In this episode, I interview a leading Endocrinologist based in London, Dr Mark Vanderpump, on autoimmune diseases, with a special focus on thyroid conditions.

In this episode, I ask him:

• Why are women more imapcted by autoimmune diseases than men?
• What are autoimmune diseases and why do they occur?
• What are the autoimmune diseases triggers and treatment
• Conflicting researching surrounding increases and decreases in rates of autoimmune disease
• His view on lifestyle medicine and how gut health might impact
• Why is there a delay for so many women when it comes to diagnosis

About Dr Vanderpump

Dr Mark Vanderpump is a consultant physician and endocrinologist OneWelbeck in London, specialising in thyroid disease.

Dr Vanderpump is a highly experienced endocrinologist. He was a Consultant Physician and Honorary Senior Lecturer in Endocrinology and Diabetes at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust for 17 years, until he moved to full-time private practice, in 2016, after more than 30 years working in the NHS.

He is the past President of the British Thyroid Association (2014-2017), and a 2017 and 2022 Top Doctors award winner. He is the former Chair of the London Consultants’ Association.

He is a published author with a book and chapters on thyroid disease, and he regularly contributes to medical publications and teaches and lectures nationally and internationally.

After a decade long fight for answers to her symptoms, Rocsi was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto's - where the body's own immune system attacks the thyroid. It didn't end there, as she still had to learn why she had such painful and heavy periods.

She discovered why, but it then meant she had to undergo a c-section surgery. She fought to support her thyroid through properly nutrition and anti-inflammatory practices, and although she still suffers from primary dysmenorrhea (painful periods without a cause) she is able to manage her autoimmune flare ups and improve her quality of life.

In this episode:

• Rocsi's upbringing and her first few extremely painful cycles
• Her experience with the birth control pill
• What led her to discover her autoimmune thyroid disease
• Pushing her body to the extreme with diets and exercise, losing her period
• Post surgery recovery and adjusting her lifestyle and nutrition to support her body
• Returning to a normal cycle and managing autoimmune disease

We'll launch our next two episodes this week, the first is our personal story. Rocsi shares her very long and very frustrating journey to get the answers to her debilitating symptoms. But it didn't end there - she then had to push for answers to her painful periods, which in the end, required c-section surgery and a long road to recovery. Rocsi's story is heart-breaking, inspiring and she's come out the other side armed with research and knowledge, determined to help any other women facing the same diagnosis or living with painful periods affecting their quality of life.