Many people with thyroid problems have known or hidden immune/autoimmune-producing reactions to foods commonly eaten. Gluten is the worst culprit, though soy, dairy, corn, and other foods can also be a problem. http://thyroid.about.com/od/hypothyroidismhashimotos/a/Optimal-Treatment-Hypothyroidism-Datis-Kharrazian.htm — “This often means dietary changes, such as going on a gluten-free diet, as the literature establishes a clear link between gluten and Hashimoto’s.” www.thyroidbook.com
Gluten intolerance, gluten sensitivity, celiac – definitions, differences, diagrams: http://glutensensitivity.net/VojdaniDiagrams.htm#GI
Cross-reactive foods: Once one food becomes reactive to someone’s immune system, others may also begin to “cross-react” with it. Here is a link to a list of foods that commonly cross-react with gluten. The ones listed in red can cause the immune system to get confused, targeting our own tissues in the same way gluten does: gluten-cross-reactive-foods
The 5R Program for Restoring Gastro-Intestinal and Brain Health (Leaky gut > leaky blood brain barrier > brain inflammation): http://alternativethyroidtherapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/5R-Restoring-GI-Brain.pdf
More for brain health: Why the blood-brain barrier is so important: blood-brain-barrier-importance-challenge and How to do a GABA challenge test it see if it’s ‘leaky’: gaba-challenge-test
Coming from a different and equally important direction in regard to what can throw the brain and gut out of balance — nervous system disturbances from trauma, early and/or ongoing stress/distress that can disrupt digestive and immune function. lelaccarney.com is where I tie it all together – my practice of acupuncture, Chinese and functional medicine with mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and Somatic Experiencing (SE) trauma support.
Immune system map:http://alternativethyroidtherapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Immune-map-TH-1-TH-2.pdf
TH1/TH2 Immune challenge test: th1-th2-immune-challenge-test
Dietary program for blood sugar & adrenals: healthinourownhands.info/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Dietary-program.pdf
Great book resource for parents: Healing Childhood Ear Infections: Prevention, Home Care, and Alternative Treatment by Michael A. Schmidt Ph.D
For parents wanting to introduce new foods to their children – or for adults with “stuck” taste preferences: http://alternativethyroidtherapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Introducing-New-Foods.pdf
Many “fussy” eaters have specific “super sensitivities to tastes, flavors and smells. Please check http://alternativethyroidtherapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Food-smell-taste-sensitivities.pdf to understand what may be driving these highly sensitive reactions to food smell, taste, etc.
Food sensitivity testing (MRT – Mediator Release Testing): http://alternativethyroidtherapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/LEAP-MRT-test-info.pdf and http://ezinearticles.com/?Negative-Food-Allergy-Testing-Is-Not-The-Same-As-Food-Intolerance-And-Food-Sensitivity-Testing&id=757847
Candida Questionnaire: http://healthinourownhands.info/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Candida-Questionaire.pdf