Know the Autoimmune Triggers!
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.
Then there are environmental factors, one of them being chemicals such as cigarette smoke. There are over 519 chemicals in cigarettes. Here are just a few of them…
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.
Rocket fuel is another! You heard that correctly, I said rocket fuel! You may ask…”How am I exposed to rocket fuel?” Studies have shown that 30 to 40 percent of women in America have remnants of rocket fuel in their body. It gets into the ground water. It stays there for a very long time.
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!
Chemicals such as pesticides can trigger and autoimmune response as can toxins in household products like DEET in insect sprays or heavy metals in vaccines.
Don’t suffer another minute! Call our office at 757 363-8571 and schedule a Free consultation with Dr. Scott. Call now, space is limited!