I leap to the opportunity to listen to Dr. Tom O’Bryan, DC, CCN, DACBN speak. When his most recent book came out, “The Autoimmune Fix,” I grabbed a copy and had a hard time putting it down. This book is a well-written, scientifically-sound, explanation about how to stop the hidden autoimmune damage that keeps you sick, fat and tired before it turns into a disease.

Even someone with an autoimmune disease for over 25 years (me!), and as a nutrition expert, there were heaps I learned. A few stats I noted include:

  • The premier neurologist in the world specializing in the impact of gluten sensitivity on the brain, with or without celiac disease, is Mario Hadjivassiliou, MD, who believe gluten sensitivity is associated with autoimmune disease and that celiac disease is the just manifestation of it. What does this mean? Gluten sensitivity is something to be taken so seriously.
  • Gluten sensitivity is an initiator to many systemic autoimmune diseases; this doesn’t mean everyone with an autoimmune disease has a gluten sensitivity, but there is a very high correlation. Applying this stat to my practice in helping 100s of clients, all of them have felt better on a gluten free diet. This doesn’t mean wheat bread is equally exchanged for gluten free bread. Real food is encouraged.
  • Dr. O’Bryan has shared some valuable articles: “The Conundrum of Gluten Sensitivity and Autoimmunity – What Tests Are Often Wrong,” and a bonus guide, “The Hidden Sources of Gluten, ” at GlutenandAutoimmunity.com.
  • Many people with the genes for celiac disease or non-celiac wheat sensitivity may lead their entire lives without ever developing the symptoms of the disease. For some, the symptoms are immediately apparent, where others it take years or decades to appear. Some are able to eat gluten filled foods until symptoms arise and they have lost their oral tolerance, activating the genes, producing antibodies, leading to developing the disease. Researchers have also found that celiac has doubled every 15 years. This is tough, but the great news is it shows that we can control our own health. If we know the mechanism by wich a disease develops, it gives us the chance to reverse engineer the direction we’re going and move toward a higher level of health.
  • “Throughout life, the most profound influences in health, vitality, and function are not the doctors you see or the drugs, surgery, or other therapy you’ve undertaken. The most profound influences are the cumulative effects of the decisions you make about your diet and your lifestyle, and how those decisions affect the expression of your genes.” – Jeffrey Bland, PhD
  • It takes 17 years for the latest research to trickle down to clinical practice. New research about the autoimmune spectrum is coming out every day, but most doctors don’t simply have the time to read it.
  • Patients with Hashimoto’s thyroid disease can reduce their dose of thyroid hormone medication (with their doctor’s permission, of course) by 49 percent by eliminating gluten from their diet.*
  • When Infants are high risk for type 1 diabetes (from a family history), parents are advised to avoid feeding their baby all cow’s milk products for the first year of life. The reason is the vulnerability to produce islet cell antibodies if you are sensitive to milk.
  • If a problem is sensed, it’s advised to get a Multiple Autoimmune Reactivity Screening done. If a doctor won’t do the test, one can be ordered from theDr.com.
  • More than 80% of all processed foods, such as vegetable oils and breakfast cereals, contain genetic modified ingredients.
  • To watch a powerful video and learn more about gut health and how the microbiome works, go to GetYourGutTested.com.

*References:

C. Virili et al. “Atypical Celiac Disease as Cause of Increased Need for Thyroxine: A Systemic Study,” Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 97, no3 (Mar 2012) E419-22.