Dr. Joni Labbe, Contributor Thyroid Nation
TH1 And TH2 Imbalance
You’ve finally been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease. That means you’re on your way to taming your thyroid, right? Before you can get your condition under control, you have to understand the role your immune system plays in your thyroid’s health. Hashimoto’s is, after all, an autoimmune condition, not a thyroid disease. As such, your recovery depends on understanding how your immune system works. It all starts with an imbalance between two parts of your immunity: TH1 and TH2 cells.
How Your Immune System Works
Let’s say your immune system is a huge Boston Red Sox fan and hates the New York Yankees. Your immune system attacks Yankees fans on sight. At least, your TH1 cells will. They’re the part of your immune system responsible for subduing any invaders. The thing is, your TH1 cells aren’t too bright. They’re the attack first, don’t even bother asking questions type. So how do they know which baseball fans are Yankees fans? That’s where TH2s come in. TH2s cruise through Fenway Park (AKA your body) tagging anyone in a Yankees ball cap for destruction. As soon as TH1s spot those tags, they attack and destroy.
T-Helper Cells Gone Wild
When your immune system is working perfectly, TH2s set ‘em up, and TH1s knock ‘em out. If you have an autoimmune disease, however, that perfect balance is out of whack. In the case of Hashimoto’s Disease, the result is a full-scale immune system attack on your own thyroid, leading to hypothyroidism, weight gain, fatigue, and all those other symptoms you dread. So how do you know which side of your immune system is out of control?
TH1 Dominance
If your TH1 cells are too active, they’ll simply start attacking anything they think might be a Yankees fan – like an innocent San Diego Padres fan wearing a navy blue Padres hat.
Signs you might be TH1 dominant are:
- You have other autoimmune diseases such as Type I Diabetes, multiple sclerosis, or chronic viral infections
- Coffee and other caffeinated foods seem to relieve your symptoms
- Echinacea seems to worsen your symptoms
Adding these supplements to your personal care may help:
- Caffeine
- Green tea extract
- Grape seed extract
- Pine bark extract
- White willow bark
- Lycopene
- Resveratrol
- Pycnogenol
TH2 Dominance
If your TH2 cells are too active, they simply start tagging Padres fans for destruction right alongside Yankees fans. Heck, maybe they start tagging Dodgers and Braves fans too.
Signs you might be TH2 dominant are:
- You have lupus, asthma, dermatitis, or chemical sensitivities
- Coffee and other caffeinated foods worsen your symptoms
- Echinacea seems to relieve your symptoms
To balance your immune system, these supplements may help:
- Astragalus
- Echinacea
- Beta-glucan mushroom
- Maitake mushroom
- Glycyrrhiza (from licorice)
- Melissa officinalis (lemon balm)
Before You Supplement
While it can be tempting to self-diagnose and treat, it’s important to take the appropriate tests and use supplements only under the guidance of a physician. In some cases, adding these supplements to your diet can actually damage your thyroid further. Need help understanding or treating your Hashimoto’s or other thyroid condition? I can help! Visit www.mojogirlfriends.com to learn how.
About the Author
Dr. Joni Labbe, DC, CCN, DCCN, suffers from Hypothyroidism like millions of others around the world. She is a Chiropractor and Board Certified Clinical Nutritionist specializing in science-based nutrition, with a specialized focus on women’s health issues. She has successfully helped pre-menopausal and menopausal women regain and maintain their health since 1995. She is a professional speaker, radio personality, fitness expert, and former host of “Healthier Way With Dr. Labbe.” She has a diplomate in Nutrition, and is pursuing a degree in Functional Neurology from the prestigious Carrick Institute. Dr. Labbe is one of the country’s leading authorities on thyroid disorders, including Hashimoto’s disease. She has received training from Dr. Datis Kharrazian, author of the number one selling book, Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms When My Lab Tests Are Normal? She has also authored numerous articles and blogs on health, nutrition, and thyroid health. Dr. Labbe provides an excellent example of living vibrantly post-menopause, and in addition, she successfully manages her own symptoms of Hashimoto’s and Celiac disease. It’s her life’s mission to help others “lose that voice in your head telling you that you’re crazy, lazy, or finished!” Contact Dr. Joni Labbe at the Labbe Health Center for more advice on building good gut health and managing Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism.PLEASE take a moment to ‘Like’ us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Pinterest. You can also listen to Tiffany and me on Thyroid Nation RADIO.
