Different Factors Contribute to Autoimmunity, but Gluten Sensitivity Is a Common One

Wheat is not the same plant it was when our grandparents ate it. Because of the way it is altered through hybridization, sprayed with pesticides, stored, and processed today, many people’s bodies now recognize it as a new protein (antigen) and have an inflammatory reaction to it. Shutterstock

Joanne, 43, received a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism and gluten sensitivity from her functional medicine doctor. Her doctor placed her on a leaky gut diet that eliminated gluten and all grains and prescribed multiple supplements for leaky gut, and high doses of vitamin D and probiotics. The protocol resulted in modest improvements, but she still suffered from symptoms. She always felt fatigued, especially in the afternoon and after meals. Some days, her symptoms returned full force even though she followed her diet and took her supplements.

She started to feel hopeless and confused, partly because her doctor gave her the impression that her autoimmunity would go into remission when she fixed her leaky gut.