional stress as a potential trigger and factor in its impact on autoimmune conditions.
5. Nutrient Deficiencies:
   • Evaluate selenium deficiency as a possible trigger and its role in Hashimoto’s.
6. Trauma and Other Factors:
   • Consider physical trauma to the neck, such as whiplash, and its potential contribution to Hashimoto’s.
   • Explore other factors like blood transfusions, pregnancy, medication for bipolar disorder, interferon and cytokine-based medications for cancer, and tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

In Conclusion

This is the revolution. I have met countless ladies (it primarily affects ladies) who have been told by medical professionals that they have an “incurable condition” yet they were able to cure it with these simple modifications. Simple, but not easy. The revolution is that we speak about these things, help each other with tips and tricks to replace dairy with coconut, or wheat with almond. We support each other by giving advice on how to meditate, how to relax, and how to have fun. We educate each other that it is possible to not be on pharmaceuticals that don’t cure anything except a relief of the primary symptom. Eventually the science will catch up, but in the meantime we sit on the fringe of medical/scientific establishment and we do what works. We provide anecdotal evidence until it becomes common knowledge.