Dr. Daniel Hammond unpacks the hidden link between gut health and autoimmune disease, revealing how leaky gut, poor diet, antacids, and parasites set the stage for chronic illness. A powerful breakdown of what’s fueling today’s autoimmune epidemic, and how to stop it at the source.

Autoimmune diseases are on the rise—so much so that Dr. Daniel Hammond describes it as an epidemic. From Crohn’s to celiac, lupus to multiple sclerosis, these complex conditions may seem disconnected. But there’s a common thread most doctors overlook: the gut.

The Real Culprit Behind Autoimmune Disease

It starts with the gut.

Dr. Hammond emphasizes a concept many still don’t understand: autoimmune disease often begins with damage to the gut lining—a condition known as “leaky gut.” This is when the gut barrier, which is normally just one cell thick, becomes permeable and allows foreign substances to pass into the bloodstream.

What causes that damage?
• Chronic irritation from food allergies
• Medications like NSAIDs, antacids, and antibiotics
• Alcohol
• Stress
• Infections and parasites

This imbalance is called dysbiosis—a disruption of the natural gut bacteria. When harmful bacteria outnumber the good, the gut lining breaks down, setting the stage for immune dysfunction.

Stomach Acid: The Domino Effect

Contrary to popular belief, most people don’t suffer from too much stomach acid—they suffer from too little. Dr. Hammond warns against the widespread use of acid-reducing drugs like proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and H2 blockers.

When stomach acid is suppressed:

• Harmful bacteria like H. pylori thrive
• The body stops producing protective mucus
• Digestive enzymes weaken
• The immune system becomes compromised

Stomach acid is the first domino in digestion. Knock it out, and the rest of the system collapses.

The Gut is a Screen—And It’s Full of Holes

Dr. Hammond compares the gut lining to a window screen. It’s meant to let nutrients in while keeping toxins and pathogens out. But with dysbiosis, stress, and poor diet, that “screen” gets holes—and everything starts to leak through.

And because the surface area of your intestines is as large as a tennis court, even small leaks can create big problems.

The substances that leak through travel directly to the liver via the portal vein. If the liver is overwhelmed, the immune system steps in—and sometimes starts attacking the body itself. This is the beginning of autoimmune disease.

What’s Blocking Recovery?

Even when damage begins to heal (the gut lining renews every 3 days in healthy people), many people remain stuck in a cycle of injury. Why?

Because common medications—antibiotics, NSAIDs, antacids, and steroids—block the repair process.

To heal the gut, those need to go. Dr. Hammond is blunt: unless the leaky gut is addressed, autoimmune disease will persist—and often worsen.

Testing for Leaky Gut and Gut Imbalance

Dr. Hammond highlights two types of tests:

1. Stool Analysis & Dysbiosis Index – Measures the balance of good vs. bad bacteria.
2. Lactulose-Mannitol Test – A urine test that measures gut permeability.

He also recommends testing for:

• Parasites
• Lactose intolerance
• Celiac disease

Companies like Genova and Doctor’s Data offer these functional tests that go beyond standard labs.

Food Triggers: Wheat, Dairy, and Behavior?

Certain foods are known to inflame the gut lining. Dairy, in particular, may be linked to childhood asthma, allergies, and even behavioral issues.

Dr. Hammond shared a surprising story: a reform school in Massachusetts ran out of milk for two months—and the children’s behavior dramatically improved. The connection? Dairy-induced gut inflammation.

Similarly, wheat is a major culprit. Celiac disease, often undiagnosed for years, can silently damage the intestines and trigger autoimmune disease.

Simple Tools for Gut Repair

To rebuild the gut lining and stop the autoimmune cycle:

• Remove gut-damaging foods (especially wheat and dairy)
• Eliminate parasites and harmful bacteria
• Stop using acid-blockers and NSAIDs
• Use probiotics like Florastor (Saccharomyces boulardii)
• Consider low-dose naltrexone (LDN) for symptom relief in advanced autoimmune cases
• Spend time in the sun for natural vitamin D

Note on Parasites—and Ivermectin

Parasites, Dr. Hammond says, are more common than many realize. They damage the gut lining, provoke the immune system, and can be a direct trigger for autoimmune disease.

He shared his own experience using ivermectin when traveling to Central America and criticized the difficulty of accessing it in the U.S. despite its safety record and low cost abroad.

Final Warning: Diagnose, But Don’t Stop There

Dr. Hammond closed with a warning: simply naming a disease and prescribing medication is not enough. The real solution is fixing the leaky gut.

Even if someone already has an autoimmune diagnosis, healing the gut can stop it from progressing—or prevent more conditions from developing.

“We need to stop waiting for a diagnosis just to write a prescription. That’s not how we fix people. We have to look at the cause.”

Why This Matters Now

Autoimmune diseases are not random. They are not mysteries. They are signals that something deeper—often in the gut—is broken.

And what Dr. Hammond outlined isn’t radical. It’s just ignored.

That’s why GoldCare exists: to uncover the connections others miss and offer real solutions grounded in biology, not bureaucracy. Because knowledge like this should be standard—not rare.