Millions of women take oral contraceptives, known as “the Pill” by most women.  For those who don’t take “the Pill”, chances are they know someone close to them who does.  So whether you currently take oral contraceptives, have taken them in the past, and/or have a family member or a friend who takes them, this information will hopefully make you realize the potential risks involved and do what is necessary to minimize these risks.

Before I talk about some of the risks of taking the Pill, there obviously are some benefits, with the main one being an effective contraceptive.  When I first met my wife she was taking the Pill, and it definitely did a good job of preventing her from getting pregnant.  However, there still is the possibility of getting pregnant, as while most doctors will say it is 99% effective at preventing a woman from becoming pregnant, some research shows it’s more like 94%, which still is pretty good, but would mean that there would be six pregnancies for every one hundred women.  Plus, women who do become pregnant while on the Pill frequently don’t realize this right away, and this can have harmful effects on the developing fetus.

In addition to taking the Pill for contraceptive purposes, women take it for other reasons, such as to regulate their cycles, help with pain, to clear acne, etc.  First of all, let me say that the Pill does not regulate a woman’s cycle, as this is a hormone that suppresses the endocrine system, and does have long term consequences.  And these risks are worse for a woman who has taken the Pill at an earlier age, which is why if you know someone who is in their teenage years who is taking the Pill, you probably will want to share this information with them. 

As for helping with pain, clearing acne, and other symptoms, in most cases these symptoms can be helped by changing one’s diet, exercising, and overall modifying the lifestyle factors that frequently cause these problems to begin with.  And I’m not suggesting that changing one’s diet will completely eliminate all of these common symptoms, but it all comes down to the risks vs. benefits.  And while there are some temporary benefits while taking the Pill, there definitely are some risks.

Here Are The Risks Of Taking Oral Contraceptives

A good book for any woman to read who is taking the Pill, or thinking about taking it, is called “The Pill, Are You Sure It’s For You”, which was written by Jane Bennett and Alexandra Pope.  It’s an easy to read book, and has a lot of valuable information that not only tells you about many of the risks that come along with taking the Pill, but they provide other safer contraceptive options (and no, not just the rhythm method), as well as better ways to manage the symptoms you experience.

As for some of the risks of taking the Pill, here is just a small sample of the problems it can cause, which is being quoted from the book I mentioned above: “All forms of hormonal contraception have been shown to cause weight gain and increase your tendency to deposit cellulite.  They do this through suppressing thyroid function, inducing testosterone deficiency and insulin resistance.  The latter increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and polycystic ovarian syndrome.  It may be remembering that synthetic estrogens are fed to beef cattle to make them gain weight.”

So as you can see, taking the Pill can definitely affect thyroid health, and so if you have a thyroid condition and are currently taking the Pill, while I can’t tell you to stop taking it, I will say that it isn’t helping your condition at all, and might be making it worse.  In fact, when I consult with a patient who is looking to follow a natural treatment protocol and is taking oral contraceptives, it makes it much more challenging to help them.  Obviously I realize that many women are taking it because it is a convenient way to reduce the likelihood of becoming pregnant without having to use condoms, but since it does suppress the endocrine system and therefore cause a hormonal imbalance, it can be very difficult to restore the health of someone with a thyroid condition who is taking the Pill.

This is especially true if someone is taking more aggressive forms of contraceptives, either in the form of injections, and/or to suppress their menstrual periods.  While it is challenging to help someone who wants to remain on the Pill but is taking it on a monthly basis and still has her regular cycles, it is still possible to accomplish this by putting her on a certain protocol.  This isn’t the case with someone who is taking injections and/or contraceptives that stop her from menstruating, as these aggressive forms of contraceptives will make it almost impossible to use natural treatment methods to restore someone’s health back to normal.

Some Additional Risks Of Taking Oral Contraceptives

In addition to having a negative impact on your thyroid gland, there are many other risks of taking the Pill.  As mentioned before, taking oral contraceptives can lead to weight gain, decrease the sex drive, lead to depression, fatigue, headaches, and many other symptoms.  And because you’re taking synthetic hormones, not only can this lead to a hormonal imbalance, but it will put a great deal of stress on the liver, since it will need to work extra hard to break down these hormones.  In fact, many women who take the Pill could benefit from a purification program to help eliminate these synthetic hormones from the body.

In addition to some of the more “milder” symptoms I listed above, the book I referred to also informs us that there are more serious conditions that can result, as it discussed a 25 year old study that consisted of over 45,000 women and found that “deaths from cardiovascular diseases like thrombosis, strokes and heart attacks were significantly increased in women on the Pill, and even the lowest dose Pills have been found to cause a doubling of the risk for strokes and heart attacks.”

So hopefully you realize that taking the Pill can have some serious consequences, both in the short term, and the long term.  As is the case with any medication, I’m not suggesting that anyone immediately stop taking the Pill, as this is not a decision that I could make.  My goal here was just to make you aware of some of the risks involved with regards to your thyroid condition, and your overall health as well.

Each month I receive a decent number of emails from people who want to see a natural endocrine doctor for their thyroid condition, but can’t afford to pay for these services. I realize that some people truly can’t afford to receive natural care, especially since most health insurance companies won’t cover these types of services.

The truth is, in most cases natural healthcare is less expensive than receiving conventional medical treatment. Of course there are exceptions to this, as I know some holistic doctors charge in excess of $5,000 for their service, and require that their fees be paid upfront. Some of these doctors will recommend a minimum commitment of six months or longer, and require the patient to pay for entire fee, although some will be “generous” enough to offer a payment plan.

This isn’t necessarily meant to criticize any holistic doctor that does this, as any doctor has the right to charge whatever fees they want. And to some degree I can understand them requiring patients to make a commitment to care, as this a way to screen out those people who are not serious about their health, as there is nothing more frustrating than having a patient start a program and then drop out. Even so, I’m not a big fan of doctors charging what I consider excessively high fees, and at the same time requiring patients to pay the full amount upfront. While every doctor needs to make a profit, at the same time they shouldn’t make it difficult for most people to afford their services.

On the other hand, there are many holistic doctors who do charge reasonable fees, but are still too high to afford for some people. As of writing this article I’m personally not accepting new patients, but I still occasionally receive emails from people who tell me they can’t afford to see a natural doctor, and will simply wait until I accept new patients again. The problem with this is 1) I’m not sure when I’ll begin accepting new patients again, and 2) while I think my fees are reasonable, there still are people who wouldn’t be able to afford the fees that I charge.

So What Other Options Do You Have?

For those who have a thyroid condition and truly don’t have the money to pay even reasonable fees for natural healthcare, there aren’t too many options, other than try to find a holistic doctor who might accept financial hardships, or one who will put you on a payment plan. However, while this might reduce the fees you will pay to speak with a holistic doctor, one needs to keep in mind that there are expenses involved that can cost hundreds, and sometimes thousands of dollars over the course of a treatment plan.

After all, besides the fees for the consultation, one will likely require additional tests to determine what is causing the thyroid condition. In addition, nutritional supplements most likely will be recommended. With regards to any additional tests that are recommended, most of these are conducted by other companies, and not the actual doctor who is recommending them. As a result, a discount is not feasible (although some insurance companies will provide coverage for these tests, such as certain blood tests, saliva testing, etc.).

With regards to the nutritional supplements recommended, what many people don’t realize is that some of the companies require that all healthcare professionals sell their supplements for the same retail price. An example is the company Standard Process, which is one of the companies I use for nutritional supplements. Doctors who purchase supplements from this company don’t have a choice as to what prices they charge, although there are of course some doctors who will charge different prices anyway and risk getting banned from being a distributor. Sometimes these supplements can be found on ebay or other online websites for a reduced price (although once again they shouldn’t be sold at a reduced price anywhere), but many times they cannot be purchased anywhere else.

Not Choosing To Receive Additional Tests Or Nutritional Supplements

Someone with a thyroid condition can obviously choose not to have additional tests performed and can buy their own supplements, but this falls under the realm of self-treating one’s condition. One can possibly still receive some benefits if they don’t receive any additional testing and randomly take certain nutritional supplements. On the other hand, it’s difficult to know exactly what supplements and herbs someone needs without doing the appropriate testing. Plus, frequently the supplements purchased in retail stores or on the internet are of low quality. So while you might save some money buying supplements on your own, if they don’t absorb well and are of low quality, then of course they won’t be benefiting you at all and you’ll just be throwing your money away.

Let’s look at an example of this. If a person with a thyroid disorder has a condition called estrogen dominance, which can be causing or contributing to their condition, but refuses to have a hormone panel done to confirm this, then a holistic doctor will have difficulty recommending the appropriate natural protocol for them to follow, which most likely means that this person will not receive optimal results. This is just one example, but there can be many other areas of the body that can be compromised and therefore contributing or directly causing your thyroid condition. And in many cases, the only way to determine the cause is by doing some additional testing. I’m not talking about thousands of dollars worth of testing, but definitely at least a few hundred dollars in most cases.

How To Self Treat Your Thyroid Condition With Minimal Risks

So what can someone do who absolutely can’t afford natural thyroid treatments? For those who don’t have any money to spend on consulting with a doctor, let alone the other expenses involved, they might need to resort to doing as much on their own as they could, without trying to self-treat their condition with thyroid boosters, immune system support formulas, etc. While someone with a thyroid condition might not receive optimal benefits taking this approach, they can still frequently improve their symptoms and overall health by doing the following (you’ll notice that most of what I’m about to list has been covered in other articles and blog posts on my website):

1. Begin Eating Better.  Eat as many whole foods as you can. Try to eat as many organic foods as possible, especially any meats you consume, as well as the vegetables you eat. Some non-organic fruits also should be avoided, as fruits such as strawberries and apples can be high in pesticides.

2. Drink Pure Water. Try to avoid drinking tap water, as you ideally want to drink water that has been purified through reverse osmosis or distillation. It’s also a good idea to add a chlorine filter to your showerhead, as this will minimize the amount of chlorine your body absorbs, as this can help with some common health problems, including chronic fatigue.

3. Exercise Regularly. I realize that some people with thyroid conditions don’t have enough energy to exercise on a regular basis. If this describes you then you will need to make some changes in the other lifestyle factors that are contributing to this, and eventually get on a “walking program” where you begin with some light walking for five to ten minutes each day, and then build up gradually until you can walk for about 30 minutes daily.

4. Obtain Sufficient Sleep. Getting a decent amount of sleep each night is important to help rejuvenate your body. Some people do try to obtain quality sleep but have difficulty falling to sleep, and/or staying asleep at night. Once again, this might mean paying attention to the other lifestyle factors. For example, someone with blood sugar problems can also have sleep problems, and so changing their diet alone will frequently help with this (see My Personal Thyroid Diet article in the “Articles” section of this website).

5. Manage Your Stress Effectively. These days most people are dealing with chronic stress, which our bodies are not designed to handle. While you won’t be able to completely eliminate the stress from your life, you most likely can do a better job of managing your stress, which can help greatly with your thyroid condition, as well as other health problems you may have.

6. Minimize Exposure To Environmental toxins. Tens of thousands of different chemicals have been manufactured since World War II, and thousands of more each year are manufactured. As a result, it’s impossible to completely avoid environmental toxins. However, one can definitely minimize their exposure to them, especially by purchasing more natural household products. While such products might be more expensive than brand name products, you can purchase some low cost natural products at places such as Trader Joes.

7. Try To Have A Good Attitude. Your attitude is important when it comes to your health, and while keeping a positive attitude might be difficult when dealing with a thyroid condition, doing so can make a big difference.

8. Continue To Educate Yourself. I of course recommend to continue reading the articles and blog posts on my website, as well as other blogs and books on natural health to continue to learn how to live a “healthy lifestyle”.

Can You Do Your Own Testing?

You can definitely do some of your own testing, especially when it comes to blood tests. Check out the website www.directlabs.com, as you can obtain a Vitamin D test, complete blood count (cbc), thyroid tests, and many other blood tests inexpensively. As for saliva testing to determine the state of your adrenals and steroid hormones, there might be labs out you can use on your own that can save you some money, but the thing to keep in mind is that not all labs are the same, as many use different reference ranges that are incorrect.

The reason I use Diagnos-Techs is because they do a great job, have valid reference ranges, and overall they are a reputable company that has been doing this for awhile. Plus their fees are also very reasonable, although I’m sure there are some holistic doctors who double or triple these fees in order to make a good profit, but at the same time make it even more difficult for people to afford. In any case, just be careful about choosing your own lab for adrenal testing or a hormone panel, as you always want to choose a company with a good reputation and one that uses valid reference ranges.

Are There Nutritional Supplements You Can Take On Your Own?

Even though it is highly recommended that you consult with a natural healthcare professional, I realize there are some people who won’t take this advice and will try to purchase their own supplements. Please understand that I can’t tell you exactly which supplements/herbs to buy, as different people will require different supplements, as well as different dosages when taking the same supplement (i.e. Vitamin D, iodine, etc.). Also remember that while taking nutritional supplements is an important component of any natural treatment protocol, taking supplements alone isn’t the answer to curing your thyroid condition. What I recommend is that before you take any supplements on your own you at the very least obtain the following three tests

• Vitamin D Test (you can get a test kit at www.vitamindcouncil.org)

• 24-Hour Urine Loading Test (if you absolutely can’t afford this you can do an Iodine Patch test, which isn’t completely valid but it’s better than doing nothing)

• Adrenal Stress Index Test or a Hormone Panel. Which one of these tests you do depends upon which symptoms you have. The truth is that most people have adrenal problems, and so if you deal with chronic stress, and eat a lot of refined foods and sugars, then you probably should have this test done. On the other hand, someone with estrogen dominance needs to get this addressed as well before they can get better. If you’re having symptoms of estrogen dominance (read my blog post on this) then you probably will want to get a hormone panel done first, and perhaps down the road you can obtain an adrenal stress index test.

The good news is that addressing a deficiency in Vitamin D and iodine is inexpensive, as you can purchase a quality Vitamin D and iodine supplement for a low price. Other common nutritional deficiencies (selenium, magnesium, etc.) also are inexpensive to address, and eating a diet consisting mostly of whole foods can minimize the amount of supplements you need to take on a daily basis.

Be Careful About Taking Herbs

While taking whole food supplements has minimal risks (although isn’t completely risk free), it is a little bit more risky to take herbs on your own. Even though millions of people take nutritional supplements and herbs without any noticeable side effects, there are three main risks of taking these on your own:

Risk #1: You might have a bad reaction to a certain supplement or herb. While this is rare, it is definitely possible, and so you do need to be careful. This is especially true if you have more than just a thyroid condition, as if you have other problems then you need to remember that while serious problems while taking supplements and herbs are rare, they do happen.

Risk #2: Mixing supplements and herbs with prescription drugs can cause problems. This definitely can be risky, as if you are currently taking any type of prescription drug, mixing these with nutritional supplements and/or herbal remedies can cause some serious side effects.

Risk #3: Mixing supplements and herbs together, even without involving drugs, can also cause side effects. For example, many years ago when I wasn’t as knowledgeable about supplements and herbs as I am now, I did a detoxification, and at the same time took other supplements that I just had a basic knowledge of. One night after I started this protocol I woke up in the middle of the night to urinate, but was unable to do so, even though I had a very strong urge. I wasn’t taking anything else other than these supplements and herbs, and so I figured it had to be these that caused the problem. Just to play it safe I went to a medical doctor, received a urinalysis and my very first prostate check, and both were negative.

I stopped taking the supplements for a few days, and my urinating problem went away. However, I wasn’t 100% certain it was the supplements that caused the problem, and so I did a very foolish thing and began taking the supplements and herbs again, and sure enough, I woke up again one night unable to urinate (actually I was able to urinate both times but it took about ten minutes to “squeeze” out the urine in both cases, and it was a very scary and uncomfortable situation).

My past experience doesn’t mean that you will suffer similar or worse consequences by randomly taking nutritional supplements and/or herbs. But it does demonstrate that there are risks to taking supplements and herbs, and I will add that the ones I purchased were from a very reputable company, and not just some supplements that I randomly purchased at a retail store. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t each specific supplment and herb that was the problem, but the combination of them that produced the problematic side effects. In any case, just be careful about doing anything on your own, as while having difficulties urinating wasn’t fun, many people have suffered far worse side effects from taking and combining nutritional supplements and herbs on their own.

So if you have a thyroid condition and have problems affording natural healthcare, then I hope you have found this information to be somewhat useful. I realize what I’ve written here is not by any means a complete solution, but if you make most or all of the changes I’ve suggested, receive some minimal testing, and then take some of the necessary nutritional supplements (making sure they are of high quality), you can receive some benefits without consulting with a natural endocrine doctor.

With that being said, even though health insurance in most cases won’t cover the consultation fees and cost of the nutritional supplements (some companies will cover the lab testing), let’s not forget that this is your health we’re talking about.  If you absolutely can’t afford natural health care, then this is understandable.  On the other hand, if you can afford this care but it will mean making sacrifices in other areas (eating out less, not buying that lcd tv or other electronic gadget you really want, etc.), then for the sake of your current and future health it most likely will be worth the investment.  In fact, I can say with confidence that it probably will be one of the best investments you will ever make.

More and more people are trying to live a “natural lifestyle”, which not only can help improve the health of your thyroid condition, but your overall health as well. And while it’s easy for me to tell you to eat a 100% organic diet and avoid as many toxins as possible, the truth is that this probably isn’t sufficient to achieve optimal health. If you are going to live a “natural lifestyle”, then you really need to educate yourself and learn how to avoid ingredients that are potentially toxic.

In order to do this, you need to expand your knowledge when it comes to many of the common chemicals that are placed both in the foods we eat, as well as the household products we use. This is still important to do even if you try to buy everything natural, because a company placing the words “natural” on any food or product doesn’t really mean much.

As I mentioned in a previous post, if something is labeled as “organic”, then because these foods are regulated you can be certain that it doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals. On the other hand, you need to be cautious when buying any “natural” food or household product.

So how can you become more knowledgeable when it comes to these ingredients? It may seem almost impossible to do this when there are so many different ingredients you’re not familiar with. Here is a step-by-step process on how to accomplish this:

Step # 1: Write a one-month food diary of EVERYTHING you normally eat and drink. I’m talking about all of the foods you eat at home, at fast food restaurants, including all of the snacks and desserts you eat. And if you drink anything other than water then make sure you list these beverages too.

Step # 2: Create a list of all of the household products you have. This includes all of the cleaners, soaps, shampoos and conditioners, lotions, cosmetics, etc.

Step # 3: Look up the ingredients of both the foods you consume and the household products you use, and write down all of the ones you aren’t familiar with. With regards to the foods you eat, this shouldn’t be too difficult to accomplish with those you eat at home, but it might be more challenging when you eat out. You might need to do a little bit of research online, or read a book or two to find out this information. Don’t be surprised if by the time you’re done you have a few hundred different ingredients written down.

Step #4: Prioritize the ingredients. In other words, you are going to write down all of the ingredients you’re unfamiliar with, and then make a note of those ingredients that are listed more than once. So for example, if one of the ingredients happens to be “soy lecithin”, and you notice this ingredient eleven different times, and if this is the most commonly seen ingredient, then put the number eleven next to it, and put this ingredient on the top of the list.

Step #5: Learn about one new ingredient each day. Start from the top of the list, and take ten to fifteen minutes each day to do a little bit of research on each ingredient. After a few months you will have a pretty good knowledge of what chemicals are in the foods you eat and the products you use.

This might seem like a tedious process, and I realize that the majority of people who read this probably aren’t going to take all of these steps. To be honest, after doing the initial research it really isn’t too time-consuming to spend a few minutes each day learning each ingredient. But if you don’t want to go through all of this, then I would still look at all of the ingredients of the different foods you eat and the products you use, and try to research the top 10 or 20 ingredients that you are unfamiliar with.

Of course I’m not suggesting that all of these ingredients will be “toxic”, as some might not be too bad for your health, while others can be very harmful, especially those found in some of the common household cleaners. But even when it comes to the foods we eat, there are numerous chemicals and preservatives which over a prolonged period of time can create problems and potentially lead to health issues. And while you might not want to avoid eating these foods altogether, at the very least you will be aware of which foods contain these ingredients so that you can minimize your exposure to them.

So while it might seem like a great deal of work to follow the steps I listed, it really is important to familiarize yourself with the common ingredients you put into your body.  Some research shows that a big reason why more people are developing thyroid conditions, autoimmune disorders, cancer, and other conditions are due to the frequent exposure to some of these ingredients.  And by learning more about them you can do your best to avoid these ingredients, or at least reduce your exposure to them.

Even though I frequently talk about how people with thyroid conditions shouldn’t self-treat their condition, I still occasionally receive some emails and comments from people who don’t take my advice.  For example, if you visit my facebook page that focuses on Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis (You can sign up by Clicking Here) and scroll down, you’ll see a comment from someone who stopped taking their thyroid hormone and began eating well, then started experiencing severe symptoms, and so she decided to take thyroid hormone again.
 
First of all, let me make it clear that I would never advise someone to stop taking their thyroid medication.  Even though I think that everyone should give natural thyroid treatment methods a try, those that choose to do this need to do this wisely.  And while I talk about how thyroid medication does nothing more than manage the symptoms, this doesn’t mean I’m suggesting that people should abruptly stop taking their medication and begin eating well, take nutritional supplements, etc.

Every now and then in an article or blog post I write, I give my personal story about when I was diagnosed with Graves’ Disease how I refrained from taking anti-thyroid drugs.  However, even though I chose not to take any prescription drugs, it’s a completely different story for people who are already taking thyroid medication, as it’s unwise to abruptly stop taking your meds on your own.  I don’t know how many times I’ve mentioned that just eating well and taking nutritional supplements alone won’t restore someone’s health back to normal. 

What To Do If You Want To Stop Taking Your Thyroid Medication

So what should you do if I’ve inspired you to give natural thyroid treatment methods a try, and if you want to discontinue taking your thyroid medication?  Ideally you should run this by your endocrinologist or general medical practitioner, although I realize that most medical doctors won’t be supportive of you taking this approach.  If I was already taking synthetic or natural thyroid hormone for hypothyroidism, or anti-thyroid drugs for a hyperthyroid condition, what I would probably do is begin the natural thyroid treatment protocol, and then slowly wean off the medication.

Once again, this isn’t a suggestion as to what you should do, as from a legal standpoint I can’t inform anyone reading this to either abruptly stop taking their thyroid medication, or to wean off of their meds slowly.  So this is a decision that you will need to make on your own, assuming your medical doctor isn’t supportive of your decision, which most likely will be the case. 

What’s So Bad About Self-Treating A Thyroid Condition?

Some people don’t think it’s too big of a deal to self-treat their thyroid disorder, which is why they decide to take this approach.  And to be completely honest, the odds of something really bad happening if you were to attempt to self-treat your condition is extremely slim.  This is especially true with a hypothyroid condition, as usually when someone stops taking their thyroid medication in an attempt to self-treat their condition they will begin to experience mild symptoms that will eventually become more severe, and then when they realize the treatments aren’t working, they simply will begin taking the medication again.  Of course this doesn’t mean there aren’t any risks, which is why it’s a good idea to seek the advice of a competent natural endocrine doctor rather than self-treat your condition.

For someone who has hyperthyroidism, these people definitely need to be more careful about abruptly stopping their anti-thyroid drugs and/or beta blockers, as this condition is typically more high-risk than hypothyroidism.  I know this might sound hypocritical from someone who decided not to take prescription drugs for an autoimmune hyperthyroid condition, and without question I was aware that there was some risks when I made this choice. 

Although I did have a high pulse rate and palpitations, I personally didn’t feel as if they were too extreme to deal with for a short period of time while beginning a natural treatment protocol.  But that still doesn’t mean I wasn’t taking a risk, although I also wasn’t just randomly taking supplements herbs, etc.  And once again, if I was in someone elses’ shoes and already taking anti-thyroid drugs I probably would have approached this differently.

In summary, play it safe and don’t self-treat your thyroid condition, regardless of whether you have hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, or an autoimmune thyroid disorder.  While chances are you wouldn’t experience any serious side effects, there is always a chance you will, and you never know how your body will react.  And you definitely shouldn’t just stop taking your thyroid medication on your own and begin eating well and/or take nutritional supplements, as I can almost guarantee you that this won’t bring you optimal results, and can potentially do you harm.

As you probably know, there are many different types of hormones in our body. I’m going to focus on two specific steroid hormones, estrogen and progesterone, and discuss the impact these hormones can have on the body when there is an improper ratio between the two. There are actually three types of estrogens:

1. Estradiol – the strongest and most abundant estrogen in the body
2. Estriol – the weakest estrogen in the body
3. Estrone – the least abundant of the three estrogen hormones

When talking about estrogen dominance, estradiol is the prominent estrogen involved. Both estrogen and progesterone work together, and while these hormones play a big role in women, they also are produced in men as well. In both men and women, estrogen and progesterone need to be in a certain ratio. This ratio varies not only between men and women, but also between cycling and menopausal women.

Speaking of menopausal women, many people mistakenly assume that menopausal women don’t produce any progesterone. While it is true that their ovaries no longer produce progesterone, other parts of their body do produce it. So to take bioidentical progesterone just because you’re menopausal is a big mistake, although some books recommend that all menopausal women should do this in order to help with the common menopausal symptoms women tend to have. However, most menopausal symptoms can be reduced or completely eliminated through natural treatment methods, and without having to take natural progesterone for the rest of your life.

With regards to estrogen dominance, this doesn’t always involve an increase in estrogen. As mentioned before, both estrogen and progesterone need to be in a certain ratio (ideally 30 to 1), and in many cases the problem involves a deficiency of progesterone. This is one of the reasons why natural progesterone is frequently recommended for this condition, which sometimes is admittedly necessary, but often times this hormonal imbalance can be corrected by following a natural treatment protocol and without taking any natural hormones.

What Are Some Of The Side Effects Of Estrogen Dominance?

There are many different symptoms one can have with estrogen dominance, such as weight gain, depression, breast tenderness, mood swings and irritability, fatigue, and numerous other symptoms. It’s also important to know that estrogen dominance can lead to the development of other conditions, including thyroid disorders. The reason for this is because this condition can block thyroid hormone from getting into the cells. As a result, when seeing a natural endocrine doctor for a thyroid condition they will evaluate you to make sure you are not estrogen dominant, and if you are, put you on the necessary protocol to fix this.

This is yet another reason why people shouldn’t self-treat their condition, as while eating well and taking the right type and dosage of nutritional supplements can definitely help, not all cases of estrogen dominance can be cured through diet and supplementation. And while I’m not a huge fan of giving bioidentical hormones, sometimes it is necessary for people with this condition to take them for a short period of time. However, as I mentioned earlier, if at all possible I will try to correct estrogen dominance with natural treatment methods instead of bioidentical progesterone, which most of the time is possible.

What Causes Estrogen Dominance?

As for what can cause estrogen dominance, there are numerous factors that can lead to this condition, which as mentioned before can in turn cause thyroid issues. Lifestyle factors definitely can play a role, as chronic stress can ultimately lead to a decrease in progesterone, which can lead to estrogen dominance.

On the other hand, eating a lot of meats with added hormones can increase the amount of estrogen in the body, which also will affect the balance of estrogen and progesterone. Too much exposure to xenohormones can also lead to estrogen dominance. I’ll talk more about xenohormones in a future post, as this is a serious problem that is affecting the health of just about everyone.

More and more people are developing estrogen dominance due to the misuse of bioidentical hormones. For example, someone who is taking bioidentical estrogen can easily overdose, which is why you need to be extremely careful. Most women aren’t estrogen deficient, and therefore don’t need to take bioidentical estrogen.

Taking bioidentical progesterone can also lead to estrogen dominance, especially with regards to progesterone creams. I’m not going to explain the physiology behind this in this post, but it’s really easy to overdose with progesterone cream, which on the surface might seem to give someone an excess of progesterone, and not lead to a progesterone deficiency.

But from a cellular perspective the person will actually have a deficiency in progesterone, as when they overdose, the cells will eventually stop taking in progesterone, which will lead to a deficiency. Once again, I’m not going to discuss the physiology behind this, but the point is that abusing bioidentical hormones can lead to a lot of problems. Many sources will mistakenly tell you that because these hormones are natural they carry very little risk, which isn’t true. And the unfortunate part is that many medical doctors who give bioidentical hormones to their patients don’t know much about them.

How Can A Doctor Diagnose Estrogen Dominance?

The best way for a doctor to diagnose estrogen dominance is through a male or female hormone panel. You obviously need to look at the ratio of estrogen to progesterone, which ideally should be around 30 to 1. But since hormones interact with one another it also is a good idea to look at the levels of some of the other hormones as well.

How Can Estrogen Dominance Be Corrected?

In order to correct estrogen dominance, the doctor will once again begin with a hormone panel to determine the ratios of both estrogen and progesterone. Remember that estrogen dominance doesn’t always mean an excess of estrogen, as sometimes the estrogen levels are normal, but the progesterone levels are deficient. Either way, since chronic stress and poor eating habits contribute to estrogen dominance, then it makes sense that eating well and doing a good job of managing stress will help with this condition, as well as taking quality nutritional supplements of the right type and dosage.

If the estrogen levels are high, then one also might need to do a liver detoxification in order to help eliminate the excess estrogen, which along with modifying the lifestyle and environmental factors (eating well, managing stress, reducing exposure to xenohormones, etc.), will help to balance the hormone levels. If the estrogen levels are normal and the person is deficient in progesterone, then frequently the person will need to take certain nutritional supplements and/or herbs to help raise the progesterone levels, and sometimes will need to take bioidentical progesterone for a short period if time.

Of course the ultimate goal is to get the body to produce a sufficient amount of progesterone on its own and not have to rely on taking hormones or supplements. Once again, this is possible even with menopausal women, as there is no good reason to have to continuously take progesterone for a prolonged period of time.

So hopefully you have a better understanding as to what estrogen dominance is, and how it can affect your body. It can lead to many of the symptoms women experience, making it almost impossible to lose weight, and can also lead to the development of other conditions. The good news is that under the guidance of a competent natural doctor it is relatively easy to correct, and so if you have any type of thyroid disorder, it’s a good idea to obtain a hormone panel to determine if you have this condition so you can begin the process of getting it corrected.

Those who have been reading these posts for awhile know that I talk a great deal about the importance of eating healthy, and encourage my patients to eat organic food whenever possible.  But a decent number of people claim they can’t afford to buy organic food, and so they may eat healthier, but due to their tight budget don’t buy anything organic.

I’m not going to criticize anyone who claims that they can’t afford organic food, as I personally know what it feels like when money is “tight”.  However, I know a lot of people who claim they can’t afford to buy organic food, yet have no problem spending money on large televisions, computers, upscale clothing, etc.  For these people, their health simply is not a priority.  On the other hand, there are people who don’t spend their money on “luxury” items yet have a tough time paying the bills, and seemingly have no choice but to buy non-organic food. 

For those who fall into this latter category, can they restore their health back to normal without eating an organic diet?  In my opinion it isn’t necessary to eat a 100% organic diet, which is a good thing, because most people don’t eat everything organic.  If you can afford to purchase everything organic then that’s great.  If you can’t afford to do this, but can afford to buy some organic foods, then you simply need to pick and choose certain organic foods.

The Difference Between Organic and “Natural” Foods

In the past I’ve mentioned  that one of my favorite places to shop for groceries  is Trader Joes.  They have a lot of different varieties of organic food, but they also have a lot of natural, non-organic food.  I know some people wonder if they can “get away” with buying natural foods that aren’t organic.  The difference is that organic foods need to meet certain standards and are regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  So you can be pretty certain that something which is 100% organic doesn’t have any hormones, pesticides, artificial ingredients, and overall is the healthiest choice available when compared to similar foods that are non-organic.

On the other hand, a food that claims it’s 100% natural doesn’t need to meet the same standards as organic foods.  Many food products that claim they are natural consist of ingredients that would never be allowed in an organic food by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  A great deal of this really comes down to good marketing, as these food companies know that people want foods that are “natural”, but are also inexpensive.  And they also know what they can and cannot get away with.

How To Become An Expert At Reading Ingredients

I’m not suggesting that you should avoid all “natural” foods, but just that you need to be extremely cautious whenever you are thinking about buying anything that claims it’s “all natural”, or “100% natural”.  The key is to become an expert at reading labels, and understanding the different ingredients that are in these foods you regularly purchase.  Don’t ever assume that any natural product is healthy for you, and/or it doesn’t contain any pesticides, byproducts, or chemical additives.

Even if you can’t afford to buy everything organic, you really should consider buying certain organic foods.  For example, if you eat meat, then I would highly recommend buying organic chicken, turkey, beef, etc.  The same thing goes for eggs.  As for fruits and vegetables, while it would be great to purchase 100% organic, you can be a little bit more choosy here.  Certain fruits and vegetables, such as strawberries and spinach tend to be high in pesticides, and thus should be purchased organic.  On the other hand, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries typically aren’t as high in pesticides.

Of course there are factors to consider other than just avoiding pesticides, as there also is a difference in the soil that organic food is grown in.  As a result, non-organic fruits and vegetables will usually be more depleted in nutrients than their organic counterparts. 

The overall point I want to make here is that a person who has a thyroid condition and is looking to restore their health back to normal can do so without eating a 100% organic diet, or even one that is mostly organic.  The number one goal is to minimize the amount of refined and sugary foods that you consume.  The next step will be to eat foods that not only are whole, but don’t contain hormones, pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals.    Because all of these chemicals do have an impact on our bodies, and so the less exposure you have to these toxins, the better off you’ll be.

When it comes to restoring one’s health from a thyroid disorder through natural methods, one of the most important factors is how well you digest your food.  For those who have been reading my posts for awhile, you know that I focus a great deal on eating well and the importance of proper nutritional supplementation.  In fact, if you read any book that focuses on natural cures for a specific condition, chances are it will discuss in detail how you need to eat well, take quality nutritional supplements, etc.

However, eating quality foods and taking nutritional supplements won’t do you much good if you aren’t properly digesting what you consume.  Many people’s systems are so screwed up that their body does a poor job of digesting the food they eat and the supplements they take, which of course means they won’t benefit much from them.  This is yet another reason why someone who has been eating junk food for many years usually can’t get well simply by changing their diet and taking supplements.

The Dangers Of Acid-Stopping Medication

Millions of people take acid-stopping medication, which just further screws up their systems, and thus interferes with their ability to digest.  Let’s just think about this for a minute.  One needs a good amount of acid in their stomach to digest the foods they eat and the supplements they take.  So if you take drugs that reduce the production of acid then there is no way you can properly digest the food and supplements you ingest.

But how about if you experience a lot of stomach burning and/or acid reflux?  This is usually not due to an increase in the amount of acid, but rather the decrease in the lining of your stomach due to poor eating habits, increased stress, and other lifestyle factors.  So yes, taking these acid-stopping medications will once again help manage the symptoms, but they will do absolutely nothing for the cause.  And the long term side effects it can have on your digestive system and your entire body can be disastrous.  

It Takes Awhile To Fix Digestive Issues

As I just mentioned, beginning to eat well and taking quality supplements alone after years of eating junk food won’t be enough to fix a digestive problem.  However, it still is a good place to start, as without question people with digestive problems do need to eat better and most likely will need to take some quality nutritional supplements to help make up for any nutritional deficiencies.

In the beginning, a person with poor digestive problems might need to take natural supplements to help digest their food, as well as any other nutritional supplements they take.  But just like taking drugs, one shouldn’t have to rely on taking supplements forever for digestive purposes.

Many people can benefit from a purification program, which can do wonders in fixing digestive issues.  Of course this isn’t an easy process, and so for many patients I usually have them make small changes in the beginning before starting such a program.  And then when they’re ready they can begin a purification program to help restore their digestive function.

So hopefully you realize how important it is not only to eat healthy, but to actually digest what you eat.  Sure, this might sound like common sense to you, but obviously it isn’t something most people think about, or else millions of people wouldn’t be purchasing acid-stopping drugs. 

Does this mean I’m recommending that anyone who takes these drugs to immediately stop?  Not necessarily, as you’ll never see me advising anyone to stop taking any drug, whether it’s a prescription drug, or one that is over the counter, as this is only a decision that you and/or your medical doctor can make on your own.  My goal is just to educate you and provide you with the necessary information you need to make an informed decision.  And hopefully I have accomplished that with this post.

Bioidentical hormones are one of the breakthroughs that have thus far helped a lot of people, and will continue to help people a great deal with many different conditions. In fact, some people with thyroid conditions can benefit from using bioidentical hormones.

With that being said, many people are abusing these hormones, as they mistakenly believe that because they are natural there is little risk in taking them. What you need to understand is that hormones are very powerful, and even though they are natural, they can do a great deal of harm if you take the wrong type of bioidentical hormone, or even the right type with an incorrect dosage.

So anyone who thinks that taking bioidentical hormones is similar to taking nutritional supplements is wrong. In the past I have spoken about the potential risks of self-treating your condition with nutritional supplements. In fact, I personally have experienced negative side effects from taking the wrong type and dosage of nutritional supplements. But while there are risks with taking nutritional supplements on your own, it still is rare to see someone have serious issues from taking the wrong type and/or dosage of supplements.

On the other hand, it is becoming more and more common to see people who take bioidentical hormones experience severe problems. And a big reason for this is because they take them as if they were nutritional supplements. Most people simply don’t realize the effect these hormones can have on their body. Part of the problem is that sometimes they can feel great at first when taking such hormones.

For example, I have a friend who was having some health issues, and so his medical doctor recommended that he take bioidentical testosterone. He felt great for a few months, but after awhile he felt like crap again. And this is a common problem, as hormones do have the potential to make someone feel great, but many times these effects don’t last more than a few weeks or months because the person is either being given the wrong hormone, and/or an incorrect dosage. And this example I just gave regarding my friend isn’t a random occurrence, as I’ve seen many patients, both men and women, who were told to take bioidentical hormones when they really didn’t need to take them.

Many Medical Doctors Don’t Do Any Pre-Testing

A big reason why so many people are having problems when put on bioidentical hormones is because many medical doctors don’t do any testing to truly determine what their patients need. Or, they might test for a single hormone, but not do a complete male or female hormone panel, which is crazy when you consider that hormones are interactive. And so when you take one bioidentical hormone, you are going to affect other hormones in the body.

So for example, getting back to my friend, the medical doctor did some testing and determined that he was deficient in testosterone. But he didn’t bother to look at the other hormones, and so he was unable to tell why he was deficient in testosterone in the first place. This once again relates to doctors trying to manage symptoms, without actually looking into the cause.

The truth is that in many cases bioidentical hormones are given when they aren’t really necessary, as most people can have their hormonal systems balanced without them having to take natural hormones. And for those that really do need to take bioidentical hormones, a high percentage are not taking the right type, or are not taking the right dosage. While men are sometimes told to take higher dosages of testosterone than they actually need, many women are advised to take high dosages of natural progesterone, which also can have some detrimental side effects.

Finding Out Whether You Truly Need Bioidentical Hormones

Yet another benefit of consulting with a competent natural endocrine doctor is that they will be able to evaluate the current state of your hormone levels, and determine whether or not you truly need bioidentical hormones, or whether you can achieve balance without taking such hormones. I don’t want you to get the impression that I’m against the use of bioidentical hormones, as I really do think that in some cases it is necessary to give some support for a short period of time. It just makes me sick to my stomach when I see people overdosing on these hormones and witnessing the negative impact it has on their health.

So if you’re considering taking bioidentical hormones please be careful. You’ll no doubt find plenty of information on the internet, but not all of it is valid. Just keep in mind that a number of companies that sell these products will rave about what miraculous results they bring just so you’ll go ahead and spend your hard earned money on them, even though there is really no way for anyone to tell whether or not you truly need bioidentical hormones without the proper testing. And even if it is determined that you need them, taking the proper type and dosage is extremely important.

While it should come to no surprise that I frequently talk about the importance of eating quality nutritional supplements, I’m sure there are some people who wonder why someone would continue to need taking supplements if they eat healthy most of the time. And for those who understand why supplementation is important (which I’ll briefly discuss shortly), many people still don’t know what supplements to take, which ones are safe to take for a prolonged period of time, etc.

I obviously can’t dedicate a single post to all of the different supplements and herbs out there, as there are way too many to cover. But I will begin by saying that ideally we want to obtain all of our nutrients from whole foods whenever possible, and not have to rely on supplements. The problem is that most people don’t eat healthy, as the majority eat way too many refined foods, which even through the enriching process doesn’t have many of the nutrients in which whole foods have.

And then there is the issue of our soil being depleted of nutrients, which no doubt affects the quality of the foods we eat. So even someone who eats a 100% organic diet consisting only of whole foods very well might not be receiving all of the vitamins and minerals they need from their diet.

How Do You Know What Supplements To Take?

As for what nutritional supplements you should take, this answer of course differs for each person. For example, someone with Graves’ Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is more likely to have more nutritional deficiencies when compared with someone who doesn’t have an autoimmune thyroid condition. But this isn’t always the case, which is why sometimes it is necessary to test for nutritional deficiencies. The problem is that it usually isn’t feasible to test for every single nutritional deficiency one can have.

So what I personally do is test for some of the more common nutritional deficiencies, and use a person’s symptoms and diet history to determine what other nutritional deficiencies they are most likely to have. And while symptoms alone don’t tell the entire story, they still tell you a lot when you put someone on a certain protocol and their symptoms greatly improve. And if they don’t improve as expected, one then needs not only to look at the nutritional aspects, but other factors that can be responsible for this.

This is why I can’t simply write a book or guide on specific supplements people with thyroid conditions should take, as while I can give some suggestions, everybody needs to be treated on an individual basis. Sure, there are some common deficiencies, and I do try to talk about some of these here on this website, as I have done so with both Vitamin D and iodine. But writing a post that discusses all of the specific supplements one should take, along with the dosages, is not practical.

Can You Take Too Many Nutritional Supplements?

Some people grow concerned about taking too many supplements, which is understandable. I know people who made it part of their daily routine to ingest dozens of different nutritional supplements, which usually is not a good idea. Often times when first consulting with someone they do need to take more supplements when compared to someone who is healthy and just trying to maintain a state of wellness.

This doesn’t mean that they will need to take dozens of different supplements and herbs. But it just makes sense that if someone has a great number of nutritional deficiencies that until they address these they will need to take more supplements than someone who doesn’t have many nutritional deficiencies.

Once someone has addressed their nutritional deficiencies, they will be able to get many of the nutrients they need through eating if they consume high quality foods. However, most people will still benefit from some minimal nutritional supplementation on a daily basis to help maintain their health and prevent future conditions from developing.

There is a book called the Autoimmune Epidemic, which talks about how autoimmune conditions are on the rise, yet still don’t gain the attention that cancer and heart disease have received. The author talks a great deal about how environmental toxins are potentially responsible for many of the autoimmune conditions that exist.

There are over one hundred autoimmune conditions, and the bad news is that someone with Graves’ Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is more likely to “acquire” one or more additional autoimmune conditions when compared to the general public. This makes sense when you think about it, as one with a compromised immune system will be more susceptible to other autoimmune disorders.

Although I talk a great deal about how lifestyle factors and nutritional deficiencies can contribute to or directly cause an autoimmune thyroid disorder, as well as any thyroid condition for that matter, one can’t discount the impact that toxins have. After all, in this day and age we are being exposed to toxins that weren’t as prominent decades ago. And so perhaps it is no coincidence that as we are being exposed to more environmental toxins the rate of autoimmune conditions is increasing.

The bad news is that unlike lifestyle factors, you don’t have complete control with regards to the toxins you’re exposed to on a daily basis. It is impossible to avoid all of the environmental toxins out there, but most people can do a better job of minimizing their exposure. A big area is with the household products we buy, as there is really no good reason to purchase all of these cleaners with strong chemicals when you can visit Trader Joes or your local health food store and pick up natural alternatives.

Sure, they will of course cost more than the typical products most people buy, but it’s definitely worth the extra investment. Plus, some of these chemicals shouldn’t be used at all. For example, I remember when growing up as a child my mother constantly would use air freshener in the house.

Just like most people, she didn’t realize the potential damage these chemicals can cause to the lungs and other tissues in the body when used frequently. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that she eventually developed asthma (although to be fair, she did smoke for many years as well, which I’m sure was also a big factor).

The book “Autoimmune Epidemic” goes beyond household cleaners, but I wanted to focus on this topic because this is a big area that most people can control. But the book spoke about other ways we’re commonly exposed to toxins. It even briefly spoke about the dangers of the toxins present in vaccines, which obviously is a very controversial topic and not something I really want to get into right now.

The overall point I want to make is that there are many things in our environment that we don’t think of as being toxic. And some of these “toxins” might take years to cause the development of an autoimmune condition, although some people might never develop any condition from exposure to these toxins.

Whenever I talk about lifestyle factors, environmental toxins, and other factors that are under our control, someone usually brings up genetics, and how we can’t control any genetic tendencies we may have. This may be true (although some research studies don’t support this), but it really does us no good to worry about the things we can’t control, while on the other hand we should pay attention to those things that we can control, as over time it can make a profound difference with regards to our health.

And although I have discussed the impact of environmental toxins on autoimmune thyroid disorders, such toxins may also lead to the development of other types of thyroid conditions as well. So whether you have an autoimmune thyroid disorder, or a less severe hypothyroid or hyperthyroid condition, you really do need to try to minimize your exposure to environmental toxins.