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.