Hey guys, before we get to today’s episode, I want to share with you an awesome skincare brand. Last year I had facial acupuncture done for vanity's sake. I am turning 50 next year and I wanted to do something about some of the lines that were appearing. I always used to wonder why women can’t just age gracefully. Well, once those lines really started to appear, I knew the answer. I think I look pretty good for my age but I am not happy that my outsides look older than how I feel on the inside. Sometimes I still feel like a kid but I don’t look like one. My acupuncturist uses this skincare line in her office and I trust my acupuncturist (Aleesha D. Acupuncture in Anoka MN) so I tried the skincare. Turns out it is great stuff, clean and made by a small business which I am always up for supporting. I emailed the maker and asked if I could procure a discount for my listeners. She was happy to offer one so you all can take a look at what she has and get a 10% discount.
We all want to look more youthful. It is one of the number one things we strive to preserve…our youth! Modern-day living can often take its toll, particularly on your skin. Rather than a vibrant and radiant shimmer, your skin ends up looking dull and dreary, and due to the high levels of toxins and pollutants around us, we may notice more signs of skin blemishes or chronic skin conditions such as eczema or acne. However, it is not all doom and gloom! Skincare requires focus, attention, and of course, the right products that work well with your skin. Those products are My Zen Skin Care! Our products have natural ingredients that are always far better to use on your skin, both short term and long term. My Zen Skin Care uses unique combinations of Chinese herbs for the skin, essential oils for your skin and spirit, and all-natural, active cosmeceuticals so your skin gets a treatment from every product.
I’ve tried it all and I love it all and they are not paying me to say that. And by now you all know that I don’t blindly recommend anything to anyone. I have to really love it.
Give it a try. go to meizenskincare.com and use the code 10% off. That’s m-e-i-z-e-n skincare.com
What Food Sensitivity Test is best?
This is a good question and one I don’t have a good answer for. Foods play a pretty big role in immune system reactions. All foods can be a source of antigen, which is something foreign that causes an immune response in the body and produces antibodies. Most food sensitivity testing is done by looking at toxicity in cells, called a cellular cytotoxic assay (ALCAT) or IgG (most common antibody in the body) or IgA (found in the lining of respiratory and digestive systems) antibodies tests.
IgG antibodies cause inflammation and is a delayed reaction to a food and after some healing, in the body, you could potentially reintroduce those foods that had high antibodies. They produce symptoms like GI distress, joint pain, headaches, rashes.
IgA is not a super concern for us but still worth noting since it is an identifier of an immune response in our mucosal lining, i.e. small intestinal lining.
IgE antibodies are reactions that occur in the body immediately upon consumption and are life long allergies. IgE reactions produce histamine reactions like hives, sneezing, vomiting, stomach cramps, immediate diarrhea, breathing problems, or anaphylaxis.
IgG, IgE testing is common from Genova Diagnostics.
Another type of food sensitivity testing looks at immune reactivity to both raw and cooked food proteins reflecting how foods are commonly eaten. Looking at cross-reactivity between proteins can be helpful in autoimmune disease and only one company does that. Cyrex labs does and their test is expensive- around $600. I used my HSA to pay for their array 10 test and it showed I had cross-reactivity to T4, T3, borellia, and a few other things via chicken, bromelain (pineapple), chia seeds, sunflower seeds, and a few other things. They also look for some weird stuff you wouldn’t think of like meat glue- used in lunch meat, imitation crab, chicken nuggets, and more.
There is no gold standard here. I used to say that an elimination diet might be closest to the gold standard and I do still believe that to some extent except for the fact that an elimination diet is going to say that chicken is okay and for me, it was a potential immune system stimulant so…… I’d say start with an elimination diet and if you still don’t feel better, save your money for a Cyrex array 10. I don’t make any money to say that and in fact, cannot even order that test for anyone until I get my license which frustrates me a bit but whatever. Can’t do anything about it right now.
You will likely know if you have an IgE reaction to a food because you will feel bad right away. Think of nut reactions- you can start with an oral allergy to nuts- feeling flu-like symptoms on down to anaphylaxis. A good example of this is an extended family member last year- who was eating nuts here and there and wasn’t feeling so hot. Almost flu-like. Then, they ate nuts at work in a sundae and for their body, it was the last straw. They went to the store to get Benadryl and it didn’t help. They ended up having a friend drive them to the hospital and they almost died from an anaphylactic reaction. So it can build over time ending in serious consequences. The big culprit nut was hazelnuts with others being less reactive but the advice was to stay away from all nuts. I have an oral allergy to nuts so I stay away from most nuts because I feel horrible after eating them. Every once in a while I test it out to see if it really is the nuts that make me feel bad and every time my body lets me know I should not have eaten them.
So first elimination diet with careful reintroductions to foods. Then food sensitivity testing. No one is better than the other though Cyrex claims to be the best.
-How much is too much when it comes to cruciferous veggies? Are they best cooked?
Too much cruciferous veggies would be eating several a day for all meals each day for a week straight. It is hard to over do it despite what you may have heard. The idea that these veggies are bad for you if you have thyroid problems is outdated information. Cooking them does reduce goitrogenic properties but again, you don’t really have to worry about that as long as you are not eating them every meal.
-Are all Hypothyroidism’s cases Hashimoto’s?
-Can you have Hypothyroidism and not Hashi’s?
No. Most cases in the US are but you can have hypothyroidism without having hashimoto’s, it just isn’t very common.
-Can you have Hyperthyroidism and not Graves Disease?
From what I understand, if your thyroid is in a hyper state it is usually due to Grave’s disease. You can have hyper symptoms due to hashimoto’s though. When there is destruction of the thyroid due to antibodies being created against the thyroid directing the immune system to destroy it, you will get a release of thyroid hormone into your system causing hyper symptoms.
-I am retaining too much water, bloated/lower ab pressure and retention under the eyes, tingling, achy hands, and ankles. I am gluten-free, dairy-free, soy and corn-free, and alcohol-free, additionally, my sodium=138.7, and Potassium=4.7 levels are normal. What could be causing this? My best guess here is that your medication is not optimized. Puffing and water retention may be due to a slower than normal metabolism.
Tingling- this could be a need for B12 but I can’t say without knowing more about your health.
Achy hands and ankles- could be food-related, could be medication-related. Maybe you need medication with T3 to see if that helps. Sometimes gluten-free and dairy-free are not enough. They may help stop the destruction of the thyroid but there may be more that needs to be done. Could be food sensitivities to nightshades which include tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and spices made from peppers such as chili powder and paprika.
Ok. I hope this helps. If you have a question or several, please send me a message by filling out the contact form on my website or email me at helpforhashimotos@gmail.com. You can get your first one-hour consultation with me for $153. We will spend that time going over the results of your very comprehensive nutritional assessment and discuss what your next steps are to feeling better, sleeping better, getting your thyroid meds optimized and more. If you are not a thyroid patient but need help with figuring out what you need to do to feel your best, I can also help. I do love working with thyroid patients but I can also help others.
One of my clients emailed me this:
“Just an update. You gave me a consult two months ago. I've been following your guidelines.
Well, I have lost 16 pounds so far and my painful bloating is completely gone!
I have energy and feel very clear-headed most of the time!
Thank you! I will send you another update in two months.
Just thank you so much!”
If you wouldn’t mind leaving me a rating and or a review on Apple podcasts or Spotify, I would really appreciate it. The more ratings I have the more this podcast will get in front of others who may need the help. I can’t thank those of you enough who have written in to tell me how much you like the podcast. It means a lot to me. All I wish for in life is to help people not suffer like I have.
Remember to check out meizenskincare.com and use the code 10% off. Or visit them using the link in the notes for this episode.