In a recent post I spoke about the importance of taking iodine for those that have an autoimmune thyroid disorder. I specifically discussed some of the methods to help determine whether someone has an iodine deficiency, including the iodine loading test, and the iodine patch test. I also briefly spoke about my personal experience when I was on an iodine loading protocol, and how people with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis need to first address the autoimmune component of their condition.

In this post I want to talk about some of the evidence that points to how an iodine deficiency can actually cause an autoimmune thyroid disorder. Not too long ago I mentioned how Vitamin D is an extremely important vitamin/steroid hormone that can possibly prevent or cure Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.

Iodine is another essential factor, and like Vitamin D, most people are deficient in iodine. I actually plan on discussing some of the main reasons why people are iodine deficient in the next post, but today I want to provide some evidence that iodine deficiency (along with other factors) can cause an autoimmune thyroid disorder.

I’m not suggesting that iodine deficiency by itself is the reason for most cases of Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. However, I will say that based on my own experience with Graves’ Disease, and dealing with other patients with autoimmune thyroid disorders, I do think it is just about impossible to restore the health of someone who has an autoimmune thyroid disorder if they have an iodine deficiency that isn’t addressed. In my opinion it’s even more important to address an iodine deficiency than a Vitamin D deficiency, although ideally you would want to address both issues.

The reason why iodine is so important is because it is essential to the production of thyroid hormone. And as you know, thyroid hormone is important in the metabolic process, affecting every cell and tissue in the body. So a deficiency of iodine has a direct impact on the thyroid gland, which will affect the entire body.

But let’s go a little bit deeper than this, as if you read the book by Dr. David Brownstein called “Iodine, Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It”, you’ll understand more of the physiology behind this and how an iodine deficiency can potentially lead to an autoimmune thyroid disorder.

Dr. Brownstein talks about the oxidation process, as when iodide gets transported into the thyroid cell, it gets converted to iodine. So the oxidative process is important for the body to properly utilize iodine. Dr. Brownstein goes on to say that “Abnormalities of the oxidation of iodine can result in the production of anti-thyroperoxidase antibodies (Anti-TPO).”

As a result of this damage to TPO, this can lead to an autoimmune thyroid disorder. If you have Hashimito’s Thyroiditis, then you probably know that this diagnosis requires the presence of anti-TPO antibodies. Graves’ Disease can also include these same antibodies, although unlike Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis this isn’t always the case.

Dr. Brownstein did a study on 24 of his patients, and showed that “92% of those with Hashimoto’s and Graves’ Disease also had an iodine deficiency.” Not only that, but he also said that “nearly every one of these patients had dramatic improvements in their symptoms with the use of a combination of iodine/iodide to replace the body’s deficit”.

Now I realize that this is a small research sample, but when you understand the importance of iodine and the basic physiology when it comes to thyroid gland function, it really isn’t too difficult to see how an iodine deficiency can create an autoimmune thyroid disorder, and also help to restore one’s health when such a deficiency is addressed.

As for what type of iodine supplement you should take, and how much iodine you should take, I do really think it’s best to consult with a natural endocrine doctor first. However, I will tell you that when I began my iodine loading protocol, I initially took a product called Prolamine Iodine, which is a supplement manufactured by Standard Process.

I began taking one 3mg tablet daily for the first week, and then increased the dosage by one tablet each week. I eventually switched to a product called Iodorol, mainly because they have tablets that come in higher dosages. So instead of taking 8 tablets of Prolamine Iodine, I could take two 12.5mg tablets of Iodorol. This product also comes in a 25mg and 50mg dosage, although I personally prefer to break up the dosages.

I realize I have spoken a lot about Dr. Brownstein’s book, but that’s because it really is an outstanding book that contains a lot of great information, not only about iodine and autoimmune thyroid disorders, but how iodine can help with other conditions. Although the title might make it sound like a boring book, it actually is very interesting, and very easy to read. I’ll be mentioning it again numerous times in my next post, as I wrap up my “iodine lessons” (at least for now!) and will talk about why most people are iodine deficient.

Many people skip breakfast on a daily basis. I’m sure you’ve heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but most people don’t understand why this is so. Sure, a big reason is to give you energy to start the day. But while this is an important reason, one must look at the physiology of the body to truly understand why skipping breakfast can do more harm than not providing you with energy to start the day.

Upon waking up in the morning, you have probably gone at least seven to eight hours without eating, and maybe more than this. As a result, when you wake up your blood sugar levels are already down. And when you go a decent amount of time without eating (greater than 30 to 60 minutes after waking up), the blood sugar levels continue to decrease, and your body will then need to release cortisol in order to raise your blood sugar levels. When you combine skipping breakfast with eating refined foods and going long periods of time between meals, this puts a great deal of stress on your adrenal glands.

A common excuse for not eating breakfast is that a person is simply “not hungry”. The reason for this is usually because the person is “out of touch” with their body. In other words, their system is chemically imbalanced, and as a result they don’t receive the normal signals that tell them that they are hungry. After all, it makes sense that one should be hungry after going seven or eight hours without eating, doesn’t it?

I’m not suggesting that someone who routinely skips breakfast should immediately begin eating a big breakfast. Often times they will need to start slow, and at the very least I recommend having some type of “healthy” protein in the morning.

Of course there is always debate as to what is healthy or not, as if I were to recommend eating eggs for breakfast, someone would no doubt reference an online article that discusses how eggs are bad for you! I personally disagree with this, but there many medical doctors, and even some holistic doctors that will tell you to stay away from eggs.

In any case, eggs aren’t the only way to get a good amount of protein, as there are other sources. In a previous post I mentioned how I drink a protein shake every morning. And although I do add a raw egg to it, this isn’t necessary, as adding Whey Protein, for example, will give you a sufficient amount of protein to start the day.

Other healthy protein sources include chicken, fish, and turkey. The point is to stop eating that bowl of sugary cereal, a pop tart, or anything else that will spike up your blood sugar levels.

And as I’ve mentioned in the past, after you consume a healthy breakfast, try to eat regularly every two hours after this. Once again, there will be a difference in opinion regarding this. In a previous post I recently mentioned a book called “Potatoes Not Prozac”, which does a good job of explaining some of the basic physiology behind what happens with your blood sugar levels when you skip breakfast, eat refined carbohydrates, etc.

However, one thing the author mentions is that it’s okay to go 6 hours between meals upon waking up, which I definitely don’t agree with. And this isn’t just my opinion, as many other natural experts agree that you shouldn’t go longer than two or three hours in between meals in order to keep the blood sugar levels balanced.

How about if you exercise first thing in the morning? Although I’ve always been one to eat breakfast, I must admit that there were times in the past when I would wake up early in the morning to exercise without eating anything. Doing so was a mistake, and if you happen to do exercise first thing upon waking up you will want to at least have a small portion of a protein-based food to eat before working out.

So hopefully you realize how important it is to eat breakfast in the morning. If you already eat breakfast regularly, just make sure that you incorporate a healthy type of protein. And if you usually skip breakfast, begin by eating something small. Doing this simple thing can really do wonders when it comes to balancing your blood sugar levels and maintaining your adrenal health.

Let me begin by saying that blood tests can be very valuable, and they can provide a lot of useful information. It was a blood test that first diagnosed myself as having a hyperthyroid disorder, although I had a pretty good idea it was going to come out positive due to the symptoms I was experiencing.

Still, the blood tests confirmed this, and I do recommend that all of my patients who have hyperthyroid or hypothyroid symptoms receive blood tests (and most have already done so before consulting with me), and I also think it’s a good idea to at least have some basic blood tests done on an annual basis (TSH, CBC, etc.). In fact, a company called Direct Labs (www.directlabs.com) offers a complete wellness profile for $97, which is affordable even for those without health insurance.

However, while information provided by blood tests can be valuable, the truth is that the most common blood tests usually don’t become positive until the condition progresses. This is one of the reasons why someone might be symptomatic, yet have negative findings on a blood test.

Another reason is because there are different reference ranges. For example, the “typical” reference range for most labs for the TSH test is between 0.5 and 4.5. But many doctors are beginning to realize that the upper TSH “normal” range is higher than it should be, as many agree it should be around 3.0. In other words, many people who have a TSH between 3.1 and 4.5 are told that their lab results are “negative”, even if they are symptomatic.

This can be a big problem, as many doctors, even highly competent endocrinologists in some cases, are not paying attention to the symptoms of their patients. They pay too much attention to the blood tests and reference ranges, which don’t always tell the entire story.

This is true even for those people that fall within the range of 0.5 and 3.0, as just because someone falls within this range doesn’t mean they don’t have a hypothyroid issue. Remember that in most cases an autoimmune thyroid condition (or any other “thyroid disorder”) has been present for awhile before the blood tests become positive. This also applies for people with a hyperthyroid condition, such as Graves’ Disease, as someone can have a TSH between 0.5 and 3.0 and still be hyperthyroid.

In addition to paying attention to the symptoms of the patient, it is also a good idea to use various testing methods to diagnose someone. For example, a hair analysis test (performed by a reputable company) can usually detect problems early, well before most blood tests. The problem is that most medical doctors don’t believe such a test is valid, even though research has shown that these tests can be very reliable when done properly.

I’m not going to talk in detail about hair analysis in this post, but I will say that not all hair analysis companies are the same. The same applies with saliva testing, and when conducting a hair analysis or doing saliva testing, if you choose a company that doesn’t conduct these tests properly you obviously can’t rely on the results.

Of course most people with Graves’ Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis that choose natural treatment methods will consult with a natural endocrine doctor, who in turn will recommend such tests (if they’re necessary in your specific situation). But many healthcare professionals don’t know how to choose a quality company, so just be aware of this.

Getting back to the “main theme” of this post, blood tests can be useful, but if you ever consult with a doctor that relies strictly on your blood test results and doesn’t consider your symptoms, then you probably should change doctors. And by the way, this doesn’t just include medical doctors, but holistic doctors as well. Because some holistic doctors rely too much on blood tests too, although they are more likely to consider the symptoms of the patient.

I think this is common when doctors first begin practicing, as during my first few years of practice, I began seeing a lot of patients with fibromyalgia, and it was common to see a patient with extreme symptoms but who had negative blood test results. But the more patients I saw, the more I realized that just because someone has a negative blood test doesn’t mean they don’t have a serious condition. And this obviously doesn’t just apply to people with fibromyalgia, but autoimmune thyroid disorders as well, as well as with other conditions.

Fortunately, more doctors are realizing that a patient’s symptoms don’t always correlate with their lab findings. But there still are many that do rely too much on blood tests, and if you happen to be a patient of one of these doctors, you might want to consider speaking with someone else who factors in everything. This is true even if you have no intentions of consulting with a natural endocrine doctor, as you should then try to find an endocrinologist or medical doctor that will look at both your symptoms and your lab results.

The other day I made a post that discussed the importance of Vitamin D, and how most people are Vitamin D deficient and need to get tested.  I also spoke about how a big reason for this deficiency is due to people avoiding the sun, as well as wearing sunscreen all of the time.

Recently I read a book called “Diabetes Rising”, by Dan Hurley.  In this book there is a chapter that focuses on some of the benefits of Vitamin D.  Although it mainly focuses on how sufficient Vitamin D intake can prevent diabetes, the information it provides also leads me to believe that Vitamin D can also help to prevent an autoimmune thyroid disorder, and quite possibly help to restore the health of people with Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.  Here is one of the quotes from this chapter regarding Vitamin D:

“It’s a peacemaker in the immune system.  It goes to where there’s an autoimmune attack, and will modulate or stop the attack.”

This statement alone is telling us that Vitamin D does more than just help prevent Diabetes.  So for people with an autoimmune thyroid disorder, wouldn’t you agree that having a deficiency in a vitamin/steroid hormone that can help modulate or stop the body from attacking its own tissues can be a pretty big factor?  In addition to helping prevent and/or cure people with these conditions, Vitamin D has been shown to help with other conditions as well, as here is another quote from the book:

“Cedric and Frank Garland “have since linked increased sun exposure, vitamin D levels, or both to dramatic reductions in the risk of cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and schizophrenia.”

So as you can see, increasing the amount of Vitamin D intake through sun exposure and/or supplementation can not only help with your current condition, but very well might prevent other serious conditions from developing in the future.  And this isn’t just speculation, as if you visit the website I suggested in my previous post (www.vitamindcouncil.org), and read the book Diabetes Rising, you’ll see some of the research regarding Vitamin D.

In fact, one of the research studies from the book “Diabetic Rising” was from Finland, where 12,055 women who gave birth were surveyed as to how often they gave a Vitamin D supplement to their children.  Thirty years later, a follow-up with the children was done with these people (by Danish researcher Elina Hypponen), and the goal was to compare their Vitamin D intake to their risk of getting type 1 diabetes.  Here is what they found:

“Compared to their non-diabetic peers, those with diabetes were over eight times more likely to have never received Vitamin D.  Even among those who were given the supplement regularly, the ones who received the recommended dose of 2,000 IU had about one-fifth the risk of developing type 1 as those who received less”.  In other words, supplementing with Vitamin D had reduced children’s risk of diabetes by about 80%.”

I realize this is only one study, but there is another one in the same book that focuses on type 2 diabetes, as well as a few other studies.  And of course these are just a small sample of the research studies done with regards to Vitamin D.

Now as far as I know, there has been no research study that has been conducted on people with an autoimmune thyroid disorder.  And I’m not suggesting that Vitamin D deficiency by itself is THE cause of Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.  And I’m definitely not saying that just correcting this deficiency alone will cure your disorder.

However, I think that the fact that more people are becoming Vitamin D deficient, and that the increasing rates of Graves’ and Hashimoto’s isn’t coincidental.  In summary, one shouldn’t neglect a vitamin/steroid hormone that has been proven to play an important role in stopping the autoimmune response.

After all, while the book “Diabetes Rising” of course focuses on diabetes, let’s not forget that type 1 diabetes, like Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, is an autoimmune condition.  So disregarding these research studies just because they focus on a different condition would be unwise.

While receiving ample sun exposure and/or adequate supplementation alone probably won’t completely restore your health back to normal, in most individuals with an autoimmune thyroid disorder, it is an important piece of the puzzle.  As I’ve discussed previously, there are numerous factors that are important when it comes to restoring one’s health, and addressing a Vitamin D deficiency can without question be an extremely important part of the recovery process.

In this post I’m going to talk about some of the benefits of Vitamin D, as this is an essential vitamin that many people are deficient in.  I’m also going to share a great website that will pretty much give you all of the information you need about this important vitamin.  As a result I won’t go into too much detail, as you can find a lot of great information simply by visiting this website.

But I will begin by saying that a big reason why most people are deficient in Vitamin D has to do with our avoidance of the sun.   While we can take a daily vitamin D supplement, our bodies produce Vitamin D naturally when exposed to the sun.The problem is that many people do everything they can to avoid the sun, fearing that too much exposure can lead to cancer.

This may be true, but keep in mind that I’m not recommending that you should spend hours per day in the sun.  However, many people do everything they can to avoid the sun. And if they plan on spending some time in the sun, many will put sunscreen on, which will prevent Vitamin D formation.  Keep in mind that Vitamin D is more than just a simple vitamin, as it gets converted to a steroid hormone, and it plays a big role in preventing many different types of conditions, including many types of cancer, autoimmune disorders, etc.

For example, if you visit the website www.vitamindcouncil.org, one of the things you will read is that “Vitamin D deficiency can cause 17 different types of cancers”.  This alone should be enough to make you want to do something about this and make sure you’re not deficient in Vitamin D.

But Vitamin D deficiency can do more than just cause cancer, as it can lead to other conditions, including autoimmune disorders, as it plays a big role in immunity.  So for someone with Graves’ Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, making sure you are not Vitamin D deficient is extremely important.

Getting back to avoiding the sun and how this has led to Vitamin D deficiency, here is a brief summary from www.vitamindcouncil.org that briefly explains how this may have happened:

“Remember, our ancestors lived naked in the sun for several million years. Then 50,000 years ago, some of us migrated north and south to places with less sun. Then we put on clothes, started working inside and living in cities where buildings blocked the sun. Then we started traveling in cars instead of walking, or riding horses, and glass blocked even more of the UVB in the sunlight. Then, only a few years ago, we started actively avoiding the sun and putting on sunblock. All this time we humans have been steadily reducing the tissue levels of the most potent steroid hormone in our bodies, one with powerful anti-cancer properties.”

So how do you know if you are Vitamin D deficient?

The best method to determine whether or not you have a Vitamin D deficiency is to get a Vitamin D test.  The type you want to get is called a 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D test.  The website I listed above (www.vitamindcouncil.org) offers a Vitamin D test kit that they will ship to your home.  Or if you prefer you can visit a website such as www.DirectLabs.com, order the test online, and then visit your local LabCorp.  Either way, this test will tell you whether or not you are deficient.

After reading this information, two questions might pop into your mind:

1. How much daily sun exposure should you get? Different healthcare professionals will have different opinions with regards to how much daily sun exposure you should receive.  Of course this will also depend on where you live, as some places are closer to the equator, have more sunny days, etc.  So there obviously won’t be an opportunity to get daily sun exposure every day.

But when the sun is shining, you should get at least ten to fifteen minutes of sun exposure (remember, without sunblock).  Other sources suggest that you should get at least 20 to 30 minutes of daily sun exposure.  A person’s complexion can also play a part in this, as someone who is dark skinned will need a greater amount of sun exposure than someone who is fair skinned.  Either way, the overall point is that everyone should be getting some minimal daily sun exposure to help prevent Vitamin D deficiency.

2. Should you take a Vitamin D supplement daily? For those who are Vitamin D deficient, it probably is a good idea to take a Vitamin D supplement on a daily basis, at least initially.  Supplementing with about 2,000 IU of Vitamin D3 on a daily basis (make sure it’s of high quality) is recommended if you are deficient, along with daily sun exposure. As usual, I think it’s wise to consult with a competent healthcare professional, rather than just do this on your own.

But if you decide to do this on your own, I would supplement for about 3 months, get daily sun exposure, and then re-test to see what your levels are.  Someone who is not deficient in Vitamin D might not have to take a daily supplement, as they might be able to get all of the Vitamin D they need from the sun.  On the other hand, some might need to take a small amount of Vitamin D each day, along with getting regular sun exposure.

To summarize what I have posted, Vitamin D is an extremely important vitamin/steroid hormone, and everyone should get a Vitamin D test to make sure they are not deficient.  For those that are deficient, daily Vitamin D3 supplementation is recommended, along with regular sun exposure.

Only a small percentage of people with Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis will choose natural treatment methods.  Even though more people are giving natural treatment methods a try, most people with these conditions will take the advice of their endocrinologist or general practitioner.  What this of course means is that most people will choose to manage their symptoms for the rest of their lives, and not try to restore their health back to normal.

Obviously a big reason for this is skepticism.  There are other reasons, and I actually discussed some of the most common reasons why people don’t choose natural treatment methods in a previous post.  But while there are many reasons why people choose NOT to try natural treatment methods, here a few reasons why some people DO choose to follow a natural treatment protocol.

Reason #1: They Have A Natural Attitude. Even though most people follow the advice of their medical doctor, some people who become diagnosed with Graves’ Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis have what I call a “natural attitude”.  In other words, these people know that most prescription drugs do nothing more than manage the symptoms, and while they might consider taking the medication, they will also look to see if there are natural solutions out there.  This of course doesn’t just pertain to autoimmune thyroid disorders, but pretty much any other condition.

Reason #2: They Were Referred By Someone Else. Many people who give natural treatment methods a try do so because they have a friend, family member, or co-worker who followed a natural treatment protocol.  When they speak with someone who went through a natural treatment protocol and realize how great the person looks and feels, many who don’t have a “natural attitude” will end up consulting with a natural endocrine doctor.  And upon experiencing the results of natural treatment methods, many will actually develop a “natural attitude”.

Reason #3: They Become Desperate. A number of people choose natural treatment methods because the thyroid medication doesn’t completely help manage their symptoms, or in some cases doesn’t help with their symptoms at all.  Other people have symptoms but negative lab results, and frequently under these circumstances their medical doctor won’t write a prescription, even if they are symptomatic.  As a result, many of these people will turn to natural treatment methods, and will often times become “hooked” once they begin experiencing the results.

Of these three categories of people, usually those with a natural attitude are the easiest to manage, as they  don’t have as much skepticism as the other two categories of people.  But on the other hand, I do enjoy helping people who were once skeptical, but after giving natural treatment methods a try realized that these protocols really do work, especially when under the guidance of an expert.  Many people who follow a natural treatment protocol actually wish they had tried it sooner, rather than managing their symptoms for many months and years.

So if you already have a natural attitude, then that’s great.  It probably won’t take too much convincing to get you to consult with a natural endocrine doctor.  If you don’t have a natural attitude (at least not yet!), that’s okay too, as the most important thing is to be both happy and comfortable with the choices you make, whatever they may be.

Just remember to keep an open mind, as while I’m obviously biased towards natural treatment methods, I do realize that there is a time and place for medical intervention.  And if you’re more “medically oriented” then there’s nothing wrong with this, but don’t immediately dismiss the possibilities of a natural treatment protocol restoring your health back to normal.  After all, many “skeptics” have come to realize how safe and effective they really can be.

Many people with Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis have difficulty obtaining quality sleep.  Quality sleep is of course important in the recovery process, especially when following a natural treatment protocol.  

Some have difficulty falling to sleep at night, while others have no problem falling asleep, but frequently wake up in the middle of the night and find it difficult to fall back to sleep.  Others have both of these problems.  And some people sleep throughout the night for seven to eight hours, but still wake up exhausted.

While there are numerous factors that can lead to sleep disorders, many times the problems are related to the adrenal glands, which is yet another reason why it is important to test your adrenals, which I spoke about in a previous post.  Regulating the adrenal glands can help a great deal when it comes to getting quality sleep, as well as overcoming cases of chronic fatigue.

But rather than get to the cause of the problem, what frequently happens is that when someone has sleeping difficulties their doctor will recommend medication to help them obtain quality sleep.  Or sometimes they will visit a health food or nutritional supplement store and purchase some “natural” sleep aids.  While these may help (although not always), you obviously don’t want to rely on taking medication or even supplements in order to get a good night’s sleep.

I’ve made a number of posts on adrenal health, so I won’t go into too much detail here on this topic.  But I will reinforce that much of these adrenal problems are due to chronic stress and poor eating habits.  So for anyone who thinks they can restore their adrenal health back to normal just by taking supplements, think again.  If you don’t manage the stress in your life and begin eating better, your adrenal glands will remain stressed out, and you will continue to have sleeping difficulties.

You might wonder how “stressed out” adrenals can cause sleeping difficulties.  To better explain this, let’s look at an example of how one’s cortisol levels should normally be throughout the day. 

Upon waking up in the morning (assuming you’re on a normal sleep schedule and not working a third shift), your cortisol levels should be at the highest levels.  Then throughout the day these levels should begin declining, and should ideally be at the lowest levels at the end of the day, which makes it easier to fall asleep.

This is the ideal situation, but some people have a reverse circadian pattern, where their cortisol levels are low in the morning, and high at night.  When this happens, frequently the person is tired throughout the day, and due to the high cortisol levels at night they usually have difficulty falling asleep. 

Keep in mind that these symptoms aren’t always immediate, as when I was first diagnosed with Graves’ Disease and had an Adrenal Stress Index done, my morning cortisol levels were low, yet I didn’t feel too fatigued.  In fact, I felt like I had a good amount of energy at the time. 

But had I not addressed the adrenal problem then there is an excellent chance that over time I would have become symptomatic with regards to feeling fatigued. Your body will do everything it can to adapt to the chronic stress in your life, poor eating, etc., but it can only do so for so long.

While high cortisol levels are frequently responsible for sleeping difficulties, a person waking up at night can have either a high or a low cortisol level, which is why Dr. Janet Lang (a natural endocrine expert) suggests that a person who has difficulty sleeping throughout the night receive a one-sample cortisol test.  The reason for this is because there are different natural treatment protocols for high and low cortisol levels, and you don’t want to give someone with high cortisol levels the wrong protocol, and vice versa.

Once again, adrenal problems aren’t the only reason why people have sleeping difficulties.  But it is one of the most common reasons, if not THE most prominent reason why  people can’t get quality sleep at night.  So if you aren’t getting quality sleep each night, then I highly recommend that you get your adrenal glands tested, as this very well might be the reason behind your sleeping difficulties.

Recently I made a post that spoke about eliminating blood sugar cravings, and although you really don’t need to understand the physiology of what’s going on to achieve this, I thought it might interest you to know some of the basics of what’s going on when you eat refined foods.  As a reminder, I’m not expecting anyone to eat a perfect diet, as I personally don’t eat a perfect diet. 

One thing I don’t like is a healthcare professional telling their patients to do something that they personally don’t do.  So I’d be a hypocrite if I told you to never eat refined foods, when occasionally I’ll eat them.  But I do eat healthy most of the time, and don’t have any cravings towards sweets and carbs, which wasn’t the case a few years ago.

Anyway, insulin is secreted by the pancreas when the blood sugar becomes too high, while cortisol is secreted by the adrenal glands when your blood sugar gets too low.  Let’s look at a common situation where a person eats a lot of refined foods throughout the day, and also goes more than a few hours without eating.  When this person eats a refined food, it gets absorbed into the bloodstream pretty quickly, which spikes up the blood sugar levels.  This causes a surge of insulin to be released from the pancreas, which in effect lowers the blood sugar levels.  If the blood sugar levels dip too low, such as when someone goes a long time without eating anything, then cortisol will be released to raise the blood sugar levels.  So for someone that eats refined foods and skips meals frequently, this creates a viscous cycle that puts a lot of stress on their body.

What are the potential consequences of eating this way?  Well, let’s first take a look at how this can affect the adrenal glands.  Constantly having this up and down activity in blood sugar levels will cause the adrenal glands to frequently secrete cortisol, which over time will stress out the adrenal glands.  Eventually this can lead to adrenal fatigue. 

Now this of course isn’t the only factor that affects the adrenals, as there are other lifestyle factors that can negatively affect the adrenal glands, such has having a lot of stress AND not doing a good job of managing it.  Not getting quality sleep can also stress out the adrenals, as is the case with many people who stay up late watching television, and then need to wake up early to get to work.  So eating poorly plays a big role in adrenal health, but it isn’t the only factor.

Now let’s take a look at the effect of secreting all of that insulin by frequently eating refined foods.  What happens is that over a period of time, the cells don’t become as sensitive to insulin, which can lead to insulin resistance.  Once again, I’m just covering this on a very basic level, and not trying to get too deep into the physiology.  If you really want to learn more about the physiology there are numerous books and resources on the internet you can check out. 

What is also important to understand is that the cells only have room for a small amount of glucose, so when you eat a lot of refined foods, most of this gets converted to triglycerides, which of course can lead to weight gain.  All of this really has a big effect on the entire endocrine system, and affects numerous hormones.   And this is one of the reasons why it can be difficult for people to lose weight, as sometimes it’s not just about eating well and exercising, but balancing the hormones of the endocrine system.

Don’t get me wrong, as it is important to eat well and exercise.  But if you are overweight, and diet and exercise doesn’t seem to help much, then this very well can be the reason why.  Dr. Janet Lang, who is also a chiropractor and teaches others about natural endocrine methods, talks about how “hormones are stronger than diet”, which is definitely true.  In other words, if you have an imbalance in your hormones, you can eat a perfect diet and exercise regularly and you won’t be able to lose weight. 

I’ll talk more about weight loss in the future, as I know this is a popular topic.  I just wanted to go over some of the basics as to what happens when a person eats refined foods frequently, and/or skips meals on a regular basis.  It takes years for the body to begin breaking down in someone with these habits, and is a big reason why many people will develop conditions such as Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.

The good news is that eating healthier and on a regular basis (about every two hours after eating breakfast) will help prevent this viscous cycle, and will greatly reduce the likelihood of developing adrenal fatigue and insulin resistance.  And if you already have these conditions, then eating right, along with following the other factors of health I mentioned in a previous post, will help a great deal in restoring your health.

Many people with Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis don’t realize that it takes years for an autoimmune condition to develop.  As a result, for those that can be helped through natural treatment methods, it almost always will take a decent amount of time to restore their health back to normal.   I’m not suggesting that it will take years for someone to recover.  But for those that think they can take a few supplements and/or herbs and restore their health in a few days or weeks, this is unrealistic.

The good news is that it usually doesn’t take too long to begin experiencing the benefits of a natural treatment protocol.  Of course it can be difficult to tell for those people who choose to take prescription drugs and begin a natural treatment protocol at the same time, as it could be challenging knowing if it’s the drugs that are managing the symptoms, or the natural treatment protocol.  These people do need to be careful when they begin weaning themselves off of the medication, which is why it’s always a good idea to consult back with your endocrinologist or general practitioner before doing this.

In my case I decided not to take any prescription drugs, so when my symptoms began to diminish, I knew for sure it was due to the natural treatment protocol I was following.  And in my case, it only took a few weeks before I began noticing the symptoms diminishing, and a few months until they were completely gone.  As you know, everyone is different, so some people will experience symptomatic relief quicker than others, while for some it will take longer.  But in most cases it usually doesn’t take too long before realizing that the natural treatment methods are working.

As for why it takes a long time for an autoimmune thyroid disorder to develop, the reason is because it takes years of stressing out the body before it begins to break down.  So even though the adrenal glands weren’t designed to handle chronic stress situations, the body is usually able to handle these types of situations for months, and sometimes even years before it reaches its “breaking point”.  And it’s common for people to deal with chronic stress on a daily basis for a prolonged period of time, which is one of the reasons why there are so many autoimmune disorders.

This doesn’t mean that there aren’t other causes of autoimmune disorders besides chronic stress, but regardless of the cause, it still takes time for a condition such as Graves’ Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis to develop.  And it can take even longer before one becomes symptomatic.  In fact, in most cases the symptoms are the last thing to develop.  So when you first began experiencing your symptoms, the condition had been developing for months, and most likely years.

And even though the symptoms usually are under control pretty quickly when under a natural treatment protocol, not having symptoms doesn’t mean that your condition is cured.  And to be honest, even when the blood and/or saliva tests come out negative, this also doesn’t necessarily mean that you are completely cured.  As I mentioned in a previous post when I spoke about the differences between remission and a cure, with any autoimmune condition you need to do a good job of maintaining your health, or there is always the chance of having a relapse.

The reason I decided to write this is because for those people with Graves’ Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis who decide to give natural treatment methods a try, I want them to understand why it will take time to completely restore their health to normal.  This once again assumes that you are a good candidate for a natural treatment protocol, although as I’ve mentioned in other posts, most people with these conditions can benefit from natural treatment methods.  So when beginning such a protocol, please be patient, and realize that it took time for your condition to develop, and as a result it will take time for you to fully recover.

It is no secret that most people are iodine deficient.  And as you probably know, iodine is extremely important for the function of the thyroid gland, as it is essential for the formation of thyroid hormone.  Many people assume that people with hyperthyroidism have an excess of iodine, while those with a hypothyroid condition have low levels of iodine.  The truth is, one can’t make this assumption, as there are many people with hyperthyroidism that are deficient in iodine.  Similarly, some people with hypothyroidism have adequate levels of iodine.

Rather than advise someone to take or avoid iodine, the best way to see if someone is iodine deficient is through testing.  Here are a couple of tests that can tell whether someone is iodine deficient:

1. Iodine loading urine test. This test involves ingesting 50mg of iodine, and then testing the urine to see how much iodine is excreted during a 24-hour period.  If someone has an iodine deficiency, then they should retain a significant amount of the iodine that was ingested.

2. Iodine patch test. This is something you can do on your own, as you can buy a 3% tincture of iodine from your local pharmacy (the orange colored solution), and then paint a 2 x 2 square of the iodine on the inner side of your forearm.  According to the test, if the iodine begins to fade or disappears completely within 24 hours, you are iodine deficient.  There is some controversy over the accuracy of this test.

While I don’t think the iodine patch test is the best test for diagnosing an iodine deficiency, I think it can be used as a follow up test.  For example, you might want to begin by doing both an iodine loading urine test and an iodine patch test.  Assuming both tests come out positive and show an iodine deficiency, you can begin an iodine loading protocol (read below if you have Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis) and  use the iodine patch test on a monthly basis to see the progress.  You of course can also choose to do another urine test after three months as well.

I personally was on an iodine loading protocol when I was diagnosed with Graves’ Disease.  So I’m proof that just because you have a hyperthyroid condition does not mean you have a sufficient or excess amount of iodine.  The key to a successful iodine loading protocol is to begin slowly, as I took a product called Prolamine Iodine from Standard Process, which is a 3mg iodine tablet.  I began taking one tablet each day for week, and then increased the dosage by one tablet every week.  How high of a dosage you end up taking depends on how deficient you are, and for most people it is safe to work up to 50mg of iodine per day.  This doesn’t mean everyone needs to get up to this high of a dosage, as this of course depends on your level of iodine deficiency.  As usual, I would not recommend that you begin an iodine loading protocol on your own, but instead consult with a natural endocrine doctor first.

If you have Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, you should not begin an iodine loading protocol until you have addressed the immune system component first.  Some natural doctors advise people with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis to completely avoid iodine.  They are partially correct on this, as if you put someone with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis on an iodine loading protocol without first addressing the autoimmune response, they will not respond well.  However, many people with Hashimoto’s are iodine deficient.  And after strengthening their immune system and eliminating the oxidative response that is going on, most will do well on an iodine loading protocol, assuming they begin slowly.

If you have any questions about iodine and your autoimmune thyroid disorder, and/or would like to see some research that expands on what I have discussed here, I highly recommend that you read the book “Iodine, Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It”.  The Author is David Brownstein.