Mini massage dramatically increases thyroid function

Nearly nine in 10 women with a slow thyroid can significantly ease symptoms and even reverse the condition by avoiding gluten, according to a recent survey. Why?

“Gliadin, a gluten protein in wheat, barley and rye, resembles proteins in thyroid tissue. When people who are sensitive to gluten eat it, the body’s immune cells target the thyroid in a case of mistaken identity,” says Kent Holtorf, M.D. The result: impaired thyroid function and symptoms including fatigue, fog, weight gain and aches.

Complicating matters: Most doctors treat low thyroid without realizing gluten is to blame—and when that’s the case, medications that would otherwise be effective don’t solve the problem. What’s more, says Harvard-trained doctor Akil Palanisamy, M.D., author of The

Paleovedic Diet: “As many as 90% of women with gluten sensitivity have no GI symptoms, confusing diagnosis.”

“To see if gluten is behind your slow thyroid, remove it from your diet for 30 days, then reintroduce it,” suggests Dr. Holtorf. If gluten is the cause, this will clear up the issue—and the following steps can further optimize health.

Consider proteolytic enzymes. They break down gluten to help you avoid symptoms if you accidentally ingest it, says Dr. Palanisamy. Look for a supplement with Tolerase G (like Swanson Ultra Gluten Rid, SwansonVitamins.com), an enzyme proven to break down up to 86% of gluten in the stomach.

Add coconut oil. In gluten-sensitive people, gliadin causes inflammation that leads to leaky gut and worsening symptoms. “The gut lining is largely fat-based, so repairing it takes fat,” says Dr. Palanisamy. Coconut oil helps rebuild the lining and cuts inflammation. Plus, its fatty acids boost thyroid function and rev fat burn by 50%.