If you have an Autoimmune Disease please read

[K1k1_belle]

I find this whole new approach to Chronic Illness fascinating. If, like so many of us, you feel you're getting nowhere with your doctor please take the time to read this

experiencelife.com/article/...

Much love 💟

[crimple]

I think many of us on here are looking in our own way for functional medicine answers.As the article says docs are trained to dish out pills etc to make the pain/discomfort go away, but they are not trained, neither do they have the time or the lab resources, to get to the root cause of what is causing the problem and eliminate it and then restore the body to full health. It is no good only reading the test results and sticking rigidly to "ranges" if you are not looking at the symptoms and the cause of the symptoms.

I should think finding a goof FM practitioner is about as difficult as finding an endo who understands the thyroid gland and its importance to the healthy functioning of our whole bodies.

Has it not occurred to the medics that a lot of obesity could be due to malfunction of thyroid which probably originally starts with poor Iodine levels in our over processed foods. Selenium levels in food are also low due to decades of reliance on fertilisers etc to grow our food crops. There has already been some research (sorry no refs) to show that teenage girls are suffering low Iodine and that has bad implications for the next generation.

I could go on but will desist and preserve my energy for my own brand of FM.

It was an interesting article.

PS I have auto immune thyroiditis/Hashimotos and have been able to reduce my TPO level by going gluten and lacto free.

[K1k1_belle in reply to crimple]

I also have Hashimotos crimple ! I'm finally getting somwhere after 3 long years! I'm lucky I guess, I found a great FM practitioner here in The Netherlands, she got to the root of my disease in one consultation - Leaky Gut, EBV, IBS and lots of food intolerances. I too am off gluten and dairy but also sugar - sometimes I find it tough but mostly I feel so clear in my head now it's soooooo worth it!!!

[crimple in reply to K1k1_belle]

Oh so pleased for you. Where in netherlands, my mum came from there?! I was diagnosed intolerant to wheat, chicken and eggs by an NHS allergy consultant (Private consultation) 20 years ago. Went gluten and dairy free about 2 years ago and it really helped but still have a few flareups. No doubt due to unintentional eating of wrong things.

Most people don't understand when you try to explain what you can't eat. I just try to focus on what I can eat!

Please PM the name of FM practitioner and their location. Thanks

[K1k1_belle in reply to crimple]

crimple I'm in Groningen!! Love it here, I'm originally from Ireland! Where's your mum from?

Are you eating rice? That can have an awful affect on me, it cross reacts with gluten as can quinoa and legumes I believe!! Also if it's been that long since you had the testing it may have developed other intolerances! Have you heard of AIP - it's an autoimmune Paleo diet!

I'll pm you those details 👍🏼

[marigold22 in reply to K1k1_belle]

OMG - what can you eat?!! I've been struggling with foods to eat, particularly snacks. x

[K1k1_belle in reply to marigold22]

I feel your pain Marigold 😉 I try to eat Paleo, but I let myself have nuts. I snack on them with carrots and hummus, apples, grapes. I feel like that some days - "I can't eat anything 😡" but most days I try to focus on the positive and think of all the healthy things I can eat. I feel great at the moment so it's worth the pain. I truly believe food is medicine 👍🏼

[LtAngua52]

I have been looking for a doctor of functional medicine for a few months now. I saw Dr Bergman's videos on you tube and it was fascinating and it made so much sense. I just wish I could visit him but he is in California and I'm in the UK. If he ever does a lecture tour here I'll definitely try to go.

[Marz in reply to LtAngua52]

Go to the website of IFM - The Institute of Functional Medicine - where there is a list of Practitioners - some in the UK. Mostly Chiropracters - who of course are interested in the WHOLE body ....

[LtAngua52 in reply to Marz]

Hi Marx, I went on the IFM but there wasn't anyone close enough to me without spending a night there. I've just started seeing a chiropractor but he is just focusing on my back and I don't think he is particularly interested in nutrition. I explained it all to him but he's clearly not a functional medicine doctor. Oh well, I will just keep on the lookout for one and educate/treat myself in the meantime. I can trust me!

Sorry, Marz. I can't edit on this blinking tablet!

[Marz in reply to LtAngua52]

I have Newsletters from Chris Kresser - David Brownstein - Dr Datis Kharrazian - Dr Izabella Wentz - Dr Kelly Brogan - Dr Josh Axe and there are others. They all have good topics and so worth reading

[LtAngua52 in reply to Marz]

Thank you, I will try and sign up.

[Marz in reply to LtAngua52]

Go their websites and there will be a place where you can sign up for a Newsletter. Websites are in their own names ......

[dinahnow in reply to LtAngua52]

Here is a chiropractician who works in Wales, who trained under Dr Bergman:

the-tuning-room.co.uk/dr-to...

[K1k1_belle in reply to LtAngua52]

Ooh I must check him out, thanks for the tip! It is fascinating and does make so much sense - our gut is out 2nd brain so restoring that helps us heal.

[dinahnow in reply to LtAngua52]

Here is a chiropractician who trained under Dr Bergman, in Wales:

the-tuning-room.co.uk/dr-to...

[Marz]

anhinternational.org/2016/0...

[K1k1_belle]

Not sure Hidden ? Are you referring to the original article?

[Hidden]

As always ask for personal recommendations, don't automatically assume that a functional medicine person will be any different to an NHS Endo. I was well and truly fleeced by one who's on the ThyroidUK list.

[K1k1_belle in reply to Hidden]

Good point Hidden as it can be expensive. I'll happily recommend mine and have referred a few of my friends to her but I'm in The Netherlsnds so not sure if that'll help a lot of people here!

[K1k1_belle]

Ooh yeah, that's expensive but I guess most people would get their GP to run the bloods.

I won't lie FM is pricey but so is staying on medication for the rest of your life! For me I decided to invest in my health (instead of new shoes, clothes etc) this year to finally put my life back together. The way I look at it I will pay my FM practitioner for a few consultations to get to the root cause (which my GP or Endo could not help me with) and then I will move forward with the knowledge and understanding of what is triggering my autoimmune condition and set about dealing with that myself through diet, exercise and supplementation. We're all still going to need our GPs for the bloods and prescriptions but I'm no longer going to bang my head against a brick wall with them when it comes to this.

[Anthea55]

You can also look at the website for the British Society for Ecological Medicine

bsem.org.uk/

where you can find a doctor.

Dr Myhill is one of them, but she's not taking new patients. She's one of the ThyroidUK advisors.

I'm not quite sure the difference between Functional Medicine and Ecological Medicine, but they both seem to be working on the same lines - identifying the cause rather than just treating the symptoms.

[K1k1_belle]

I sent the following link to Marz earlier but for any of you interested in all this I listen to Dr Lo all the time, she is a Functional Practitioner herself and has some fantastic guests like Izabella Wentz, Amy Myers etc on every week 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

blogtalkradio.com/drloradio

[kjc1tisdell]

Yes I saw you post this before. However I don't know of any fundamental clinics in the UK where they look at the whole body like they have in places in America I would have gone to one year's ago.

Thanks .

[dinahnow in reply to kjc1tisdell]

I found this chiropractician who works in Wales, who trained under Dr Bergman:

the-tuning-room.co.uk/dr-to...

[DanteNXS]

Just for the record, I live in America and have already been to a few functional doctors and I can tell you that it is a long and grueling process, to find a good one. Many of them are conventional doctors who have switched over to FM, but really don't have much experience, and the ones who do "supposedly" have experience, are so busy that your time with them is not utilized properly and a return visit can take weeks. It is a very frustrating experience.

I have kind of submitted to the fact that this the medical world is a mess, regardless of which discipline you try. Self awareness, research, and places like HU are very helpful and in my opinion a great resource to assist one in their quest to get better.

DanteNXS

[Heloise in reply to DanteNXS]

I agree. Dr. Bergman says to go to a Corrective Chiropractor. That is one who will xray the problem and show you afterward if it has been corrected. I suppose finding one of those will also be difficult. You Tube might be helpful in the search.

I've had one small problem that persists and I'm thinking of going to a nutritionist who practices functional medicine as she may come closer to finding out if it's a toxic or nutritional problem which I consider high on the list of causes.

[Heloise]

Perhaps it is the group of thyroid function tests as Blue Horizon offers ALL of them for less than that.