HSW 34: Shift Work and Autoimmune Disease with Nutritionist Brad Leech

The Healthy Shift Worker

Today’s podcast is pretty cool because I got to catch up and chat with a fellow student from University, Clinical Nutritionist and Ayurvedic Herbalist Brad Leech, who has an absolute passion when it comes to all things to do with autoimmune disease, a condition which is becoming more and more prevalent in society today.

With currently 80 recognized autoimmune diseases, and over 100 conditions suspected to have an autoimmune link or mechanism, Brad’s clinical focus is on finding and treating the underlying cause of autoimmune disease in each of his patients. His philosophy includes correcting four modifiable risk factors in the development and progression of autoimmune disease which include inflammation, intestinal permeability, dysbiosis and immune dysregulation.

Unfortunately, these risk factors often present in those who work 24/7, however Brad goes into detail in some of the mechanisms behind them, and what we can do as shift workers, to help minimise our risks in order to reduce our likelihood of developing an autoimmune disease. Some of these include increasing our levels of vitamin D to assist in the regulation of our immune system; implementing anti-inflammatory dietary changes such as eliminating gluten consumption; along with ways to stimulate the vagus nerve which is part of the parasympathetic or ‘rest and digest’ arm of the nervous system, and helps to reduce inflammatory markers.

So if you have an autoimmune disease or you know someone who does, or you just want to learn how to avoid getting one, then you’re going to find this episode incredibly beneficial.

Links mentioned on the podcast:

Brad’s website

Brad’s shift working diagram

Vitamin D App

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