Autoimmune Disorders
When discussing intestinal permeability, you showed a slide that listed a number of conditions associated with IP such as IBD, celiac, and other autoimmune diseases. I’m familiar with mechanisms connecting IP and these other conditions, and the connection makes a lot of sense. However, you also listed gastric ulcers as a symptom of intestinal permeability, and the mechanism behind that wasn’t clear to me. Can you explain how gastric ulcers could be a symptom of IP?
Chris Kresser: I think what happens with IAP is disruption of the gut microbiome, which, of course, could be a...
I have a client diagnosed with polychondritis of the ear. She came in months ago. I suggested food elimination and she disappeared. She is back now after beginning some food elimination. I suggested the Paleo reset and avoiding nightshades and eggs. What testing would you think of right away? She’s also very sympathetic nervous system type and was interested in what HPA testing you might suggest if you use one.
Yes, absolutely. Polychondritis of the ear, so uncommon chronic disorder of the cartilage that’s characterized by recurrent episodes of inflammation...
A 42-year-old female, normal weight, good general health. Five years ago, she had double vision in one of her eyes. About two weeks ago, she lost vision in the other eye. Both times she went to her ophthalmologist and was treated. The neuro-ophthalmologist recommended she see a multiple sclerosis specialist. She presented with a history of mild chronic constipation since childhood and chronic low hemoglobin levels. Other than that, she claimed to be a very healthy person, remarkable given the fact that as a child she lived in Belarus close to Chernobyl at the time of the disaster. I ordered general a general blood panel and SIBO test to begin my intervention. Gave her the 30-day Paleo reset and puzzled about what route to take regarding the radiation exposure and the possible effects on her health.
Dr. Amy Nett: Yes. Radiation exposure is a really difficult one because I don’t know how much can be done...
I have a patient with Hashimoto’s. Recently had lab work that came back with positive markers for rheumatoid arthritis. I haven’t actually seen the result. The patient has been on and off the autoimmune Paleo diet, has a difficult time adhering to it. Questions: Number one, do you know anything about ashwagandha and autoimmune disease? I see different ideas. It’s a nightshade so some practitioners say to stay off it.”
Dr. Amy Nett: Yes. I’m wondering what came back positive a little bit more specifically. That can be helpful because...
Any thought on melatonin and autoimmune disease? Again, I see different ideas depending on the practitioner.
Dr. Amy Nett: Good question. I don’t know that I’ve seen any contraindications to using melatonin in patients with an...
Have you noticed a decrease in general immune system function during and immediately after SIBO treatment? I had a patient who’s typically resistant to most viral illnesses contract viral GI bug during treatment and then pneumonia about two weeks after treatment during the gut rebuilding protocol. It seems intuitively that during a prolonged antimicrobial treatment would have to impair the immune system somewhat until the microbiome has been restored.
Chris Kresser: Yeah, I think that’s possible. I don’t know that I’ve necessarily seen a lot of—I haven’t seen a...
I have a 36-year-old male patient with a history of mild psoriasis—” Okay, so psoriasis we’re thinking autoimmune, “—insomnia, what appears to be iron-deficiency anemia despite eating meat twice daily and eggs every morning for breakfast. Good energy. Not many other health complaints but does want to lose an additional 10 pounds.
Question: Original lab work a year ago shows a hemoglobin at 13.9, MCV 82, MCH 28, RDW high 14, iron...
What do you make of the idea that there might be an autoimmune component in the pathogenesis of glaucoma?
Next question from Chi, “What do you make of the idea that there might be an autoimmune component in the...
What’s your take on sudden onset of chilblains, first in the toes of one foot one day and then the toes of the other the next, after spending an hour in the cold, and this is in an eight-year-old who has mild psoriasis on the elbows but otherwise “healthy”?
I’m going to start with the first question, “What’s your take on sudden onset of chilblains, first in the toes...
I have Raynaud’s in my fingers and occasional pernio in one of my toes. My 5-year-old has mild eczema and glaucoma, which could be autoimmune in her left eye, so I experimented with egg, dairy, and nightshade elimination to begin. There is no change in the 9-year-old’s psoriasis, so we did a 90-day AIP trial. The older daughter’s psoriasis improved a teeny bit, and I am wondering what test would be most beneficial and easy/practical bearing her age in mind to get to her root cause. I would love to do a stool test, but she is pretty disgusted by the idea of collecting the sample. It’s so much easier to figure this out for clients, but when my children are concerned, I cannot see the woods for the trees. I would really appreciate your thoughts.
Amy Nett: The first question is a follow-up to one that she asked previously, and the original question from early...
