One of the most common questions I have received in 2020 is whether or not those with autoimmune thyroid conditions are more susceptible to getting Covid-19. It’s a good question, as both Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s are immune system conditions, and viruses are more likely to impact those people with a compromised immune system.  Up until this point my response to this question has been that I don’t think having an autoimmune condition itself is the biggest factor, but of greater concern is that many people with thyroid autoimmunity have other things “dragging down” their immune system, which might make them more susceptible to getting Covid-19 (as well as other viruses).

But now that Covid-19 has been around for awhile there have been a few studies evaluating its effects on thyroid health, and whether people with thyroid autoimmunity are more susceptible to contract this virus.  In June of this year a study came out in the United Kingdom showing that there was no data available at that time suggesting that patients with an autoimmune thyroid condition remain at higher risk of getting Covid-19 (1). The study also mentioned that in patients severely affected by Covid-19, changes in thyroid function might be a result of a “sick euthyroid” syndrome, although the authors did mention that there might be specific thyroid-related damage which requires further investigation.

However, in July a journal article was released entitled “Thyroid disease is associated with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection” (2).  The article looked to explore the relationship between thyroid conditions and severe cases of Covid-19. Based on the data the authors concluded that thyroid disease seems to be associated with an increased risk of severe Covid-19 infection, and they gave the following three reasons why this may be the case:

1. Thyroid hormones are important in the regulation of the innate immune response. Therefore, an excess or deficiency of thyroid hormones levels observed in thyroid disease will lead to dysregulation of the innate immune response.

2. Increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-6 was observed in patients with thyroid disease. Increased levels of these cytokines were also observed in patients with severe Covid-19 and correlates to the development of severe outcomes.

3. Some thyroid patients, especially those with subacute thyroiditis, were taking corticosteroids. Meta-analysis showed that corticosteroid treatment in Covid-19 patients was associated with higher mortality, longer length of hospital stay, and higher rate of bacterial infections. This isn’t surprising since corticosteroids suppress the immune system.

Most of the people I work with aren’t taking corticosteroids, and I think it’s safe to say that “point #3” doesn’t apply to most people with Graves’ disease or Hashimoto’s, although I should mention that some people with moderate to severe thyroid eye disease will take corticosteroids such as Prednisone, thus making them more susceptible to getting Covid-19 (or another viral infection).  The first and second points mentioned above do apply to most of the people I work with.  But as I mentioned earlier, there are other factors that can be having a negative effect on one’s immune system that can make them more susceptible to viruses such as Covid-19, including having weak adrenals, an unhealthy gut (most of the immune cells are located in the gut), an increased toxic load, certain nutrient deficiencies, exposure to toxic mold, etc.

Can Covid-19 Cause Subacute Thyroiditis?

Subacute thyroiditis is an inflammatory condition of the thyroid gland which causes damage to the thyroid follicles, and as a result, large amounts of thyroid hormones are released into the circulation, resulting in overt hyperthyroidism.  However, unlike Graves’ disease, this state usually self resolves after a few months, although many will first experience a transient period of hypothyroidism.  To learn more about this condition you might want to check out my blog post entitled “Graves’ Disease vs. Subacute Thyroiditis: What’s The Difference?“.

A case study in July showed that an 18-year-old woman developed subacute thyroiditis after getting infected with Covid-19 (3). Another study revealed that a substantial proportion of patients with Covid-19, requiring high intensity of care, present with thyrotoxicosis and low serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations, possibly as a consequence of subacute thyroiditis induced by SARS-CoV-2 (4).  In other words, SARS-Cov-2 can directly infect the thyroid gland, leading to subacute thyroiditis.

Black Cumin and Covid-19

While on the subject of Covid-19, I would like to mention that there are a few studies which show that Nigella Sativa (black cumin) might benefit those with Covid-19.  Black cumin has numerous health benefits, as it has demonstrated antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, bronchodilatory, and antihistaminic properties (5).  It also shows anti-hypertensive, anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-ulcer, and antineoplastic activities, which can help with comorbidities commonly found in Covid-19 patients (5).  In addition, the active constituents of N. sativa such as nigellidine and α-hederin have been identified as potential inhibitors of SARS CoV-2, and thymoquinone (the chief bioactive constituent of black cumin) suppresses mRNA expression which downregulate interferon genes and other inflammatory responses (5) (6).

Even though I have written a blog post on black cumin, in the past this is something I’ve mainly given as part of a protocol to those with H. pylori.  And while I’m not suggesting for everyone to take black cumin specifically to reduce their chances of getting Covid-19, keep in mind that it can potentially help to minimize the impact other viruses have on your health as well, and as I listed above, it has numerous other health benefits. So at the very least it might be something to have on hand.  There is one more thing I would like to mention, as the blog post I wrote related to black cumin focused on hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s, but it’s also fine for most people with hyperthyroidism and Graves’ disease to take black cumin.

In summary, according to the research people with Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis seem to be more susceptible to getting Covid-19. However, as I mentioned earlier, the reason for this might be related to other imbalances commonly found in people with these conditions that can further compromise the immune system.  Either way the goal should be to do everything you can to improve the health of your immune system, and black cumin might also be something to consider adding to your supplement arsenal when combating viruses.  You also might want to check a blog post I released earlier this year entitled “5 Ways To Improve Your Immune Health Without Taking Supplements”.

I’ve written separate articles on thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibodies and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies, but I haven’t put together a post on thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins…until now!  These antibodies are associated with Graves’ disease, and it’s unfortunate that some endocrinologists don’t test their hyperthyroid patients for these antibodies, but instead will test the TPO and/or anti-thyroglobulin antibodies.  While it’s common for people to have two or three different thyroid antibodies, everyone with hyperthyroidism should get the thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins tested.

So what are thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins (TSI), and how do they differ from other types of thyroid antibodies?  TSI are a type of thyrotropin (TSH) receptor antibody (TRAB). There are actually two types of TSH receptor antibodies. In addition to thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins, there are also thyroid binding inhibitory immunoglobulins (TBII), which is a type of thyrotropin receptor blocking antibody.  These antibodies bind to the TSH receptor and inhibit the binding of TSH, thus blocking the synthesis and secretion of thyroid hormones.  These aren’t commonly tested, and one reason is because not all labs offer this.

What Do Elevated TSI Levels Indicate?

Elevated TSI levels are associated with Graves’ disease.  What happens is that the TSI bind to the TSH receptors, which results in the excessive production of thyroid hormone.  This is why most people with Graves’ disease have hyperthyroidism, although some people have subclinical Graves’ disease, which is when the TSI are elevated, the TSH is depressed, but the thyroid hormone levels are within the lab reference range.

What Causes Elevated Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulins?

As I have mentioned, elevated TSI levels are associated with Graves’ disease, which is an autoimmune condition.  In the past I’ve discussed the triad of autoimmunity, and according to this, in order for autoimmunity to develop the following three factors need to be present: 1) genetic predisposition, 2) exposure to an environmental trigger, 3) a leaky gut.  So just as is the case with any autoimmune condition, someone with elevated TSI levels has a genetic predisposition for Graves’ disease, but having the genetics alone doesn’t mean they will develop thyroid autoimmunity, as they will need to be exposed to an environmental trigger and have a leaky gut.

What Is The Lab Reference Range?

Unfortunately different labs will use different units of measurements, and you can’t compare them with one another.  For example, the Labcorp reference range is 0.00-0.55 IU/L, whereas the reference range for Quest Diagnostics is <140%.  As for the thyrotropin (TSH) receptor antibody test, Labcorp has a reference range of 0.0−1.75 IU/L, while Quest Diagnostics has a range of ≤2.00 IU/L.  If at all possible I recommend getting the thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins tested, although it of course is fine to get both the TSI and TRAB tested.

Some reading this might wonder what the “optimal” reference range is for these markers, and whether the goal should be to have a level of zero.  While you want the levels to be well below the lab reference range, I wouldn’t say that they have to be zero in order for someone to be in a state of remission.  As for the optimal reference range, I like to see the TSI less than 80% or less than 0.30 IU/L, although this is just what I look for, as I haven’t seen any other practitioners list optimal reference ranges.  It’s also important to mention that some labs don’t reveal a numerical value below the reference range.  For example, if the TSI is below the reference range it might show up on the report as <0.55 IU/L or <120%.

The Relationship Between Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulins and Thyroid Eye Disease

Because a higher TSI level usually indicates a more vigorous immune system response, typically the higher the TSI, the more likely someone is to have thyroid eye disease.  For example, if someone has a TSI greater than 300% they are more likely to have thyroid eye disease symptoms when compared to someone with a TSI less than 300%.  Of course there are always exceptions, as I’ve had patients with very high TSI levels who didn’t experience any signs or symptoms of thyroid eye disease.

How Can You Decrease Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulins?

As for how to decrease and normalize thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins, the approach is similar to lowering other autoantibodies:

1. Find and remove your triggers. I mentioned the triad of autoimmunity earlier, and exposure to an environmental trigger is one of the factors that causes the development of an autoimmune condition.  As a result, it makes sense that in order to reverse the autoimmune component and lower thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins you will need to find and remove any immune system triggers.

2. Heal the gut. Another component of the triad of autoimmunity is a leaky gut, and so you of course need to heal the gut.  Check out the blog post I wrote on the “5R protocol” for more information on how to heal your gut.  But I’ll say here that you usually need to do more than take probiotics and gut healing agents, as these won’t be effective if you don’t address the factor that is compromising the gut.  For example, if someone has a gut infection that is causing a leaky gut, this needs to be addressed. Similarly, if someone is eating gluten and this is causing a leaky gut, you can’t fix this problem by taking digestive enzymes, probiotics, and drinking bone broth.  In this situation you would need to eradicate the gut infection.

3. Correct other imbalances.  Other imbalances can also be a contributing factor.  For example, having certain nutrient deficiencies can make someone more susceptible to developing an autoimmune condition, such as selenium.  In fact, the research shows that selenium can potentially lower both TSH receptor antibodies and TPO antibodies (1), although you still need to remove the trigger and heal the gut.

4. Break the chronic inflammatory cycle.  While removing the triggers and healing the gut will usually resolve the inflammation, this isn’t always the case.  Sometimes additional measures need to be taken in order to break this cycle, such as taking high doses of natural anti-inflammatory agents (vitamin D, EPA and DHA, curcumin, resveratrol).  Low dose naltrexone might also help to break the chronic inflammatory cycle, and thus is something to consider, although I would first try the natural anti-inflammatory agents.

Do You Have Elevated Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulins?

If you have elevated TSI levels, I’d love to hear if you have done anything to try to lower them.  Perhaps you took a natural treatment approach, natural anti-inflammatory agents, low dose naltrexone, or did something else to modulate your immune system.  Either way, please feel free to share your experience in the comments section below.

I think it’s safe to say that many people reading this hope to achieve a state of remission…and remain in remission! Many of you know that I was diagnosed with Graves’ disease, and I’ve been in remission since 2009. It wasn’t easy getting into remission, and I face the same challenge with helping my patients restore their health, but of course it beats the alternative. While achieving a state of remission isn’t easy, it can also be challenging to maintain a state of wellness. I’ll discuss both of these in this blog post.

When Is Someone Considered To Be In Remission?

In the past I’ve discussed the difference between remission and cure, and at least with regards to Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, I’m not a big fan of using the word “cure”.  And the reason for this is because genetics do play a role in the development of thyroid autoimmunity, and might even play a role in some non-autoimmune thyroid conditions. So while I would love to say that “my Graves’ disease condition has been cured”, because there is a genetic component there is always a chance that a relapse can occur.

As for when someone is considered to be in remission, here is how I knew I achieved remission when I was dealing with Graves’ disease:

1. My thyroid panel (TSH, free T3, free T4) was optimal without taking anything that influences these markers. In my situation I took the herb bugleweed, but many people with hyperthyroidism take antithyroid medication, and you can’t be in a state of remission if you’re still taking either one to maintain optimal levels. With hypothyroidism/Hashimoto’s it’s a little bit different, and I’ll further elaborate on this shortly.
2. My thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins were negative (I have always tested negative for thyroid peroxidase and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies
3. The above markers remained normal a few months after testing multiple times. In other words, you can’t rely on a single negative reading.
4. Other triggers/imbalances were corrected, such as my adrenals and depressed secretory IgA levels
5. Hyperthyroid symptoms were completely gone

So if you have Graves’ disease or Hashimoto’s, or the antibodies for both of these conditions, then in order to be in a “true” state of remission you need to at the very least have 1) a normal thyroid panel, 2) normal thyroid antibodies, 3) normal markers upon retesting. The reason why I say a “true” state of remission is because most medical doctors consider someone with thyroid autoimmunity to be in remission if their thyroid panel looks good and they are off of any thyroid medications.  As I mentioned earlier, the scenario is a little different with hypothyroidism/Hashimoto’s, and so to make it easier to understand I’d like to separately take a look at Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s:

Achieving Remission in Graves’ Disease

When is someone with Graves’ disease considered to be in remission?  I briefly discussed how I knew that I was in remission, and so I have already answered the question, but I’ll summarize it below:

1. Optimal thyroid panel (TSH, free T3, free T4)
2. Not taking any antithyroid agents (i.e. methimazole, PTU, carbimazole, bugleweed, etc.)
3. Negative thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins which aren’t a result of taking an immune-modulating agent such as low dose naltrexone (LDN). I discussed LDN in greater detail in a previous blog post entitled “5 Things To Know About LDN and Thyroid Autoimmunity”.
4. The above markers remain normal a few months after testing multiple times. In other words, you can’t rely on a single reading.
5. Other triggers/major imbalances have been corrected.
6. Hyperthyroid symptoms are completely gone

Achieving Remission in Hashimoto’s

With Hashimoto’s it’s a different situation, as while some people are able to avoid taking thyroid hormone replacement or are able to wean off of it, sometimes the damage to the thyroid gland is severe enough where the person needs to take thyroid hormone on a long term basis. So while it’s great when someone is able to reduce the dosage of their thyroid hormone medication and eventually wean off of it completely, not being able to do this doesn’t mean that the person hasn’t achieved remission.

I know this might be confusing to some people, as with Graves’ disease I mentioned how the person needs to be off of antithyroid medication and/or antithyroid herbs before concluding that they’re in remission. So what’s the difference between remission in Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s? First of all, in Graves’ disease antithyroid agents such as methimazole, PTU, and bugleweed are of course taken to lower thyroid hormone levels, but nobody has a “methimazole deficiency”, or a “bugleweed deficiency”. On the other hand, it is very possible to have a thyroid hormone deficiency, and if this is the case AND the damage to the thyroid gland can’t be reversed then the person will probably need to take thyroid hormone replacement.

So if someone has Hashimoto’s and the autoimmune response has normalized, they still might not have an optimal thyroid panel unless if they take thyroid hormone replacement.

To summarize, in order for someone with Hashimoto’s to be in remission the following need to occur:

1. Optimal thyroid panel (TSH, free T3, free T4) with or without thyroid hormone replacement
2. Negative thyroid peroxidase and/or anti-thyroglobulin antibodies, which aren’t a result of taking an immune-modulating agent such as low dose naltrexone (LDN).
3. The above markers remain normal for at least a few months after retesting multiple times. In other words, you can’t rely on a single negative reading.
4. Other triggers/imbalances have been corrected
5. Hypothyroid symptoms are under control

So with thyroid autoimmunity, while there are a few different things I look at before I consider whether someone is in remission, the number one thing that needs to be normal is the thyroid antibodies. With Graves’ disease, if the thyroid antibodies are negative it’s usually just a matter of time before the thyroid panel normalizes, and thus the person won’t need to take antithyroid agents. On the other hand, if the thyroid antibodies are normal with Hashimoto’s, the person still might need to take thyroid hormone replacement, depending on how much damage to the thyroid gland has taken place.

Achieving Remission in Non-Autoimmune Thyroid Conditions

With non-autoimmune thyroid conditions there of course are no thyroid antibodies, and so the primary goal is to normalize the thyroid hormone levels, while addressing the underlying imbalances responsible for the thyroid condition.  For example, if someone has toxic multinodular goiter, then the goal should be to correct the underlying imbalances responsible for the goiter and nodules, normalize the thyroid panel, etc.  Having problems with estrogen metabolism and/or insulin resistance can lead to multinodular goiter, and so if either of these problems were the cause then they would need to be addressed in order to improve the person’s thyroid health.

Does Every Imbalance Need To Be Corrected In Order To Achieve Remission?

When I was dealing with Graves’ disease I ordered an adrenal saliva test, and I had depressed cortisol levels, a depressed DHEA, a depressed 17-OH progesterone, and a depressed secretory IgA.  I worked on improving my adrenal health and retested the adrenal saliva panel, and eventually all of these markers normalized.  But you need to keep in mind that not every out of range marker necessarily relates to your thyroid or autoimmune thyroid condition.

For example, let’s say someone with Graves’ disease or Hashimoto’s gets a comprehensive stool panel, and it reveals parasites, along with some opportunistic bacteria.  While it would be great to see a perfectly normal test (if one chooses to retest), it’s not uncommon for people to have elevated opportunistic bacteria, but if this were the only positive finding then it wouldn’t mean that the person with Graves’ disease or Hashimoto’s isn’t considered to be in remission.  In other words, in this situation the opportunistic bacteria wouldn’t need to be normal in order to conclude that the person is in remission.

Another example involves Epstein-Barr.  Most people will test positive for Epstein-Barr, and while testing positive for the Epstein-Barr virus viral-capsid antigen (EBV VCA) IgM antibodies indicates that Epstein-Barr is active, having very high values of the IgG antibodies associated with Epstein-Barr (there are three of these) can also mean that Epstein-Barr is causing trouble.  If someone has very high EBV IgG levels but everything else looks great and they’re symptom-free, does this mean that they’re not in remission? If the person was feeling great, the thyroid panel and thyroid antibodies were well within range, and certain other imbalances were corrected then I would say that the person is in remission, although perhaps they still need to work on improving their immune system so that Epstein-Barr (or other infections) won’t cause problems in the future.

How I Have Maintained a State of Wellness Since 2009

Every now and then someone will ask me how I have maintained a state of wellness since achieving remission in 2009.  While I’m sure a certain amount of luck has played a role, without question I’ve also done a lot of things to maintain my health, including the following:

• Eating well most of the time. I definitely haven’t been perfect with the diet since 2009, and while I eat well most of the time, I do occasionally indulge in “bad” foods such as pizza, ice cream, cookies, etc. I’m hoping this will serve as encouragement for those who think they might need to be super-strict on a permanent basis, as this usually isn’t the case. Once again, I do eat well most of the time, usually following a modified-Paleo diet.
• Blocking out time for stress management daily. Stress was a huge factor in the development of my Graves’ disease condition, although I was in denial when I was diagnosed with Graves’ disease, as I greatly overestimated my stress-handling skills.  But once I saw the state of my adrenals I started incorporating stress management on a daily basis, and I recommend for all of my patients to do the same.
• Getting sufficient sleep. I’ve always been an “early bird”, and so staying up super late wasn’t something I ever did on a regular basis.
• Being aggressive with detoxification. This is something that separates me from a lot of people, as I’m always working on reducing my toxic load.  I try to do as much as I can through diet (i.e. cruciferous vegetables, dandelion leaves, cilantro), I go in my infrared sauna at least twice per week for 25-30 minutes, and I usually follow a detoxification program on a quarterly basis. I realize that many people don’t have access to a sauna, but you can accomplish a lot through diet and supplementation, and of course you also want to do as much as you can to avoid chemicals.  So avoid drinking out of plastic water bottles, use natural cleaners and cosmetics, eat organic whenever possible, and do other things to minimize your exposure to environmental toxins.

How Can YOU Achieve Remission?

I’m sure some people are wondering how they specifically can get into remission.  It comes down to finding and removing triggers, correcting other underlying imbalances, and healing the gut.  I’ve written hundreds of articles and blog posts on this website that can help you with this, and I also have two books, one on hyperthyroidism and Graves’ disease, and another on Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.  In addition, if you haven’t yet joined my “Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Natural Solutions Support Group” you can do so by clicking here.

 

Last week I conducted a free 5-Day Accelerated Thyroid Healing Challenge.  It was very successful, as over 1,400 people registered, and over 1,200 people joined my new Facebook group.  Each day I released a new lesson, and probably the most popular lesson was where I discussed some of the “thyroid healing roadblocks” that prevent people from restoring their health.  I figured I’d turn this into a blog post for those who didn’t attend the free challenge, or even for those who attended but might need some reinforcement.

So here are 7 “Thyroid Healing Roadblocks” that you’ll want to be aware of:

Thyroid Healing Roadblock #1: Not being strict enough with the diet.  Although eating well alone many times isn’t sufficient to restore one’s health, certain food allergens can trigger Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s.  Some of the common culprits include gluten, dairy, and corn. And even when gluten isn’t a trigger it’s important to eat an anti-inflammatory diet. As a result, you want to focus on eating whole, healthy foods.  I commonly recommend an autoimmune Paleo (AIP) diet for my patients with Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s, but keep in mind that this is just a starting point, and that there is no perfect diet that fits everyone perfectly.

Thyroid Healing Roadblock #2: Not Doing a Good Job of Managing Stress.  Even before 2020 chronic stress was a big factor with many people, but of course this year has been very stressful for just about everyone.  While our body was designed to handle acute stress situations, chronic stress causes dysregulation of the immune system and the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis, and it leads to an increase in proinflammatory cytokines.  In other words, chronic stress is inflammatory to the body, and while many people aren’t able to reduce stress levels, most people can do things to improve their stress handling skills.

I’ve written numerous articles and blog posts on stress management, and while most people should consider incorporating yoga, meditation, or a different type of mind body medicine, you might want to check out my recent blog post that focuses on the vagus nerve.  A healthy vagus nerve is important for a healthy parasympathetic nervous system, which is known as our “rest and digest” system.  And in the blog post I discuss a few vagus nerve exercises you can do on your own.

Thyroid Healing Roadblock #3: Not Getting Enough Sleep.  Getting sufficient sleep on a regular basis is essential to achieve a state of optimal health.  As for how much sleep you should get, I would aim for at least seven hours per night, and eight would be even better. And this doesn’t mean 7-8 hours in bed, as if it normally takes you 30 minutes to fall asleep and you’re in bed from 11pm to 6am then you’re only getting 6 1/2 hours of sleep. Of course some people struggle to get 7-8 hours of quality sleep, not because they are intentionally staying up late, but because they have difficulties falling and/or staying asleep.

Two common causes of sleep issues include adrenal imbalances (especially high cortisol) and blood sugar issues, although there can be numerous other causes as well.  And while taking nutritional supplements and herbs on a temporary basis is okay, ideally you want to address the cause of the sleep issue.  Sometimes this can be easier said than done, but for anyone with a thyroid or autoimmune thyroid condition who is looking to restore their health, getting good quality sleep on a regular basis is essential.

Thyroid Healing Roadblock #4: Haven’t FOUND All Of Your Triggers.  What testing have you done to find your triggers?  If you haven’t done anything other than blood testing then you might need to do more detective work.  And if you have done testing and it did help you find a potential trigger or two, since multiple triggers are common you might need additional testing.  Some examples of different tests you can do (other than blood tests) include an adrenal saliva test, dried urine testing, hair mineral analysis, comprehensive stool panel, and organic acids testing, just to name a few.  Check out my website www.UnderstandYourTests.com, as I have put together video tutorials to help people better understand their test results, and it might also help you to decide what testing you should do.

Thyroid Healing Roadblock #5: Haven’t REMOVED All Of Your Triggers.  You might think that you have removed all detected triggers because you followed a certain protocol, but sometimes it can be challenging to remove certain triggers.  For example, you might have tested positive for a gut infection (i.e. a parasite) and follow an antimicrobial protocol for a couple of months.  Perhaps the symptoms have greatly improved, and so you assume the parasite has been eradicated, but this might not be the case.  Retesting is of course yet another expense, but sometimes it is necessary to confirm that your triggers have been removed.

Other times you just need to be more strict with your diet and lifestyle.  For example, you might be attempting to go gluten free, but there is cross contamination at times.  For some people this might not be too big of a deal, but for others it can be a huge factor that prevents them from restoring their health.

Thyroid Healing Roadblock #6: Gut Hasn’t Been Healed.  According to Hippocrates, “All disease begins in the gut”. Without question having a healthy gut is important for optimal health, and for those with Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s, a leaky gut is a component of the triad of autoimmunity.  Since most of the immune cells are located in the gastrointestinal tract it makes sense that you need a healthy gut to have a healthy immune system.  While many people focus on doing things to support gut healing (i.e. taking probiotics, drinking bone broth, taking L-glutamine, etc.), just remember that you need to remove the factor that caused the leaky gut.  It’s also important to understand that the lack of symptoms doesn’t rule out gut problems.

Thyroid Healing Roadblock #7: Overlooked Roadblocks.  Some of the commonly overlooked roadblocks include electronic pollution, stealth infections, and toxic mold. These can be very difficult to detect, and many of you know about my experience with chronic Lyme disease in 2018.  While this occurred 9 years after getting into remission from my Graves’ disease condition, many people who currently have a thyroid or autoimmune thyroid condition have a stealth infection, and they don’t always cause obvious symptoms.

What Thyroid Healing Roadblocks Do YOU Need To Overcome?

I hope you enjoyed this blog post, and I’d love for you to share any thyroid healing roadblocks that you feel might be preventing you from restoring your thyroid/immune health.  Please feel free to share this in the comments below!  If you have actually overcome one or more of these roadblocks I’d also like to know!

If you’re feeling stuck with your thyroid or autoimmune thyroid condition, then you might be interested in joining our Free 5-Day Accelerated Thyroid Healing Challenge!

During this 5-day challenge you will…

• Learn how to overcome both common and overlooked “roadblocks” that are preventing your thyroid/immune system from healing
• ​Discover how to reduce your “toxic thyroid”
• ​Find out why removing the trigger doesn’t always break the chronic inflammatory cycle associated with Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s, and what you can do to stop this cycle
• ​Create your thyroid/immune healing action plan

The Free 5-day challenge will include the following…

Component #1: Daily Accelerated Thyroid Healing Video Lesson

During this daily 10-20 minute recorded lesson I will focus on a different topic that is essential to speed up the healing of your thyroid gland/immune system. There will be one pre-recorded lesson every day for 5 consecutive days, which means that you can access it at your convenience.

Component #2: Daily Accelerated Thyroid Healing Assignment

I want people to take action, which is the whole point of any challenge.  And so each day there will be a daily assignment designed to help speed up your thyroid/immune system healing.

Component #3: Access to a private members-only group

We want you to build relationships with one another and enjoy this challenge together. Although you can still watch the daily video lessons and attend the two Q & A sessions without joining the Facebook group, if you want to connect with others and be eligible for the prizes (discussed below) then you’ll want to join the Facebook group. I plan on having my nutritional health coaches moderate the groups, although I’ll also pop in every now and then.

Component #4: Two 90 minute live Q & A sessions

There will be two separate live Q & A sessions.  These will be 90 minutes each, and I’m having two in order to accommodate those in different time zones.

Component #5: Prizes for Participation!!!

For my April thyroid/immune challenge I didn’t offer any prizes, but then I noticed that other people who hosted challenges were giving away prizes, and so I decided to test it out for my June challenge…and it was a big hit!  There will be a daily prize for those who answer the daily question, and then at the end of the 5 days there will be a grand prize!!!

You Get All of This For FREE!!!

For more information on the Free 5-day Accelerated Thyroid Healing challenge check out the link below:

www.RapidThyroidHealing.com