Hi  – as mentioned in the Gut Health Masterclass, iron is absorbed thanks to having good strong stomach acid in the stomach, which allows it to be better absorbed in the duodenum (first part of the small intestine). Given that your daughter has IBD, this will further compromise absorption (iron is already difficult to absorb), therefore your focus should be on supporting absorption with sufficient gut healing therapies (and removing any offenders contributing to inflammation like food sensitivities, gut overgrowths, etc), in addition to ensuring she has optimal stomach acid production. I share all of these in detail in the Gut Health Masterclass if you haven’t already watched it.

As for iron-rich foods, I would highly recommend you try introducing organic liver into their diets. You can make a buttery liver pate (I will make a note to add the recipe in Resources for you), hide it in beef/hamburgers in a ratio of 3:1 ground beef to liver, or dice them small and freeze them so they can swallow them like supplements with meals.

Also, have you read the book “Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet” by Elaine Gottschall? It’s a great starting point for dietary guidance for those with Chrohn’s, ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, and chronic diarrhea. 

Hope this helps give you some better guidance and direction on how to handle the low iron levels.

 don’t feel shy to ask your questions. Happy to help!

 Bingo – glad to see you’re on the right track. Let me know if you need help getting access to a functional stool test or H Pylori only stool test. I was hoping to have the web shop setup by now, but the lab is still working on things. I want you all to be able to access and order your own functional tests. It’s in the works… for now, let me know if I can assist.

And when you order the thyroid panel, make sure it’s complete:
TSH, Total T4, Total T3, Free T4, Free T3, reverse T3, anti-TPO, anti-TG

 please email support@bernadetteabraham.com with the client/patient’s name, email address, phone number, shipping/billing address (if different) and we’ll send you a requisition so you can order the H Pylori or full GI Map (let us know your preference). The kit will get shipped and collected from you.

As for testing the full thyroid panel, you can make an appointment with Dr. Liliana Skorski at HealthBay Polyclinic (Al Wasl road). If insurance won’t cover or if you prefer to pay out of pocket and not bother with a doctor’s visit, we can also arrange for a lab to come to your house. Let us know in the email what you prefer.

Hi  – I just wanted to check-in to see how you and your daughter are doing. Any recent labs you’d like to share?

 what are you giving her to help calm the gut inflammation? Any digestive support supplements too?

And would you mind uploading her thyroid results so we can have a look from a functional lens?

Regarding her diet, what is she willing to eliminate? Is she willing to eliminate dairy and gluten as a minimum?

I’m not sure if you’ve seen the thyroid course yet, but I encourage you to watch the video on autoimmune disease facts when you get a chance to help give you a broader perspective on autoimmune disease and possible triggers to remove.

Hi  – I could have sworn that I replied to you before. Did you get a chance to watch the video on autoimmune disease facts that I posted above?

If she needs to be convinced to remove gluten and dairy from her diet as a minimum, I would recommend a food sensitivity test. A lactose/glucose intolerance is different to an IgG immune reaction which can be a delayed response and not always evident with symptoms. Here is a handout you can share with your daughter about the various hidden symptoms of a food sensitivity. 99% of my clients will test positive for gluten/dairy sensitivities, especially those with an autoimmune condition, which is why it’s easiest to just eliminate it and save money. But it can be powerful for those who need convincing.

Even though sourdough bread has less gluten, with an autoimmune dynamic, especially one that resides in the gut, it really needs to be 100% removal for a period of at least 4-6 months while working on addressing the root causes and healing the gut lining.

I would also disagree about the interpretation of her thyroid results. Her TSH, although it is within the normal clinical range, is in fact suboptimally high, which means her brain is sensing a greater need for T4. Unfortunately, total T4 wasn’t measured, but her Free T4 is also a bit lower. I like to see free thyroid numbers in the upper half of the reference range, especially if clients are symptomatic. 

Her free T3 is also suboptimally low. I encourage you to watch these 2 videos on what can create low T4 and low T3:
• Reasons for low T4
• Reasons for low T3

It would also be great to see her Reverse T3, which I know isn’t commonly measured, but does provide a better understanding of her thyroid function. Here’s what functional medicine considers to be a full thyroid panel. The good news is that her thyroid antibodies are low.

With a sluggish thyroid however, this will for sure compromise digestive function, immune function, energy, etc. So back to basics first; we have to ensure she’s brining on board all the nutrients that support thyroid health.

Here’s a video on foods for thyroid health, and another one on supplements to support thyroid health.

Both digestion & thyroid should be supported at the same time, because they can create a vicious cycle. You need good digestive function to absorb the nutrients needed for thyroid health (iron being one of them), and you need good thyroid function, to support digestion. So supporting both is a good strategy.

I also noticed that her Eosinophils are suboptimally elevated (4.6%). This can often indicate intestinal parasites and/or food & environmental allergies/sensitivities. Or asthma. Does she have asthma?

When in her cycle were these tests drawn? That will make a difference in the interpretation of her results.

Please make the time to watch all of the videos and handouts I’ve shared, and let me know your thoughts on the factors you feel might be at play with thyroid.

 take your time to review what I’ve shared and let me know if you have any questions. I know it’s a lot to assimilate, but focus your attention on gut health, thyroid health, and removing anything that is taxing her immune system. I wouldn’t worry about her hormones – the timing of the test makes the results irrelevant.