Page 29 - The Autoimmune Protocol

The Autoimmune Protocol

Symptoms of MS

According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, common symptoms of MS include
fatigue, numbness or tingling sensations in the face, body or extremities, spasticity,
walking difficulties, weakness, dizziness or vertigo, bladder issues, depression, cognitive
issues, pain and itching, bowel problems like constipation, sexual issues, and vision
problems.

Vision problems are one of the first symptoms people with MS experience. Be sure to seek
help if you notice vision problems like blurred vision, poor contrast/color vision, and pain
upon movement of an eye. Other less common symptoms of MS include trouble
swallowing, seizures, tremors, speech issues, hearing loss, and difficulty breathing.

Hashimoto’s Disease

Hashimoto’s disease is another type of autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid.
Unlike Grave’s disease, Hashimoto’s disease causes reduced thyroid function, and a
slowing of the metabolism. Like Grave’s disease, those with Hashimoto’s disease may also
exhibit an enlarged thyroid called a goiter. With this disease, the body’s immune system
attacks thyroid and in return, produces elevated amounts of Thyroid Stimulating
Hormone (TSH). Eventually, high TSH levels will fail to produce adequate T4 levels.
When this happens, symptoms begin to present themselves in what is diagnosed as
hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid.

Symptoms of an Underactive Thyroid
With an underactive thyroid, the body is not able to produce adequate amounts of the
thyroid hormone. Sometimes, the symptoms of this disease are mild and hard to detect.
It can take some people years to detect an issue. Be mindful of your body, how it should
function, and when something is not quite right.

Look for the following signs and symptoms that point to an underactive thyroid: extreme
fatigue, weight gain, constipation, hair loss/thinning hair, irregular or heavy menstrual
periods, infertility, puffiness of the face, slower heart rate, inability to warm up, joint
and/or muscle pain, and depression.

The most common indicators of an issue are weight gain and fatigue, especially if you
begin to notice these things come on in a relatively short period of time. It may seem like
you are eating normal, or even less than average, but still gaining weight. In addition, if
you feel unexplainably tired on a continual basis, you may want to consider having your
thyroid hormone levels checked.

Function of the Thyroid

The thyroid is a part of the body many people do not fully understand until they are
experiencing issues with hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. The thyroid is a gland

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