Many reading this are familiar with Dr. Izabella Wentz, as she is the author of the bestselling book “Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause”, and she also hosted the Thyroid Secret Documentary, which I was grateful to be a part of.  Dr. Wentz sent me an advanced copy of her new book “Hashimoto’s Protocol”, which I recently finished reading.  And so I decided to dedicate a blog post to review her book.

Note: For those who aren’t interested in reading this entire review, I do want to let you know upfront that Dr. Wentz is offering a free autoimmune paleo diet 2-week recipe plan, which you can get by clicking here.

First of all, I’d like to start off by saying that this is a lengthy book with plenty of great information!  The book consists of almost 400 pages, and while this includes sections you are unlikely to read (i.e. bibliography), even if we omit the bibliography, the acknowledgements, etc., you’re still left with approximately 350 pages of excellent content.  And so this is not a book that most people will knock out it a day or two.  She also offers an audio version of the book on Audible, which I probably would have purchased had I not been sent a free copy of the book.  While I love reading books, I must admit that I’m an Audible fanatic!

When I first learned about the title of the book, one of the first concerns I had was that this book was just going to focus on diet and supplements.  And don’t get me wrong, as she does talk a lot about diet, and there definitely are a lot of different nutritional supplements she talks about as well.  But this isn’t just a book on diet and supplements, as she talks about other lifestyle factors, some of the different methods of testing, and she even dedicates a chapter on how to optimize thyroid hormone levels.

This Book Actually Discusses Multiple Protocols

Another concern I had when I first learned about the title of the book is whether Dr. Izabella would just focus on a single protocol for Hashimoto’s.  After all, the title of the book is “Hashimoto’s Protocol”, which suggests that it discusses a single protocol.  Of course I should have known better, and if I counted correctly she actually discusses nine different protocols.  This might sound overwhelming, but keep in mind that not everyone with Hashimoto’s needs to follow all of these different protocols, and I’ll talk more about this shortly.

Dr. Izabella’s book is divided into three parts.  The first part is entitled “Getting To Know Hashimoto’s and the Root Cause Approach”.  In this section she starts off by talking about her Hashimoto’s success story, and then discusses the symptoms, diagnosis, and origins of Hashimoto’s.  The last chapter of this section then discusses how the root cause approach can help you to recover your health.

The second section of the book discusses the “Fundamental Protocols”.  This consists of three protocols that include the following:

1. The Liver Support Protocol.  This is a two-week protocol that focuses on reducing your exposure to toxic substances while simultaneously supporting the liver.  The goal is to 1) remove foods which can be potential triggers, 2) add supportive foods, 3) reduce toxic exposure, and 4) support detoxification pathways.

2. The Adrenal Recovery Protocol.  Dr. Izabella talks about a five-step adrenal recovery protocol, which according to her takes approximately 4 weeks to follow.

3. The Gut Balancing Protocol.  This is a six-week protocol, although Dr. Izabella does mention that you should reevaluate your gut function after this time, and so there is a chance it can take longer than this.

Dr. Izabella recommends for everyone to follow the fundamental protocols in order to help improve the health of the liver, adrenals, and gut.  According to Dr. Izabella, following these protocols should take approximately 90 days combined.  One thing I found interesting is that whereas most natural healthcare professionals focus on the health of the gut initially, Dr. Wentz first focuses on improving the health of the liver.  Of course this also involves certain dietary changes, and so essentially people are still doing things to improve the health of their gut through diet while also supporting the liver.

Root Cause Assessments

It’s also important to mention that each of these fundamental protocols comes with a separate assessment.  For example, before following the liver support protocol it is recommended to complete a liver assessment, which will help to establish your current level of toxicity.  The adrenal assessment helps to determine your risk for impaired adrenal function, and there is also an assessment for determining your gut health.

In the last chapter of the second section she talks about “Advanced Root Cause Assessments”.  These are additional assessments that can help you identify your personal triggers and prioritize the next steps of your protocol.  These include the thyroid hormone assessment, nutrition assessment, traumatic stress assessment, infections assessment, and toxins assessment.

Advanced Protocols for Hashimoto’s

The third section of her book talks about numerous advanced protocols.  I’m not going to discuss all of them, but here are two that I found to be pretty interesting:

Thyroid hormone optimizing protocols.  Here Dr. Izabella discusses five unique strategies that will assist with optimizing your thyroid hormone levels.  Not surprisingly one of these involves taking prescription thyroid hormones, but there are four other methods.  One of these includes low level laser therapy.  I was thrilled to see her discuss this, as I wrote a blog post on cold laser therapy and thyroid health in September of 2015, and then when I attended Dr. Izabella’s Thyroid Masterimind meeting one month later I learned even more great information about how this can benefit thyroid health in those with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.  Anyway, Dr. Izabella gives a specific protocol for cold laser therapy in this chapter.

Protocols for Overcoming Traumatic Stress.  Dr. Izabella explains how some people will continue to have adrenal dysfunction despite their best efforts to balance blood sugar and reduce present stressors, and she says that this is likely due to a long-standing history of traumatic stress.  She mentioned that 20% of her readers with Hashimoto’s reported that their symptoms started after the death of a loved one.  And while most people will benefit from certain mind body medicine techniques such as yoga and meditation, she talks about how some will need to go beyond these to resolve issues related to traumatic stress.  She gives a protocol for resetting your stress response, and an advanced adrenal support protocol.

Are Specific Supplements and Recommendations Given?

I’m sure some will wonder if Dr. Izabella gives specific recommendations in her book.  The answer is a resounding “YES”!  Not only does she give specific doses, but she also lists specific supplement companies.  In addition, when Dr. Izabella discusses some of the tests she recommends she also names some specific companies that offer the testing.

Does This Book Take The Place Of Working With A Natural Healthcare Professional?

Another question you might have is if you can reverse your Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis condition just by reading this book alone.  Although most people with Hashimoto’s can greatly improve their health by reading this book, even Dr. Izabella recommends working with a natural healthcare professional.  In fact, she recommends working with a team of experts that includes the following:

• An open-minded and supportive physician
• Functional medicine practitioner
• Compounding pharmacist
• Biological dentist
• Health coach
• Support network (family members, friends, a coach, a therapist, etc.)

The reason why she recommends working with a team of experts is because while there are specific recommendations given in this book, the truth is that everyone is different.  For example, while many people notice a dramatic improvement in their health by following an autoimmune paleo diet, this isn’t the case with everyone.  In fact, some people with autoimmune thyroid conditions feel worse when following this type of diet.  And the same concept applies with nutritional supplements and herbs.  There are a lot of different supplements and herbs listed in this book, but this doesn’t mean that everyone with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis should take all of them.

Plus, while many people can benefit from following the fundamental protocols discussed in the book without doing any testing, in many cases testing will be necessary to detect the underlying cause.  For example, one of the reasons why I recommend adrenal saliva testing is because different people will have different adrenal patterns, and you can’t always rely on symptoms to tell which pattern someone has.  And while one of Dr. Izabella’s advanced protocols focuses on infections, doing certain testing (i.e. blood test, comprehensive stool panel) frequently is necessary in order to detect the presence of a specific pathogen.

Is There Anything About The Book I Didn’t Like?

While I can’t say that there were aspects of the book that I didn’t like, there were a few points I didn’t agree with.  I will say that overall I agree with most of the information in her book, and it’s important to keep in mind that different natural healthcare professionals will have different opinions. But for the most part Dr. Izabella and I take a similar approach with regards to Hashimoto’s patients. I greatly enjoyed reading her book, and I think it is a wonderful resource that everyone with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis should have.

In summary, I thought The Hashimoto’s Protocol was an excellent book, and if you have Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis I would highly recommend that you check this out.  If anyone reading this review has also read Dr. Izabella’s Hashimoto’s Protocol book, please feel free to leave your comments below to let others know what you think.  And just as a reminder, you can get a free Autoimmune Paleo Diet 2-Week Recipe Plan by clicking the link below.

Click Here to Get Your Free Autoimmune Paleo Diet 2-Week Recipe Plan

There is a lot of controversy over vaccinations, and it’s not uncommon for a patient who has a thyroid or autoimmune thyroid condition to ask me what I think about vaccines.  I’m personally not a big fan of vaccines, and this is not a topic that I have written about in the past, other than a blog post I wrote on the flu shot a few years ago.  And it probably isn’t going to be a topic that I write a great deal about in the future.  However, for those who are interested in learning about the risks of vaccinations, I encourage you to register for the upcoming Truth About Vaccines documentary that is taking place from 4/12/17 to 4/18/17.  It’s from the same creators of the Truth About Cancer documentary series, and you can click here to register for this free event.

Will they be talking at all about autoimmune thyroid conditions such as Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?  I’m honestly not sure, but I have done some research in this area, and there aren’t too many studies which have looked into the relationship between vaccines and thyroid autoimmunity.  Apparently cases of Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis following hepatitis B vaccine have been reported to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS), although one study I came across didn’t see an increased risk of Graves’ Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis following receipt of hepatitis B vaccine (1).  But the problem is that there are very few studies involving vaccines and thyroid autoimmunity, and as sad as it is to say, you can’t trust many of the studies out there dismissing vaccines as being harmful, and the reason for this is because many of them involve a conflict of interest.

For example, there has been a lot of controversy over whether vaccines can cause autism.  In June 2014, a meta-analysis of case-control and cohort studies showed that vaccines are not associated with autism, and that the components of vaccines at the time (i.e. thimerosol) or multiple vaccines are not associated with the development of autism (2).  But according to investigative reporter Sharyl Attkisson there was a conflict of interest, as the study was created from a firm that lists major vaccine makers among its clients.  I don’t know if vaccines cause autism, but it’s scary when you look at some of the ingredients included in vaccines.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the following are some of the common substances found in vaccines (3):

• Aluminum
• Antibiotics
• Egg protein
• Formaldehyde
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
• Thimerosal (a mercury-containing preservative)

Keep in mind that the CDC is in favor of vaccines, and they claim that the amount of these chemical additives found in vaccines are very small.  While this may be true, this doesn’t mean that they are safe.  For example, the amount of mercury used in mercury amalgams is very small as well, but there definitely is a correlation between thyroid autoimmunity and mercury (4) (5).  And while the current research doesn’t show a direct correlation between aluminum and autoimmune thyroid conditions, aluminum is a known environmental toxin that can stimulate the immune system, and has been linked to neurotoxicity (6) as well as Alzheimer’s disease (7).  Formaldehyde is also a harmful chemical, and many people reading this are aware of the problems associated with Monosodium glutamate (MSG).

If you are interested in learning more about vaccines, then I highly recommend for you to attend the Truth About Vaccines documentary.  Here are some of the questions that will be answered:

• Do vaccines confer immunity?
• Are there natural options to vaccination?
• What questions should you ask before you vaccinate?
• Were vaccines responsible for the declines in polio, pertussis, smallpox, etc?
• What about the flu shot and the HPV vaccine?
• Why do outbreaks occur in mostly vaccinated populations?
• Why are some states considering implementing forced vaccine legislation?
• What are possible adverse vaccine reactions?
• Are vaccines linked to cancer?
• Can vaccines cause permanent damage?
• What are all of your options?

Click Here to register for The Truth About Vaccines documentary.  Also, please feel free to share your thoughts about vaccines in the comments section below.

 

Most cases of hyperthyroidism are autoimmune in nature.  So when someone finds out that they have hyperthyroidism for the first time, there is a pretty good chance that they will be diagnosed with Graves’ Disease.  However, this isn’t always the case, as some people with hyperthyroidism have multinodular toxic goiter, which frequently doesn’t involve an autoimmune component.  And some people with hyperthyroidism have subacute thyroiditis.  And that will be the focus of this blog post, as I’ll be discussing the differences between Graves’ Disease and subacute thyroiditis.

With regards to the symptoms, both Graves’ Disease and subacute thyroiditis present with similar symptoms.  As a result, one usually can’t use the typical symptoms of hyperthyroidism to differentiate between the two conditions.  Here are some of the symptoms those with Graves’ Disease and subacute thyroiditis commonly experience:

• Elevated resting pulse rate
• Heart palpitations
• Tremors
• Weight loss
• Increased appetite
• Goiter
• More frequent bowel movements
• Sweating
• Hair loss

But are the symptoms of hyperthyroidism as severe in someone who has subacute thyroiditis when compared to someone who has Graves’ Disease?  The symptoms can be severe, as the resting heart rate can get very high, and on a blood test the thyroid hormone levels can be just as high as in someone who has Graves’ Disease.  In fact, over the years I’ve had a few Graves’ Disease patients who presented with what I would consider to be mild hyperthyroidism.  On a few occasions I have even worked with people who have subclinical Graves’ Disease.  In other words, they will have a depressed TSH with elevated thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins, but they will have normal thyroid hormone levels and/or won’t experience the hyperthyroid symptoms I listed above.

Two Main Types of Subacute Thyroiditis

1. Subacute granulomatous thyroiditis.  This is also known as De Quervain’s thyroiditis, and is very painful.  In fact, it is the most common cause of someone having a painful thyroid gland.

2. Subacute lymphocytic thyroiditis.  This typically doesn’t involve any pain, and is often mistaken for Graves’ Disease.

Both of these conditions seem to be caused by a viral infection of the thyroid gland.  This causes inflammation, which in turn damages the thyroid follicles, and this causes thyroid hormone to be released into the bloodstream, which in turn results in the symptoms of hyperthyroidism.  The hyperthyroidism usually lasts anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, and it is usually followed by a period of hypothyroidism that can last six months or longer, and in some cases can be permanent.

Three Ways To Differentiate Graves’ Disease From Subacute Thyroiditis

1. An elevation of TSH receptor antibodies.  Graves’ Disease is an autoimmune thyroid condition that is characterized by elevated TSH receptor antibodies.  Thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins are the most common type of TSH receptor antibody elevated in Graves’ Disease, and if someone with hyperthyroidism has these levels elevated then this confirms that they have Graves’ Disease, and not subacute thyroiditis.

2. The signs and symptoms of thyroid eye disease.  Some people with Graves’ Disease also have thyroid eye disease, which is when the immune system attacks the tissues of the eyes.  This can lead to symptoms such as eye pain, swelling, and/or bulging of the eyes, also known as exophthalmos.  And so if someone with hyperthyroidism has one or more of these signs/symptoms then in all likelihood they have Graves’ Disease.  Keep in mind that most people with thyroid eye disease have very high levels of thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins, and so if you have the signs and symptoms of thyroid eye disease I would definitely make sure to test the TSI levels.

3. An elevated radioactive iodine uptake test.  Many endocrinologists will recommend the radioactive iodine uptake test, which involves swallowing a very small dosage of radioactive iodine.  In most cases of Graves’ Disease the radioactive iodine uptake test will be elevated, while in subacute thyroiditis the uptake test will usually be low.

If someone has elevated thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins then there really is no good reason to do the RAI uptake test.  But how about if someone with hyperthyroidism tests negative for these antibodies, and doesn’t have the symptoms of thyroid eye disease?  Well, in this case one can make a better argument for getting this test, although I must admit that I’m still not a big fan of this test.

Treating Graves’ Disease vs. Subacute Thyroiditis

The conventional medical approach for treating Graves’ Disease usually consists of antithyroid medication, radioactive iodine, or thyroid surgery.  With subacute thyroiditis, since this usually leads to hypothyroidism, most medical doctors will manage the patient’s symptoms through antithyroid medication and/or beta blockers.  While Methimazole is a common choice for managing the hyperthyroid symptoms in Graves’ Disease, with subacute thyroiditis many medical doctors prefer to use beta blockers.  And the reason for this is because the person with subacute thyroiditis is likely to become hypothyroid within a short period of time, and if they are taking Methimazole then this will make them even more hypothyroid.  Of course taking the person off of the Methimazole will decrease the severity of the hypothyroidism, but many medical doctors still choose not to put these patients on antithyroid medication.

As for treating these two conditions naturally, the goal with Graves’ Disease is to detect and remove the autoimmune trigger.  This topic is too detailed to discuss here, but I have written numerous articles which discuss this, and I also regularly conduct webinars that focus on natural treatment methods for Graves’ Disease.  I will say that managing the symptoms is similar in both of these conditions, although as is the case with Graves’ Disease, antithyroid herbs such as bugleweed need to be used cautiously due to the person eventually becoming hypothyroid.  Motherwort might be a better option in those with subacute thyroiditis, although if this doesn’t help to lower an elevated heart rate then bugleweed can be used.  If this is the case then the person wants to make sure to carefully monitor their symptoms, and it probably would be a good idea to do a follow-up blood test within four weeks.

Since subacute thyroiditis is caused by a virus, it still makes sense to do things to improve the health of the immune system.  And the reason for this is because viruses usually can’t be eradicated, which means that a person can have subacute thyroiditis multiple times.  For more information on viruses I would refer to an article I wrote on viruses entitled “Which Viruses Can Trigger Thyroid Autoimmunity?”.

So hopefully you have a better understanding of the difference between Graves’ Disease and subacute thyroiditis.  Both of these conditions present with similar symptoms, including an elevated resting pulse rate, heart palpitations, weight loss, increased appetite, and frequent bowel movements.  Two main types of subacute thyroiditis include subacute granulomatous thyroiditis and subacute lymphocytic thyroiditis.  Three ways to differentiate Graves’ Disease from subacute thyroiditis include 1) an elevation of TSH receptor antibodies, 2) having the signs and symptoms of thyroid eye disease, and 3) having an elevated radioactive iodine uptake test.  With both Graves’ Disease and subacute thyroiditis, improving the health of the immune system is the key.

Although some people enjoy reading longer articles and blog posts, others are interested in learning the most important points.  And so every now and then I will be releasing a “5 things to know” blog post.  With this post I will choose a topic that has interested my email subscribers in the past, and I’ll discuss five things you should know about this specific topic.  This blog post will focus on five things you need to know about Candida overgrowth.

So let’s get started…

1. Many people with Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis have a Candida overgrowth.  It’s very common for people with thyroid and autoimmune thyroid conditions to have an overgrowth of Candida.  And while some healthcare professionals frequently do testing for Candida, others will look for signs and symptoms of a yeast overgrowth and then treat based on these symptoms.  I fall somewhere in between, as while I do like testing to confirm that someone has a Candida overgrowth, doing so can be expensive if you’re paying out of pocket.  And while many people will get tested for Candida antibodies in the blood, it’s possible to have a false negative.  In other words, negative Candida antibodies in the blood don’t rule out a Candida overgrowth.  As a result, some people choose not to test and simply follow an anti-Candida diet, and perhaps take some natural antifungal agents.  Some of the signs and symptoms of a Candida overgrowth include brain fog, sweet cravings, gas and bloating, fatigue, dizziness, skin conditions, bad breath, and a thick white coating of the tongue.  Keep in mind that not everyone who has a Candida overgrowth will experience all of these signs and symptoms I listed.

2. Organic acids testing is a great method of testing for a Candida overgrowth.  Although blood and stool are probably the two most popular methods of testing for Candida by clinicians, I find that organic acids testing is the most accurate.  False negatives seem to be more common with blood and stool testing.  Organic acids testing is a urine test that assesses certain urine metabolites, and while there are a few different companies that offer this test, Great Plains Labs has the advantage of testing for oxalate metabolites.  Oxalates are found in certain foods, but they are also byproducts of yeast and mold.  And so in addition to looking at the yeast and fungal metabolites on an organic acids test such as arabinose, one can also get an idea of the severity of the Candida infection by looking at the level of oxalate metabolites.  And while eating foods high in oxalates such as spinach, nuts, soy, and raspberries can cause an increase in these oxalate metabolites, if someone has very high levels of arabinose and oxalate metabolites then this is usually a good indication of a moderate to severe Candida overgrowth.

3. Avoiding fruit and fermented foods isn’t always necessary when dealing with a Candida overgrowth.  Of course everyone with a Candida overgrowth (and even those without this problem) should avoid refined sugars, and until you have resolved the Candida overgrowth problem it is also a good idea to avoid some natural sugars such as honey and maple syrup. With regards to fruit, I have found that many people who have a mild to moderate case of Candida overgrowth can eat one or two servings of low sugar fruit on a daily basis without a problem.  On the other hand, those with a more severe Candida infection might need to completely avoid fruit.

As for fermented foods, although some sources recommend for those with Candida overgrowth to avoid all fermented foods, in my experience most people with a Candida overgrowth can eat some of these foods.  This is especially true with regards to eating fermented vegetables such as sauerkraut, kimchi, and pickles.  If someone also has small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) then these foods might be problematic, but otherwise they usually don’t cause problems for those dealing with a Candida overgrowth.  On the other hand, the microbial community of kombucha consists of not only bacteria, but strains of yeast as well, including Candida albicans (1).  As a result, it is wise for those with a Candida overgrowth problem to avoid drinking kombucha.

4. Candida can be a factor in thyroid autoimmunity.  As for whether Candida is a direct trigger for autoimmunity, this remains controversial.  In a past article I wrote entitled “Candida and Thyroid Autoimmunity” I discussed how there is evidence that Candida can result in an increase in proinflammatory cytokines, which are increased in autoimmunity.  I also mentioned a few studies that showed evidence of Candida causing an increase in autoantibodies, although there is no evidence I’m aware of which specifically shows a link between Candida and the autoimmune thyroid conditions Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.  An increase in intestinal permeability (a leaky gut) is a factor in autoimmunity, and even if Candida isn’t a direct trigger of autoimmunity, it can be a factor in autoimmunity by increasing intestinal permeability.

5. Rotating antifungal supplements and herbs can be effective for tough cases of Candida.  There are a lot of natural agents that have antifungal activity.  This includes oregano oil, caprylic acid, berberine, garlic, saccharomyces boulardii, golden seal, uva ursi, olive leaf, and black walnut.  And while taking one or more of these agents on a daily basis can help with the eradication of yeast, with tough cases you might need to rotate these.  So for example, one week you can take oregano oil and caprylic acid, and the next week you can take caprylic acid and berberine, the next week berberine and garlic, etc.  It’s also important to know that Candida albicans can form biofilms, and this in turn can make them resistant to antifungal medication and herbs.  As a result, taking biofilm disruptors can be beneficial, which I discussed in a blog post entitled “What Does Biofilm Have To Do With Thyroid Health?”

So hopefully you have a better understanding of Candida after reading this blog post.  Just keep in mind that it can take awhile to address a Candida overgrowth problem.  Also remember that having some Candida is normal, but an overgrowth is likely to occur in individuals who take antibiotics or have a compromised immune system.  As a result, improving the health of the gut flora and overall health of the immune system will play a key role in overcoming Candida overgrowth, as well as preventing it from coming back.

Recently I wrote an article entitled “Comparing The Different Brands of Natural Thyroid Hormone”, and I thought it would be interesting to see the experiences some people have had with natural thyroid hormone medication.  Although it’s true that the goal should be to address the cause of the problem, some people with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis do need to take thyroid hormone medication.  While most endocrinologists recommend synthetic T4, many do better when taking desiccated thyroid hormone medication.  But of course everyone is different, and there are some who don’t do well when taking natural thyroid hormone.

Anyway, if you have taken Armour, Nature-Throid, WP Thyroid, or a different brand of desiccated thyroid hormone, please let me know what your experience was.  If you felt better and would recommend natural thyroid hormone to others please let me know!  And if you didn’t have a good experience with natural thyroid hormone please let me know!  Thank you so much for sharing your experience with everyone.