More and more people are trying to live a “natural lifestyle”, which not only can help improve the health of your thyroid condition, but your overall health as well. And while it’s easy for me to tell you to eat a 100% organic diet and avoid as many toxins as possible, the truth is that this probably isn’t sufficient to achieve optimal health. If you are going to live a “natural lifestyle”, then you really need to educate yourself and learn how to avoid ingredients that are potentially toxic.

In order to do this, you need to expand your knowledge when it comes to many of the common chemicals that are placed both in the foods we eat, as well as the household products we use. This is still important to do even if you try to buy everything natural, because a company placing the words “natural” on any food or product doesn’t really mean much.

As I mentioned in a previous post, if something is labeled as “organic”, then because these foods are regulated you can be certain that it doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals. On the other hand, you need to be cautious when buying any “natural” food or household product.

So how can you become more knowledgeable when it comes to these ingredients? It may seem almost impossible to do this when there are so many different ingredients you’re not familiar with. Here is a step-by-step process on how to accomplish this:

Step # 1: Write a one-month food diary of EVERYTHING you normally eat and drink. I’m talking about all of the foods you eat at home, at fast food restaurants, including all of the snacks and desserts you eat. And if you drink anything other than water then make sure you list these beverages too.

Step # 2: Create a list of all of the household products you have. This includes all of the cleaners, soaps, shampoos and conditioners, lotions, cosmetics, etc.

Step # 3: Look up the ingredients of both the foods you consume and the household products you use, and write down all of the ones you aren’t familiar with. With regards to the foods you eat, this shouldn’t be too difficult to accomplish with those you eat at home, but it might be more challenging when you eat out. You might need to do a little bit of research online, or read a book or two to find out this information. Don’t be surprised if by the time you’re done you have a few hundred different ingredients written down.

Step #4: Prioritize the ingredients. In other words, you are going to write down all of the ingredients you’re unfamiliar with, and then make a note of those ingredients that are listed more than once. So for example, if one of the ingredients happens to be “soy lecithin”, and you notice this ingredient eleven different times, and if this is the most commonly seen ingredient, then put the number eleven next to it, and put this ingredient on the top of the list.

Step #5: Learn about one new ingredient each day. Start from the top of the list, and take ten to fifteen minutes each day to do a little bit of research on each ingredient. After a few months you will have a pretty good knowledge of what chemicals are in the foods you eat and the products you use.

This might seem like a tedious process, and I realize that the majority of people who read this probably aren’t going to take all of these steps. To be honest, after doing the initial research it really isn’t too time-consuming to spend a few minutes each day learning each ingredient. But if you don’t want to go through all of this, then I would still look at all of the ingredients of the different foods you eat and the products you use, and try to research the top 10 or 20 ingredients that you are unfamiliar with.

Of course I’m not suggesting that all of these ingredients will be “toxic”, as some might not be too bad for your health, while others can be very harmful, especially those found in some of the common household cleaners. But even when it comes to the foods we eat, there are numerous chemicals and preservatives which over a prolonged period of time can create problems and potentially lead to health issues. And while you might not want to avoid eating these foods altogether, at the very least you will be aware of which foods contain these ingredients so that you can minimize your exposure to them.

So while it might seem like a great deal of work to follow the steps I listed, it really is important to familiarize yourself with the common ingredients you put into your body.  Some research shows that a big reason why more people are developing thyroid conditions, autoimmune disorders, cancer, and other conditions are due to the frequent exposure to some of these ingredients.  And by learning more about them you can do your best to avoid these ingredients, or at least reduce your exposure to them.

Even though I frequently talk about how people with thyroid conditions shouldn’t self-treat their condition, I still occasionally receive some emails and comments from people who don’t take my advice.  For example, if you visit my facebook page that focuses on Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis (You can sign up by Clicking Here) and scroll down, you’ll see a comment from someone who stopped taking their thyroid hormone and began eating well, then started experiencing severe symptoms, and so she decided to take thyroid hormone again.
 
First of all, let me make it clear that I would never advise someone to stop taking their thyroid medication.  Even though I think that everyone should give natural thyroid treatment methods a try, those that choose to do this need to do this wisely.  And while I talk about how thyroid medication does nothing more than manage the symptoms, this doesn’t mean I’m suggesting that people should abruptly stop taking their medication and begin eating well, take nutritional supplements, etc.

Every now and then in an article or blog post I write, I give my personal story about when I was diagnosed with Graves’ Disease how I refrained from taking anti-thyroid drugs.  However, even though I chose not to take any prescription drugs, it’s a completely different story for people who are already taking thyroid medication, as it’s unwise to abruptly stop taking your meds on your own.  I don’t know how many times I’ve mentioned that just eating well and taking nutritional supplements alone won’t restore someone’s health back to normal. 

What To Do If You Want To Stop Taking Your Thyroid Medication

So what should you do if I’ve inspired you to give natural thyroid treatment methods a try, and if you want to discontinue taking your thyroid medication?  Ideally you should run this by your endocrinologist or general medical practitioner, although I realize that most medical doctors won’t be supportive of you taking this approach.  If I was already taking synthetic or natural thyroid hormone for hypothyroidism, or anti-thyroid drugs for a hyperthyroid condition, what I would probably do is begin the natural thyroid treatment protocol, and then slowly wean off the medication.

Once again, this isn’t a suggestion as to what you should do, as from a legal standpoint I can’t inform anyone reading this to either abruptly stop taking their thyroid medication, or to wean off of their meds slowly.  So this is a decision that you will need to make on your own, assuming your medical doctor isn’t supportive of your decision, which most likely will be the case. 

What’s So Bad About Self-Treating A Thyroid Condition?

Some people don’t think it’s too big of a deal to self-treat their thyroid disorder, which is why they decide to take this approach.  And to be completely honest, the odds of something really bad happening if you were to attempt to self-treat your condition is extremely slim.  This is especially true with a hypothyroid condition, as usually when someone stops taking their thyroid medication in an attempt to self-treat their condition they will begin to experience mild symptoms that will eventually become more severe, and then when they realize the treatments aren’t working, they simply will begin taking the medication again.  Of course this doesn’t mean there aren’t any risks, which is why it’s a good idea to seek the advice of a competent natural endocrine doctor rather than self-treat your condition.

For someone who has hyperthyroidism, these people definitely need to be more careful about abruptly stopping their anti-thyroid drugs and/or beta blockers, as this condition is typically more high-risk than hypothyroidism.  I know this might sound hypocritical from someone who decided not to take prescription drugs for an autoimmune hyperthyroid condition, and without question I was aware that there was some risks when I made this choice. 

Although I did have a high pulse rate and palpitations, I personally didn’t feel as if they were too extreme to deal with for a short period of time while beginning a natural treatment protocol.  But that still doesn’t mean I wasn’t taking a risk, although I also wasn’t just randomly taking supplements herbs, etc.  And once again, if I was in someone elses’ shoes and already taking anti-thyroid drugs I probably would have approached this differently.

In summary, play it safe and don’t self-treat your thyroid condition, regardless of whether you have hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, or an autoimmune thyroid disorder.  While chances are you wouldn’t experience any serious side effects, there is always a chance you will, and you never know how your body will react.  And you definitely shouldn’t just stop taking your thyroid medication on your own and begin eating well and/or take nutritional supplements, as I can almost guarantee you that this won’t bring you optimal results, and can potentially do you harm.

As you probably know, there are many different types of hormones in our body. I’m going to focus on two specific steroid hormones, estrogen and progesterone, and discuss the impact these hormones can have on the body when there is an improper ratio between the two. There are actually three types of estrogens:

1. Estradiol – the strongest and most abundant estrogen in the body
2. Estriol – the weakest estrogen in the body
3. Estrone – the least abundant of the three estrogen hormones

When talking about estrogen dominance, estradiol is the prominent estrogen involved. Both estrogen and progesterone work together, and while these hormones play a big role in women, they also are produced in men as well. In both men and women, estrogen and progesterone need to be in a certain ratio. This ratio varies not only between men and women, but also between cycling and menopausal women.

Speaking of menopausal women, many people mistakenly assume that menopausal women don’t produce any progesterone. While it is true that their ovaries no longer produce progesterone, other parts of their body do produce it. So to take bioidentical progesterone just because you’re menopausal is a big mistake, although some books recommend that all menopausal women should do this in order to help with the common menopausal symptoms women tend to have. However, most menopausal symptoms can be reduced or completely eliminated through natural treatment methods, and without having to take natural progesterone for the rest of your life.

With regards to estrogen dominance, this doesn’t always involve an increase in estrogen. As mentioned before, both estrogen and progesterone need to be in a certain ratio (ideally 30 to 1), and in many cases the problem involves a deficiency of progesterone. This is one of the reasons why natural progesterone is frequently recommended for this condition, which sometimes is admittedly necessary, but often times this hormonal imbalance can be corrected by following a natural treatment protocol and without taking any natural hormones.

What Are Some Of The Side Effects Of Estrogen Dominance?

There are many different symptoms one can have with estrogen dominance, such as weight gain, depression, breast tenderness, mood swings and irritability, fatigue, and numerous other symptoms. It’s also important to know that estrogen dominance can lead to the development of other conditions, including thyroid disorders. The reason for this is because this condition can block thyroid hormone from getting into the cells. As a result, when seeing a natural endocrine doctor for a thyroid condition they will evaluate you to make sure you are not estrogen dominant, and if you are, put you on the necessary protocol to fix this.

This is yet another reason why people shouldn’t self-treat their condition, as while eating well and taking the right type and dosage of nutritional supplements can definitely help, not all cases of estrogen dominance can be cured through diet and supplementation. And while I’m not a huge fan of giving bioidentical hormones, sometimes it is necessary for people with this condition to take them for a short period of time. However, as I mentioned earlier, if at all possible I will try to correct estrogen dominance with natural treatment methods instead of bioidentical progesterone, which most of the time is possible.

What Causes Estrogen Dominance?

As for what can cause estrogen dominance, there are numerous factors that can lead to this condition, which as mentioned before can in turn cause thyroid issues. Lifestyle factors definitely can play a role, as chronic stress can ultimately lead to a decrease in progesterone, which can lead to estrogen dominance.

On the other hand, eating a lot of meats with added hormones can increase the amount of estrogen in the body, which also will affect the balance of estrogen and progesterone. Too much exposure to xenohormones can also lead to estrogen dominance. I’ll talk more about xenohormones in a future post, as this is a serious problem that is affecting the health of just about everyone.

More and more people are developing estrogen dominance due to the misuse of bioidentical hormones. For example, someone who is taking bioidentical estrogen can easily overdose, which is why you need to be extremely careful. Most women aren’t estrogen deficient, and therefore don’t need to take bioidentical estrogen.

Taking bioidentical progesterone can also lead to estrogen dominance, especially with regards to progesterone creams. I’m not going to explain the physiology behind this in this post, but it’s really easy to overdose with progesterone cream, which on the surface might seem to give someone an excess of progesterone, and not lead to a progesterone deficiency.

But from a cellular perspective the person will actually have a deficiency in progesterone, as when they overdose, the cells will eventually stop taking in progesterone, which will lead to a deficiency. Once again, I’m not going to discuss the physiology behind this, but the point is that abusing bioidentical hormones can lead to a lot of problems. Many sources will mistakenly tell you that because these hormones are natural they carry very little risk, which isn’t true. And the unfortunate part is that many medical doctors who give bioidentical hormones to their patients don’t know much about them.

How Can A Doctor Diagnose Estrogen Dominance?

The best way for a doctor to diagnose estrogen dominance is through a male or female hormone panel. You obviously need to look at the ratio of estrogen to progesterone, which ideally should be around 30 to 1. But since hormones interact with one another it also is a good idea to look at the levels of some of the other hormones as well.

How Can Estrogen Dominance Be Corrected?

In order to correct estrogen dominance, the doctor will once again begin with a hormone panel to determine the ratios of both estrogen and progesterone. Remember that estrogen dominance doesn’t always mean an excess of estrogen, as sometimes the estrogen levels are normal, but the progesterone levels are deficient. Either way, since chronic stress and poor eating habits contribute to estrogen dominance, then it makes sense that eating well and doing a good job of managing stress will help with this condition, as well as taking quality nutritional supplements of the right type and dosage.

If the estrogen levels are high, then one also might need to do a liver detoxification in order to help eliminate the excess estrogen, which along with modifying the lifestyle and environmental factors (eating well, managing stress, reducing exposure to xenohormones, etc.), will help to balance the hormone levels. If the estrogen levels are normal and the person is deficient in progesterone, then frequently the person will need to take certain nutritional supplements and/or herbs to help raise the progesterone levels, and sometimes will need to take bioidentical progesterone for a short period if time.

Of course the ultimate goal is to get the body to produce a sufficient amount of progesterone on its own and not have to rely on taking hormones or supplements. Once again, this is possible even with menopausal women, as there is no good reason to have to continuously take progesterone for a prolonged period of time.

So hopefully you have a better understanding as to what estrogen dominance is, and how it can affect your body. It can lead to many of the symptoms women experience, making it almost impossible to lose weight, and can also lead to the development of other conditions. The good news is that under the guidance of a competent natural doctor it is relatively easy to correct, and so if you have any type of thyroid disorder, it’s a good idea to obtain a hormone panel to determine if you have this condition so you can begin the process of getting it corrected.

Those who have been reading these posts for awhile know that I talk a great deal about the importance of eating healthy, and encourage my patients to eat organic food whenever possible.  But a decent number of people claim they can’t afford to buy organic food, and so they may eat healthier, but due to their tight budget don’t buy anything organic.

I’m not going to criticize anyone who claims that they can’t afford organic food, as I personally know what it feels like when money is “tight”.  However, I know a lot of people who claim they can’t afford to buy organic food, yet have no problem spending money on large televisions, computers, upscale clothing, etc.  For these people, their health simply is not a priority.  On the other hand, there are people who don’t spend their money on “luxury” items yet have a tough time paying the bills, and seemingly have no choice but to buy non-organic food. 

For those who fall into this latter category, can they restore their health back to normal without eating an organic diet?  In my opinion it isn’t necessary to eat a 100% organic diet, which is a good thing, because most people don’t eat everything organic.  If you can afford to purchase everything organic then that’s great.  If you can’t afford to do this, but can afford to buy some organic foods, then you simply need to pick and choose certain organic foods.

The Difference Between Organic and “Natural” Foods

In the past I’ve mentioned  that one of my favorite places to shop for groceries  is Trader Joes.  They have a lot of different varieties of organic food, but they also have a lot of natural, non-organic food.  I know some people wonder if they can “get away” with buying natural foods that aren’t organic.  The difference is that organic foods need to meet certain standards and are regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  So you can be pretty certain that something which is 100% organic doesn’t have any hormones, pesticides, artificial ingredients, and overall is the healthiest choice available when compared to similar foods that are non-organic.

On the other hand, a food that claims it’s 100% natural doesn’t need to meet the same standards as organic foods.  Many food products that claim they are natural consist of ingredients that would never be allowed in an organic food by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  A great deal of this really comes down to good marketing, as these food companies know that people want foods that are “natural”, but are also inexpensive.  And they also know what they can and cannot get away with.

How To Become An Expert At Reading Ingredients

I’m not suggesting that you should avoid all “natural” foods, but just that you need to be extremely cautious whenever you are thinking about buying anything that claims it’s “all natural”, or “100% natural”.  The key is to become an expert at reading labels, and understanding the different ingredients that are in these foods you regularly purchase.  Don’t ever assume that any natural product is healthy for you, and/or it doesn’t contain any pesticides, byproducts, or chemical additives.

Even if you can’t afford to buy everything organic, you really should consider buying certain organic foods.  For example, if you eat meat, then I would highly recommend buying organic chicken, turkey, beef, etc.  The same thing goes for eggs.  As for fruits and vegetables, while it would be great to purchase 100% organic, you can be a little bit more choosy here.  Certain fruits and vegetables, such as strawberries and spinach tend to be high in pesticides, and thus should be purchased organic.  On the other hand, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries typically aren’t as high in pesticides.

Of course there are factors to consider other than just avoiding pesticides, as there also is a difference in the soil that organic food is grown in.  As a result, non-organic fruits and vegetables will usually be more depleted in nutrients than their organic counterparts. 

The overall point I want to make here is that a person who has a thyroid condition and is looking to restore their health back to normal can do so without eating a 100% organic diet, or even one that is mostly organic.  The number one goal is to minimize the amount of refined and sugary foods that you consume.  The next step will be to eat foods that not only are whole, but don’t contain hormones, pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals.    Because all of these chemicals do have an impact on our bodies, and so the less exposure you have to these toxins, the better off you’ll be.

When it comes to restoring one’s health from a thyroid disorder through natural methods, one of the most important factors is how well you digest your food.  For those who have been reading my posts for awhile, you know that I focus a great deal on eating well and the importance of proper nutritional supplementation.  In fact, if you read any book that focuses on natural cures for a specific condition, chances are it will discuss in detail how you need to eat well, take quality nutritional supplements, etc.

However, eating quality foods and taking nutritional supplements won’t do you much good if you aren’t properly digesting what you consume.  Many people’s systems are so screwed up that their body does a poor job of digesting the food they eat and the supplements they take, which of course means they won’t benefit much from them.  This is yet another reason why someone who has been eating junk food for many years usually can’t get well simply by changing their diet and taking supplements.

The Dangers Of Acid-Stopping Medication

Millions of people take acid-stopping medication, which just further screws up their systems, and thus interferes with their ability to digest.  Let’s just think about this for a minute.  One needs a good amount of acid in their stomach to digest the foods they eat and the supplements they take.  So if you take drugs that reduce the production of acid then there is no way you can properly digest the food and supplements you ingest.

But how about if you experience a lot of stomach burning and/or acid reflux?  This is usually not due to an increase in the amount of acid, but rather the decrease in the lining of your stomach due to poor eating habits, increased stress, and other lifestyle factors.  So yes, taking these acid-stopping medications will once again help manage the symptoms, but they will do absolutely nothing for the cause.  And the long term side effects it can have on your digestive system and your entire body can be disastrous.  

It Takes Awhile To Fix Digestive Issues

As I just mentioned, beginning to eat well and taking quality supplements alone after years of eating junk food won’t be enough to fix a digestive problem.  However, it still is a good place to start, as without question people with digestive problems do need to eat better and most likely will need to take some quality nutritional supplements to help make up for any nutritional deficiencies.

In the beginning, a person with poor digestive problems might need to take natural supplements to help digest their food, as well as any other nutritional supplements they take.  But just like taking drugs, one shouldn’t have to rely on taking supplements forever for digestive purposes.

Many people can benefit from a purification program, which can do wonders in fixing digestive issues.  Of course this isn’t an easy process, and so for many patients I usually have them make small changes in the beginning before starting such a program.  And then when they’re ready they can begin a purification program to help restore their digestive function.

So hopefully you realize how important it is not only to eat healthy, but to actually digest what you eat.  Sure, this might sound like common sense to you, but obviously it isn’t something most people think about, or else millions of people wouldn’t be purchasing acid-stopping drugs. 

Does this mean I’m recommending that anyone who takes these drugs to immediately stop?  Not necessarily, as you’ll never see me advising anyone to stop taking any drug, whether it’s a prescription drug, or one that is over the counter, as this is only a decision that you and/or your medical doctor can make on your own.  My goal is just to educate you and provide you with the necessary information you need to make an informed decision.  And hopefully I have accomplished that with this post.

Bioidentical hormones are one of the breakthroughs that have thus far helped a lot of people, and will continue to help people a great deal with many different conditions. In fact, some people with thyroid conditions can benefit from using bioidentical hormones.

With that being said, many people are abusing these hormones, as they mistakenly believe that because they are natural there is little risk in taking them. What you need to understand is that hormones are very powerful, and even though they are natural, they can do a great deal of harm if you take the wrong type of bioidentical hormone, or even the right type with an incorrect dosage.

So anyone who thinks that taking bioidentical hormones is similar to taking nutritional supplements is wrong. In the past I have spoken about the potential risks of self-treating your condition with nutritional supplements. In fact, I personally have experienced negative side effects from taking the wrong type and dosage of nutritional supplements. But while there are risks with taking nutritional supplements on your own, it still is rare to see someone have serious issues from taking the wrong type and/or dosage of supplements.

On the other hand, it is becoming more and more common to see people who take bioidentical hormones experience severe problems. And a big reason for this is because they take them as if they were nutritional supplements. Most people simply don’t realize the effect these hormones can have on their body. Part of the problem is that sometimes they can feel great at first when taking such hormones.

For example, I have a friend who was having some health issues, and so his medical doctor recommended that he take bioidentical testosterone. He felt great for a few months, but after awhile he felt like crap again. And this is a common problem, as hormones do have the potential to make someone feel great, but many times these effects don’t last more than a few weeks or months because the person is either being given the wrong hormone, and/or an incorrect dosage. And this example I just gave regarding my friend isn’t a random occurrence, as I’ve seen many patients, both men and women, who were told to take bioidentical hormones when they really didn’t need to take them.

Many Medical Doctors Don’t Do Any Pre-Testing

A big reason why so many people are having problems when put on bioidentical hormones is because many medical doctors don’t do any testing to truly determine what their patients need. Or, they might test for a single hormone, but not do a complete male or female hormone panel, which is crazy when you consider that hormones are interactive. And so when you take one bioidentical hormone, you are going to affect other hormones in the body.

So for example, getting back to my friend, the medical doctor did some testing and determined that he was deficient in testosterone. But he didn’t bother to look at the other hormones, and so he was unable to tell why he was deficient in testosterone in the first place. This once again relates to doctors trying to manage symptoms, without actually looking into the cause.

The truth is that in many cases bioidentical hormones are given when they aren’t really necessary, as most people can have their hormonal systems balanced without them having to take natural hormones. And for those that really do need to take bioidentical hormones, a high percentage are not taking the right type, or are not taking the right dosage. While men are sometimes told to take higher dosages of testosterone than they actually need, many women are advised to take high dosages of natural progesterone, which also can have some detrimental side effects.

Finding Out Whether You Truly Need Bioidentical Hormones

Yet another benefit of consulting with a competent natural endocrine doctor is that they will be able to evaluate the current state of your hormone levels, and determine whether or not you truly need bioidentical hormones, or whether you can achieve balance without taking such hormones. I don’t want you to get the impression that I’m against the use of bioidentical hormones, as I really do think that in some cases it is necessary to give some support for a short period of time. It just makes me sick to my stomach when I see people overdosing on these hormones and witnessing the negative impact it has on their health.

So if you’re considering taking bioidentical hormones please be careful. You’ll no doubt find plenty of information on the internet, but not all of it is valid. Just keep in mind that a number of companies that sell these products will rave about what miraculous results they bring just so you’ll go ahead and spend your hard earned money on them, even though there is really no way for anyone to tell whether or not you truly need bioidentical hormones without the proper testing. And even if it is determined that you need them, taking the proper type and dosage is extremely important.

While it should come to no surprise that I frequently talk about the importance of eating quality nutritional supplements, I’m sure there are some people who wonder why someone would continue to need taking supplements if they eat healthy most of the time. And for those who understand why supplementation is important (which I’ll briefly discuss shortly), many people still don’t know what supplements to take, which ones are safe to take for a prolonged period of time, etc.

I obviously can’t dedicate a single post to all of the different supplements and herbs out there, as there are way too many to cover. But I will begin by saying that ideally we want to obtain all of our nutrients from whole foods whenever possible, and not have to rely on supplements. The problem is that most people don’t eat healthy, as the majority eat way too many refined foods, which even through the enriching process doesn’t have many of the nutrients in which whole foods have.

And then there is the issue of our soil being depleted of nutrients, which no doubt affects the quality of the foods we eat. So even someone who eats a 100% organic diet consisting only of whole foods very well might not be receiving all of the vitamins and minerals they need from their diet.

How Do You Know What Supplements To Take?

As for what nutritional supplements you should take, this answer of course differs for each person. For example, someone with Graves’ Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is more likely to have more nutritional deficiencies when compared with someone who doesn’t have an autoimmune thyroid condition. But this isn’t always the case, which is why sometimes it is necessary to test for nutritional deficiencies. The problem is that it usually isn’t feasible to test for every single nutritional deficiency one can have.

So what I personally do is test for some of the more common nutritional deficiencies, and use a person’s symptoms and diet history to determine what other nutritional deficiencies they are most likely to have. And while symptoms alone don’t tell the entire story, they still tell you a lot when you put someone on a certain protocol and their symptoms greatly improve. And if they don’t improve as expected, one then needs not only to look at the nutritional aspects, but other factors that can be responsible for this.

This is why I can’t simply write a book or guide on specific supplements people with thyroid conditions should take, as while I can give some suggestions, everybody needs to be treated on an individual basis. Sure, there are some common deficiencies, and I do try to talk about some of these here on this website, as I have done so with both Vitamin D and iodine. But writing a post that discusses all of the specific supplements one should take, along with the dosages, is not practical.

Can You Take Too Many Nutritional Supplements?

Some people grow concerned about taking too many supplements, which is understandable. I know people who made it part of their daily routine to ingest dozens of different nutritional supplements, which usually is not a good idea. Often times when first consulting with someone they do need to take more supplements when compared to someone who is healthy and just trying to maintain a state of wellness.

This doesn’t mean that they will need to take dozens of different supplements and herbs. But it just makes sense that if someone has a great number of nutritional deficiencies that until they address these they will need to take more supplements than someone who doesn’t have many nutritional deficiencies.

Once someone has addressed their nutritional deficiencies, they will be able to get many of the nutrients they need through eating if they consume high quality foods. However, most people will still benefit from some minimal nutritional supplementation on a daily basis to help maintain their health and prevent future conditions from developing.

There is a book called the Autoimmune Epidemic, which talks about how autoimmune conditions are on the rise, yet still don’t gain the attention that cancer and heart disease have received. The author talks a great deal about how environmental toxins are potentially responsible for many of the autoimmune conditions that exist.

There are over one hundred autoimmune conditions, and the bad news is that someone with Graves’ Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is more likely to “acquire” one or more additional autoimmune conditions when compared to the general public. This makes sense when you think about it, as one with a compromised immune system will be more susceptible to other autoimmune disorders.

Although I talk a great deal about how lifestyle factors and nutritional deficiencies can contribute to or directly cause an autoimmune thyroid disorder, as well as any thyroid condition for that matter, one can’t discount the impact that toxins have. After all, in this day and age we are being exposed to toxins that weren’t as prominent decades ago. And so perhaps it is no coincidence that as we are being exposed to more environmental toxins the rate of autoimmune conditions is increasing.

The bad news is that unlike lifestyle factors, you don’t have complete control with regards to the toxins you’re exposed to on a daily basis. It is impossible to avoid all of the environmental toxins out there, but most people can do a better job of minimizing their exposure. A big area is with the household products we buy, as there is really no good reason to purchase all of these cleaners with strong chemicals when you can visit Trader Joes or your local health food store and pick up natural alternatives.

Sure, they will of course cost more than the typical products most people buy, but it’s definitely worth the extra investment. Plus, some of these chemicals shouldn’t be used at all. For example, I remember when growing up as a child my mother constantly would use air freshener in the house.

Just like most people, she didn’t realize the potential damage these chemicals can cause to the lungs and other tissues in the body when used frequently. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that she eventually developed asthma (although to be fair, she did smoke for many years as well, which I’m sure was also a big factor).

The book “Autoimmune Epidemic” goes beyond household cleaners, but I wanted to focus on this topic because this is a big area that most people can control. But the book spoke about other ways we’re commonly exposed to toxins. It even briefly spoke about the dangers of the toxins present in vaccines, which obviously is a very controversial topic and not something I really want to get into right now.

The overall point I want to make is that there are many things in our environment that we don’t think of as being toxic. And some of these “toxins” might take years to cause the development of an autoimmune condition, although some people might never develop any condition from exposure to these toxins.

Whenever I talk about lifestyle factors, environmental toxins, and other factors that are under our control, someone usually brings up genetics, and how we can’t control any genetic tendencies we may have. This may be true (although some research studies don’t support this), but it really does us no good to worry about the things we can’t control, while on the other hand we should pay attention to those things that we can control, as over time it can make a profound difference with regards to our health.

And although I have discussed the impact of environmental toxins on autoimmune thyroid disorders, such toxins may also lead to the development of other types of thyroid conditions as well. So whether you have an autoimmune thyroid disorder, or a less severe hypothyroid or hyperthyroid condition, you really do need to try to minimize your exposure to environmental toxins.

Many people with a thyroid disorder choose to self-treat their condition. It seems easy enough to visit your local health food store and purchase some supplements on your own. The funny thing is that many people who do this speak with the employee working in the “supplement aisle”, who in most cases doesn’t have any credentials and/or a genuine knowledge of the products, and is simply working there to make a living.

So while I don’t recommend that anyone with a thyroid disorder self treat their condition, if you do choose to take this route, I definitely wouldn’t take advice from the person working at your local health food store, unless if they happen to be a licensed healthcare professional, which probably isn’t the case.  Or to put it another way, you can listen to what they have to say, but you might want to obtain a second opinion.  To be fair, some people who work at health food stores have a strong passion for natural health and do have a greater knowledge than the “general public”, but the problem is there is really no way to tell who has this knowledge, and who doesn’t.

Another thing to look out for is a website or article that gives some information about thyroid natural treatment methods, and then goes on to promote a single thyroid support formula that claims it will restore your health back to normal. While some of these supplements might help manage your symptoms a little bit, most of them are a complete waste of money. I wish it were that easy to take a single supplement or herbal remedy and restore your health back to normal. But unfortunately it isn’t an easy process.

So why shouldn’t people with a thyroid condition not self treat their condition? Well, there are essentially three reasons for this:

Reason #1: There are risks involved. Many people assume that “natural treatment methods” are completely harmless. When following a natural treatment protocol under the guidance of an expert the risks are minimal. However, self-treating your condition does come with greater risks. Taking the incorrect supplements and/or the wrong dosages can create other problems, and even flare up your symptoms. This is especially true when combining different supplements and/herbs. So you need to be extremely careful.

Reason #2: You won’t receive optimal results. A big reason for this is because most people with a thyroid disorder don’t know what is actually causing their disorder. In other words, most people, including endocrinologists and other medical doctors, focus on the malfunctioning thyroid gland, which in most cases is not the actual cause of the problem. Obviously the immune system is an issue with autoimmune thyroid conditions such as Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. But other areas of the body can also be involved and causing the compromised immune system, such as the adrenal glands, digestive system, and a hormone imbalance.

And even if you do know exactly what is causing the disorder, it can be a challenge to treat such a disorder. For example, do you have an iodine deficiency or not, and if so, how much iodine do you need to take? And it’s important to know that someone with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis shouldn’t take iodine until they first address the autoimmune response. What other nutritional deficiencies do you have, and what supplements should you take for them, and in what dosage? Again, these are questions that most people can’t answer by simply reading books or surfing the internet.

Reason #3: It typically will cost you more time and money. Many people think they can save money by self-treating their disorder, when usually the opposite happens. They’ll go out and spend money on supplements and herbal remedies, only to realize that they aren’t too effective. Some will actually purchase a different supplement for every symptom they have, which of course can end up costing a lot of money. Some people will spend weeks and months self-treating their condition, rather than see a qualified natural endocrine doctor, only to eventually “give in” and finally see one when they realize that they aren’t receiving optimal results.

Now this doesn’t mean that you can’t do some things on your own. Obviously you can start eating better, exercise regularly, do a better job of managing the stress in your life, etc. There are definitely a lot of things you can do on your own to improve your health. But if you are serious about trying to restore your health back to normal, then I strongly suggest speaking with a competent natural endocrine doctor. Most people that take this approach not only are happy with the results, but after taking this approach, frequently their number one regret is that they didn’t speak with an expert sooner.

Today I’m going to talk about why most people are iodine deficient.  As you learned in the previous post,  most people do need iodine supplementation.  However, I feel it is important to understand why people are deficient, so that they can avoid those factors that have led to this deficiency in the first place.

For example, when I spoke about Vitamin D deficiency in a previous post, I explained that a big reason why most people are deficient in Vitamin D is because they avoid the sun, or constantly put on sunscreen when they are in the sun. With regards to getting enough iodine, it’s not as “simple” as getting sun exposure, as this is not a mineral that your body manufacturers.

Dr. David Brownstein, author of the book “Iodine, Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It”, states that “Approximately 1.5 billion people, about one-third of the earth’s population, live in an area of iodine deficiency as defined by the World Health Organization”. And even though iodine is added to the salt supply, which can help prevent conditions such as goiter, it is inadequate to prevent an iodine deficiency.

In his book, Dr. Brownstein talks about three main reasons behind the iodine deficiency:

1) Due to poor farming techniques, deficiencies of iodine and other minerals in the soil have increased. So crops grown in iodine-deficient soil will be deficient in iodine.

2) Exposure to certain chemicals that inhibit iodine binding in the body (bromide, fluoride, chloride) – bromine replaced iodine in the baking industry as a dough conditioner. Bromine can also bind to iodine receptors in the breast and is a known carcinogen to the breast.

3) Percholate contamination of our water supply: excess percholate levels can also displace iodine and damage the transport of iodine into the cell.

Dr. Brownstein has tested iodine levels in nearly 5,000 individuals. Approximately 96% of his patients test low for iodine. Other doctors he knows have tested over 30,000 people (Dr. Jorge Flechas and Charles Hakala), and their results are consistent with his.

As for how much iodine you should take, he mentions that “The required daily intake of iodine necessary for maintaining iodine sufficiency for the whole body is at least 13mg per day”. However, for someone who is iodine deficient, they may need more than this, and he says that some people with an iodine deficiency may need up to 50mg of iodine daily.

I realize I’ve spoken a great deal about iodine deficiency in recent posts and how it can cause the development of an autoimmune thyroid disorder. While you can expect me to discuss more about iodine in the future, I promise I’ll move onto other topics next week. I just wanted you to understand how important iodine is, and when I use two or more posts to discuss a certain topic, such as a deficiency of iodine or Vitamin D, I hope you realize I’m doing this because I feel it is extremely important information that is essential to restore your health back to normal.

Because while there are many different factors that can cause Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, correcting certain nutritional deficiencies plays a big role in the recovery process. And once you overcome such deficiencies, it’s important to regularly monitor these levels (at least once or twice a year) and do what you can to maintain sufficient levels of these nutrients.

So I’ll conclude this post by reminding you to get an iodine loading test (visit www.hakalalabs.com), and if it is determined that you are iodine deficient, do what is necessary to correct this deficiency.