Gluten – Gluten Free RN

Hypothyroid, Pulmonary Edema and Celiac Disease EP059

February 2, 2018

by Nadine Grzeskowiak, RN with No Comment Podcast

When the Gluten Free RN went on a gluten-free diet 11 years ago, her thyroid settled down and the associated symptoms and disorders—Graves’ disease, weight gain and hair loss—resolved.

But when Nadine was inadvertently hit with gluten two years ago, several of those symptoms returned, along with a few new ones. She was losing hair and gaining water weight again. On top of that, her sinuses were congested. She developed asthma, a rash on her lower right leg and a scary case of pulmonary edema (excess fluid in the lungs).

Hindsight being 20/20, Nadine realizes that her recent diagnosis of hypothyroidism is associated with that accidental gluten ingestion. Further study made it clear that there is a potential connection between her thyroid problems and pulmonary edema, as the leaky gut that comes with celiac disease can cause fluid shifts into body tissues.

Today the Gluten Free RN explores the links among celiac disease, thyroid disorders and pulmonary edema. She explains the function of the endocrine system, the symptoms associated with hypothyroidism, and the diet she recommends for patients with thyroid issues. Listen in for Nadine’s insight around how gluten affects the thyroid gland and why the resulting low sodium levels might trigger edema in celiac patients.

What’s Discussed:

The function of the endocrine system

Glands in body that make hormones

The connection between celiac disease and thyroid disorders

Thyroid especially vulnerable to gluten protein in wheat, barley, rye and oats

Nadine’s symptoms of hypothyroidism

Lower extremity edema
Congested sinuses
Hair falling out
Pulmonary edema
Asthma
Rash on leg

How damp rash lotion resolved Nadine’s symptoms

Prescribed by acupuncturist in Chiang Mai
Rash cleared, could breathe easy
Symptoms returned within four weeks of return to US

Nadine’s thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels

Within normal limits despite thyroid issues
Practitioner declined to order thyroid panel

The relationship between thyroid issues and edema

Sodium = major electrolyte, maintains body’s pH
Hypothyroidism means low sodium levels
Leaky gut of celiac disease leads to fluid shifts (edema)

The research around thyroid disorders and celiac disease in Current Allergy and Asthma Reports

Association between CD and thyroid disorders well documented
Increased prevalence of autoimmune thyroiditis and Graves’ disease in celiac populations

The diet Nadine recommends for celiac patients with potential thyroid issues

Gluten-free, dairy-free
Whole food, Paleo

Why patients with unexplained pulmonary edema should be tested for celiac disease AND thyroid disorders

Potential connection among all three

The symptoms associated with hypothyroidism

Puffy face, constipation, fatigue
Muscle weakness, aches and pains
Irregular, delayed menstrual periods
Hair loss, thinning hair
Slower heartrate, hypothermia
Depression, memory problems

by Nadine Grzeskowiak, RN with No Comment Podcast

On this episode of the ‘Gluten Free RN,’ Nadine explains how gluten affects your skin. If you have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance, you may also suffer from dermatitis herpetiformis, a painful rash that is often misdiagnosed.

Nadine shares her struggle with DH and offers advice about eliminating gluten from both your diet and personal care regime in order to heal your skin. The only treatment for this issue is a 100% gluten-free diet.

Your skin is the largest organ in your body, so listen and learn how to keep it looking and feeling good!

What’s Discussed:

The definition of Dermatitis Herpetiformis (DH)

Blistering, vesicular rash that is typically round
Itchy, very painful and distracting
Caused by IgA deposits under the skin
May appear on hands, legs, back, armpits, buttocks, elbows, knees, scalp, torso and even eyes
Not contagious
The only treatment is a 100% gluten-free diet

Nadine’s struggle with DH

Blisters, itchy and painful hands as a child
Irritated by latex gloves as a nurse, hands developed rash
Misdiagnosed by several dermatologists
DH finally identified by Dr. Abigail Haberman
Rash had exploded all over Nadine’s body and she was near death
Most of the rash resolved quickly after adopting a gluten-free diet

Why steroid creams, long-term antibiotics and dapsone aren’t the answer

DH is an external expression of what’s happening internally
Topical creams don’t treat the underlying cause
Long-term antibiotics disrupt the microbiome and put you at risk for developing other infections
Dapsone is associated with serious side effects for the blood and liver
Removing gluten from your diet and personal care products is the only cure

The importance of eliminating gluten from personal care products

Anything you put on your skin can travel through to your bloodstream
Discontinue the use of products that contain wheat, barley, rye or oats
Nadine also recommends eliminating products that contain chemicals such as lauryl sulfates and paraffins

Resources Mentioned:

YouTube: Your Skin on Gluten

Primal Pit Paste

ZuZu Luxe Cosmetics

Red Apple Lipstick

Desert Essence Organics

Gluten-Free Danube Cruise

Connect with Nadine:

Instagram

Facebook

Contact via Email

Books by Nadine:

Dough Nation: A Nurse’s Memoir of Celiac Disease from Missed Diagnosis to Food and Health Activism

Intro to Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance EP004

December 30, 2016

by Nadine Grzeskowiak, RN with No Comment Podcast

This episode of ‘Gluten Free RN’ covers the basics of celiac disease and gluten intolerance – what those terms mean and what they might mean for you. Nadine explains which genes suggest a predisposition to gluten intolerance and what circumstances lead to a diagnosis of celiac disease proper.

Nadine talks you through what happens in your digestive tract that leads to gluten proteins attacking your organs and preventing your body from absorbing the nutrients it needs. She also outlines the foods and products you need to avoid to achieve ‘gluten-zero,’ as well as the foods you can enjoy as part of a gluten-free diet.

Listen in and learn where gluten is hiding and how to modify your diet to reverse the adverse effects of gluten!

What’s Discussed:

The definition of celiac disease and its chronic nature
- 30-50% of the population carries the genes
How a trigger event (i.e.: a cold, pregnancy, stress, an injury) initiates the autoimmune disorder
Options for getting tested for the genetic predisposition
The closed system of the digestive tractand how food is processed
- While some food is used for energy, much just passes through
Villous atrophy and the four stages of tissue damage
- Marsh 1: microvilli destroyed; body cannot break down sugar and milk
- Marsh 2/3: villi themselves fold over or atrophy; tight junctures between villi (that keep things your body can’t utilize in the GI tract and out of your bloodstream) open up
- Marsh 4: villi gone and only red, inflamed tissue remains; ‘leaky gut’
The effects of increased permeability of the intestinal wall
- Damaged immune system
- Rather than passing through the GI tract, gluten proteins get into bloodstream and wreak havoc on organs
- Body can’t absorb nutrients out of food
The importance of healthy intestinal tissue
- 70-90% of the immune system is in your intestines
The soldier analogy
- Healthy villi are like rested soldiers with loaded weapons on a clear day who can easily take out antigens that don’t belong
- Damaged villi are like soldiers on a bender with inadequate weaponry, operating in smoke and fire – they either don’t work at all or fire randomly at antigens
The long road to recovering from villous atrophy
- It takes 6 months to a year to reverse the damage
Grains to avoid that contain gluten
- Wheat
- Barley
- Rye
- Oats (due to cross-contamination)
Places where gluten may be hiding
Gluten-free foods
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Plain meats and fish (not breaded or beer battered)
- Beans/legumes
- Tree nuts
- Rice, corn and potatoes
- Quinoa and teff
- Dairy
What a gluten-free rating means
- The Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) certifies products that contain less than ten parts per million