Every new patient of mine is required to fill out an extensive health history questionnaire.  One of the questions I ask is for them to rate their stress handling skills on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 meaning that they have great stress handling skills.  I also ask them to rate their stress levels.  But of these two questions, to me the person’s stress handling skills is the more important one.  The reason for this is because just about everyone deals with a great amount of stress on a regular basis, but most people don’t do a good job of handling stress.  And as you probably know, stress can lead to numerous health issues.

Let’s take a look at two different scenarios.  Scenario #1 involves a patient with Graves’ Disease who has a stress level of “7”, but their stress handling skills is a “9”.  Scenario #2 involves a patient with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis who has a stress level of “5”, but their stress handling skills is a “2”.  The fact that they have two different conditions doesn’t matter.  What I want to focus on is their stress levels and stress handling skills.

While the patient in scenario #1 has higher stress levels than the patient in scenario #2, she also has significantly greater stress handling skills.  If both of these patients were following a natural treatment protocol and didn’t do anything to further improve their stress handling skills, patient #1 would have a better chance of recovering.  Obviously there are factors other than stress which play a role in one’s recovery, but stress is a huge factor.  So if everything else were equal and the only difference between these two patients was with the different stress handling skills, the patient with the greater stress handling skills would have a better chance of recovering, even if they dealt with more stress on a regular basis.

In fact, if someone has poor stress handling skills and doesn’t do anything to improve this, even if they follow all of my other recommendations, it will be almost impossible for this person to achieve optimal health.  They could eat a perfect diet, take the recommended supplements, get sufficient sleep, minimize their exposure to environmental toxins, etc.  But if they are unable to manage their stress, they will not fully recover.

Chronic Stress Weakens Both The Adrenal Glands And The Immune System

The reason why someone with chronic stress won’t be able to achieve optimal health is because this stress will impact both the adrenal glands and the immune system.  Chronic stress will cause the adrenal glands to secrete cortisol, which over a long period of time will weaken the adrenal glands.  And as I’ve discussed in the past, weak adrenal glands will also affect immunity.  So it really is critical that someone does a good job of managing their stress.

I’m pretty sure that stress was one of the main factors in my development of Graves’ Disease.  I have had some patients ask me what I have done to better deal with the stress.  While there are many different stress management techniques one can use (yoga, meditation, etc.), the truth is that I didn’t use any specific technique to manage my stress.  Eating healthy and exercising regularly definitely helps me to better deal with stress.  But a lot of it is mental in nature, as while there definitely is no shortage of stress in my life, I’ve just learned to handle it much better.  In other words, just being aware of the impact stress had on my health has helped improve my stress handling skills over the years.  This doesn’t mean I can’t further improve it, as I probably should do some meditation or yoga.

Of course I realize it’s not easy to rate one’s stress handling skills.  And many people have a tendency to overestimate their ability to manage stress.  If you were to ask me a few years before I was diagnosed with Graves’ Disease to rate my stress handling skills on a scale of 1 to 10, I probably would have put an 8 or 9, although it probably was more like a 4 or 5.  So while I do pay attention to what people put down on the questionnaires, I realize that some people think they do a good job of managing the stress in their life, but in reality they need to greatly improve their stress handling skills.

In summary, if you’re looking to restore your health back to normal by following a natural thyroid treatment protocol, then it is essential for you to develop good stress handling skills.  If you don’t do this and if you deal with a lot of stress on a regular basis then it will be nearly impossible to achieve optimal health, even if you follow all of the other recommendations of the holistic doctor you’re consulting with.

One of my favorite books is by Dr. John R. Lee entitled “What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause…The Breakthrough Book on Natural Hormone Balance”.  In this book, Dr. Lee talks about many of the different conditions which can be helped by taking bioidentical progesterone.  This is not the primary reason why I enjoyed reading this book, as overall he provides some valuable information not only for menopausal women, but information which can benefit anyone with a thyroid or autoimmune thyroid condition.

While I’m not completely opposed to having my patients take natural progesterone, as well as other bioidentical hormones, I usually don’t recommend them taking any natural hormones unless absolutely necessary.  An example of this would be a woman who received a complete hysterectomy, as there is a good chance that this person would need to take natural progesterone.  On the other hand, I have consulted with numerous cycling women who currently take or have taken natural progesterone, and this usually is unnecessary, although there of course are exceptions.  The same concept applies to men, as many men who are low in testosterone take bioidentical testosterone, which usually isn’t necessary.

Why Are Many Doctors Recommending Natural Hormones?

If there are risks when taking bioidentical hormones, then why do so many doctors recommend them to their patients?  First of all, I wouldn’t assume that natural hormones are completely safe just because doctors advise their patients to take them.  As we are all aware of, there are many medications and other conventional medical treatment methods which are risky, yet recommended frequently by medical doctors (radioactive iodine anyone?).  So I wouldn’t assume that bioidentical hormones don’t have any risks just because they are recommended by numerous doctors.

Many people assume that bioidentical hormones are safe not because they are recommended by many healthcare professionals, but because they are natural.  Plus, just like nutritional supplements, people can easily purchase natural progesterone and other bioidentical hormones online.  So because they are “natural” and are readily available, AND at the same time are recommended by numerous doctors, many people think that natural hormones are completely harmless.

The Difference Between Bioidentical Hormones & Nutritional Supplements

Many people think of natural hormones as being similar to taking nutritional supplements.  But hormones are very complex, and should not be mistaken as being the same as supplements and herbs.  While there are risks with taking certain supplements and herbs, it is much easier to develop problems from taking hormones, as they are very powerful.  One of the most common problems with hormones is overdosing.  For example, many people take bioidentical progesterone or testosterone.  Doing so will frequently make the person feel better initially, but there is the potential to overdose, which can lead to a whole host of symptoms.  This is true even when you are careful with taking specific dosages, as especially with hormone creams there is a good chance of overdosing.

When Are Bioidentical Hormones Necessary To Take?

Although I’m not in favor of giving bioidentical hormones out like candy, there are times when I will recommend them to my patients.  The main problem I have is that they don’t get to the underlying cause of the problem. So for example, if someone has a deficiency in progesterone, testosterone, or any other hormone, then I want to find out what caused the deficiency.  This is similar to the approach I take with hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, as I want to find out why the person has a deficiency or excess in thyroid hormone, and not just give thyroid hormone to people with hypothyroidism, or a drug to suppress the production of thyroid hormone in people with hyperthyroidism.

So there are essentially two cases when I will recommend bioidentical hormones to my patients:

1. When the person has had a gland or organ removed. As I mentioned previously, a good example of this is when I consult with a woman who has had a complete hysterectomy, as there is a good chance this person will need to take natural progesterone because her body no longer can produce a sufficient amount on its own.

2. When someone has a severe deficiency. If someone has a severe deficiency then I also may give that person natural hormones on a TEMPORARY basis.  So for example, if someone has very low DHEA levels then I very well might have that person take DHEA on a temporary basis.  On the other hands, an herb like Tribulus can sometimes raise low DHEA levels in menopausal women and men, and so not everyone with a low DHEA level needs to take bioidentical DHEA.  But when someone with a severe deficiency needs to take bioidentical hormones, my goal is to put them on them temporarily.

Warning: Most Healthcare Professionals Don’t Know Much About Natural Hormones

One of the big problems is that many healthcare professionals don’t know much about bioidentical hormones, yet they recommend them frequently to their patients.  Some have had a weekend crash course, while others don’t know any more than their patients.  So you really do need to be careful when speaking with any healthcare professional about bioidentical hormones.  And if you have a deficiency, don’t hesitate to ask your doctor “why do I have the deficiency, and how will taking these hormones permanently correct it?”  Don’t be surprised if they don’t have a good answer for you.

In summary, although bioidentical hormones such as natural progesterone can help many people, you need to remember that in most cases they don’t do anything for the underlying cause of the problem.  The truth is that most people don’t need to take any natural hormones, and when they do need to take them, it usually should be on a temporary basis.  And please don’t take bioidentical hormones on your own, as you really do want to speak with someone who is competent in this area, as this can lead to a lot of problems.  This is especially true if you are taking hormone creams.

Some people who choose to follow a natural treatment protocol have issues with their “unsupportive” spouse.  Fortunately this isn’t too common with the people I consult with, although I’m sure there are many people who don’t even schedule a consultation because their spouse isn’t supportive of their choice to use natural treatment methods in an attempt to restore their health back to normal.  The truth is that most people have a conventional mindset and take the advice of their medical doctor, and so when someone is told to take thyroid medication or receive radioactive iodine treatment, but then chooses to follow a natural treatment protocol, it is not uncommon for their “significant other” to question this decision.

In the past I have written articles and posts regarding “unsupportive” friends and family members.  One of my recommendations is to try to avoid those people who don’t support your decision to follow a natural thyroid treatment protocol AND who constantly nag you about this. But of course this is difficult to accomplish with your spouse, and so if you are looking into natural treatment methods but have an unsupportive spouse, then you need to try educating them about the safety and effectiveness of such methods. This can admittedly be challenging to do, but it’s definitely worth attempting this.

So how can you accomplish this?  After all, you can’t force anyone to be open minded and embrace natural treatment methods.  But you can try to convince them to take an hour or two of their time to look at some of the benefits of following a natural treatment protocol, as well as some of the risks of conventional medical treatment.  Here are a few of the ways you can do this:

1. Have them visit this website. However, I wouldn’t just give them the website address and tell them to read some articles.  I would choose a few select articles and/or videos for them to watch.  I would try not to overdo it.  For example, if you have hyperthyroidism or Graves’ Disease and wanted to convince your spouse about the benefits of natural treatment methods and the risks of radioactive iodine treatment, then you might want to have them read the following articles and/or watch the following videos:

Article: Are You Skeptical About Natural Treatment Methods?

https://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/articles/are-you-skeptical-about-natural-thyroid-treatment-methods/

Article: Combining Natural Thyroid Treatment Methods With Conventional Treatment Methods

https://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/articles/combining-natural-thyroid-treatment-methods-with-conventional-treatment-protocols/

Article: Stop Treating The Thyroid Gland!

https://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/articles/stop-treating-thyroid-gland/

Video: Natural Hyperthyroid Treatment Methods: Are They Safe?

https://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/videos/video-natural-hyperthyroid-treatment-methods-safe/

Video: Radioactive Iodine: Why You Should Avoid It

https://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/videos/video-radioactive-iodine-avoid/

Video: Graves’ Disease: Natural Treatment Options

https://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/videos/graves-disease-video-natural-treatment-options/

On the other hand, if you have hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, then you might want to have them read and/or watch the following:

The same three articles I listed above

Video: Natural Hypothyroid Treatment Methods Can Cure Your Thyroid Condition

https://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/videos/video-natural-hypothyroid-treatment-methods-cure-thyroid-condition/

Video: Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Natural Treatment Solutions

https://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/videos/video-hashimotos-thyroiditis-natural-treatment-solutions/

2. Have your spouse listen in on a consultation with a natural endocrine doctor. Have them be a part of your recovery, as if they are at all skeptical about you following a natural treatment protocol, I think it’s a good idea to get them involved.  This way they can hear the doctor tell them all of the benefits, and of course they can ask the doctor any questions they may have.  This can help to overcome many of the objections your spouse may have about you following a natural treatment protocol.

3. Give them some physical material they can read. If your spouse prefers to read physical material rather going online or talking on the phone, then you can give them a book to read.  Or if they don’t want to read an entire book then print up a copy of the free guide I offer online, and have them read this.  They should be able to read this within an hour, and it will give them some valuable information that might make them more supportive of your decision to follow a natural treatment protocol.

Obviously there will be some people who refuse to do any of the above things.  And while reading an entire book may be a lot to ask, asking your spouse to read a few articles and/ or a couple of videos won’t take too much of their time.  There of course still will be some people who can’t be convinced of the benefits of natural treatment methods.  For these people there really isn’t much you can do, other than stick to your guns and hope that your spouse doesn’t become too big of a nuisance in trying to persuade you to stick with the conventional medical treatment protocol.

Some people think of their gallbladder as being “expendable”.  Don’t get me wrong, as I don’t think anybody wants any of their organs to be removed.  But since many people live a seemingly normal life after getting their gallbladder removed, many people don’t think their gallbadder plays an important role in their overall health.  After all, how important can your gallbladder be if you can do just fine after it’s surgically removed?

The gallbladder actually plays a very important role in your body.  And while many people do seem to live a normal life without it, many others have health issues that are due to their gallbladder being removed.  But most people aren’t aware that their health issues are related to this.

To better understand this, let’s take a look at the function of the gallbladder.  The gallbladder stores bile, which is necessary for the emulsification of fats.  In other words, it helps to break down the fats you eat.  If have your gallbladder removed, then this will affect the bile, and your body will have problems breaking down fats, which will also interfere with the digestion of fats.  This is why people who have received gallbladder surgery usually experience digestive symptoms (bloating, gas, indigestion, etc.) when eating a lot of fatty foods.

So why is this a big deal?  Well, the fats and oils you consume are part of the building blocks of many of the hormones in your body.  And so if you don’t have a gallbladder, then your ability to make and metabolize hormones will be impaired.  This of course is also the case if you still have your gallbladder, but if it’s not functioning correctly, which is the case with many people.  So if you have a malfunctioning gallbladder then you can expect to have problems with hormone metabolism.  Once again, someone who has a malfunctioning gallbladder will have some of the same symptoms I listed above (bloating, belching, indigesting, pain between the shoulder blades, etc.).  So when someone follows a natural treatment protocol, this is one of the primary things I will look for, as if they have an impaired ability to make hormones, then this of course will affect their recovery.

The Relationship Between Estrogen Dominance And Gallbladder Issues

If you’ve been reading these posts and articles for awhile, then you know that from time to time I’ll speak about estrogen dominance, which is a condition involving a hormone imbalance between estrogen and progesterone.  This condition causes bile to become thick and sluggish, which will cause problems with the emulsification of fats, and therefore can impair hormone metabolism as well.  In other words, it’s very common for someone who is in a state of estrogen dominance to have gallbladder issues.  And while someone with the above symptoms might try to do a gallbladder flush to help, they need to get to the root cause of the problem, which is to correct the estrogen dominance issue.  So for anyone who is looking to achieve optimal health, if the person is in a state of estrogen dominance this needs to be corrected.  Once this is corrected the person will sometimes still require a gallbladder flush, although not always.

What can you do if you have already had your gallbladder removed?  Obviously there is nothing that can be done to permanently fix this problem.  However, there are certain supplements people can take to help emulsify the fats.  Most people of course don’t do this, as they try to minimize the fats they eat, which can also cause problems.  We’ve been taught to avoid fats, and while you don’t want to eat an excess amount of fats, you also don’t want to substitute eating carbohydrates for them.  You need to eat a balanced diet consisting of protein, quality fats, and a minimal amount of carbohydrates.  But in order to break down the healthy fats you eat, you either need a properly functioning gallbladder, or if your gallbladder has been removed, then you will need to take certain supplements which helps prevent the bile from becoming thick and sluggish.

In summary, even though people can live without a gallbladder, this doesn’t mean this organ isn’t important to our health.  Without a properly functioning gallbladder, not only will this affect the ability to break down fats, but it will also affect the formation and metabolism of hormones.  So if you’re looking to follow a natural treatment protocol, it is essential to have a properly functioning gallbladder.  And if you have had your gallbladder removed, you then need to receive the necessary nutritional support.

I’ve had a number of people ask me whether it’s possible to have both Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis at the same time.  I’ve also had some people tell me they have been diagnosed as having both conditions.  Although both Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis are autoimmune thyroid disorders, there of course are differences between the two conditions.

Graves’ Disease is an autoimmune hyperthyroid condition, while Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is an autoimmune hypothyroid disorder.  Both could involve the presence of TPO antibodies, while TSI antibodies are involved with Graves’ Disease.  Other types of antibodies can be involved as well.  But of course Graves’ Disease involves an excess production of thyroid hormone, while Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis involves a decrease in thyroid hormone.

There are times when people seem to fluctuate between Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.  For example, some people will be diagnosed with Graves’ Disease, but then over time will develop a hypothyroid condition, and will  be diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.  There are some people who will fluctuate back and forth between the two conditions, although this is rare.  And of course someone with Graves’ Disease who receives radioactive iodine or thyroid surgery and doesn’t address the underlying cause of the condition has a pretty good chance of developing another autoimmune disorder, such as Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.

But to answer the original question, one cannot have both conditions at the same exact time.  If the definition of Graves’ Disease is an autoimmune hyperthyroid condition and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is an autoimmune hypothyroid condition, then hopefully you can understand why it’s not possible to have both conditions simultaneously.  However, a person can have different thyroid antibodies, and so once again it is possible to fluctuate between the two conditions.

Can Following A Natural Treatment Protocol Help?

For someone who has thyroid antibodies for both Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, a natural treatment protocol can frequently help with this.  Just as is the case with someone who only has thyroid antibodies for a single condition, the goal is to get to the underlying cause of the condition.  And while it’s rare for someone to fluctuate back and forth between Graves’ and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, following a natural treatment protocol consisting of eating well, taking certain supplements and herbs, and modifying other lifestyle factors can potentially restore this person’s health back to normal.

This doesn’t mean there can’t be some challenges when trying to help someone with such a condition.  For example, while people with Graves’ Disease who have an iodine deficiency can supplement with iodine, the same thing isn’t always true for someone with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, although there is some controversy over this.  So if someone is fluctuating between both conditions and has an iodine deficiency, one might want to hold off on giving that person iodine until the autoimmune response is addressed.

Similarly, the herb Bugleweed is commonly recommended for people with Graves’ Disease, but is contraindicated for people who have Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.  So a person who fluctuates between the two conditions probably shouldn’t take Bugleweed, or any other herb which is contraindicated for either Graves’ Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.

But for the most part, such a condition is handled in a similar manner as someone who is diagnosed with just Graves’ Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.  While there might be fluctuations between the thyroid blood tests and thyroid antibody tests, this is why other tests are usually recommended (adrenal testing, hormone testing, hair mineral analysis, etc.).  So regardless of the autoimmune thyroid condition, the ultimate goal is to find the underlying cause of the condition and do what is necessary to correct the problem.

In summary, it isn’t impossible for someone to have both Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis at the same exact time.  However, it is possible for someone to have thyroid antibodies for both conditions, which can cause them to switch back and forth from one autoimmune thyroid disorder to another.  Either way, for anyone looking to restore their health through natural treatment methods, the goal is to find out what the underlying cause of the condition is, and then put the person on the appropriate protocol in order to correct the cause.