#but low dose naltrexone does not help with the dreaming

[arlo-venn]

Now that marijuana is fully out of my system, the night terrors and getting trapped in nightmare loops for entire irl days at a time and the waking up kicking and screaming has returned! 🤠 And so far they’ve all been about the family that I am entirely estranged from for very good reasons 🤠 And my tics and waking seizures are making a come back! I’m having a lot of fun! 🤠

[paleorecipecookbook]

RHR: How to Address the Root Cause of Your Asthma

In this episode, we discuss:

Why the root cause of asthma is immune dysregulation

Four potential triggers for your asthma

How to balance your immune system

Show notes:

“RHR: What You Should Know about Histamine Intolerance,” by Chris Kresser

“Got Allergies? Your Microbes Could Be Responsible,” by Chris Kresser

The Paleo Cure, by Chris Kresser

“RHR: Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN) as a Treatment for Autoimmune Disease,” by Chris Kresser

[smart_track_player url="https://ift.tt/2Q9nrG4" title="RHR: How to Address the Root Cause of Your Asthma" artist="Chris Kresser" ]

Chris Kresser:  Hey, everybody. Chris Kresser here. Welcome to another episode of Revolution Health Radio. This week we’re going to answer a question from a listener.

Jenny:  Hi, Chris, this is Jenny. I have a question for the podcast. I have asthma. It's not severe, but I've been on an inhaler for many, many years. I take the Flovent inhaler. It's the only medication that I take. I am a regular athlete. I do a lot of exercise and do some running races, and I've done some triathlons, shorter distances as well. So it's not exercise-induced, but it's something that when I try to get off the medication, it's very difficult.

So I just wanted to see if you had any information on how to get rid of it. I am experimenting with the low-dose allergy LDA treatments right now with my Functional Medicine doctor. But I just wanted to see if you had any other thoughts on asthma. I know a lot of people out there have asthma and if you have anything that you suggest to be done. I have celiac disease, so I obviously don't eat any gluten, and I don't believe that I'm eating anything that is triggering the asthma. If anything, I think it's triggered by environmental like grass and things like that. That would be my guess. However, I'm not really 100 percent sure.

So if you have any suggestions, I'd appreciate it. Thanks a lot for all the information you provide.

Why the Root Cause of Asthma Is Immune Dysregulation

Chris Kresser:  Thanks so much, Jenny, for sending in your question. Asthma is a huge problem. It affects about 8 percent of the U.S. population, which is about 25 million Americans, including many children. And it is increasing every day in the U.S.

Functional Medicine is always oriented toward addressing the root cause of disease, and with asthma that root cause is immune dysregulation. So we can think of immune dysregulation in three broad categories. One would be weakened immunity, so getting frequent colds and flu and other conditions. A second would be autoimmunity, where the body is attacking itself, and the third would be hyperactivity or hyperreactivity.

Do you dream of getting rid of your asthma and ditching your inhaler altogether? It might be possible—if you can address the root cause of the problem. Check out this episode of RHR to learn how to identify the triggers for your asthma and balance out your immune system.

Hyperreactivity could be against environmental antigens like dust or pollen or even mold or food antigens like gluten or dairy or chemicals like herbicides and pesticides. I think asthma probably falls into the third category of hyperreactivity, and that reactivity in the case of asthma is often directed at environmental antigens and toxins including molds, food, microbes in the gastrointestinal tract, proteins inappropriately getting into the bloodstream by a leaky gut, chemicals like dyes and preservatives in foods, pesticides and herbicides, as I mentioned. But from a Functional Medicine perspective, the issue is not really with these substances per se, it's with the immune system's reaction to them. So that isn't to say that these substances aren't harmful in their own right. Given enough exposure to them, many of them are, of course. But not everybody will have asthma in response to exposure to low levels of these substances. And that's why it's important to consider asthma as a condition that's characterized by immune dysfunction or a dysregulation.

Four Potential Triggers for Your Asthma

In Functional Medicine, we can break down the approach to asthma in two broad steps:

The first would be to identify and address potential triggers of immune dysfunction, and

The second would be to take specific steps to balance and regulate the immune system.

Unfortunately, this can be quite an involved process because there are many potential triggers to consider. But let's just talk about some of the main ones.

1. Food Intolerances

So diet of course, is one of the biggest triggers not only for asthma but for many other conditions. Food intolerances are very common in people with asthma, especially to gluten and dairy. And these are not often tested for in conventional medical settings, and when they are tested for, the type of testing that is done is inadequate. So, for example, the typical test for gluten intolerance might include alpha-gliadin and then possibly tissue transglutaminase. And those are common markers that would be elevated in gluten intolerance, but there are many, many people who have gluten intolerance who are reacting to different proteins and different epitopes of the proteins in gluten. And those will be missed if only those two markers are measured.

So that can be a big problem and it can lead people astray. They can be led to believe that they are not gluten intolerant even when they are. And then dairy proteins are also a common issue with people with asthma. And again, the testing for this is not very good in the conventional setting, when it's done at all. So the best way still for most people to determine this is a strict elimination diet where you remove gluten and dairy from your diet for 30, 60 days. Sixty is better, and then you add them back in and you see what happens. And if the asthma improves significantly when you're not eating gluten and/or dairy, that's really the only test you need in terms of figuring this out. And if it gets worse when you add them back in, that's even more conclusive.

But there are also other things in food that could be problematic. Chemicals and additives, I mentioned before. We live in a society in the U.S. where 60 percent of people's calories come from highly processed and refined foods and these can include all kinds of chemicals and additives, dyes, and then of course sugar and industrial seed oils. And many of these are somewhat foreign to us. They have not been around for very long. We don't have a long history of eating them and they're more likely to cause problems for that reason.

Jenny mentioned that she had celiac disease, which of course is an autoimmune disease characterized by gluten intolerance, and that can lead to intestinal permeability, a.k.a. leaky gut. And what happens there is proteins that should stay in the gut as part of normal foods that we eat escape the gut and end up in the bloodstream. And then our immune system attacks those food proteins because it considers them to be foreign invaders, which they are. They really shouldn't be there. And that immune attack and can lead to asthma and allergies and many other conditions that are characterized by immune dysregulation. So it’s not unusual to see people with celiac disease that also have asthma or other immune imbalances.

I mentioned dairy intolerance. A little-known fact is that about half of people, according to one study, with celiac disease are also intolerant of dairy proteins. Yet I rarely hear about conventional doctors who diagnose someone with celiac disease mention this. It may be a lack of awareness. But many people who are gluten intolerant, particularly with celiac disease, will also benefit from removing dairy products for their diet. That doesn’t mean everybody, but it does mean that if you have celiac disease, it's worth testing that out either with proper laboratory testing or by doing an elimination protocol.

Finally, another thing to consider is histamine. As many of you know, I've talked about and written about histamine quite a bit. It’s a mediator of the inflammatory response, particularly when it comes to the allergic response in human beings, and histamine is also found in the diet. So if you eat foods that are high in histamine and you already have fairly high levels of histamine in the body because of an allergic reaction or allergic response or a tendency towards allergy, then eating foods that are high in histamine can push that over the edge and exacerbate symptoms. So for some people with asthma, a low-histamine diet, at least while you're figuring out some of the underlying problems, can be helpful. Being on a really extreme low-histamine diet for an extended period of time is probably not a good idea because you’ll be removing a lot of foods that are otherwise beneficial, particularly fermented foods. But it can be helpful, especially in the short term while you’re figuring everything out.

2. Digestive Problems

The next trigger or mechanism that’s very common for asthma is G.I. issues. So this could include things like:

SIBO, bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine

Chronic gut infections like Helicobacter pylori, or pylori

Fungal overgrowth

Dysbiosis

Intestinal permeability

I mentioned before the mechanism by which intestinal permeability can lead to asthma and allergies and other immune responses. Well, the things that lead to intestinal permeability in the gut are those that I just called out: SIBO, infections, fungal overgrowth, and a disrupted gut microbiome. The gut doesn't just become permeable for no reason, and this is why I think focusing on leaky gut without addressing and identifying and addressing these other underlying causes is usually not a fruitful approach. You really need to look at what's driving the leaky gut in the first place and address those things, and then the gut will usually take care of itself because the cells in the intestine regenerate every few days, and the gut has remarkable healing power once all of the other triggers are removed.

So assuming you’ve tested for and addressed SIBO, infections, fungal overgrowth, etc., with a Functional Medicine provider, then the next step would be to reestablish a healthy microbiome using probiotics and prebiotics and possibly, if necessary, things that specifically address the gut barrier function. Because the barrier system is very important in maintaining the integrity of the gut barrier. As I’ve said now a few times, it can prevent leaky gut and prevent those proteins from inappropriately getting into the bloodstream and triggering that immune reaction.

3. Environmental Toxins

The next major category of triggers is environmental. So this includes toxins that are found in home cleaning and personal care products. It could include mold and other biotoxins that are found in indoor air inside of homes and buildings. It could include particulates and other outdoor air pollution. It's a very broad category, and unfortunately, it's growing all the time. We’re exposed to just an almost inconceivable number of toxins in our environment now.

There's very little regulation that governs which toxins companies can release into the environment. It’s sort of an innocent-until-proven-guilty policy, which is really ridiculous because we’re essentially allowing these companies to experiment on us and our children without our expressed permission and without any controlled monitoring of what the effects of these experiments are.

So I do think that toxins play a pretty significant role in all kinds of chronic diseases, including asthma. So we want to do everything we can to minimize our exposure, especially to the ones that we have control over. So that would mean switching out your home cleaning products for natural alternatives and same with personal care products. It would mean assessing your home, making sure that you don't have a mold problem or other biotoxins in the home that are causing issues. And to the best of your ability living in a place that doesn't have really bad air pollution and if you’re not able to move, to at least get some air filters that you can use in your home, which can be helpful for both indoor and outdoor air quality and reducing your exposure to toxins that you can inhale from the air.

So this is an area where actually a little bit of an effort can go quite a long way, and it's a win-win scenario, no matter what. Even if these things turn out to not be a driving trigger of the asthma, it’s certainly not a bad thing to reduce your exposure to inhaled pollution, either from the outdoors or indoor. And we know that air pollution, for example, is a driver of obesity and metabolic problems and may be a bigger issue in some of the other more commonly considered factors. And there's a growing body of evidence on this now that's coming out. It's really interesting. These particulates in the air pollution can cause a kind of chronic low-grade inflammatory response that can then trigger insulin resistance and weight gain and all kinds of other problems.

4. HPA Axis Dysregulation

So the fourth category of triggers is the HPA axis. We could summarize it with that term. So here we’re talking about stress, sleep deprivation, and then disruption of our circadian rhythm. So let’s talk a little bit about each of those.

The connection between stress and immune dysfunction has been known for thousands of years. It’s talked about in some of the earliest medical texts that came out of China, and it's been a focus of virtually every system of medicine and approach to medicine for as long as we know. And stress impacts the immune system in numerous ways, and it's widely considered to be one of the most significant triggers for autoimmune disease. There have been lots of studies that have shown that stress depletes the immune system and makes you more susceptible to colds and flu. I'm sure everyone listening to this has had their own personal experience of this. We know that students who are approaching final exams, for example, are far more likely to get sick. I’m sure all of you had an experience like that when you’ve been run down from working too much or other stuff going on in your life, stressful events, and you've gotten sick. Everybody knows this whether you know anything about the science or the mechanisms involved. It's very obvious that stress impacts the immune system.

Sleep deprivation is closely related because not getting enough sleep can impact the HPA axis in similar ways that stress does and it's really one of the epidemics of our time. I think about a third of people now are getting fewer than six hours of sleep a night. And this is up from just 2 percent in the 1960s. So pretty profound difference in a half century. And sleep deprivation leads to many of the same kinds of changes in the immune system that you see with stress. So you can see an increase in cortisol levels or eventually a decline in cortisol levels or inappropriate secretion of cortisol at the wrong times. You can see an increase in inflammatory markers, decrease in T regulatory cell function. All kinds of things that could be expected to trigger or exacerbate asthma and other immune dysfunctions.

So then lastly we have disruption of circadian rhythm. We’ve talked about this a lot and I've written about it in my books. But human beings have only recently been exposed to artificial light at night in the last 150 years really of our two-and-a-half-million-year evolutionary history. So a tiny blip. And only recently have we spent significant portions of our time indoors not exposed to natural light during the day. And it turns out this has a profoundly negative impact on our circadian rhythm, or circadian clock. And our circadian clock affects every cell in the body and every system of the body. All organisms on planet Earth evolved in the natural 24-hour light/dark cycle, from the most simple, single-celled organism all the way up to human beings. And that cycle governs virtually every aspect of our physiology. And so will we mess with that, with too much exposure to artificial light at night and not enough exposure during the day, and things like long-distance travel where we cross time zones, and shiftwork, all of which are very common today, that unfortunately has a profound impact on the function of our immune system.

So I would say those are the main categories: diet, gut, environmental, and HPA axis for asthma. But you also want to look at things like nutrient status, particularly magnesium and zinc have been shown to be relevant with asthma, methylation, hormones, chronic infections like tick-borne illness or reactivated viral infections, heavy metals, and other toxins.

How to Balance Your Immune System

If you've addressed many or all of these triggers and you're still having symptoms, then the next step would be to do things that specifically balance and regulate the immune system. So Jenny mentioned low-dose antigen therapy, LDA. That's one thing that can be done and some people have great success with that. You might also want to consider nutrients that support T regulatory cell function like curcumin, glutathione, vitamin D, zinc, and selenium are especially important. You might want to consider phototherapy, or photobiomodulation is another way of putting it. This is using ultraviolet light, typically sunlight or near infrared light, for example, to balance and regulate the immune system. And this is, in fact, we now understand that exposure to sunlight has direct benefits on the immune system that are not mediated by vitamin D. So some of the benefit we get from sunlight is about vitamin D production. But recent studies have shown that even if you take vitamin D out of the equation, just being exposed to sunlight and ultraviolet light has specific and powerful immune benefits. And this may be one reason why we see that autoimmune conditions in things like asthma and allergies are more common the further away from the equator that you get.

Music, pleasure, play, fun, and spending time outdoors have all been shown to have profoundly positive effects on immune function. So you can think of all these things as kind of the antidote to stress and HPA axis dysfunction. I wrote, I have chapters, actually, on all of these things in my first book, The Paleo Cure. And that's one of the main reasons is because these things are so critical to human health. They’re as important as diet, exercise, stress, and sleep, which we tend to talk about a lot, but they really don't get as much attention. And that's a shame because the research is clear on how important these things are. So, for example, some studies have shown that a lack of social support is a greater predictor of early death than smoking 15 cigarettes a day. That's almost hard to believe until you actually see the studies. And so there are all of these things that have been part of our human experience from all throughout the millions of years of our evolution that we don't tend to make time for in today's crazy, fast-paced world. And yet they’re like nutrients for us. They’re critical for our survival and our well-being. So making time for these kinds of activities, especially if you have an immune condition like asthma, is really, really important.

You might want to consider acupuncture. There's not a ton of research for it for asthma. There is some, and anecdotally, I've definitely seen some patients get good results. I wrote a whole series on how I think acupuncture works. It's got nothing to do with chi and energy meridians, which is the explanation that is offered through the Chinese medicine paradigm. And I don't mean to diminish that paradigm. I studied it myself. But I just have a different understanding of how it works. And I think it works by promoting blood flow and the blood carries all of the substances that we need to heal and to be well. It also works by reducing inflammation in the central nervous system, and there is evidence that it can promote immune function. It can also improve T regulatory cell production and differentiation.

So there are some reasons to believe that acupuncture could be beneficial, especially if you get it frequently enough. So finding a community acupuncture clinic, which is a place where you can get really affordable acupuncture treatments and where the acupuncturists are all very experienced with acupuncture because they do so many treatments in their shifts, that that can really make getting treatment two, three times a week initially, which is sometimes what's needed to kind of put the brakes on the inflammatory response possible. And then once you’ve got the inflammation calmed down and you're in a better place, then you can titrate down and switch to a less frequent schedule, like once a week or something like that.

There are several herbs or botanicals that have been shown to be helpful for asthma or just immune regulation in general. These include:

Turmeric

Boswellia

Mullein

Parsley

Ginkgo

You want to definitely avoid herbs that are known to stimulate the immune system, like licorice and echinacea and ginseng, because as I mentioned, asthma is really characterized by a hyper-reactive immune system already. So you wouldn’t want to do something that is going to further activate the immune system. And the tonic herbs like licorice, immune-boosting herbs like licorice, echinacea and ginseng can do that.

We have some research to support yoga and pranayama. Pranayama is a breathing practice within the yoga tradition, and that makes sense because asthma is a problem with the airways and obstruction of the airways. And we can see how certain breathing techniques might actually be helpful in that situation. And there is little evidence that it can cause harm. Yoga and pranayama also have other benefits like stress management, relaxation, improving sleep, and then the same is true for other breathing techniques and exercises. There are a number of different breathing techniques out there and progressive relaxation techniques and exercises that can be really helpful.

Probiotics, I mentioned earlier, but I want to mention them again in this different context because what we’ve come to understand about probiotics is that they’re really more than anything else, immune regulators. So we used to think that probiotics had a kind of like fill-up-the-tank-with-bacteria effect, which is, like, if you're low on beneficial bacteria, then you dump in some probiotics and it fills up your tank with good beneficial bacteria. So it turns out that's not really how probiotics work. In most cases probiotics do not permanently colonize the digestive tract, but they do have huge benefits while you're taking them. And one of those benefits is to kind of tune and regulate the immune system. So I like to explain to my patients that probiotics are immune-regulating supplements as much as anything else. So that explains why they could be very helpful for asthma. And I’ve seen quite a bit of research suggesting that probiotics can be helpful in alleviating asthma.

And then if asthma is severe and none of these other things have been helpful, it may be worth considering low-dose naltrexone. This is a low dose of a medication that reduces inflammation in the central nervous system and helps balance and regulate the immune system, in part by increasing endorphin production. I've written and spoken about LDN before. We don't have time to go into further detail here, but if you go to ChrisKresser.com and you search for “LDN” or you search in Google for “Chris Kresser and LDN” or “low-dose naltrexone,” you’ll find what you need.

Okay, everybody that's it for now. Hope this was helpful. Thanks again, Jenny, for sending in your question, and everybody else, please do keep sending in your questions in to ChrisKresser.com/podcastquestion. Talk to you next time.

The post RHR: How to Address the Root Cause of Your Asthma appeared first on Chris Kresser.

Source: http://chriskresser.com November 01, 2018 at 01:12AM

[detoxnearme]

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[cold-iron-burns]

Saw someone else's dream post and remembered the terrifying night we had last night.

Chronic pain is always something we contend with, and some parts can handle it better than others. The parts who know less to be anxious about just... don't show up as often anymore because this pained body doesn't feel like -their- body. Which means the parts who have always held the worst shit are stuck fronting, and collectively we're just not a very nice person anymore because of it. Anyway... the pain was weird last night. We were trying to sleep at a reasonable time, but couldn't. Kept tossing and turning (used to be normal, then we drugged it away for over a decade, now without heavy sedatives [due to giving up on finding a pdoc who isn't an abuser] it's something we have to get used to again. But after two and a half hours, we were in that awful place of not asleep but not awake, and the body felt... idk man, like On Fire or Poisoned. Nerves were randomly firing ALL ACROSS the body. Maybe it's being awake while the LDN (low dose naltrexone if strangers read this) was kicking in and lowering natural opioids (so that the body then notices how few there are and subsequently produces WAY more than it normally would, which helps reduce pain during waking hours, hypothetically it might also help us with chemical MH shit)

... had to break storytelling for dinner, back

We were feeling fucking awful, partner was not in room to help confirm reality when we came to for a minute. If problem is LDN and I'm not asleep when body needs to make happy chemicals on the rebound... need happy chemicals. Decide to masturbate to both distract from feeling like I'm dying and to boost chemical production.

Dozed off. Woke up and felt Poisoned again/still. Tried to call for help, nothing came out. This is so familiar. Terrifying. Grab the ipad connected to our sleep headphones, try to message partner. No answer. Realize this isn't real. Wake up for real... sorta. Partner is entering room. Have trouble figuring out what is real and what isn't but don't want to worry partner by reality checking so try to just Not. Doesn't work.

Back to tossing and turning. My lil dog is pissed at this point bc every time I move, her sleep gets interrupted. idk if bc mad or bc worried, but she curls her lil 5lb body next to my pillow and lays her head over my neck. I try to focus on her. On the way she's both bony and soft, on the tickle of her whiskers, on the faint smell of frito feet (which often gets stronger when a dog is comfy), on the fact that she, a chihuahua, is not shivering in the slightest. She's the pack leader in this moment and she needs me to be calm. I breathe. I slow my breathing more.

I wake up in the morning.

-----

My dog, a rescued puppy mill mother, has been through trauma greater than mine; her body, also like mine, has proof of her trauma. We often find ourselves switching who is in control/caretaker, it's fucking weird. If I'm crying, she HAS to lick my face, hands, arms, whatever, until I'm okay. If I hiccup or shout at a dumb gif, she has to make sure I'm okay. And she looks to me to tell her that she doesn't need to worry about the doorbell right now, or help her see that the big shadow coming is her daddy (esp when she's too cold or lazy to get out from under the blanket), who is safe (her barks change when she realizes it's him, tho she talks much more rudely to him). We honestly both struggle to remember that my partner is safe, despite the fact that he is a man. I accepted that this will always be a struggle for her long before I realized that it will always be true for me as well. I don't know that I have many parts left who don't know him, but many of us still startle easily. We might be able to remember him, FP to a number of us, but the other three men in his family that we have to live with might never feel totally safe, no matter what facts we throw at the fear. My dog helps me know that it's okay to struggle. I love her even when her trauma makes my life really inconvenient. If I can love her, struggling as hard to be alive as she is, then I suppose I deserve love and compassion, too. Wish my partner could get some consistency, for his sake. He never knows whether the part fronting in my body OR our dog will switch and suddenly bite. He says he does feel sad about it, but that those risks are already taken into consideration when he tells me he is here for us all.

I definitely got off topic. Never know who is writing, we switch so quickly. The one thing that slows it down long enough to capture isn't legal where we have shelter.

I must keep hope for everyone.

[jesseneufeld]

RHR: How to Address the Root Cause of Your Asthma

In this episode, we discuss:

Why the root cause of asthma is immune dysregulation

Four potential triggers for your asthma

How to balance your immune system

Show notes:

“RHR: What You Should Know about Histamine Intolerance,” by Chris Kresser

“Got Allergies? Your Microbes Could Be Responsible,” by Chris Kresser

The Paleo Cure, by Chris Kresser

“RHR: Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN) as a Treatment for Autoimmune Disease,” by Chris Kresser

[smart_track_player url="https://ift.tt/2Q9nrG4" title="RHR: How to Address the Root Cause of Your Asthma" artist="Chris Kresser" ]

Chris Kresser:  Hey, everybody. Chris Kresser here. Welcome to another episode of Revolution Health Radio. This week we’re going to answer a question from a listener.

Jenny:  Hi, Chris, this is Jenny. I have a question for the podcast. I have asthma. It's not severe, but I've been on an inhaler for many, many years. I take the Flovent inhaler. It's the only medication that I take. I am a regular athlete. I do a lot of exercise and do some running races, and I've done some triathlons, shorter distances as well. So it's not exercise-induced, but it's something that when I try to get off the medication, it's very difficult.

So I just wanted to see if you had any information on how to get rid of it. I am experimenting with the low-dose allergy LDA treatments right now with my Functional Medicine doctor. But I just wanted to see if you had any other thoughts on asthma. I know a lot of people out there have asthma and if you have anything that you suggest to be done. I have celiac disease, so I obviously don't eat any gluten, and I don't believe that I'm eating anything that is triggering the asthma. If anything, I think it's triggered by environmental like grass and things like that. That would be my guess. However, I'm not really 100 percent sure.

So if you have any suggestions, I'd appreciate it. Thanks a lot for all the information you provide.

Why the Root Cause of Asthma Is Immune Dysregulation

Chris Kresser:  Thanks so much, Jenny, for sending in your question. Asthma is a huge problem. It affects about 8 percent of the U.S. population, which is about 25 million Americans, including many children. And it is increasing every day in the U.S.

Functional Medicine is always oriented toward addressing the root cause of disease, and with asthma that root cause is immune dysregulation. So we can think of immune dysregulation in three broad categories. One would be weakened immunity, so getting frequent colds and flu and other conditions. A second would be autoimmunity, where the body is attacking itself, and the third would be hyperactivity or hyperreactivity.

Do you dream of getting rid of your asthma and ditching your inhaler altogether? It might be possible—if you can address the root cause of the problem. Check out this episode of RHR to learn how to identify the triggers for your asthma and balance out your immune system.

Hyperreactivity could be against environmental antigens like dust or pollen or even mold or food antigens like gluten or dairy or chemicals like herbicides and pesticides. I think asthma probably falls into the third category of hyperreactivity, and that reactivity in the case of asthma is often directed at environmental antigens and toxins including molds, food, microbes in the gastrointestinal tract, proteins inappropriately getting into the bloodstream by a leaky gut, chemicals like dyes and preservatives in foods, pesticides and herbicides, as I mentioned. But from a Functional Medicine perspective, the issue is not really with these substances per se, it's with the immune system's reaction to them. So that isn't to say that these substances aren't harmful in their own right. Given enough exposure to them, many of them are, of course. But not everybody will have asthma in response to exposure to low levels of these substances. And that's why it's important to consider asthma as a condition that's characterized by immune dysfunction or a dysregulation.

Four Potential Triggers for Your Asthma

In Functional Medicine, we can break down the approach to asthma in two broad steps:

The first would be to identify and address potential triggers of immune dysfunction, and

The second would be to take specific steps to balance and regulate the immune system.

Unfortunately, this can be quite an involved process because there are many potential triggers to consider. But let's just talk about some of the main ones.

1. Food Intolerances

So diet of course, is one of the biggest triggers not only for asthma but for many other conditions. Food intolerances are very common in people with asthma, especially to gluten and dairy. And these are not often tested for in conventional medical settings, and when they are tested for, the type of testing that is done is inadequate. So, for example, the typical test for gluten intolerance might include alpha-gliadin and then possibly tissue transglutaminase. And those are common markers that would be elevated in gluten intolerance, but there are many, many people who have gluten intolerance who are reacting to different proteins and different epitopes of the proteins in gluten. And those will be missed if only those two markers are measured.

So that can be a big problem and it can lead people astray. They can be led to believe that they are not gluten intolerant even when they are. And then dairy proteins are also a common issue with people with asthma. And again, the testing for this is not very good in the conventional setting, when it's done at all. So the best way still for most people to determine this is a strict elimination diet where you remove gluten and dairy from your diet for 30, 60 days. Sixty is better, and then you add them back in and you see what happens. And if the asthma improves significantly when you're not eating gluten and/or dairy, that's really the only test you need in terms of figuring this out. And if it gets worse when you add them back in, that's even more conclusive.

But there are also other things in food that could be problematic. Chemicals and additives, I mentioned before. We live in a society in the U.S. where 60 percent of people's calories come from highly processed and refined foods and these can include all kinds of chemicals and additives, dyes, and then of course sugar and industrial seed oils. And many of these are somewhat foreign to us. They have not been around for very long. We don't have a long history of eating them and they're more likely to cause problems for that reason.

Jenny mentioned that she had celiac disease, which of course is an autoimmune disease characterized by gluten intolerance, and that can lead to intestinal permeability, a.k.a. leaky gut. And what happens there is proteins that should stay in the gut as part of normal foods that we eat escape the gut and end up in the bloodstream. And then our immune system attacks those food proteins because it considers them to be foreign invaders, which they are. They really shouldn't be there. And that immune attack and can lead to asthma and allergies and many other conditions that are characterized by immune dysregulation. So it’s not unusual to see people with celiac disease that also have asthma or other immune imbalances.

I mentioned dairy intolerance. A little-known fact is that about half of people, according to one study, with celiac disease are also intolerant of dairy proteins. Yet I rarely hear about conventional doctors who diagnose someone with celiac disease mention this. It may be a lack of awareness. But many people who are gluten intolerant, particularly with celiac disease, will also benefit from removing dairy products for their diet. That doesn’t mean everybody, but it does mean that if you have celiac disease, it's worth testing that out either with proper laboratory testing or by doing an elimination protocol.

Finally, another thing to consider is histamine. As many of you know, I've talked about and written about histamine quite a bit. It’s a mediator of the inflammatory response, particularly when it comes to the allergic response in human beings, and histamine is also found in the diet. So if you eat foods that are high in histamine and you already have fairly high levels of histamine in the body because of an allergic reaction or allergic response or a tendency towards allergy, then eating foods that are high in histamine can push that over the edge and exacerbate symptoms. So for some people with asthma, a low-histamine diet, at least while you're figuring out some of the underlying problems, can be helpful. Being on a really extreme low-histamine diet for an extended period of time is probably not a good idea because you’ll be removing a lot of foods that are otherwise beneficial, particularly fermented foods. But it can be helpful, especially in the short term while you’re figuring everything out.

2. Digestive Problems

The next trigger or mechanism that’s very common for asthma is G.I. issues. So this could include things like:

SIBO, bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine

Chronic gut infections like Helicobacter pylori, or pylori

Fungal overgrowth

Dysbiosis

Intestinal permeability

I mentioned before the mechanism by which intestinal permeability can lead to asthma and allergies and other immune responses. Well, the things that lead to intestinal permeability in the gut are those that I just called out: SIBO, infections, fungal overgrowth, and a disrupted gut microbiome. The gut doesn't just become permeable for no reason, and this is why I think focusing on leaky gut without addressing and identifying and addressing these other underlying causes is usually not a fruitful approach. You really need to look at what's driving the leaky gut in the first place and address those things, and then the gut will usually take care of itself because the cells in the intestine regenerate every few days, and the gut has remarkable healing power once all of the other triggers are removed.

So assuming you’ve tested for and addressed SIBO, infections, fungal overgrowth, etc., with a Functional Medicine provider, then the next step would be to reestablish a healthy microbiome using probiotics and prebiotics and possibly, if necessary, things that specifically address the gut barrier function. Because the barrier system is very important in maintaining the integrity of the gut barrier. As I’ve said now a few times, it can prevent leaky gut and prevent those proteins from inappropriately getting into the bloodstream and triggering that immune reaction.

3. Environmental Toxins

The next major category of triggers is environmental. So this includes toxins that are found in home cleaning and personal care products. It could include mold and other biotoxins that are found in indoor air inside of homes and buildings. It could include particulates and other outdoor air pollution. It's a very broad category, and unfortunately, it's growing all the time. We’re exposed to just an almost inconceivable number of toxins in our environment now.

There's very little regulation that governs which toxins companies can release into the environment. It’s sort of an innocent-until-proven-guilty policy, which is really ridiculous because we’re essentially allowing these companies to experiment on us and our children without our expressed permission and without any controlled monitoring of what the effects of these experiments are.

So I do think that toxins play a pretty significant role in all kinds of chronic diseases, including asthma. So we want to do everything we can to minimize our exposure, especially to the ones that we have control over. So that would mean switching out your home cleaning products for natural alternatives and same with personal care products. It would mean assessing your home, making sure that you don't have a mold problem or other biotoxins in the home that are causing issues. And to the best of your ability living in a place that doesn't have really bad air pollution and if you’re not able to move, to at least get some air filters that you can use in your home, which can be helpful for both indoor and outdoor air quality and reducing your exposure to toxins that you can inhale from the air.

So this is an area where actually a little bit of an effort can go quite a long way, and it's a win-win scenario, no matter what. Even if these things turn out to not be a driving trigger of the asthma, it’s certainly not a bad thing to reduce your exposure to inhaled pollution, either from the outdoors or indoor. And we know that air pollution, for example, is a driver of obesity and metabolic problems and may be a bigger issue in some of the other more commonly considered factors. And there's a growing body of evidence on this now that's coming out. It's really interesting. These particulates in the air pollution can cause a kind of chronic low-grade inflammatory response that can then trigger insulin resistance and weight gain and all kinds of other problems.

4. HPA Axis Dysregulation

So the fourth category of triggers is the HPA axis. We could summarize it with that term. So here we’re talking about stress, sleep deprivation, and then disruption of our circadian rhythm. So let’s talk a little bit about each of those.

The connection between stress and immune dysfunction has been known for thousands of years. It’s talked about in some of the earliest medical texts that came out of China, and it's been a focus of virtually every system of medicine and approach to medicine for as long as we know. And stress impacts the immune system in numerous ways, and it's widely considered to be one of the most significant triggers for autoimmune disease. There have been lots of studies that have shown that stress depletes the immune system and makes you more susceptible to colds and flu. I'm sure everyone listening to this has had their own personal experience of this. We know that students who are approaching final exams, for example, are far more likely to get sick. I’m sure all of you had an experience like that when you’ve been run down from working too much or other stuff going on in your life, stressful events, and you've gotten sick. Everybody knows this whether you know anything about the science or the mechanisms involved. It's very obvious that stress impacts the immune system.

Sleep deprivation is closely related because not getting enough sleep can impact the HPA axis in similar ways that stress does and it's really one of the epidemics of our time. I think about a third of people now are getting fewer than six hours of sleep a night. And this is up from just 2 percent in the 1960s. So pretty profound difference in a half century. And sleep deprivation leads to many of the same kinds of changes in the immune system that you see with stress. So you can see an increase in cortisol levels or eventually a decline in cortisol levels or inappropriate secretion of cortisol at the wrong times. You can see an increase in inflammatory markers, decrease in T regulatory cell function. All kinds of things that could be expected to trigger or exacerbate asthma and other immune dysfunctions.

So then lastly we have disruption of circadian rhythm. We’ve talked about this a lot and I've written about it in my books. But human beings have only recently been exposed to artificial light at night in the last 150 years really of our two-and-a-half-million-year evolutionary history. So a tiny blip. And only recently have we spent significant portions of our time indoors not exposed to natural light during the day. And it turns out this has a profoundly negative impact on our circadian rhythm, or circadian clock. And our circadian clock affects every cell in the body and every system of the body. All organisms on planet Earth evolved in the natural 24-hour light/dark cycle, from the most simple, single-celled organism all the way up to human beings. And that cycle governs virtually every aspect of our physiology. And so will we mess with that, with too much exposure to artificial light at night and not enough exposure during the day, and things like long-distance travel where we cross time zones, and shiftwork, all of which are very common today, that unfortunately has a profound impact on the function of our immune system.

So I would say those are the main categories: diet, gut, environmental, and HPA axis for asthma. But you also want to look at things like nutrient status, particularly magnesium and zinc have been shown to be relevant with asthma, methylation, hormones, chronic infections like tick-borne illness or reactivated viral infections, heavy metals, and other toxins.

How to Balance Your Immune System

If you've addressed many or all of these triggers and you're still having symptoms, then the next step would be to do things that specifically balance and regulate the immune system. So Jenny mentioned low-dose antigen therapy, LDA. That's one thing that can be done and some people have great success with that. You might also want to consider nutrients that support T regulatory cell function like curcumin, glutathione, vitamin D, zinc, and selenium are especially important. You might want to consider phototherapy, or photobiomodulation is another way of putting it. This is using ultraviolet light, typically sunlight or near infrared light, for example, to balance and regulate the immune system. And this is, in fact, we now understand that exposure to sunlight has direct benefits on the immune system that are not mediated by vitamin D. So some of the benefit we get from sunlight is about vitamin D production. But recent studies have shown that even if you take vitamin D out of the equation, just being exposed to sunlight and ultraviolet light has specific and powerful immune benefits. And this may be one reason why we see that autoimmune conditions in things like asthma and allergies are more common the further away from the equator that you get.

Music, pleasure, play, fun, and spending time outdoors have all been shown to have profoundly positive effects on immune function. So you can think of all these things as kind of the antidote to stress and HPA axis dysfunction. I wrote, I have chapters, actually, on all of these things in my first book, The Paleo Cure. And that's one of the main reasons is because these things are so critical to human health. They’re as important as diet, exercise, stress, and sleep, which we tend to talk about a lot, but they really don't get as much attention. And that's a shame because the research is clear on how important these things are. So, for example, some studies have shown that a lack of social support is a greater predictor of early death than smoking 15 cigarettes a day. That's almost hard to believe until you actually see the studies. And so there are all of these things that have been part of our human experience from all throughout the millions of years of our evolution that we don't tend to make time for in today's crazy, fast-paced world. And yet they’re like nutrients for us. They’re critical for our survival and our well-being. So making time for these kinds of activities, especially if you have an immune condition like asthma, is really, really important.

You might want to consider acupuncture. There's not a ton of research for it for asthma. There is some, and anecdotally, I've definitely seen some patients get good results. I wrote a whole series on how I think acupuncture works. It's got nothing to do with chi and energy meridians, which is the explanation that is offered through the Chinese medicine paradigm. And I don't mean to diminish that paradigm. I studied it myself. But I just have a different understanding of how it works. And I think it works by promoting blood flow and the blood carries all of the substances that we need to heal and to be well. It also works by reducing inflammation in the central nervous system, and there is evidence that it can promote immune function. It can also improve T regulatory cell production and differentiation.

So there are some reasons to believe that acupuncture could be beneficial, especially if you get it frequently enough. So finding a community acupuncture clinic, which is a place where you can get really affordable acupuncture treatments and where the acupuncturists are all very experienced with acupuncture because they do so many treatments in their shifts, that that can really make getting treatment two, three times a week initially, which is sometimes what's needed to kind of put the brakes on the inflammatory response possible. And then once you’ve got the inflammation calmed down and you're in a better place, then you can titrate down and switch to a less frequent schedule, like once a week or something like that.

There are several herbs or botanicals that have been shown to be helpful for asthma or just immune regulation in general. These include:

Turmeric

Boswellia

Mullein

Parsley

Ginkgo

You want to definitely avoid herbs that are known to stimulate the immune system, like licorice and echinacea and ginseng, because as I mentioned, asthma is really characterized by a hyper-reactive immune system already. So you wouldn’t want to do something that is going to further activate the immune system. And the tonic herbs like licorice, immune-boosting herbs like licorice, echinacea and ginseng can do that.

We have some research to support yoga and pranayama. Pranayama is a breathing practice within the yoga tradition, and that makes sense because asthma is a problem with the airways and obstruction of the airways. And we can see how certain breathing techniques might actually be helpful in that situation. And there is little evidence that it can cause harm. Yoga and pranayama also have other benefits like stress management, relaxation, improving sleep, and then the same is true for other breathing techniques and exercises. There are a number of different breathing techniques out there and progressive relaxation techniques and exercises that can be really helpful.

Probiotics, I mentioned earlier, but I want to mention them again in this different context because what we’ve come to understand about probiotics is that they’re really more than anything else, immune regulators. So we used to think that probiotics had a kind of like fill-up-the-tank-with-bacteria effect, which is, like, if you're low on beneficial bacteria, then you dump in some probiotics and it fills up your tank with good beneficial bacteria. So it turns out that's not really how probiotics work. In most cases probiotics do not permanently colonize the digestive tract, but they do have huge benefits while you're taking them. And one of those benefits is to kind of tune and regulate the immune system. So I like to explain to my patients that probiotics are immune-regulating supplements as much as anything else. So that explains why they could be very helpful for asthma. And I’ve seen quite a bit of research suggesting that probiotics can be helpful in alleviating asthma.

And then if asthma is severe and none of these other things have been helpful, it may be worth considering low-dose naltrexone. This is a low dose of a medication that reduces inflammation in the central nervous system and helps balance and regulate the immune system, in part by increasing endorphin production. I've written and spoken about LDN before. We don't have time to go into further detail here, but if you go to ChrisKresser.com and you search for “LDN” or you search in Google for “Chris Kresser and LDN” or “low-dose naltrexone,” you’ll find what you need.

Okay, everybody that's it for now. Hope this was helpful. Thanks again, Jenny, for sending in your question, and everybody else, please do keep sending in your questions in to ChrisKresser.com/podcastquestion. Talk to you next time.

The post RHR: How to Address the Root Cause of Your Asthma appeared first on Chris Kresser.

RHR: How to Address the Root Cause of Your Asthma published first on https://drugaddictionsrehab.tumblr.com/

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Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) For Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Real Results

Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) For Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Real Results Drs. John Robinson and Cristina Romero-Bosch, Guests Thyroid Nation Dr. Hakaru Hashimoto’s Discovery

Hashimoto’s. That damn Hashimoto’s. This poor guy never knew his name would be cursed as much as it has been since this brilliant doctor first discovered autoimmune thyroid disease back in 1912, giving a name to a very difficult disease. Dr. Hakaru Hashimoto, a Japanese physician, discovered a type of goiter, or enlarged thyroid, that when biopsied presented with lymphocyte (white blood cell) infiltration, fibrosis, and eventual gland atrophy (shrinkage) due to destruction of the gland. He coined the term “Hashimoto’s thyroiditis” or lymphocytic thyroiditis. And now for over a century, more and more people are suffering from this autoimmune condition, with most conventional approaches saying there is nothing you can do about it. But, there is hope…LDN

What is Hashimoto’s?

The autoimmune condition known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis presents with an array of symptoms including the classic symptoms of hypothyroidism (low thyroid): fatigue, weight gain, depression, constipation, hair loss, brittle nails, menstrual difficulties, and muscle and joint pain. You also tend to have additional symptoms with Hashimoto’s like a swollen thyroid, difficulty swallowing, a swollen tongue, thyroid nodules, and random exacerbations of your symptoms known as “Hashimoto’s Flares.” But the main measurable issue is the presence of thyroid autoantibodies such as Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (AKA Anti-TPO) and Thyroidglobulin Antibodies (Anti-TG) found on a basic blood test. This is usually the main hallmark that establishes the diagnosis of Hashimoto’s. Beyond the Anti-TPO and Anti-TG, inflammatory changes seen on an ultrasound and/or a Thermogram will also help to establish the diagnosis and the extent of the problem.

What Does ‘Autoimmune’ Mean?

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune condition. This means that the immune system has been triggered in such a way that it has launched an attack against itself (auto). It can attack almost any tissue, but in the case of Hashimoto’s, the immune system has attacked thyroid tissue, leading to necrosis (destruction) of thyroid tissue, which ultimately leads to hypothyroidism (low thyroid). But, depending on genetics and other factors, the autoimmune condition could tend towards hyperthyroidism (high thyroid), also known as Graves’ disease. But Hashimoto’s is far more common than Graves’ disease. So, how do we control the autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s?

Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN)

Naltrexone is a medication for opioid addiction, FDA-approved at 50 mg daily. In the 1980s, it was discovered that when naltrexone was given in very low doses, it had the curious effect of improving immune function and autoimmune conditions. The most common doses are around 3 to 6 mg, with 4.5 mg being the most commonly used dose and the one that we typically use with our patients with Hashimoto’s.

But overall, we did see a positive change in the antibodies. Click To Tweet

LDN is an amazing medication to prescribe. It has many benefits including modulating the immune system, aiding in weight loss, mood balancing and improving a sense of well being, and even helping neurological issues like autism. The list of what LDN can help with is vast and doctors and scientists from all over the world are studying its potential. It is relatively inexpensive and the side effect profile is very low, with possible nausea and vivid dreams being the only real complaints. And the vivid dreams is handled by simply taking it in the morning versus before bed in the evening. For the level of benefit, we visually see no significant downside to its proper use.

Real Results With LDN

Dr. Robinson presented at the 2017 LDN Research Trust Conference in Portland, Oregon on the results we have seen using LDN with our patients diagnosed with Hashimoto’s. One of the issues with LDN and its use in Hashimoto’s is there is not a lot of specific research that demonstrates an overall lowering of thyroid autoantibodies. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence, but not specific examples of data. We attempted to provide some preliminary data with LDN and its effects on thyroid autoantibodies.

The chart below shows the results of an observational study we performed at our medical practice on LDN and Hashimoto’s. We took all the patients we have with a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s based on elevated antibodies, prescribed them 4.5 mg of LDN and measured the overall change in the Hashimoto’s antibodies, Anti-TPO and Anti-TG. We also compared those patients who were prescribed LDN as well as those diagnosed with some form of gut compromise such as food allergies with gut permeability (AKA Leaky Gut).

We had many patients improve their antibody counts, while some did not.  But overall, we did see a positive change in the antibodies, particularly Anti-TPO, which, as you can see by the chart below, was an average change of 65%.

Total # of Patients Avg Length of Treatment Avg Starting Antibody Count Change in Anti-TPO Change in Anti-TG 4.5 mg LDN 34 Female

5 Male

Avg Age: 47

13 months Anti TPO: 462.1

Anti TG: 144.51

65% Decrease 36% Decrease 4.5 mg LDN & Gut Repair 13 Female

1 Male

Avg Age: 42

10 month Anti TPO: 446.26

Anti TG: 409.59

8% Decrease 20% Decrease

These changes in thyroid antibodies are very significant, in a relatively short period of time. This significant but relatively small sample size is a starting point, letting all practitioners and prescribers of LDN for Hashimoto’s continue to track thyroid autoantibodies and present and/or publish their results. We are asking for more hard data. We also hope this inspires the Hashimoto’s patient to explore the option of LDN.

Strictly clinically speaking, anyone who has either been personally diagnosed with, or has treated, Hashimoto’s knows that it is not that easy to lower these thyroid antibodies. The conventional perspective is that there is not anything you can do about it. This is just not true.

Over the years, even before we started prescribing LDN with regularity, we have been able to help control these thyroid antibodies, but not in the same way now that we have been prescribing LDN. It has been a game changer as physicians committed to providing our patients with the best possible care for their thyroid. If you suffer with Hashimoto’s, or any autoimmune condition, we encourage you to find an alternative practitioner who prescribes LDN and can treat your thyroid condition in a comprehensive fashion. The results can be profound…and real.

Source

Stay up-to-date, get subscriber-only discounts, get tips, articles and stories that inspire, on all things thyroid!

PLEASE take a moment to ‘Like’ us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Pinterest. You can also listen to Tiffany and Danna on Thyroid Nation RADIO.

Questions or anything to add about LDN? We want your thoughts, please. You might just help someone else in need. http://ift.tt/2lqfAWo

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Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) For Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Real Results

Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) For Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Real Results Drs. John Robinson and Cristina Romero-Bosch, Guests Thyroid Nation Dr. Hakaru Hashimoto’s Discovery

Hashimoto’s. That damn Hashimoto’s. This poor guy never knew his name would be cursed as much as it has been since this brilliant doctor first discovered autoimmune thyroid disease back in 1912, giving a name to a very difficult disease. Dr. Hakaru Hashimoto, a Japanese physician, discovered a type of goiter, or enlarged thyroid, that when biopsied presented with lymphocyte (white blood cell) infiltration, fibrosis, and eventual gland atrophy (shrinkage) due to destruction of the gland. He coined the term “Hashimoto’s thyroiditis” or lymphocytic thyroiditis. And now for over a century, more and more people are suffering from this autoimmune condition, with most conventional approaches saying there is nothing you can do about it. But, there is hope…LDN

What is Hashimoto’s?

The autoimmune condition known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis presents with an array of symptoms including the classic symptoms of hypothyroidism (low thyroid): fatigue, weight gain, depression, constipation, hair loss, brittle nails, menstrual difficulties, and muscle and joint pain. You also tend to have additional symptoms with Hashimoto’s like a swollen thyroid, difficulty swallowing, a swollen tongue, thyroid nodules, and random exacerbations of your symptoms known as “Hashimoto’s Flares.” But the main measurable issue is the presence of thyroid autoantibodies such as Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (AKA Anti-TPO) and Thyroidglobulin Antibodies (Anti-TG) found on a basic blood test. This is usually the main hallmark that establishes the diagnosis of Hashimoto’s. Beyond the Anti-TPO and Anti-TG, inflammatory changes seen on an ultrasound and/or a Thermogram will also help to establish the diagnosis and the extent of the problem.

What Does ‘Autoimmune’ Mean?

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune condition. This means that the immune system has been triggered in such a way that it has launched an attack against itself (auto). It can attack almost any tissue, but in the case of Hashimoto’s, the immune system has attacked thyroid tissue, leading to necrosis (destruction) of thyroid tissue, which ultimately leads to hypothyroidism (low thyroid). But, depending on genetics and other factors, the autoimmune condition could tend towards hyperthyroidism (high thyroid), also known as Graves’ disease. But Hashimoto’s is far more common than Graves’ disease. So, how do we control the autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s?

Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN)

Naltrexone is a medication for opioid addiction, FDA-approved at 50 mg daily. In the 1980s, it was discovered that when naltrexone was given in very low doses, it had the curious effect of improving immune function and autoimmune conditions. The most common doses are around 3 to 6 mg, with 4.5 mg being the most commonly used dose and the one that we typically use with our patients with Hashimoto’s.

But overall, we did see a positive change in the antibodies. Click To Tweet

LDN is an amazing medication to prescribe. It has many benefits including modulating the immune system, aiding in weight loss, mood balancing and improving a sense of well being, and even helping neurological issues like autism. The list of what LDN can help with is vast and doctors and scientists from all over the world are studying its potential. It is relatively inexpensive and the side effect profile is very low, with possible nausea and vivid dreams being the only real complaints. And the vivid dreams is handled by simply taking it in the morning versus before bed in the evening. For the level of benefit, we visually see no significant downside to its proper use.

Real Results With LDN

Dr. Robinson presented at the 2017 LDN Research Trust Conference in Portland, Oregon on the results we have seen using LDN with our patients diagnosed with Hashimoto’s. One of the issues with LDN and its use in Hashimoto’s is there is not a lot of specific research that demonstrates an overall lowering of thyroid autoantibodies. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence, but not specific examples of data. We attempted to provide some preliminary data with LDN and its effects on thyroid autoantibodies.

The chart below shows the results of an observational study we performed at our medical practice on LDN and Hashimoto’s. We took all the patients we have with a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s based on elevated antibodies, prescribed them 4.5 mg of LDN and measured the overall change in the Hashimoto’s antibodies, Anti-TPO and Anti-TG. We also compared those patients who were prescribed LDN as well as those diagnosed with some form of gut compromise such as food allergies with gut permeability (AKA Leaky Gut).

We had many patients improve their antibody counts, while some did not.  But overall, we did see a positive change in the antibodies, particularly Anti-TPO, which, as you can see by the chart below, was an average change of 65%.

Total # of Patients Avg Length of Treatment Avg Starting Antibody Count Change in Anti-TPO Change in Anti-TG 4.5 mg LDN 34 Female

5 Male

Avg Age: 47

13 months Anti TPO: 462.1

Anti TG: 144.51

65% Decrease 36% Decrease 4.5 mg LDN & Gut Repair 13 Female

1 Male

Avg Age: 42

10 month Anti TPO: 446.26

Anti TG: 409.59

8% Decrease 20% Decrease

These changes in thyroid antibodies are very significant, in a relatively short period of time. This significant but relatively small sample size is a starting point, letting all practitioners and prescribers of LDN for Hashimoto’s continue to track thyroid autoantibodies and present and/or publish their results. We are asking for more hard data. We also hope this inspires the Hashimoto’s patient to explore the option of LDN.

Strictly clinically speaking, anyone who has either been personally diagnosed with, or has treated, Hashimoto’s knows that it is not that easy to lower these thyroid antibodies. The conventional perspective is that there is not anything you can do about it. This is just not true.

Over the years, even before we started prescribing LDN with regularity, we have been able to help control these thyroid antibodies, but not in the same way now that we have been prescribing LDN. It has been a game changer as physicians committed to providing our patients with the best possible care for their thyroid. If you suffer with Hashimoto’s, or any autoimmune condition, we encourage you to find an alternative practitioner who prescribes LDN and can treat your thyroid condition in a comprehensive fashion. The results can be profound…and real.

Source

Stay up-to-date, get subscriber-only discounts, get tips, articles and stories that inspire, on all things thyroid!

PLEASE take a moment to ‘Like’ us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Pinterest. You can also listen to Tiffany and Danna on Thyroid Nation RADIO.

Questions or anything to add about LDN? We want your thoughts, please. You might just help someone else in need. http://ift.tt/2lqfAWo

[robertharris6685]

Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) For Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Real Results

Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) For Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Real Results Drs. John Robinson and Cristina Romero-Bosch, Guests Thyroid Nation Dr. Hakaru Hashimoto’s Discovery

Hashimoto’s. That damn Hashimoto’s. This poor guy never knew his name would be cursed as much as it has been since this brilliant doctor first discovered autoimmune thyroid disease back in 1912, giving a name to a very difficult disease. Dr. Hakaru Hashimoto, a Japanese physician, discovered a type of goiter, or enlarged thyroid, that when biopsied presented with lymphocyte (white blood cell) infiltration, fibrosis, and eventual gland atrophy (shrinkage) due to destruction of the gland. He coined the term “Hashimoto’s thyroiditis” or lymphocytic thyroiditis. And now for over a century, more and more people are suffering from this autoimmune condition, with most conventional approaches saying there is nothing you can do about it. But, there is hope…LDN

What is Hashimoto’s?

The autoimmune condition known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis presents with an array of symptoms including the classic symptoms of hypothyroidism (low thyroid): fatigue, weight gain, depression, constipation, hair loss, brittle nails, menstrual difficulties, and muscle and joint pain. You also tend to have additional symptoms with Hashimoto’s like a swollen thyroid, difficulty swallowing, a swollen tongue, thyroid nodules, and random exacerbations of your symptoms known as “Hashimoto’s Flares.” But the main measurable issue is the presence of thyroid autoantibodies such as Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (AKA Anti-TPO) and Thyroidglobulin Antibodies (Anti-TG) found on a basic blood test. This is usually the main hallmark that establishes the diagnosis of Hashimoto’s. Beyond the Anti-TPO and Anti-TG, inflammatory changes seen on an ultrasound and/or a Thermogram will also help to establish the diagnosis and the extent of the problem.

What Does ‘Autoimmune’ Mean?

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune condition. This means that the immune system has been triggered in such a way that it has launched an attack against itself (auto). It can attack almost any tissue, but in the case of Hashimoto’s, the immune system has attacked thyroid tissue, leading to necrosis (destruction) of thyroid tissue, which ultimately leads to hypothyroidism (low thyroid). But, depending on genetics and other factors, the autoimmune condition could tend towards hyperthyroidism (high thyroid), also known as Graves’ disease. But Hashimoto’s is far more common than Graves’ disease. So, how do we control the autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s?

Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN)

Naltrexone is a medication for opioid addiction, FDA-approved at 50 mg daily. In the 1980s, it was discovered that when naltrexone was given in very low doses, it had the curious effect of improving immune function and autoimmune conditions. The most common doses are around 3 to 6 mg, with 4.5 mg being the most commonly used dose and the one that we typically use with our patients with Hashimoto’s.

But overall, we did see a positive change in the antibodies. Click To Tweet

LDN is an amazing medication to prescribe. It has many benefits including modulating the immune system, aiding in weight loss, mood balancing and improving a sense of well being, and even helping neurological issues like autism. The list of what LDN can help with is vast and doctors and scientists from all over the world are studying its potential. It is relatively inexpensive and the side effect profile is very low, with possible nausea and vivid dreams being the only real complaints. And the vivid dreams is handled by simply taking it in the morning versus before bed in the evening. For the level of benefit, we visually see no significant downside to its proper use.

Real Results With LDN

Dr. Robinson presented at the 2017 LDN Research Trust Conference in Portland, Oregon on the results we have seen using LDN with our patients diagnosed with Hashimoto’s. One of the issues with LDN and its use in Hashimoto’s is there is not a lot of specific research that demonstrates an overall lowering of thyroid autoantibodies. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence, but not specific examples of data. We attempted to provide some preliminary data with LDN and its effects on thyroid autoantibodies.

The chart below shows the results of an observational study we performed at our medical practice on LDN and Hashimoto’s. We took all the patients we have with a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s based on elevated antibodies, prescribed them 4.5 mg of LDN and measured the overall change in the Hashimoto’s antibodies, Anti-TPO and Anti-TG. We also compared those patients who were prescribed LDN as well as those diagnosed with some form of gut compromise such as food allergies with gut permeability (AKA Leaky Gut).

We had many patients improve their antibody counts, while some did not.  But overall, we did see a positive change in the antibodies, particularly Anti-TPO, which, as you can see by the chart below, was an average change of 65%.

Total # of Patients Avg Length of Treatment Avg Starting Antibody Count Change in Anti-TPO Change in Anti-TG 4.5 mg LDN 34 Female

5 Male

Avg Age: 47

13 months Anti TPO: 462.1

Anti TG: 144.51

65% Decrease 36% Decrease 4.5 mg LDN & Gut Repair 13 Female

1 Male

Avg Age: 42

10 month Anti TPO: 446.26

Anti TG: 409.59

8% Decrease 20% Decrease

These changes in thyroid antibodies are very significant, in a relatively short period of time. This significant but relatively small sample size is a starting point, letting all practitioners and prescribers of LDN for Hashimoto’s continue to track thyroid autoantibodies and present and/or publish their results. We are asking for more hard data. We also hope this inspires the Hashimoto’s patient to explore the option of LDN.

Strictly clinically speaking, anyone who has either been personally diagnosed with, or has treated, Hashimoto’s knows that it is not that easy to lower these thyroid antibodies. The conventional perspective is that there is not anything you can do about it. This is just not true.

Over the years, even before we started prescribing LDN with regularity, we have been able to help control these thyroid antibodies, but not in the same way now that we have been prescribing LDN. It has been a game changer as physicians committed to providing our patients with the best possible care for their thyroid. If you suffer with Hashimoto’s, or any autoimmune condition, we encourage you to find an alternative practitioner who prescribes LDN and can treat your thyroid condition in a comprehensive fashion. The results can be profound…and real.

Source

Stay up-to-date, get subscriber-only discounts, get tips, articles and stories that inspire, on all things thyroid!

PLEASE take a moment to ‘Like’ us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Pinterest. You can also listen to Tiffany and Danna on Thyroid Nation RADIO.

Questions or anything to add about LDN? We want your thoughts, please. You might just help someone else in need. http://ift.tt/2lqfAWo

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Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) For Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Real Results

Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) For Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Real Results Drs. John Robinson and Cristina Romero-Bosch, Guests Thyroid Nation Dr. Hakaru Hashimoto’s Discovery

Hashimoto’s. That damn Hashimoto’s. This poor guy never knew his name would be cursed as much as it has been since this brilliant doctor first discovered autoimmune thyroid disease back in 1912, giving a name to a very difficult disease. Dr. Hakaru Hashimoto, a Japanese physician, discovered a type of goiter, or enlarged thyroid, that when biopsied presented with lymphocyte (white blood cell) infiltration, fibrosis, and eventual gland atrophy (shrinkage) due to destruction of the gland. He coined the term “Hashimoto’s thyroiditis” or lymphocytic thyroiditis. And now for over a century, more and more people are suffering from this autoimmune condition, with most conventional approaches saying there is nothing you can do about it. But, there is hope…LDN

What is Hashimoto’s?

The autoimmune condition known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis presents with an array of symptoms including the classic symptoms of hypothyroidism (low thyroid): fatigue, weight gain, depression, constipation, hair loss, brittle nails, menstrual difficulties, and muscle and joint pain. You also tend to have additional symptoms with Hashimoto’s like a swollen thyroid, difficulty swallowing, a swollen tongue, thyroid nodules, and random exacerbations of your symptoms known as “Hashimoto’s Flares.” But the main measurable issue is the presence of thyroid autoantibodies such as Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (AKA Anti-TPO) and Thyroidglobulin Antibodies (Anti-TG) found on a basic blood test. This is usually the main hallmark that establishes the diagnosis of Hashimoto’s. Beyond the Anti-TPO and Anti-TG, inflammatory changes seen on an ultrasound and/or a Thermogram will also help to establish the diagnosis and the extent of the problem.

What Does ‘Autoimmune’ Mean?

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune condition. This means that the immune system has been triggered in such a way that it has launched an attack against itself (auto). It can attack almost any tissue, but in the case of Hashimoto’s, the immune system has attacked thyroid tissue, leading to necrosis (destruction) of thyroid tissue, which ultimately leads to hypothyroidism (low thyroid). But, depending on genetics and other factors, the autoimmune condition could tend towards hyperthyroidism (high thyroid), also known as Graves’ disease. But Hashimoto’s is far more common than Graves’ disease. So, how do we control the autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s?

Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN)

Naltrexone is a medication for opioid addiction, FDA-approved at 50 mg daily. In the 1980s, it was discovered that when naltrexone was given in very low doses, it had the curious effect of improving immune function and autoimmune conditions. The most common doses are around 3 to 6 mg, with 4.5 mg being the most commonly used dose and the one that we typically use with our patients with Hashimoto’s.

But overall, we did see a positive change in the antibodies. Click To Tweet

LDN is an amazing medication to prescribe. It has many benefits including modulating the immune system, aiding in weight loss, mood balancing and improving a sense of well being, and even helping neurological issues like autism. The list of what LDN can help with is vast and doctors and scientists from all over the world are studying its potential. It is relatively inexpensive and the side effect profile is very low, with possible nausea and vivid dreams being the only real complaints. And the vivid dreams is handled by simply taking it in the morning versus before bed in the evening. For the level of benefit, we visually see no significant downside to its proper use.

Real Results With LDN

Dr. Robinson presented at the 2017 LDN Research Trust Conference in Portland, Oregon on the results we have seen using LDN with our patients diagnosed with Hashimoto’s. One of the issues with LDN and its use in Hashimoto’s is there is not a lot of specific research that demonstrates an overall lowering of thyroid autoantibodies. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence, but not specific examples of data. We attempted to provide some preliminary data with LDN and its effects on thyroid autoantibodies.

The chart below shows the results of an observational study we performed at our medical practice on LDN and Hashimoto’s. We took all the patients we have with a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s based on elevated antibodies, prescribed them 4.5 mg of LDN and measured the overall change in the Hashimoto’s antibodies, Anti-TPO and Anti-TG. We also compared those patients who were prescribed LDN as well as those diagnosed with some form of gut compromise such as food allergies with gut permeability (AKA Leaky Gut).

We had many patients improve their antibody counts, while some did not.  But overall, we did see a positive change in the antibodies, particularly Anti-TPO, which, as you can see by the chart below, was an average change of 65%.

Total # of Patients Avg Length of Treatment Avg Starting Antibody Count Change in Anti-TPO Change in Anti-TG 4.5 mg LDN 34 Female

5 Male

Avg Age: 47

13 months Anti TPO: 462.1

Anti TG: 144.51

65% Decrease 36% Decrease 4.5 mg LDN & Gut Repair 13 Female

1 Male

Avg Age: 42

10 month Anti TPO: 446.26

Anti TG: 409.59

8% Decrease 20% Decrease

These changes in thyroid antibodies are very significant, in a relatively short period of time. This significant but relatively small sample size is a starting point, letting all practitioners and prescribers of LDN for Hashimoto’s continue to track thyroid autoantibodies and present and/or publish their results. We are asking for more hard data. We also hope this inspires the Hashimoto’s patient to explore the option of LDN.

Strictly clinically speaking, anyone who has either been personally diagnosed with, or has treated, Hashimoto’s knows that it is not that easy to lower these thyroid antibodies. The conventional perspective is that there is not anything you can do about it. This is just not true.

Over the years, even before we started prescribing LDN with regularity, we have been able to help control these thyroid antibodies, but not in the same way now that we have been prescribing LDN. It has been a game changer as physicians committed to providing our patients with the best possible care for their thyroid. If you suffer with Hashimoto’s, or any autoimmune condition, we encourage you to find an alternative practitioner who prescribes LDN and can treat your thyroid condition in a comprehensive fashion. The results can be profound…and real.

Source

Stay up-to-date, get subscriber-only discounts, get tips, articles and stories that inspire, on all things thyroid!

PLEASE take a moment to ‘Like’ us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Pinterest. You can also listen to Tiffany and Danna on Thyroid Nation RADIO.

Questions or anything to add about LDN? We want your thoughts, please. You might just help someone else in need. http://ift.tt/2lqfAWo

[evawilliams3741]

Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) For Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Real Results

Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) For Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Real Results Drs. John Robinson and Cristina Romero-Bosch, Guests Thyroid Nation Dr. Hakaru Hashimoto’s Discovery

Hashimoto’s. That damn Hashimoto’s. This poor guy never knew his name would be cursed as much as it has been since this brilliant doctor first discovered autoimmune thyroid disease back in 1912, giving a name to a very difficult disease. Dr. Hakaru Hashimoto, a Japanese physician, discovered a type of goiter, or enlarged thyroid, that when biopsied presented with lymphocyte (white blood cell) infiltration, fibrosis, and eventual gland atrophy (shrinkage) due to destruction of the gland. He coined the term “Hashimoto’s thyroiditis” or lymphocytic thyroiditis. And now for over a century, more and more people are suffering from this autoimmune condition, with most conventional approaches saying there is nothing you can do about it. But, there is hope…LDN

What is Hashimoto’s?

The autoimmune condition known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis presents with an array of symptoms including the classic symptoms of hypothyroidism (low thyroid): fatigue, weight gain, depression, constipation, hair loss, brittle nails, menstrual difficulties, and muscle and joint pain. You also tend to have additional symptoms with Hashimoto’s like a swollen thyroid, difficulty swallowing, a swollen tongue, thyroid nodules, and random exacerbations of your symptoms known as “Hashimoto’s Flares.” But the main measurable issue is the presence of thyroid autoantibodies such as Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (AKA Anti-TPO) and Thyroidglobulin Antibodies (Anti-TG) found on a basic blood test. This is usually the main hallmark that establishes the diagnosis of Hashimoto’s. Beyond the Anti-TPO and Anti-TG, inflammatory changes seen on an ultrasound and/or a Thermogram will also help to establish the diagnosis and the extent of the problem.

What Does ‘Autoimmune’ Mean?

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune condition. This means that the immune system has been triggered in such a way that it has launched an attack against itself (auto). It can attack almost any tissue, but in the case of Hashimoto’s, the immune system has attacked thyroid tissue, leading to necrosis (destruction) of thyroid tissue, which ultimately leads to hypothyroidism (low thyroid). But, depending on genetics and other factors, the autoimmune condition could tend towards hyperthyroidism (high thyroid), also known as Graves’ disease. But Hashimoto’s is far more common than Graves’ disease. So, how do we control the autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s?

Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN)

Naltrexone is a medication for opioid addiction, FDA-approved at 50 mg daily. In the 1980s, it was discovered that when naltrexone was given in very low doses, it had the curious effect of improving immune function and autoimmune conditions. The most common doses are around 3 to 6 mg, with 4.5 mg being the most commonly used dose and the one that we typically use with our patients with Hashimoto’s.

But overall, we did see a positive change in the antibodies. Click To Tweet

LDN is an amazing medication to prescribe. It has many benefits including modulating the immune system, aiding in weight loss, mood balancing and improving a sense of well being, and even helping neurological issues like autism. The list of what LDN can help with is vast and doctors and scientists from all over the world are studying its potential. It is relatively inexpensive and the side effect profile is very low, with possible nausea and vivid dreams being the only real complaints. And the vivid dreams is handled by simply taking it in the morning versus before bed in the evening. For the level of benefit, we visually see no significant downside to its proper use.

Real Results With LDN

Dr. Robinson presented at the 2017 LDN Research Trust Conference in Portland, Oregon on the results we have seen using LDN with our patients diagnosed with Hashimoto’s. One of the issues with LDN and its use in Hashimoto’s is there is not a lot of specific research that demonstrates an overall lowering of thyroid autoantibodies. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence, but not specific examples of data. We attempted to provide some preliminary data with LDN and its effects on thyroid autoantibodies.

The chart below shows the results of an observational study we performed at our medical practice on LDN and Hashimoto’s. We took all the patients we have with a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s based on elevated antibodies, prescribed them 4.5 mg of LDN and measured the overall change in the Hashimoto’s antibodies, Anti-TPO and Anti-TG. We also compared those patients who were prescribed LDN as well as those diagnosed with some form of gut compromise such as food allergies with gut permeability (AKA Leaky Gut).

We had many patients improve their antibody counts, while some did not.  But overall, we did see a positive change in the antibodies, particularly Anti-TPO, which, as you can see by the chart below, was an average change of 65%.

Total # of Patients Avg Length of Treatment Avg Starting Antibody Count Change in Anti-TPO Change in Anti-TG 4.5 mg LDN 34 Female

5 Male

Avg Age: 47

13 months Anti TPO: 462.1

Anti TG: 144.51

65% Decrease 36% Decrease 4.5 mg LDN & Gut Repair 13 Female

1 Male

Avg Age: 42

10 month Anti TPO: 446.26

Anti TG: 409.59

8% Decrease 20% Decrease

These changes in thyroid antibodies are very significant, in a relatively short period of time. This significant but relatively small sample size is a starting point, letting all practitioners and prescribers of LDN for Hashimoto’s continue to track thyroid autoantibodies and present and/or publish their results. We are asking for more hard data. We also hope this inspires the Hashimoto’s patient to explore the option of LDN.

Strictly clinically speaking, anyone who has either been personally diagnosed with, or has treated, Hashimoto’s knows that it is not that easy to lower these thyroid antibodies. The conventional perspective is that there is not anything you can do about it. This is just not true.

Over the years, even before we started prescribing LDN with regularity, we have been able to help control these thyroid antibodies, but not in the same way now that we have been prescribing LDN. It has been a game changer as physicians committed to providing our patients with the best possible care for their thyroid. If you suffer with Hashimoto’s, or any autoimmune condition, we encourage you to find an alternative practitioner who prescribes LDN and can treat your thyroid condition in a comprehensive fashion. The results can be profound…and real.

Source

Stay up-to-date, get subscriber-only discounts, get tips, articles and stories that inspire, on all things thyroid!

PLEASE take a moment to ‘Like’ us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Pinterest. You can also listen to Tiffany and Danna on Thyroid Nation RADIO.

Questions or anything to add about LDN? We want your thoughts, please. You might just help someone else in need. http://ift.tt/2lqfAWo

[sofiawright4411]

Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) For Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Real Results

Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) For Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Real Results Drs. John Robinson and Cristina Romero-Bosch, Guests Thyroid Nation Dr. Hakaru Hashimoto’s Discovery

Hashimoto’s. That damn Hashimoto’s. This poor guy never knew his name would be cursed as much as it has been since this brilliant doctor first discovered autoimmune thyroid disease back in 1912, giving a name to a very difficult disease. Dr. Hakaru Hashimoto, a Japanese physician, discovered a type of goiter, or enlarged thyroid, that when biopsied presented with lymphocyte (white blood cell) infiltration, fibrosis, and eventual gland atrophy (shrinkage) due to destruction of the gland. He coined the term “Hashimoto’s thyroiditis” or lymphocytic thyroiditis. And now for over a century, more and more people are suffering from this autoimmune condition, with most conventional approaches saying there is nothing you can do about it. But, there is hope…LDN

What is Hashimoto’s?

The autoimmune condition known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis presents with an array of symptoms including the classic symptoms of hypothyroidism (low thyroid): fatigue, weight gain, depression, constipation, hair loss, brittle nails, menstrual difficulties, and muscle and joint pain. You also tend to have additional symptoms with Hashimoto’s like a swollen thyroid, difficulty swallowing, a swollen tongue, thyroid nodules, and random exacerbations of your symptoms known as “Hashimoto’s Flares.” But the main measurable issue is the presence of thyroid autoantibodies such as Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (AKA Anti-TPO) and Thyroidglobulin Antibodies (Anti-TG) found on a basic blood test. This is usually the main hallmark that establishes the diagnosis of Hashimoto’s. Beyond the Anti-TPO and Anti-TG, inflammatory changes seen on an ultrasound and/or a Thermogram will also help to establish the diagnosis and the extent of the problem.

What Does ‘Autoimmune’ Mean?

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune condition. This means that the immune system has been triggered in such a way that it has launched an attack against itself (auto). It can attack almost any tissue, but in the case of Hashimoto’s, the immune system has attacked thyroid tissue, leading to necrosis (destruction) of thyroid tissue, which ultimately leads to hypothyroidism (low thyroid). But, depending on genetics and other factors, the autoimmune condition could tend towards hyperthyroidism (high thyroid), also known as Graves’ disease. But Hashimoto’s is far more common than Graves’ disease. So, how do we control the autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s?

Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN)

Naltrexone is a medication for opioid addiction, FDA-approved at 50 mg daily. In the 1980s, it was discovered that when naltrexone was given in very low doses, it had the curious effect of improving immune function and autoimmune conditions. The most common doses are around 3 to 6 mg, with 4.5 mg being the most commonly used dose and the one that we typically use with our patients with Hashimoto’s.

But overall, we did see a positive change in the antibodies. Click To Tweet

LDN is an amazing medication to prescribe. It has many benefits including modulating the immune system, aiding in weight loss, mood balancing and improving a sense of well being, and even helping neurological issues like autism. The list of what LDN can help with is vast and doctors and scientists from all over the world are studying its potential. It is relatively inexpensive and the side effect profile is very low, with possible nausea and vivid dreams being the only real complaints. And the vivid dreams is handled by simply taking it in the morning versus before bed in the evening. For the level of benefit, we visually see no significant downside to its proper use.

Real Results With LDN

Dr. Robinson presented at the 2017 LDN Research Trust Conference in Portland, Oregon on the results we have seen using LDN with our patients diagnosed with Hashimoto’s. One of the issues with LDN and its use in Hashimoto’s is there is not a lot of specific research that demonstrates an overall lowering of thyroid autoantibodies. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence, but not specific examples of data. We attempted to provide some preliminary data with LDN and its effects on thyroid autoantibodies.

The chart below shows the results of an observational study we performed at our medical practice on LDN and Hashimoto’s. We took all the patients we have with a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s based on elevated antibodies, prescribed them 4.5 mg of LDN and measured the overall change in the Hashimoto’s antibodies, Anti-TPO and Anti-TG. We also compared those patients who were prescribed LDN as well as those diagnosed with some form of gut compromise such as food allergies with gut permeability (AKA Leaky Gut).

We had many patients improve their antibody counts, while some did not.  But overall, we did see a positive change in the antibodies, particularly Anti-TPO, which, as you can see by the chart below, was an average change of 65%.

Total # of Patients Avg Length of Treatment Avg Starting Antibody Count Change in Anti-TPO Change in Anti-TG 4.5 mg LDN 34 Female

5 Male

Avg Age: 47

13 months Anti TPO: 462.1

Anti TG: 144.51

65% Decrease 36% Decrease 4.5 mg LDN & Gut Repair 13 Female

1 Male

Avg Age: 42

10 month Anti TPO: 446.26

Anti TG: 409.59

8% Decrease 20% Decrease

These changes in thyroid antibodies are very significant, in a relatively short period of time. This significant but relatively small sample size is a starting point, letting all practitioners and prescribers of LDN for Hashimoto’s continue to track thyroid autoantibodies and present and/or publish their results. We are asking for more hard data. We also hope this inspires the Hashimoto’s patient to explore the option of LDN.

Strictly clinically speaking, anyone who has either been personally diagnosed with, or has treated, Hashimoto’s knows that it is not that easy to lower these thyroid antibodies. The conventional perspective is that there is not anything you can do about it. This is just not true.

Over the years, even before we started prescribing LDN with regularity, we have been able to help control these thyroid antibodies, but not in the same way now that we have been prescribing LDN. It has been a game changer as physicians committed to providing our patients with the best possible care for their thyroid. If you suffer with Hashimoto’s, or any autoimmune condition, we encourage you to find an alternative practitioner who prescribes LDN and can treat your thyroid condition in a comprehensive fashion. The results can be profound…and real.

Source

Stay up-to-date, get subscriber-only discounts, get tips, articles and stories that inspire, on all things thyroid!

PLEASE take a moment to ‘Like’ us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Pinterest. You can also listen to Tiffany and Danna on Thyroid Nation RADIO.

Questions or anything to add about LDN? We want your thoughts, please. You might just help someone else in need. http://ift.tt/2lqfAWo

[laurenjohnson437]

Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) For Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Real Results

Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) For Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Real Results Drs. John Robinson and Cristina Romero-Bosch, Guests Thyroid Nation Dr. Hakaru Hashimoto’s Discovery

Hashimoto’s. That damn Hashimoto’s. This poor guy never knew his name would be cursed as much as it has been since this brilliant doctor first discovered autoimmune thyroid disease back in 1912, giving a name to a very difficult disease. Dr. Hakaru Hashimoto, a Japanese physician, discovered a type of goiter, or enlarged thyroid, that when biopsied presented with lymphocyte (white blood cell) infiltration, fibrosis, and eventual gland atrophy (shrinkage) due to destruction of the gland. He coined the term “Hashimoto’s thyroiditis” or lymphocytic thyroiditis. And now for over a century, more and more people are suffering from this autoimmune condition, with most conventional approaches saying there is nothing you can do about it. But, there is hope…LDN

What is Hashimoto’s?

The autoimmune condition known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis presents with an array of symptoms including the classic symptoms of hypothyroidism (low thyroid): fatigue, weight gain, depression, constipation, hair loss, brittle nails, menstrual difficulties, and muscle and joint pain. You also tend to have additional symptoms with Hashimoto’s like a swollen thyroid, difficulty swallowing, a swollen tongue, thyroid nodules, and random exacerbations of your symptoms known as “Hashimoto’s Flares.” But the main measurable issue is the presence of thyroid autoantibodies such as Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (AKA Anti-TPO) and Thyroidglobulin Antibodies (Anti-TG) found on a basic blood test. This is usually the main hallmark that establishes the diagnosis of Hashimoto’s. Beyond the Anti-TPO and Anti-TG, inflammatory changes seen on an ultrasound and/or a Thermogram will also help to establish the diagnosis and the extent of the problem.

What Does ‘Autoimmune’ Mean?

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune condition. This means that the immune system has been triggered in such a way that it has launched an attack against itself (auto). It can attack almost any tissue, but in the case of Hashimoto’s, the immune system has attacked thyroid tissue, leading to necrosis (destruction) of thyroid tissue, which ultimately leads to hypothyroidism (low thyroid). But, depending on genetics and other factors, the autoimmune condition could tend towards hyperthyroidism (high thyroid), also known as Graves’ disease. But Hashimoto’s is far more common than Graves’ disease. So, how do we control the autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s?

Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN)

Naltrexone is a medication for opioid addiction, FDA-approved at 50 mg daily. In the 1980s, it was discovered that when naltrexone was given in very low doses, it had the curious effect of improving immune function and autoimmune conditions. The most common doses are around 3 to 6 mg, with 4.5 mg being the most commonly used dose and the one that we typically use with our patients with Hashimoto’s.

But overall, we did see a positive change in the antibodies. Click To Tweet

LDN is an amazing medication to prescribe. It has many benefits including modulating the immune system, aiding in weight loss, mood balancing and improving a sense of well being, and even helping neurological issues like autism. The list of what LDN can help with is vast and doctors and scientists from all over the world are studying its potential. It is relatively inexpensive and the side effect profile is very low, with possible nausea and vivid dreams being the only real complaints. And the vivid dreams is handled by simply taking it in the morning versus before bed in the evening. For the level of benefit, we visually see no significant downside to its proper use.

Real Results With LDN

Dr. Robinson presented at the 2017 LDN Research Trust Conference in Portland, Oregon on the results we have seen using LDN with our patients diagnosed with Hashimoto’s. One of the issues with LDN and its use in Hashimoto’s is there is not a lot of specific research that demonstrates an overall lowering of thyroid autoantibodies. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence, but not specific examples of data. We attempted to provide some preliminary data with LDN and its effects on thyroid autoantibodies.

The chart below shows the results of an observational study we performed at our medical practice on LDN and Hashimoto’s. We took all the patients we have with a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s based on elevated antibodies, prescribed them 4.5 mg of LDN and measured the overall change in the Hashimoto’s antibodies, Anti-TPO and Anti-TG. We also compared those patients who were prescribed LDN as well as those diagnosed with some form of gut compromise such as food allergies with gut permeability (AKA Leaky Gut).

We had many patients improve their antibody counts, while some did not.  But overall, we did see a positive change in the antibodies, particularly Anti-TPO, which, as you can see by the chart below, was an average change of 65%.

Total # of Patients Avg Length of Treatment Avg Starting Antibody Count Change in Anti-TPO Change in Anti-TG 4.5 mg LDN 34 Female

5 Male

Avg Age: 47

13 months Anti TPO: 462.1

Anti TG: 144.51

65% Decrease 36% Decrease 4.5 mg LDN & Gut Repair 13 Female

1 Male

Avg Age: 42

10 month Anti TPO: 446.26

Anti TG: 409.59

8% Decrease 20% Decrease

These changes in thyroid antibodies are very significant, in a relatively short period of time. This significant but relatively small sample size is a starting point, letting all practitioners and prescribers of LDN for Hashimoto’s continue to track thyroid autoantibodies and present and/or publish their results. We are asking for more hard data. We also hope this inspires the Hashimoto’s patient to explore the option of LDN.

Strictly clinically speaking, anyone who has either been personally diagnosed with, or has treated, Hashimoto’s knows that it is not that easy to lower these thyroid antibodies. The conventional perspective is that there is not anything you can do about it. This is just not true.

Over the years, even before we started prescribing LDN with regularity, we have been able to help control these thyroid antibodies, but not in the same way now that we have been prescribing LDN. It has been a game changer as physicians committed to providing our patients with the best possible care for their thyroid. If you suffer with Hashimoto’s, or any autoimmune condition, we encourage you to find an alternative practitioner who prescribes LDN and can treat your thyroid condition in a comprehensive fashion. The results can be profound…and real.

Source

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Works for Me: Winter Health Tips

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In my monthly newsletter, Health & Healing, readers share a variety of health hacks in a feature called “Works for Me.” We cover myriad health conditions and all sorts of remedies from natural cures to conventional treatments. Below you’ll find a list of winter health tips to help get your through the colder, darker months to come. Enjoy!

Winter Health Tips for Fending Off Colds and Flu

Oscillococcinum After reading about oscillococcinum in your newsletter a few years ago, I gave it a try. What a find! Now, whenever I feel a cold or flu coming on, I immediately reach for a vial of this amazing product. Even my very conventional husband can’t deny the effectiveness of this homeopathic remedy, asking me where the “little white bumpy things” are whenever he has a sore throat or runny nose. I don’t know how it works, but it clearly does. I can’t tell you how many colds we’ve fended off over the years. It’s the one therapy that is in my medicine cabinet year-round! — Kimberly Bowes, Erie, PA 

Oscillococcinum is one of my favorite winter health tips for colds and flu. Though researchers have yet to identify precisely how this homeopathic remedy works, when taken at the first sign of flu its effects are amazing. In a landmark study of 487 flu patients, recovery within 48 hours was significantly greater among those who took oscillococcinum, compared to placebo. Packaged in individual doses of little pellets that dissolve under the tongue, it is easy to take, has a pleasant taste, and like all homeopathic remedies, is gentle, safe, and nontoxic. You can find oscillococcinum in drug stores and health food stores.

LDN Almost everyone in my family and circle of friends has been hit hard with colds and coughs this winter—except for me. I am convinced that it is because of LDN [low-dose naltrexone]. I read about it in the newsletter for cancer and autoimmune disorders, but you also mentioned that it boosts the immune system. I convinced my doctor to write a prescription three years ago, and I never get sick. — P.L., via email 

I hear this all the time. The suggested dose of LDN is 3–4.5 mg per day at bedtime. LDN is safe and well tolerated, with the only reported side effect being vivid dreams that resolve over time. Narcotic drugs must be discontinued before starting LDN. LDN requires a prescription and must be obtained through a compounding pharmacy. To see a Whitaker Wellness physician about a prescription, call 866-944-8253 or fill out this form for a complimentary consultation with one of our Patient Services Representatives.

Vitamin Cocktail + D3 I can stop a common cold in 24–48 hours with a cocktail of vitamins, minerals, echinacea, and other herbs. More recently I’ve added vitamin D3 to my supplement program. Perhaps I’ll have less use for my anti-viral cold cocktail in the future. — W.S., Seguin, TX 

Eucalyptus Oil I have reaped the benefits of cheap, effective eucalyptus oil to prevent upper respiratory infections. I used this oil for five days, and rather than weeks of a lingering cough, I am restored to health. It cost me $5 as opposed to $20 for antibiotics. And I have plenty left over for the next time. — I.H., Canada

Eucalyptus oil has been shown to reduce inflammation of the upper respiratory tract and help loosen mucus due to colds, flu, asthma, and sinusitis. For nasal congestion, sprinkle a few drops onto a damp washcloth and hold it over your nose. For deeper relief, put a few drops in boiling water or a steam humidifier and inhale the steam for about 10 minutes.

Cayenne Pepper When I get a sore throat, I mix a half-teaspoon of cayenne pepper in six ounces of water and drink it. Does wonders. — Kevin, via Facebook 

Great tip. Whenever anyone in our family comes down with the flu, a cold, or a sore throat, my wife Connie sprinkles cayenne pepper in chicken soup. The warm liquid helps thin mucus and the spicy pepper clears sinuses and eases congestion.

Winter Health Tips for Preventing and Treating Cold Sores

L-Lysine I’ve had cold sores since childhood. A few years ago, I decided to try L-lysine. I took it for about two years on a pretty regular basis, and it helped prevent cold sores from forming. Although I’ve stopped using lysine regularly, I haven’t had an outbreak in months. Just thought your readers might find this helpful. — C.S., Lincoln, NE 

L-lysine is an amino acid that inhibits the growth of the herpes virus responsible for cold sores. For prevention, take 1,000 mg per day. At the first sign of an outbreak, take 1,000–1,500 mg three times a day. Lysine can be found in health food and drug stores or can be ordered from the clinic by calling 800-810-6655.

LDN I used to get cold sores every other month or so, whenever I was under a lot of stress. After reading about low-dose naltrexone (LDN), I got a prescription for its overall immune benefits. Much to my surprise, my cold sores completely went away. I haven’t had a single outbreak in two years! — D.G., Newport Beach, CA

As noted above, LDN is a safe, inexpensive drug that has powerful effects on the immune system. In addition to successfully treating cold sores, shingles, and other infections, LDN is an excellent therapy for multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune disorders, as well as many types of cancer. Again, LDN does require a prescription. If you can’t find a doctor who will prescribe it, consider coming to the Whitaker Wellness Institute.

Garlic + Vitamin E I thought I would let you know about a supplement I used one evening in desperation to relieve the burning itch of a fresh cold sore. It formed quite a painful blister under my nose, which was driving me crazy. I read somewhere that a person should take garlic and vitamin E for cold sores, and to put plain vitamin E right on the sore. Well, I didn’t have any plain vitamin E in the house, but I did have capsules of garlic with vitamin E, which I take every day. I broke the capsule open into a little dish, added a few drops of water to make a paste, and applied it to the ugly, painful blister, thinking “What have I got to lose?” Since it caused a burning sensation at first, I thought I had better not leave it on too long. Within one hour, the pain and itching stopped. I was shocked because I had tried all the usual over-the-counter ointments and they never helped. But just one hour after applying the garlic/vitamin E not only was the pain gone, so was the actual blister. The sore took the typical few days to disappear, but this homemade remedy really worked wonders. —Margaret Rose, CA

Winter Health Tips for Dry, Cracked Skin

Miracle Foot Repair Two years ago I developed a severe dry foot condition with painful, cracking skin. I went to my doctor and was given a prescription for an antifungal, which did nothing. I was then sent to a dermatologist who put me on prednisone and a prescription cream as well as a lubricating ointment. Again no real results, although the ointment did help a little. Two months ago I was in Long’s Pharmacy and I saw a product called Miracle Foot Repair which contained 60 percent aloe vera. I decided to try it. After just the first two applications I had remarkable results.  I will continue to use this product every day from now on. — J.G., Dana Point, CA 

Miracle Foot Repair is sold in drug stores or may be ordered online from a variety of retailers. I’ve also heard great things about O’Keefe’s for Healthy Feet foot cream, available online and in drug stores.

Petroleum Jelly + Vitamin E + Baby Lotion Gloria reported that a good remedy for dry skin, which she heard about from her pharmacist, was to heat a little petroleum jelly in the microwave to soften it, then mix it with vitamin E skin cream and baby lotion. She says it’s particularly good for the hands and feet. — Excerpt from Health & Healing Newsletter

Have Winter Health Tips to Share?

These are just a handful of the wonderful tips and tricks patients and subscribers have shared with us over the years. If you have winter health tips of your own, please send them to info@whitakerwellness.com. 

[Read More ...] http://whitakerwellness.com/2017/11/winter-health-tips-2/

[abdallahalhakim]

Works for Me: Winter Health Tips

In my monthly newsletter, Health & Healing, readers share a variety of health hacks in a feature called “Works for Me.” We cover myriad health conditions and all sorts of remedies from natural cures to conventional treatments. Below you’ll find a list of winter health tips to help get your through the colder, darker months to come. Enjoy!

Winter Health Tips for Fending Off Colds and Flu

Oscillococcinum After reading about oscillococcinum in your newsletter a few years ago, I gave it a try. What a find! Now, whenever I feel a cold or flu coming on, I immediately reach for a vial of this amazing product. Even my very conventional husband can’t deny the effectiveness of this homeopathic remedy, asking me where the “little white bumpy things” are whenever he has a sore throat or runny nose. I don’t know how it works, but it clearly does. I can’t tell you how many colds we’ve fended off over the years. It’s the one therapy that is in my medicine cabinet year-round! — Kimberly Bowes, Erie, PA 

Oscillococcinum is one of my favorite winter health tips for colds and flu. Though researchers have yet to identify precisely how this homeopathic remedy works, when taken at the first sign of flu its effects are amazing. In a landmark study of 487 flu patients, recovery within 48 hours was significantly greater among those who took oscillococcinum, compared to placebo. Packaged in individual doses of little pellets that dissolve under the tongue, it is easy to take, has a pleasant taste, and like all homeopathic remedies, is gentle, safe, and nontoxic. You can find oscillococcinum in drug stores and health food stores.

LDN Almost everyone in my family and circle of friends has been hit hard with colds and coughs this winter—except for me. I am convinced that it is because of LDN [low-dose naltrexone]. I read about it in the newsletter for cancer and autoimmune disorders, but you also mentioned that it boosts the immune system. I convinced my doctor to write a prescription three years ago, and I never get sick. — P.L., via email 

I hear this all the time. The suggested dose of LDN is 3–4.5 mg per day at bedtime. LDN is safe and well tolerated, with the only reported side effect being vivid dreams that resolve over time. Narcotic drugs must be discontinued before starting LDN. LDN requires a prescription and must be obtained through a compounding pharmacy. To see a Whitaker Wellness physician about a prescription, call 866-944-8253 or fill out this form for a complimentary consultation with one of our Patient Services Representatives.

Vitamin Cocktail + D3 I can stop a common cold in 24–48 hours with a cocktail of vitamins, minerals, echinacea, and other herbs. More recently I’ve added vitamin D3 to my supplement program. Perhaps I’ll have less use for my anti-viral cold cocktail in the future. — W.S., Seguin, TX 

Eucalyptus Oil I have reaped the benefits of cheap, effective eucalyptus oil to prevent upper respiratory infections. I used this oil for five days, and rather than weeks of a lingering cough, I am restored to health. It cost me $5 as opposed to $20 for antibiotics. And I have plenty left over for the next time. — I.H., Canada

Eucalyptus oil has been shown to reduce inflammation of the upper respiratory tract and help loosen mucus due to colds, flu, asthma, and sinusitis. For nasal congestion, sprinkle a few drops onto a damp washcloth and hold it over your nose. For deeper relief, put a few drops in boiling water or a steam humidifier and inhale the steam for about 10 minutes.

Cayenne Pepper When I get a sore throat, I mix a half-teaspoon of cayenne pepper in six ounces of water and drink it. Does wonders. — Kevin, via Facebook 

Great tip. Whenever anyone in our family comes down with the flu, a cold, or a sore throat, my wife Connie sprinkles cayenne pepper in chicken soup. The warm liquid helps thin mucus and the spicy pepper clears sinuses and eases congestion.

Winter Health Tips for Preventing and Treating Cold Sores

L-Lysine I’ve had cold sores since childhood. A few years ago, I decided to try L-lysine. I took it for about two years on a pretty regular basis, and it helped prevent cold sores from forming. Although I’ve stopped using lysine regularly, I haven’t had an outbreak in months. Just thought your readers might find this helpful. — C.S., Lincoln, NE 

L-lysine is an amino acid that inhibits the growth of the herpes virus responsible for cold sores. For prevention, take 1,000 mg per day. At the first sign of an outbreak, take 1,000–1,500 mg three times a day. Lysine can be found in health food and drug stores or can be ordered from the clinic by calling 800-810-6655.

LDN I used to get cold sores every other month or so, whenever I was under a lot of stress. After reading about low-dose naltrexone (LDN), I got a prescription for its overall immune benefits. Much to my surprise, my cold sores completely went away. I haven’t had a single outbreak in two years! — D.G., Newport Beach, CA

As noted above, LDN is a safe, inexpensive drug that has powerful effects on the immune system. In addition to successfully treating cold sores, shingles, and other infections, LDN is an excellent therapy for multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune disorders, as well as many types of cancer. Again, LDN does require a prescription. If you can’t find a doctor who will prescribe it, consider coming to the Whitaker Wellness Institute.

Garlic + Vitamin E I thought I would let you know about a supplement I used one evening in desperation to relieve the burning itch of a fresh cold sore. It formed quite a painful blister under my nose, which was driving me crazy. I read somewhere that a person should take garlic and vitamin E for cold sores, and to put plain vitamin E right on the sore. Well, I didn’t have any plain vitamin E in the house, but I did have capsules of garlic with vitamin E, which I take every day. I broke the capsule open into a little dish, added a few drops of water to make a paste, and applied it to the ugly, painful blister, thinking “What have I got to lose?” Since it caused a burning sensation at first, I thought I had better not leave it on too long. Within one hour, the pain and itching stopped. I was shocked because I had tried all the usual over-the-counter ointments and they never helped. But just one hour after applying the garlic/vitamin E not only was the pain gone, so was the actual blister. The sore took the typical few days to disappear, but this homemade remedy really worked wonders. —Margaret Rose, CA

Winter Health Tips for Dry, Cracked Skin

Miracle Foot Repair Two years ago I developed a severe dry foot condition with painful, cracking skin. I went to my doctor and was given a prescription for an antifungal, which did nothing. I was then sent to a dermatologist who put me on prednisone and a prescription cream as well as a lubricating ointment. Again no real results, although the ointment did help a little. Two months ago I was in Long’s Pharmacy and I saw a product called Miracle Foot Repair which contained 60 percent aloe vera. I decided to try it. After just the first two applications I had remarkable results.  I will continue to use this product every day from now on. — J.G., Dana Point, CA 

Miracle Foot Repair is sold in drug stores or may be ordered online from a variety of retailers. I’ve also heard great things about O’Keefe’s for Healthy Feet foot cream, available online and in drug stores.

Petroleum Jelly + Vitamin E + Baby Lotion Gloria reported that a good remedy for dry skin, which she heard about from her pharmacist, was to heat a little petroleum jelly in the microwave to soften it, then mix it with vitamin E skin cream and baby lotion. She says it’s particularly good for the hands and feet. — Excerpt from Health & Healing Newsletter

Have Winter Health Tips to Share?

These are just a handful of the wonderful tips and tricks patients and subscribers have shared with us over the years. If you have winter health tips of your own, please send them to info@whitakerwellness.com. 

[Read More ...] http://whitakerwellness.com/2017/11/winter-health-tips-2/

[duqstudents4fairtrade]

Works for Me: Winter Health Tips

In my monthly newsletter, Health & Healing, readers share a variety of health hacks in a feature called “Works for Me.” We cover myriad health conditions and all sorts of remedies from natural cures to conventional treatments. Below you’ll find a list of winter health tips to help get your through the colder, darker months to come. Enjoy!

Winter Health Tips for Fending Off Colds and Flu

Oscillococcinum After reading about oscillococcinum in your newsletter a few years ago, I gave it a try. What a find! Now, whenever I feel a cold or flu coming on, I immediately reach for a vial of this amazing product. Even my very conventional husband can’t deny the effectiveness of this homeopathic remedy, asking me where the “little white bumpy things” are whenever he has a sore throat or runny nose. I don’t know how it works, but it clearly does. I can’t tell you how many colds we’ve fended off over the years. It’s the one therapy that is in my medicine cabinet year-round! — Kimberly Bowes, Erie, PA 

Oscillococcinum is one of my favorite winter health tips for colds and flu. Though researchers have yet to identify precisely how this homeopathic remedy works, when taken at the first sign of flu its effects are amazing. In a landmark study of 487 flu patients, recovery within 48 hours was significantly greater among those who took oscillococcinum, compared to placebo. Packaged in individual doses of little pellets that dissolve under the tongue, it is easy to take, has a pleasant taste, and like all homeopathic remedies, is gentle, safe, and nontoxic. You can find oscillococcinum in drug stores and health food stores.

LDN Almost everyone in my family and circle of friends has been hit hard with colds and coughs this winter—except for me. I am convinced that it is because of LDN [low-dose naltrexone]. I read about it in the newsletter for cancer and autoimmune disorders, but you also mentioned that it boosts the immune system. I convinced my doctor to write a prescription three years ago, and I never get sick. — P.L., via email 

I hear this all the time. The suggested dose of LDN is 3–4.5 mg per day at bedtime. LDN is safe and well tolerated, with the only reported side effect being vivid dreams that resolve over time. Narcotic drugs must be discontinued before starting LDN. LDN requires a prescription and must be obtained through a compounding pharmacy. To see a Whitaker Wellness physician about a prescription, call 866-944-8253 or fill out this form for a complimentary consultation with one of our Patient Services Representatives.

Vitamin Cocktail + D3 I can stop a common cold in 24–48 hours with a cocktail of vitamins, minerals, echinacea, and other herbs. More recently I’ve added vitamin D3 to my supplement program. Perhaps I’ll have less use for my anti-viral cold cocktail in the future. — W.S., Seguin, TX 

Eucalyptus Oil I have reaped the benefits of cheap, effective eucalyptus oil to prevent upper respiratory infections. I used this oil for five days, and rather than weeks of a lingering cough, I am restored to health. It cost me $5 as opposed to $20 for antibiotics. And I have plenty left over for the next time. — I.H., Canada

Eucalyptus oil has been shown to reduce inflammation of the upper respiratory tract and help loosen mucus due to colds, flu, asthma, and sinusitis. For nasal congestion, sprinkle a few drops onto a damp washcloth and hold it over your nose. For deeper relief, put a few drops in boiling water or a steam humidifier and inhale the steam for about 10 minutes.

Cayenne Pepper When I get a sore throat, I mix a half-teaspoon of cayenne pepper in six ounces of water and drink it. Does wonders. — Kevin, via Facebook 

Great tip. Whenever anyone in our family comes down with the flu, a cold, or a sore throat, my wife Connie sprinkles cayenne pepper in chicken soup. The warm liquid helps thin mucus and the spicy pepper clears sinuses and eases congestion.

Winter Health Tips for Preventing and Treating Cold Sores

L-Lysine I’ve had cold sores since childhood. A few years ago, I decided to try L-lysine. I took it for about two years on a pretty regular basis, and it helped prevent cold sores from forming. Although I’ve stopped using lysine regularly, I haven’t had an outbreak in months. Just thought your readers might find this helpful. — C.S., Lincoln, NE 

L-lysine is an amino acid that inhibits the growth of the herpes virus responsible for cold sores. For prevention, take 1,000 mg per day. At the first sign of an outbreak, take 1,000–1,500 mg three times a day. Lysine can be found in health food and drug stores or can be ordered from the clinic by calling 800-810-6655.

LDN I used to get cold sores every other month or so, whenever I was under a lot of stress. After reading about low-dose naltrexone (LDN), I got a prescription for its overall immune benefits. Much to my surprise, my cold sores completely went away. I haven’t had a single outbreak in two years! — D.G., Newport Beach, CA

As noted above, LDN is a safe, inexpensive drug that has powerful effects on the immune system. In addition to successfully treating cold sores, shingles, and other infections, LDN is an excellent therapy for multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune disorders, as well as many types of cancer. Again, LDN does require a prescription. If you can’t find a doctor who will prescribe it, consider coming to the Whitaker Wellness Institute.

Garlic + Vitamin E I thought I would let you know about a supplement I used one evening in desperation to relieve the burning itch of a fresh cold sore. It formed quite a painful blister under my nose, which was driving me crazy. I read somewhere that a person should take garlic and vitamin E for cold sores, and to put plain vitamin E right on the sore. Well, I didn’t have any plain vitamin E in the house, but I did have capsules of garlic with vitamin E, which I take every day. I broke the capsule open into a little dish, added a few drops of water to make a paste, and applied it to the ugly, painful blister, thinking “What have I got to lose?” Since it caused a burning sensation at first, I thought I had better not leave it on too long. Within one hour, the pain and itching stopped. I was shocked because I had tried all the usual over-the-counter ointments and they never helped. But just one hour after applying the garlic/vitamin E not only was the pain gone, so was the actual blister. The sore took the typical few days to disappear, but this homemade remedy really worked wonders. —Margaret Rose, CA

Winter Health Tips for Dry, Cracked Skin

Miracle Foot Repair Two years ago I developed a severe dry foot condition with painful, cracking skin. I went to my doctor and was given a prescription for an antifungal, which did nothing. I was then sent to a dermatologist who put me on prednisone and a prescription cream as well as a lubricating ointment. Again no real results, although the ointment did help a little. Two months ago I was in Long’s Pharmacy and I saw a product called Miracle Foot Repair which contained 60 percent aloe vera. I decided to try it. After just the first two applications I had remarkable results.  I will continue to use this product every day from now on. — J.G., Dana Point, CA 

Miracle Foot Repair is sold in drug stores or may be ordered online from a variety of retailers. I’ve also heard great things about O’Keefe’s for Healthy Feet foot cream, available online and in drug stores.

Petroleum Jelly + Vitamin E + Baby Lotion Gloria reported that a good remedy for dry skin, which she heard about from her pharmacist, was to heat a little petroleum jelly in the microwave to soften it, then mix it with vitamin E skin cream and baby lotion. She says it’s particularly good for the hands and feet. — Excerpt from Health & Healing Newsletter

Have Winter Health Tips to Share?

These are just a handful of the wonderful tips and tricks patients and subscribers have shared with us over the years. If you have winter health tips of your own, please send them to info@whitakerwellness.com. 

[Read More ...] http://whitakerwellness.com/2017/11/winter-health-tips-2/