What I’d like to do in today’s post is give a brief lesson on hormone physiology. I’m going to try to make this as basic as possible, as my goal here isn’t to give you an advanced physiology lesson. However, since many people with thyroid and autoimmune thyroid conditions have hormone imbalances, I think it’s important for you to understand some of the basics of hormones, such as what their primary role is, how they can become imbalanced, and how to prevent and correct such an imbalance.

As for what they are, hormones are biochemical messengers which are released by a cell or a gland into the bloodstream. These messages affect other cells in the body, and also play a role in enzyme reactions. Hormones are very powerful, even in small quantities, and this is a big reason why it’s important to be careful when taking bioidentical hormones, which I’ve discussed in other posts and articles. It is important to understand that taking natural hormones can’t be compared to taking nutritional supplements.

However, with that being said, the nutrients we consume are important when it comes to the synthesis of certain hormones. So this is yet another reason why you need to eat healthy most of the time, and it’s also why most people do need to take nutritional supplements. What we eat is of course important to our overall health, but it’s also specifically important when it comes to hormone health.

In any case, let’s take a look at some of the major hormones, and how they are developed. In my articles and posts I speak a lot about hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, DHEA, cortisol, etc. But how are these hormones manufactured in the first place? Well, as I’ve discussed in the past, these hormones are manufactured through cholesterol. Cholesterol is delivered to the tissues and some of the organs of the body, and then is converted into the hormone pregnenolone. From this point it can take two separate paths.

One path is for pregnenolone to get converted to progesterone, which in turn will be converted to 17-hydroxyprogesterone, and then to cortisol. I’ve spoken many times about the importance of cortisol, and how many people have adrenal problems, which will affect the secretion of cortisol. But since progesterone is a precursor to cortisol, some holistic doctors will give natural progesterone to help with conditions such as adrenal fatigue. This might help to temporarily manage the symptoms, but it won’t do anything to fix the actual cause, which is the compromised adrenal glands. Some will also give bioidentical cortisol, which will also usually help with the symptoms, which is important, but usually won’t help with the cause.

The second path that pregnenolone takes is to get converted into DHEA, and then androstenedione, and then testosterone and/or one of the estrogens. Testosterone actually converts to estradiol, and when someone is low in testosterone, they frequently are told to take bioidentical testosterone to “fix” the problem. And while this usually causes the person to feel great for a few weeks or sometimes even a few months, what will usually happen is that the testosterone will be converted to estradiol, which can lead to the condition known as estrogen dominance, which I have spoken about in the past. So taking bioidentical hormones is one way in which a hormone imbalance can develop.

Of course one can’t overlook the importance of cholesterol in this, as in today’s society most people try to do everything they can to lower their cholesterol levels. While you definitely don’t want your cholesterol to become too high, what most people don’t realize is that taking statins and other cholesterol-lowering medication can affect the synthesis of some of these hormones I’ve just mentioned, which of course will lead to numerous health issues.  Natural products such as red rice yeast can also affect the synthesis of hormones.

While natural hormones are now being used by many doctors, some doctors still recommend synthetic hormones, such as synthetic estrogen, progesterone, etc. Even though these synthetic hormones fit into the same cell receptors as the natural hormones, this doesn’t mean that synthetic hormones perform exactly the same. While synthetic hormones have helped a lot of people, they also have caused a lot of problems as well. But as I’ve mentioned in the past, unless an organ has been removed or severely compromised, both synthetic and bioidentical hormones are usually not needed. And when they are needed, it’s almost always needed only temporarily.

So hopefully you realize the importance of hormones, and now how have a better understanding why a hormone imbalance can cause a lot of problems. This is one of the reasons why many people can benefit from obtaining a hormone panel, as this can help determine if they have a hormone imbalance. Then if they do have such an imbalance they can be put on the appropriate protocol to correct this, which usually involves changes in dietary habits, taking some nutritional supplements, and for certain conditions it might involve a purification program to correct the problem.

Of course the best thing you can do is try to prevent a hormone imbalance from developing. You can accomplish this by eating well, taking certain nutritional supplements (which I’ve discussed in other posts and articles), doing one or two detoxifications each year, and keeping your adrenal glands strong. This admittedly isn’t easy to accomplish, but those who are committed to their health and follow this advice will have greater “hormone health” than most people.

Many people with thyroid conditions don’t want to cover up their symptoms with thyroid medication.  This is great, as they realize there is an underlying cause of their problem, and they want to attempt treating their condition naturally.  Of course some people do need to take thyroid medication on a permanent basis, but I’m not referring to these people.  In any case, many people who want to restore their health naturally think they can do so on their own.  As a result, they gather as much information as they can through reading books and surfing the internet, and then put together their own treatment protocol. Sometimes people will see positive changes in their symptoms when self-treating their condition.  On the other hand, many people won’t see much of a difference.  Either way, most people who attempt to self-treat their condition aren’t able to successfully restore their health back to normal.  So I decided to dedicate this post to those people who are looking to take a natural approach, but are thinking about self-treating their condition. What I’m going to do here is list five reasons why you shouldn’t self-treat your thyroid condition.  This is true whether you have primary hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, or an autoimmune thyroid condition such as Graves’ Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Reason #1: There are risks when self-treating your condition. Even when using natural supplements and herbs, there are always risks involved.  Most people don’t have a strong knowledge of these supplements and herbs, and many assume that because they are natural there is no risk involved.  While the risk might be minimal, it still exists.  Plus, just abruptly stopping your thyroid medication and replacing them with nutritional supplements and herbs makes it even more risky. Reason #2: You can’t trust everything you read. Once again, many people come up with a natural protocol based on what they read in a book, or on the internet.  Heck, some people try to piece the information I provide on this website to develop their own natural treatment protocol.  Of course different people will need different supplements and herbs, and will also require different dosages.  As a result, it’s extremely difficult to come up with a treatment plan which will work based on the information you read on this website, or anywhere else. And much of the information on “natural cures” put out there are by people who don’t have much experience with this.  Most aren’t even healthcare professionals.  This doesn’t mean there aren’t people who are very knowledgeable about natural treatment methods.  You just need to be extremely careful about any information you read in books, and especially on the internet. Reason #3: The body is extremely complex. Although it would be great if one could restore their thyroid health simply by eating well and taking some random supplements and herbs, it’s almost always not this easy.  The body is way too complex to restore its health just by taking supplements and herbs, eating well, etc.  Obviously eating well and taking supplements and/or herbs is very important to restore one’s health back to normal.  But doing this alone won’t cure your condition.  If you’re looking to completely restore your health back to normal, just remember that the body is very complex, and because of this it is highly unlikely you will receive optimal results by self-treating your condition. Reason #4: It probably will cost you more money in the long run. Many people choose to self-treat their condition because they figure they will save money taking this approach.  After all, they won’t need to pay a doctor for an initial or follow-up consultation, will be able to price-shop for any supplements or herbs they buy, etc.  However, after they realize they aren’t going to receive optimal results they will frequently end up consulting with a holistic doctor anyway.  So while you might save money initially, in the end it almost always will cost you more money when self-treating your condition. Reason #5: You most likely won’t receive optimal results. This obviously relates to the previous four reasons I spoke about, as for all of the reasons I have mentioned, it is unlikely you will receive optimal results by treating yourself naturally.  I do get some emails and comments from people stating they self-treated their condition and felt much better after doing this.  And as I’ve mentioned, some people will feel better when self-treating their condition.  On the other hand, many people don’t feel much of a difference at all.  But even those people who do feel better when self-treating their condition most likely won’t fully restore their thyroid health back to normal. In summary, while it might seem easy enough to self-treat your condition, the truth is that for the reasons I mentioned above, most people don’t receive optimal results when taking this approach.  This is why I recommend consulting with a natural endocrine doctor for those people who are truly interested in restoring their health back to normal.  While there still isn’t any guarantee by taking this approach, you stand a much better chance of restoring your health than if you were to attempt this on your own.

I talk a great deal about the risks of receiving radioactive iodine treatment on this website.  In many of the articles and posts I have written, I have discussed how natural treatment methods can potentially restore the health of people with hyperthyroidism and Graves’ Disease, thus making it unnecessary for these people to receive RAI.  I’ve also mentioned how radioactive iodine treatment should be the last resort in most cases, although there of course are exceptions to this.

So when is RAI really necessary to receive?  Here a two of the primary situations when radioactive iodine might truly be necessary:

1. When Every Other Treatment Option Has Failed. In most cases, people with hyperthyroid conditions should choose to take antithyroid drugs to manage the symptoms before receiving radioactive iodine therapy.  Although these prescription drugs won’t cure hyperthyroidism or Graves’ Disease, they usually do a good job of managing the symptoms, and sometimes will put a person into a state of remission, although most of the time this is temporary.  But this option is definitely better than obliterating your thyroid gland.

I of course recommend natural thyroid treatment methods to people, as this is the option I personally chose when I was diagnosed with Graves’ Disease.  Although not everyone can be cured through natural treatment methods, many people can have their health restored back to normal.  It admittedly is a challenge to follow such a protocol, which is a big reason why some people choose antithyroid drugs, and even RAI.  After all, it’s much easier to take medication daily than to follow a natural treatment protocol.  But when you think about how important the thyroid gland is to your health, it is well worth making the “sacrifice” to restore your health back to normal.

If you have taken antithyroid drugs for a prolonged period of time and taking them failed to put you into a permanent state of remission, AND then you followed a natural treatment protocol, and after taking this approach you still experienced moderate to severe hyperthyroid symptoms, then in this situation it might be necessary to receive radioactive iodine treatment.  Of course before choosing RAI I would hope that you would have followed the full recommendations of the holistic doctor you were consulting with.  One problem is that we live in an impatient society, and many people who follow a natural thyroid treatment protocol expect quick results.  And while one frequently notices changes in the symptoms after a short period of time, it will usually take months to completely eliminate a person’s symptoms.  And it will most likely take even longer until the blood tests normalize.

2. In Certain Cases Of Thyroid Cancer. Some people with thyroid cancer will need to receive radioactive iodine therapy.  But how does someone with thyroid cancer know if it is truly necessary to receive RAI?  Well, this is a situation that most holistic doctors probably would stay away from, as I personally wouldn’t attempt to use natural treatment methods to cure thyroid cancer.  So what I would recommend is to seek the opinion of a second, or even a third endocrinologist to be certain of the original diagnosis.

Just remember that even if radioactive iodine is necessary, this still doesn’t correct the cause of the problem.  Whether someone developed primary hyperthyroidism, Graves’ Disease, or thyroid cancer, there still were factors which led to the development of these conditions.  This is why it’s not a bad idea for someone who received RAI to consult with a holistic doctor.  Frequently such people are just told to take thyroid hormone for the rest of their life after receiving RAI.  This sometimes does a great job of managing the symptoms, but many people still have moderate to severe symptoms, even when taking this medication.  Just remember that RAI doesn’t do anything for the immune system component of Graves’ Disease, doesn’t address weak adrenal glands which may be an issue, and definitely don’t correct any existing imbalances of the steroid hormones, which also can play a role in thyroid conditions.

In summary, there are definitely situations when someone needs to receive radioactive iodine treatment.  I realize it can be tough to make a decision when an endocrinologist tells you that RAI is necessary.  But one shouldn’t take obliteration of their thyroid gland lightly.  As a result, if a doctor recommends that you receive radioactive iodine treatment and you’re not sure if this is the right decision, consider what I discussed, and if necessary, receive a second, and even a third opinion.  After all, you only have one thyroid gland, and you want to do everything you can to keep it if at all possible.

Many people have an iodine deficiency, yet most people who are deficient in iodine are unaware of this. I’m a perfect example, as while I found out I was iodine deficient after I was diagnosed with Graves’ Disease, I had no idea I was deficient in iodine before I was diagnosed. And while an iodine deficiency alone usually won’t directly cause Graves Disease or any other autoimmune thyroid condition to develop, a deficiency in iodine can definitely contribute to such a condition, and lead to numerous health issues. I’m not going to talk in great detail about iodine itself, as for more information about iodine there’s a great book called “Iodine, Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It”, which was written by Dr. David Brownstein.

I’ve discussed in past posts and articles why many people are deficient in iodine. One reason is because the soils are depleted in iodine, which means the foods we eat don’t contain a sufficient amount of iodine. Also, due to the fear of high blood pressure, many people are avoiding iodized salt, which isn’t a great source of iodine, but in some cases is the only source of iodine people get.

Perhaps the biggest reason why most people are iodine deficient is because the bread dough conditioners are made with bromine, whereas a few decades ago they were made with iodine. A big reason for the switch is because there was a fear that iodine was causing problems with people’s thyroid glands. But not only has this lead to an increase in iodine deficiency, but many people have a bromine toxicity because of this.

Two Primary Methods To Determine If You’re Iodine Deficient

There are two main methods of determining if you have an iodine deficiency:

Iodine Testing Method #1: The Iodine Patch Test. This is the least accurate of the two testing methods. This involves painting a 2 x 2 “patch” of 2% iodine tincture on one’s forearm, and then seeing how long it takes for the patch to disappear. Ideally you don’t want the patch to fade for the first 24 hours. If it does fade or disappear completely in less than 24 hours you’re considered to be iodine deficient. If it fades or disappears in less than 12 hours then the deficiency is severe.

Iodine Testing Method #2: The Iodine Loading Test. This is a more accurate method of determining whether someone has an iodine deficiency. This is a urine test which involves taking a 50mg iodide/iodine tablet (Iodoral) and then measuring how much iodine you excrete over a 24-hour period. The less iodine you excrete, the more deficient you are.

If it is determined that you have an iodine deficiency then you obviously need to address it. Some healthcare professionals will recommend taking large dosages of iodine immediately. I was taught to begin by taking smaller dosages of iodine. And so this is how I addressed my iodine deficiency, as I began by taking a 3mg tablet of iodine daily for the first week, and then each additional week I would increase the dosage until I was taking eight tablets per day. At this point I switched to a different iodine product which came in higher dosages, and this allowed me to take two 12.5mg tablets each day. Eventually I did switch back to the original brand I took, and currently I take 12mg of iodine daily on a maintenance basis.

But how do you know how much iodine to take? After all, not everyone needs to take 25mg each day. Some people require a smaller dosage, while some people will need to take up to 50mg of iodine daily. The best method of finding out how much iodine you need to take is through follow-up testing. So for example, if you initially obtained an iodine loading test and it was determined that you had an iodine deficiency, then you can begin supplementing with iodine, and then two to three months later you can obtain a second test to determine how your levels are at that time. If everything looks good then you can continue taking your current dosage. On the other hand, if it’s showing you’re currently deficient in iodine then you might need to increase the dosage.

As I’ve mentioned in the past, most people with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis should not take iodine supplements, as there is a good chance it will flare up your condition. This doesn’t mean people with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis aren’t iodine deficient, as many are. But until the autoimmune response is eliminated one shouldn’t take iodine supplements.

So hopefully you understand how to determine whether or not you are iodine deficient. Both the iodine patch test and iodine loading test can be useful, but the iodine loading test is definitely more accurate. However, the iodine patch test is fine to use in order to get a general idea as to whether someone has an iodine deficiency. With regards to follow-up testing, since it’s far less expensive to do an iodine patch test you can do a follow-up test on a regular basis and see if the patch remains longer. Just keep in mind that it takes time to correct an iodine deficiency. As a result, once you begin supplementing with iodine I probably would wait a few months before obtaining a follow-up iodine loading test.

There is a saying that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”.  But many people skip breakfast each and every day.  Many people argue that they don’t have time to eat breakfast, while others claim they simply aren’t hungry.  In either case, it is important to eat a healthy breakfast each morning, as skipping breakfast  can ultimately affect your thyroid health.

Let’s remember that upon waking up in the morning your blood sugar levels are low, as you have probably gone at least seven to eight hours without eating, and probably longer than this.  So one reason why you need to eat breakfast is to provide you with the fuel and energy necessary to start your day.  Even if you don’t feel hungry this doesn’t mean you don’t need this “fuel”.  You really do need to eat something within 30 to 45 minutes of waking up, even if it’s something small.

If you don’t eat breakfast in the morning, what happens is that your blood sugar levels will continue to decrease.  As a result of this your body will release cortisol in order to raise the blood sugar levels.  When the adrenal glands need to secrete cortisol each morning due to you not eating breakfast, over a period of months and years this will stress them out, and can eventually lead to adrenal problems.

I’ve discussed the importance of healthy adrenal glands in previous posts and articles.  Compromised adrenal glands will ultimately affect the thyroid gland, and can also weaken the immune system, which can potentially contribute to the development of an autoimmune thyroid condition.  This obviously takes years to happen, and while it would be crazy to suggest that everyone who skips breakfast daily for many years will develop Graves’ Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, skipping breakfast regularly shouldn’t be taken lightly, as it can affect your health.  Usually people who skip breakfast also have other lifestyle habits which will stress out the adrenal glands, and so it’s usually a combination of different things which will lead to these conditions.

So if you began eating a healthy breakfast regularly, but still eat a lot of refined foods and sugars, neglect your sleep, and do a poor job of managing stress, then these other factors would ultimately lead to health problems.  So once again, eating breakfast daily is important, but doing this alone won’t be enough to maintain a healthy endocrine system if you neglect other lifestyle factors.

But what should you do if you’re not hungry upon waking up?  Is it wise to force yourself to eat breakfast?  Initially it might be necessary to do this, as the reason why some people aren’t hungry upon awakening is because their body is “screwed up” from a physiological standpoint.  So even though they aren’t receiving the normal signals from the brain which gives them the sense of hunger, this doesn’t mean this is normal.  So a person who isn’t hungry upon waking up should begin by eating a small breakfast each morning.  Even having a few bites of something is fine, as long as it’s somewhat healthy.

For example, I have a smoothie for breakfast which consists of one cup of mixed organic berries, two cups of purified water, one teaspoon of flax oil, some whole food powder from the company Standard Process, and one organic raw egg.  You can make a similar smoothie each morning, and begin by taking a few sips of this drink, and then slowly work your way up until you’re able to drink the entire smoothie.  Or perhaps you’ll want to begin by eating a few bites of a hard-boiled egg until you’re eventually eating an entire egg.

These of course are just a few examples of what you can eat, as other healthy sources of protein you can eat for breakfast include certain types of fish, chicken, and turkey.  If you’re a vegetarian you might frequently eat soy-based products, but you do want to make sure not to eat too many of these foods, as eating an excessive amount of unfermented soy can lead to numerous health issues, and can affect thyroid function.  And while you will of course want to try minimizing your overall consumption of refined foods and sugars, you especially want to try avoiding eating such foods first thing in the morning, as they will cause a spike in the blood sugar levels, and will affect the hormones insulin and cortisol.

If you exercise first thing in the morning you still want to try to eat something small.  Once again, it can consist of a few bites of something, but it’s still a good idea to eat something if you normally go to the gym first thing upon waking up.

In summary, breakfast is an extremely important meal, and if you are currently in the habit of skipping breakfast daily you will need to quickly change this habit if you want to achieve optimal health.  Doing so will help strengthen your adrenal glands, which will help greatly with your thyroid health, and can also help to prevent future conditions from developing.  So begin slowly, eating something small for breakfast, and then over time you can increase the amount of food you eat.  The goal isn’t to eat an overwhelmingly large breakfast, but just to eat a sufficient amount of food where it gives you the necessary energy you need, and helps to maintain your adrenal health.

Many women deal with moderate to severe PMS symptoms.  These can include headaches, mood swings, cramping, and numerous other symptoms.  My wife was one of these women who experienced some of these symptoms.  And while they weren’t too severe, they definitely weren’t pleasant to deal with (for both me and her!).

Most women who experience these symptoms just learn to live with them.  And the reason they don’t try to do anything to help with such symptoms is because they consider these symptoms to be normal.  While they are very common, having moderate to severe PMS symptoms IS NOT normal.  And in most cases there are things you can do to dramatically reduce these symptoms.

Why Do Most Women Experience PMS Symptoms?

In order to better understand why it’s not normal for women to experience moderate to severe PMS symptoms, it’s probably a good idea to discuss why many women experience such symptoms.  I’m not going to discuss the physiology in great detail, but in the first half of a woman’s cycle, the estrogen levels should be higher than in the second half of the cycle, and in this first half you should eventually see a spike in the estrogen levels.  In the second half of the cycle the opposite takes place, as progesterone increases.  Then towards the end of the cycle both of these hormones decrease, causing menstruation to occur, and the cycle begins over again.

This obviously is a simplified explanation of what happens, but let’s focus on the end of the second half of the cycle.  This once again is right before menstruation begins, which is typically when most women begin experiencing these PMS symptoms.  When there is an imbalance of these hormones, and the levels of estrogen and progesterone don’t decline at similar times, then it’s this hormone imbalance which causes the PMS symptoms.  So based on what I just told you, the goal is to correct this hormone imbalance, which ultimately will help reduce the PMS symptoms.

But wait, why can’t you take “The Pill” to manage the symptoms of PMS?  Although many women do this, I’ve discussed the risk of taking oral contraceptives in the past.  Even though many medical doctors give “The Pill”, not necessarily for birth control reasons, but instead to “regulate” the cycle, oral contraceptives will suppress the endocrine system.  So while it might help with the symptoms, it actually will make the hormone imbalance worse, and can lead to numerous health risks in the future.  As a result, I do not recommend for women to take oral contraceptives for symptom management.

How To Reduce PMS Symptoms

My wife experienced moderate PMS symptoms for years, and now she still has some symptoms, but they are very mild.  Let me explain how this happened, and how many women with similar symptoms can accomplish the same thing.  Ever since I’ve attended chiropractic school I’ve done regular detoxifications.  I try to do at least one each year, and usually will try to do two.  Getting my wife to follow such a protocol is quite the challenge.  But I still try convincing her each time I do one, and every now and then I’m successful.

The first few times she went through this program she experienced severe headaches and stopped after a few days.  Even though this is a common symptom of detoxifying and the symptoms usually subside after a few days, she didn’t want to follow through with the program.  But one year she decided to follow through, as I didn’t put her on as strict of a program as I usually follow, and so this made it easier for her.  Don’t get me wrong, as it still was challenging.  In any case, she stuck with it for most of the three weeks, although she did admittedly cheat a few times, and ended the program a few days early.

Despite not following a strict detoxification program and ending it early, there were some dramatic improvements in her symptoms right before she got her period.  Usually she experienced noticeable symptoms right before menstruation, but with her first period right after completing the detox, she hardly noticed any symptoms.  This wasn’t just a fluke, as it continued to happen with future periods as well.  Another thing she did which helped greatly was switching to a high quality, whole food multi-vitamin.  At the time she thought she was already taking a good quality supplement, as she purchased hers at the local health food store.  But it wasn’t until she made the switch to a better quality whole food supplement that she noticed an even greater improvement in her PMS symptoms.

This is both good news and bad news for anyone who is suffering from moderate to severe PMS symptoms.  The good news is that it is possible to dramatically reduce such symptoms.  The bad news is that it’s challenging to do so, and then once you accomplish this, it does take some discipline to maintain this.  I’m not suggesting that a purification program and/or taking a whole food multivitamin supplement will help every woman with their PMS symptoms, as when someone has a severe hormone imbalance then this may not work, and a different natural treatment protocol may be required.  But if you are experiencing moderate to severe PMS symptoms, I highly recommend consulting with a holistic doctor so they can find out the underlying cause of the problem, and put you on the necessary protocol to correct the hormone imbalance, and make these symptoms much more tolerable.

As I’ve written in the past, proper digestion is very important with regards to thyroid health.  The reason for this is because a big part of achieving optimal thyroid health has to do with eating quality foods, as well as taking quality nutritional supplements.  However, if one’s digestive system isn’t working efficiently then it won’t matter if you eat high quality foods and take high quality nutritional supplements.  And this is a big problem for many people who follow a natural thyroid treatment protocol, or even those who don’t follow such a protocol but just make some dietary changes on their own.

A lot of people who make such changes don’t notice a big difference, and in most cases the primary reason is because their digestive system isn’t functioning properly.  So one of the first things people with thyroid and autoimmune thyroid conditions need to do is to focus on restoring their digestive health BEFORE they can improve their thyroid health.

When it comes to having someone obtain optimal digestive health, in addition to making sure the person eats quality foods, you of course need to make sure they have sufficient stomach acid to digest the food they eat.  But another important component is to make sure they properly eliminate the food they eat.  Not only do most people have problems digesting their food, but they also have problems eliminating, as many people don’t have regular bowel movements.

This problem can usually be corrected by making sure that 1) you drink plenty of purified water, 2) you eat a minimum of 3 to 5 servings of fresh vegetables each day, and 3) you get enough fiber in your diet.  Most people need to drink more water, as you need to drink at least half your body weight in ounces each day.  But consuming a sufficient amount of fiber is very important as well.  We should be consuming about 25 to 30 grams of fiber each day, but many people don’t even consume half of this amount.  In addition to helping with constipation, fiber has the following benefits as well:

Benefit #1: Fiber can help decrease the risk of heart disease. Eating soluble fiber can help with the cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which may in turn help decrease the risk of heart disease.

Benefit #2: Fiber can help prevent colon cancer. By helping you have regular bowel movements, this can prevent colon cancer from developing.  The risk of developing other types of cancer can also be reduced by increasing your fiber intake as well.

Benefit #3: Fiber can help prevent diverticular disease. This condition can cause pain, diarrhea, and/or constipation, and can be prevented by increasing the amount of fiber you consume.

Benefit #4: Fiber can help with hemorrhoids. Consuming fiber will help to soften the stools, which will make them easier to pass, and thus will help to prevent hemorrhoids from developing.  And if you already have hemorrhoids, then increasing your fiber intake can help prevent them from getting irritated and flaring up.

So these are just some of the benefits of consuming sufficient fiber.  There are actually two different types of fiber.  Insoluble fiber is the one that can really help with constipation.  Some sources of insoluble fiber include wheat bran, nuts, and numerous vegetables.  Soluble fiber can help to lower blood cholesterol and glucose, and can be found in certain fruits, as well as beans.

How To Increase Your Intake Of Fiber

The obvious answer to this is to eat more foods which are fiber-rich.  While there are many different foods that can help with this, some good foods to eat are raw nuts and seeds, as well as certain fruits.  For example, when it comes to overcoming constipation, some people have improved this condition dramatically simply by drinking more water, eating a couple of apples each day, along with a couple of handfuls of raw seeds and nuts (raw almonds, sunflower seeds, etc.).   And as I have already mentioned, you should also eat at least three to five servings of fresh vegetables daily.

In addition to increasing your consumption of fiber-rich foods, you can also supplement with fiber.  A good fiber supplement is Psyllium Husks, which you can find at most health food stores.  Adding one tablespoon of this supplement in a glass of water or smoothie once or twice each day can help a great deal.  However, you might need to start with a smaller quantity, as you might want to begin with half a teaspoon for a few days, and then slowly increase the dosage until you’re able to take one full tablespoon.

In summary, while consuming fiber by itself doesn’t directly relate to thyroid health, having a properly functioning digestive system is important for anyone looking for optimal thyroid health.  And getting a sufficient amount of fiber can greatly help to improve digestion, which not only will help with your thyroid health, but your overall health as well.

When it comes to testing for thyroid health, everyone with a thyroid or autoimmune thyroid disorder is familiar with the common thyroid blood tests (TSH, T3 and T4, etc.).  While these tests are valuable in diagnosing a thyroid condition, there are other tests which can help to determine the underlying cause of your thyroid condition.  But it’s important to understand that different tests will provide different answers.

For example, let’s compare blood tests vs. saliva tests.  Most blood tests measure the hormone levels in a bound state.  The protein-bound hormone is the inactive form of the hormone.  Most hormones are in the bound state.

On the other hand, saliva testing measures hormones in the free, or unbound state.  This is the active form of the hormone, and less than 1% of hormones in the blood are in a free state.  As a result, it is more expensive to test the free hormones on a serum test, which is why saliva testing is frequently used to test the free hormone.

But Which Of These Tests Are More Accurate?

As for which of these tests are more accurate, the answer is that they both are accurate for what they measure.  The routine blood tests usually do a good job of measuring the bound form of the hormone.  So for example, a TSH test will measure the bound form of thyroid stimulating hormone secreted by the pituitary gland.  Although there are questions regarding the accuracy of the TSH test (as I have written about in a previous post), the accuracy questions are usually based not on the test itself, but on the reference ranges.

In other words, if someone has a TSH of 3.5, one usually doesn’t question whether or not this is accurate.  However, there is a question as to whether someone with such a value has hypothyroidism, as some labs use higher reference ranges than other labs.  So the overall point I want to make is that both thyroid blood tests and saliva tests are accurate, but they test for different things.

In order to try to make this more clear, let’s look at some of the different testing methods available, and next to them I’ll give a brief explanation of what they test for.

Serum Blood Tests. As I mentioned before, these tests are for the bound form of the protein or hormone.  They usually come out positive when the condition is already fully developed.  For example, someone who has a positive TSH test already has a thyroid condition.  So these tests are useful for diagnosing problems, and for monitoring the progress of a patient who is taking medication or is following a natural treatment protocol.  But they usually aren’t beneficial for preventing a condition from developing.

Saliva Tests. Saliva testing measures the free form of the hormone.  I frequently talk about two saliva-based tests which I recommend to my patients, the Adrenal Stress Index and the male or female hormone panel.  Some people question as to whether saliva tests are accurate, and when the samples are taken correctly they are actually very accurate.

But they are different than blood tests.  This is why someone can have a negative TSH test, but have a positive saliva-test.  The ASI test and saliva-based hormone panels are not only measuring hormones in the free state, but are measuring different hormones altogether when compared to thyroid blood tests.  These tests are measuring hormones such as cortisol, DHEA, estrogen, progesterone, etc.

But even if you were to take two blood tests which measured the same hormone, but one measured the bound form of the hormone, while the other measured the free form of the hormone, you still would most likely end up with different results.

Urine Tests. Urine tests measure the breakdown product of the hormones, and not the actual hormones themselves.  So you are unlikely to have either a medical doctor or a holistic practitioner use urine tests to measure anything related to the hormones.

Hair Mineral Analysis. As the name implies, it gives us information regarding the minerals in the body.  This is yet another great test for helping to determine the actual cause of a condition.  For example, this test can help determine problems with the adrenal glands before they become severe enough to dramatically affect the cortisol levels.  As a result, someone can have a positive hair mineral analysis which shows problems with the adrenal glands, but at the same time will show normal cortisol levels on an ASI.  It can also give an idea as to whether someone has a hormone imbalance, although it won’t show the actual levels of the hormones like a male or female hormone panel will.  But this is an extremely valuable test which can provide a lot of useful information as to what might be causing the person’s thyroid or autoimmune thyroid condition.

In summary, all of the tests I have mentioned above are valuable.  And for the most part they are all accurate.  However, they don’t provide the same information, and because of this one shouldn’t compare these tests with one another.  I do recommend that people with thyroid and autoimmune thyroid conditions receive blood tests.  However, those who are looking to restore their health back to normal will also benefit from some of the other tests I described in this post.

Most people with hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism receive a TSH test to help diagnose their condition.  The TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) is produced by the pituitary gland, and it helps to regulate the secretion of thyroid hormone.  So while many people think it’s a thyroid hormone, it’s actually a pituitary hormone. The normal reference range of the TSH varies depending on the lab.  Many labs use the reference range between 0.3 and 3.0, although some use a range between 0.3 and 4.5.  Some labs will even go as high as 5.0, which means that according to such a lab someone who has a TSH of 4.5 would be considered normal with regards to their thyroid health, while a doctor which uses a different lab would label the person as having hypothyroidism.

Based on the above information, it should then come to no surprise that there is some controversy as to whether the TSH is an accurate test.  Many medical doctors swear by this test, as they use this test solely to determine whether a patient has a thyroid condition.  On the other hand, some medical doctors recommend the TSH test to their patients as protocol, but don’t rely on this alone.  A big problem is that many people who fall within the reference ranges have symptoms which would indicate they have a thyroid condition.

Getting back to the reference ranges, part of the problem stems from how they determine the reference ranges in the first place.  These ranges were based on the values of a few hundred people who supposedly didn’t have a thyroid condition.  The problem with this is that while these people might have been considered to be normal, some might have been borderline hypothyroid or hyperthyroid, which obviously will affect the results.

I personally think the TSH has some value, but I agree it can’t be completely relied on to diagnose a thyroid condition.  So while I recommend this test to my patients, and personally obtain the TSH test when monitoring my thyroid health, I also recommend other thyroid blood tests as well.  A big problem with thyroid blood tests in general, but especially with the TSH, is that too many medical doctors rely completely on the test results, and don’t consider the symptoms of their patients.

I tend to take the opposite approach, as while I do value the thyroid blood tests, I pay more attention to the symptoms of the patient.  This is especially true when the patient is symptomatic, yet has negative lab results.  I’ve seen too many times where a patient had a negative TSH test, and has moderate to severe symptoms which indicate a thyroid problem, and yet the doctor refuses to give the patient medication to manage the symptoms.  While my goal is to try restoring the person’s thyroid health whenever possible, many people do need to take thyroid medication on a temporary basis, but are deprived of this by their doctors.

Of course even when the TSH does detect a thyroid condition, it doesn’t actually determine the underlying cause of the disorder.  This is where the other tests I’ve mentioned in previous posts and articles come into play, such as the Adrenal Stress Index, male or female hormone panel, and hair mineral analysis test.  These tests help to determine some of the underlying causes of the thyroid condition, which is important for anyone who wants to follow a natural thyroid treatment protocol.

Getting back to the TSH test, just because your levels are within the normal reference range doesn’t mean you have a thyroid gland which is functioning properly.  Plus, even when the TSH and other tests to determine thyroid function are accurate, let’s not forget these tests are measuring the end-stage process.  In other words, someone doesn’t test positive for these blood tests until they actually have hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.  On the other hand, many people who don’t have a thyroid condition (at least not yet) will have positive findings on tests such as the ASI, hormone panel, and hair mineral analysis.  So these other tests can help to prevent a thyroid condition from developing if used correctly.

It would be great if these “alternative” tests would be recommended to patients on an annual basis as a way to prevent thyroid conditions from developing, as well as other conditions.  So while I’m definitely not opposed to people continuing to receive the TSH test, I do think other tests also need to be performed to help diagnose a thyroid condition.  Doing this would also help to prevent many thyroid disorders and autoimmune thyroid conditions from developing.

During this time of year, it’s common to see many articles from dermatologists and other healthcare professionals, informing people to avoid the “deadly” rays of the sun.  They will warn people to minimize their exposure to the sun, and tell them to make sure they lather themselves with plenty of sun tan lotion when they are in the sun.  Although you do need to protect yourself if you plan on being in the sun for a long period of time, telling people to do their best to avoid the sun and to always put on sun block has contributed to the widespread deficiency in Vitamin D.

This has contributed to many health issues, and also has played a role in the increase in autoimmune thyroid conditions (as well as other autoimmune conditions).  The reason for this is because Vitamin D plays a huge role in immunity.  As a result, if you’re like many people and either do everything you can to avoid the sun, or always put on sun tan lotion when you’re exposed to the sun, then there is an excellent chance you’re deficient in Vitamin D, and in turn probably have a compromised immune system. 

Of course this doesn’t mean that all autoimmune thyroid disorders are caused by a deficiency in Vitamin D.  In most cases there are other causes, but one still can’t overlook the importance of Vitamin D.  This is especially true for those people who have Graves’ Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.  While everyone should receive a Vitamin D test to determine whether or not they are Vitamin D deficient, anyone with an autoimmune thyroid disorder needs to prioritize this, and address such a deficiency immediately.

Many medical doctors are realizing this deficiency, and while they still are recommending to their patients to avoid the sun and/or wear sun block, at the same time they are more open to drawing a blood test to detect such a deficiency.  Then for those patients who are deficient, they will recommend Vitamin D supplementation to corect this problem. 

You can also obtain a Vitamin D test on your own, without visiting a medical doctor.  If you go to the website www.DirectLabs.com, you can order a Vitamin D Test (the 25-hydroxyvitamin D test), and just about any other blood test you’d like.  The only thing you need to be aware of is that you can’t rely on the reference ranges, as most reference ranges of labs state that a range above 30 ng/mL is fine, but it really should be higher than this, as it should be more in the range of 50–100 ng/mL

When it comes to correcting a Vitamin D deficiency, in most cases, supplementation with Vitamin D3 is necessary.  Although you should still attempt to get at least 15 to 20 minutes of sun exposure daily, if you have a moderate to severe Vitamin D deficiency you will need to do more than getting daily sun exposure.  You will need to supplement with at least 2,000 IU of Vitamin D3 daily, and there is an excellent chance the dosage will need to be much higher than this (5,000 IU or greater) for the first few months of supplementation.

The quality of the Vitamin D supplement you take is important.  I personally take a liquid supplement from the company Biotics called Bio-D Mulsion Forte.  One drop provides 2,000 IU of Vitamin D, and while my Vitamin D levels are sufficient I still take one drop daily to help maintain these levels, and I also try to get at least 20 minutes of sun exposure daily (without sun block of course). 

There of course are times when you SHOULD put on sun block.  However, most of the products sold on the market have toxic chemicals, and so you will want to visit your local health food store in order to get a more natural sun tan lotion. 

As for when you should use sun tan lotion, if you are planning to be in the sun for a prolonged period of time, then it’s wise to put some on.  So for example, if you plan a trip to the amusement park or beach with your family and will be in the sun for hours, then use sun block, put on a cap, and dress appropriately.

In summary, many people are Vitamin D deficient, and a big reason for this is due to their avoidance of the sun.  So if you’re deficient in Vitamin D, you will want to make sure to supplement with Vitamin D3 in order to bring your levels back to normal.  From this point on it’s still a good idea to supplement daily, but at the same time try to get at least 15 to 20 minutes of daily sun exposure.  Doing this will help maintain your Vitamin D levels, which will help a great deal with immunity and can prevent future conditions from developing.  For more information on Vitamin D visit the website www.vitamindcouncil.org