One of the most
common questions I get is…”How did I develop
this autoimmune condition?” Well…it's pretty much genetics and the
environment. It's a matter of what came
first, the chicken or the egg? We all
know that genetically, you may be at risk for developing certain problems
and/or conditions. If your mom had a
thyroid condition, if your grandmother had a thyroid condition, you probably
have a thyroid condition too, so it's genetic.
TSNAs: Tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines (TSNAs) are known to be some of the most potent carcinogens present in smokeless tobacco, snuff and tobacco smoke.
Benzene: Benzene can be found in pesticides and gasoline. It is present in high levels in cigarette smoke and accounts for half of all human exposure to this hazardous chemical.
Pesticides: Pesticides are used on our lawns and gardens, and inhaled into our lungs via cigarette smoke.
Formaldehyde: Formaldehyde is a chemical used to preserve dead bodies and is responsible for some of the nose, throat and eye irritation smokers experience when breathing in cigarette smoke.
So
chemicals in general can trigger an autoimmune response, like the latest chemical
that's hit the news…BPA. This is a very nasty chemical called
bisphenol A. It's used in a lot of
plastics, and BPA is extremely bad for thyroid health; it can
trigger Hashimoto's Thyroiditis or autoimmune thyroid.
One
of the biggest triggers for an autoimmune thyroid is iodine. When it comes to
Hashimoto's autoimmune thyroid, iodine is probably THE BIGGEST trigger.
You may be thinking that you've heard that iodine is "good" for the thyroid...or that it's in a lot of thyroid supplements. Well, if you have an autoimmune disease (which 90% of hypothyroid sufferers do...), it's a different ballgame. In the next blog, I will explain to you why...
In Health,
Dr. Daniel Boggs
Beckley, WV
For more information, or to schedule a consultation and case review, contact Dr. Boggs at (304) 255-4325, or email drdanboggs@gmail.com
