Dr. Pastore discusses the role hormones play when it comes to food allergies and food-mediated reactions. High estrogen can cause worsened food allergy symptoms.  Show notes will be available Tuesday, August 4th at drrrobertpastore.com/podcasts  

According to the American college of allergy, asthma and immunology, approximately 25 million Americans suffer from Seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. One in six Canadians suffers from seasonal allergic rhinitis (commonly known as hay fever). If you suffer from seasonal allergies or hay fever, there may be a connection to fruit and/or vegetable food allergies.  University of Manchester webpage for foods cross-reacting with pollen http://research.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/foodallergens/facts/pollen/pollenandfood/

Dr. Pastore discusses the top 9 food allergies, and a new consumer study showing that these allergy diagnoses are on the rise. Topics covered include what a food allergy is, when and why food allergies appear, anaphylaxis and less severe symptoms of a food allergy, and what to discuss with your doctor to get a formal diagnosis. Show notes:  https://drrobertpastore.com/podcasts/070-food-allergies

Dr. Pastore discusses a new, at-home test that celiacs can utilize to determine if they have been exposed to gluten, why it's important to monitor gluten exposure, the shockingly high rates of unknown gluten exposure among celiacs following a gluten-free diet at home and in restaurants, and what the research has to say about the accuracy of the new test. Show notes:  https://drrobertpastore.com/podcasts/069-new-gluten-exposure-testing

Dr. Pastore covers the thyroid gland, non-autoimmune hypo & hyperthyroidism, the autoimmune thyroid diseases Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and Grave's Disease, how the two are connected to celiac disease, and what tests you should request from your physician to be an advocate for your own health. SHOW NOTES: https://drrobertpastore.com/podcasts/068-thyroid-celiac 

Dr. Pastore discusses the connection between celiac disease and cardiovascular disease that many physicians miss when treating a patient with either. He covers how gluten consumption can affect the cardiovascular system, arteries, and veins; cause physical structure and electrical changes of the heart; and increase the risk of a heart attack.  If you have cardiovascular disease, get tested for celiac disease. If you have celiac disease, request that your cardiovascular health be evaluated.   SHOW NOTES: https://drrobertpastore.com/podcasts/067-celiac-cardiovascular

Dr. Pastore discusses a new NYU study that monitored children's exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) - chemicals that have a long-lasting effect on the planet with the ability to accumulate in our ecosystem and bodies, such as DDT and PCB - and the connection to celiac disease. He covers where POPs are found, the risks of chronic POP exposure for celiacs and non-celiacs, and what you can control to limit your exposure.

A new study released in May 2020 has revealed connections between inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and celiac disease. Before discussing study findings, Dr. Pastore first covers what IBD is, how it differs from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), who is most at risk, the complications and treatment for IBD.  SHOW NOTES:  https://drrobertpastore.com/podcasts

Continuing with topics around Celiac Disease Awareness Month, Dr. Pastore discusses a condition that some diagnosed celiacs are still faced with - refractory celiac disease. He covers what it is, how it's diagnosed, how common it is amongst diagnosed celiac disease patients, the signs and symptoms to look out for, causes, treatments, secondary food reactions and what to discuss with your physician.   The 6 Steps to Diagnosing Refractory Celiac Disease: 1. Review the original diagnosis of celiac disease, going back as far as you can to in the medical records, including the original biopsy, serology, DNA, etc., and then you must have confirmation that the patient was following a strict GF diet for at least 1 year but still has symptoms and villi damage. You want to be certain there is no gluten contamination because that could rule out RCD quickly.   2. Identify any other condition that can negatively impact the villi including cancers such as intestinal lymphoma, inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's disease, microscopic colitis, hypogammaglobulinemia (is an immune system abnormality that results in reduced antibody production making enough antibodies called immunoglobulins)  and believe it or not, even small intestinal bacterial overgrowth – if severe enough, and over use of NSAIDS or reaction to NSAIDS, etc.   3. Andoscopy and colonoscopy must be performed, with biopsies taken at both sites.   4. If possible, a capsule endoscopy (basically swallowing a camera in a pill format). You can obtain excellent images and identify some inflammation and ulceration.   5. If warranted, a CT scan (computerized tomography) and MRE (Magnetic resonance enterography) as well as a barium x-ray (A barium X-ray is a radiographic (X-ray) examination of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Barium absorbs x-rays and appears white on the images. These tests should be done particularly if there is any suspicion of lymphoma. There may be multiple diagnoses during the search for the cause behind suspected refractory celiac disease.   6. Fecal fat and pancreatic tests should be completed as well.