Page 31 - The Autoimmune Protocol

The Autoimmune Protocol

iodine should not be altogether avoided by those with Hashimoto’s, intake should be
closely watched and limited.

While high doses of iodine have been shown to cause more issues for those with
Hashimoto’s, low doses of iodine have been shown to help. Staying well under 200
micrograms daily seems to be the key in finding a perfect balance when you are suffering
from this autoimmune disease.

Causes
Although doctors have not been able to find the exact cause(s) of Hashimoto’s disease,
there are some things to consider. First, exposure to radiation has been shown to
specifically affect the thyroid. After the atomic bomb was dropped in Japan, as well as the
Chernobyl incident in Russia, there were increases in thyroid diseases reported. Exposure
to radiation may not seem like something we would need to worry about, but we are
exposed more than we think.

For instance, radon is a natural and very dangerous gas that is sometimes found in
people’s homes. It can cause serious issues in the human body. Kits can be purchased to
test your home for radon. Cell phones and towers also emit radiation. Some people claim
that these levels are nothing to worry about, but keep in mind there have been no long
term studies on this particular subject whatsoever. Other sources of radiation include
airplane travel, smoking, X-rays, television, and the water we drink.

Another possible cause is too much iodine. As previously mentioned, iodine is a necessary
element for thyroid function. However, too much iodine can lead to thyroid issues.
Because iodine is so easy to obtain from eating normally, it can be easy to get too much.
Hormones may also play a role in the formation of Hashimoto’s disease. This is because
far more women have been diagnosed compared to men. Many women also report issues
with their thyroids after giving birth.

These things have led researchers to question hormones and their role in thyroid disease.
Hormonal birth control has already been mentioned as a possible catalyst for other
autoimmune disease in this book, and could be responsible for triggering or aggravating
thyroid issues for those with Hashimoto’s.

Psoriasis

The presence of abnormal patches of skin on the body caused by the body’s immune
system reacting to skin cells is referred to as psoriasis. This is one autoimmune disease in
which men and women are equally affected. There are several different types of psoriasis.
These include plaque, guttate, inverse, pustular, and erythrodermic psoriasis.

In a person with psoriasis, the skin experiences extreme rapid growth in the epidermal
layer due to an autoimmune reaction. The result of this abnormal and extreme growth of

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