This is Part 2 of a 3-part series on overcoming hypothyroidism:
- Part 1 – How We Overcome Hypothyroidism When All Else Fails…
- Part 2 – [You Are Here] – How to Heal Your Thyroid By Healing Your Liver
- Part 3 – Stop Eating Low-Carb (If You Care About Your Thyroid)
This is the difference.
The difference between going round and round with doctors, medications, supplements, etc. and actually getting real results is…
Your Liver.
The frustrated hypothyroidism sufferer is completely focused on their thyroid as the problem.
They can’t take a step back and see that there’s more to it than that.
And to be honest, if that’s you, it’s not your fault.
They don’t teach this stuff in medical school.
Heck, most endocrinologists don’t even know this.
The crazy thing is that it’s not even complicated physiology.
It’s just flat out ignored.
If you can learn how to heal your liver, then your thyroid function will improve drastically.
So, if you want to learn how to heal your thyroid then here are three ways you can get started by first healing your liver…
1. Balance Your Blood Sugar to Stop the Stress
Here’s something that few people realize.
A healthy liver stores lots of sugar in the form of glycogen.
This glycogen is used as a fuel source for your body between meals or when your blood sugar drops.
However, when you become hypothyroid, you lose the ability to produce glycogen and therefore you quickly develop blood sugar issues.
The effect of the thyroid status on the activation of glycogen synthase in liver cells.
https://academic.oup.com/endo/article-abstract/122/6/2915/2531236
“We conclude that thyroid hormones control hepatic glycogen synthesis, at least partly by an effect on synthase phosphatase.”
And when you can’t balance your blood sugar the healthy way…
Your body does so in a very unhealthy way, by overproducing stress hormones in order to keep you alive.
You see, when you can’t regulate your own blood sugar, these stress hormones take over by breaking down your healthy muscle tissue to convert into sugar to keep your brain functioning.
At the same time they suppress your thyroid function, by blocking your liver from converting thyroid hormone into the active T3 form.
Glucocorticoids decrease in conversion of thyroxine into 3, 5, 3’-tri-iodothyronine by isolated rat renal tubules.
http://www.clinsci.org/content/62/2/215
“In short-term (6h) experiments, cortisol and dexamethasone inhibited the conversion of T4 into T3 at concentrations of 2 X 10-4 mol/l and 2 X 10-5 mol/l respectively… In long-term (16 h) experiments, cortisol and dexamethasone inhibited T4 to T3 conversion by the tubules at concentrations of 1 X 10-12 mol/l and above.”
To make matters worse, they further suppress your thyroid function by increasing your production of Reverse T3, which further blocks your T3 from getting to your cells.
And if you can remember from the previous post “How We Overcome Hypothyroidism When All Else Fails”, if you can’t get thyroid hormone to your cells, you’ll always be hypothyroid.
All of this results in lower levels of T3, which further prevents your liver from storing glycogen and worsening your ability to balance your blood sugar.
Sounds like a big problem, right?
Sometimes, when you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.
And that’s exactly what we have to do with your balancing your blood sugar.
Since your liver can’t do it for you, you have to learn how to do it yourself.
The first half of the battle involves balancing your meals with the right balance of thyroid healthy proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
In the 3 Food Triple-Thyroid-Boosting Daily Protocol, I show you one of the most important foods we use to help balance your blood sugar.
You can download this daily protocol here.
Then we have to determine your optimal meal frequency so that you eat often enough to prevent your blood sugar from dropping and your stress hormones from taking over.
We can easily determine all of this by measuring your temperature before and after you eat. You know you have a problem if…
- Your temperature drops from before to after your meal.
- Your temperature drops from the end of one meal to the beginning of your next meal.
Working with a wide array of clients, I’ve seen cases where clients had to increase their blood sugar every 15 to 20 minutes.
Others can go a couple of hours before their blood sugar plummets.
With this information, you can quickly determine the optimal diet fine-tuned just for you.
This is an easy and highly-effective process I use with all of my clients.
But we’re not done yet because glycogen plays another important role in keeping your thyroid healthy.
2. Detoxify Your Thyroid Suppressive Hormones
We do detoxification different.
And for good reason.
Most people think that detoxification is the key to better health.
And while that may be partly true, it’s really your ability to detoxify that really counts.
Forcing detoxification when your liver is unhealthy is like trying to put out a fire with gasoline.
It only puts more stress on your liver and body.
We covered the importance of glycogen and how when you become hypothyroid you lose the ability to produce it.
Well, it turns out that glycogen is more important to your thyroid than just for balancing your blood sugar.
Glycogen is also necessary for the production of glucuronic acid.
And glucuronic acid is necessary for the detoxification of thyroid suppressive hormones, like estrogen.
This is one reason why hypothyroidism sufferers can’t detoxify estrogen, which builds up in your tissue and further suppresses your thyroid function. Sorry men, this isn’t a problem for women alone.
Even hypothyroid men can become very estrogen dominant too. Estrogen affects thyroid function on multiple levels…
- Directly blocks the thyroid gland from releasing thyroid hormone.
- Promotes the production of thyroid suppressive stress hormone (which we just discussed).
- Suppresses metabolism.
But few understand the effects that estrogen has on your immune system.
In fact, there’s a direct link between estrogen dominance and the autoimmune form of hypothyroidism called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, as shown in this study.
2-Methoxyestradiol, an endogenous estrogen metabolite, induces thyroid cell apoptosis.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0303720700002495
“Prolonged exposure to 2-ME led to apoptosis and to increased release of the autoantigen thyroid peroxidase (TPO).”
Many of my clients also suffer from Hashimoto’s thyroiditis after long term estrogen dominance that has never been properly addressed.
When estrogen takes over, it becomes much more difficult to regulate your thyroid.
In part because of how it builds up and your liver can’t detoxify it.
But that doesn’t mean you’re a lost cause.
When you can’t detoxify estrogen properly, your body dumps it through your bile into your digestive tract in hope of excreting it.
Yet, as Dr. Raymond Peat points out, much of it can get re-absorbed.
So, he recommends the daily use of carrot as the carrot fiber has been shown to absorb estrogen in the digestive tract preventing it from being reabsorbed.
Do yourself a favor and use a carrot or two a day to help give your liver a fighting chance.
Unfortunately, too many hypothyroidism sufferers have become scared of using foods like carrots in their diet because of the new brewing fear of carbohydrates.
I talk more about this and how this myth is hurting your thyroid in this post about “Stop Eating Low-Carb (If You Care About Your Thyroid).”
But before we get into that, let’s finish up with other side of this important story.
3. Source Your Selenium
Above, we covered how thyroid related blood sugar issues inhibit the conversion of thyroid hormone by your liver.
Yet, that’s only one side of the story.
You also need to do your part to make sure your liver has everything it needs to promote the conversion of thyroid hormone.
One important and oftentimes overlook nutrient needed for this is selenium.
Selenium itself is necessary to support and activate the conversion of thyroid hormone in your liver.
Selenium deficiency, thyroid hormone metabolism, and thyroid hormone deiodinases.
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article-abstract/57/2/236S/4715275
“selenium was recently shown to be an essential component of type I iodothyronine 5′-deiodinase in rats, which converts thyroxin to the more biologically active hormone 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine.”
Selenium deficiency is commonly found among hypothyroidism sufferers.
So, make sure you’re getting an adequate amount in your diet. Some of the best sources include…
- Shrimp
- Cod
- Scallops
- Mushrooms
Can You See The Recurring Theme?
Go ahead, and take another look at everything we’ve covered.
Yes, it all has to do with your healing your liver.
Yes, it all has to do with improving your thyroid health.
But, it all also has to do with making simple changes to your diet.
This goes to show you just how important diet is to your hypothyroidism.
And in the 3 Food Triple-Thyroid-Boosting Daily Protocol, we’ll show you exactly how you can start using your diet to fix some of the many underlying causes of your hypothyroidism.
This protocol is used by each and every one of our clients.
Get more information about the 3 Food Triple-Thyroid-Boosting Daily Protocol here.
Sources:
1. M Collen, W Stalmans, The Effect of the Thyroid Status on the Activation of Glycogen Synthase in Liver Cells, Endocrinology, Volume 122, Issue 6, 1 June 1988, Pages 2915–2919, https://doi.org/10.1210/endo-122-6-2915
2. P Heyma, R G Larkins, Glucocorticoids Decrease the Conversion of Thyroxine into 3,5,3′-Tri-Iodothyronine by Isolated Rat Renal Tubules, Clinical Science Feb 01, 1982, 62 (2) Pages 215-220, https://doi.org/10.1042/cs0620215
3. S H Wang et al., 2-Methoxyestradiol, an endogenous estrogen metabolite, induces thyroid cell apoptosis, Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, Volume 165, Issues 1–2, 25 July 2000, Pages 163-172, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0303-7207(00)00249-5
4. J R Arthur, F Nicol, G J Beckett, Selenium deficiency, thyroid hormone metabolism, and thyroid hormone deiodinases, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 57, Issue 2, February 1993, Pages 236S–239S, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/57.2.236S
Thank you so much….it is appreciated all your advice to help me and others…Blessing to you!
Vicki
I am currently taking an eostrogen blocker for breast cancer 4 months ago I was diagnosed with Hashimoto,s thyroiditis… Are there any links here or is it just a coincidence?
Also no.one seems to be able to tell me if this hormone blocker will affect Hadhimoto’s and Hypothyroidism…… X
Not a coincidence at all. There’s a huge connection between Hashimoto’s and estrogen dominance. Hormone blockers help to block the actions of the estrogen at the cell level, but they don’t do anything to actually lower estrogen levels.
I don’t have a thyroid how would this help me? My levels change every three months! Insomnia is my biggest issue!
Make sure you read post #1 of the series as that will help explain a lot. The short answer is yes it will still help. The only difference is that you will need to supplement thyroid hormone to the degree that you cannot produce it. However, it’s important to understand that just because you take thyroid hormone doesn’t mean that the hormone is getting to your cells. Thyroid hormone can get blocked many places along this pathway. For example, most hypothyroid people can’t convert inactive T4 thyroid hormone to active T3 thyroid hormone that your cells need. Thyroid hormone can also get blocked in the bloodstream, at the cell receptor, etc. You can supplement all of the thyroid hormone you want but if you can’t get the hormone to your cells then you will still be hypothyroid.
As for the sleep issue, it’s very common because many hypothyroidism sufferers compensate by over-producing adrenaline, which when it peaks at night will wake you up and oftentimes keep you awake. Properly addressing the stress response is very important.
what test would you recommend in determining whether thyroid hormones are getting to the cellular level?
I cover all of that in detail in our testing protocol here: https://www.forefronthealth.com/lp/ultimate-thyroid-testing-protocol/
How can I print this article. I’d like to show it to my sister.
Hi, just click on the gray rectangular share button at the top with the email icon, and you can email it to her.
I a so happy to find this. our family has been “blessed” with the thyroid issues generationally. this will make some huge differences.
Tom could give me some useful information on healing an autonomous thyroid nodule.
My TSH keeps going lower and I am more and more iodine sensitive. The only solution my endo has is RAI. I would far rather have a surgeon remove it. But most of all I would like to heal.
Thanks
I have hypo thyroid but my testosterone levels are off the charts high, my b12 is also at 1400. I’m on nature throid but still feel terrible, the exhaustion is too much. Stopped regular MD and went to a naturalist in hopes for answers. Help
I have had thyroid cancer twice and am still struggling with getting back to my normal self. I just switched to NDT but am not noticing too much of a change. I am also on two antidepressants and a sleeping pill with 10 mg melatonin on top of the pills. I really want to feel better and have more energy. I have been looking into your program but have a question about drinking coffee. I am not a coffee drinker and have never been one for religious reasons. Would the program still work for me? Is there an alternative to the coffee? Thank you for your help!!!
How much selenium is recommended? I know different foods are high in selenium, but how many mg of selenium should we aim for per day?
I do not drink juice because I am a diabetic on insulin and juice has too many carbs. Would this work with a glass of salted vitamin-C water instead of orange juice? Thanks.
Research has debunked that myth long ago, for example: http://www.news-medical.net/news/2007/07/18/27725.aspx
Tom, I am going by my own blood sugar readings. I test my blood sugar throughout the day, both fasting and postprandial. Unfortunately, from many years of testing, I know what juice does to my blood sugar. I already take a lot of insulin and I don’t want to have to take even more. That’s why I was wondering if there is a sub for the orange juice. Lemon juice in water?
Also, I am wondering if you looked closely at the article you referenced about orange juice and diabetics. The only test they did was on 32 healthy, young, NON-diabetic, people who were NOT overweight.
Here is a clip from the article: “The resulting study involved 32 healthy participants between the ages of 20 and 40, who were of normal weight, with a body mass index of 20-25 kg/m2. Participants were assigned randomly and evenly into four groups, who would drink the equivalent of 300 calories-worth of glucose, fructose, orange juice or saccharin-sweetened water.”
I just don’t understand why you would say this article debunks the “myth” that orange juice raises blood sugar in diabetics? They did not do any testing on diabetic patients.
I know that orange juice raises my own blood sugar to unacceptable levels, even though I am on two types of insulin and also an oral diabetes medication.
After all, when you think about it, what do they tell diabetics to do if they become hypoglycemic? Drink juice. Because it will raise the blood sugar.
Lots of us are hypothyroid and also have diabetes. So I think I am not the only one who would like to have the salted drink without all the carbs, if you can suggest a substitute.
Thanks for your time.
I did not say that orange would not cause a rise in blood sugar in diabetics. It will, just like it will cause a rise in blood sugar for a non-diabetic.
Don’t confuse blood sugar levels with what is healthy although that’s how modern medicine views diabetes.
In reality, diabetes is not a sugar disease. It’s not caused by sugar. It’s caused by a dysfunction within your body that prevents you from delivering and metabolizing glucose efficiently.
You’re looking at diabetes solely from aspect of your measured blood sugar. You need to look at it from the cell level.
When we refer to blood sugar issues and hypoglycemia, we are not referring to your blood sugar levels. we are referring to your cells ability to metabolize that sugar.
For example, if you’re blood sugar is high but you can’t get sugar to your cells, you are still functionally hypoglyemic because your cells are starved. Your blood sugar level is irrelevant from the cell perspective.
Orange juice also contains a good amount of potassium and magnesium which play a big role in how your cells metabolize sugars.
And more importantly, orange juice itself contains larger amounts of fructose, which is metabolized very differently than glucose. Fructose has been shown to improve glucose utilization in diabetics. See studies below.
In other words, orange juice helps to improve the underlying dysfunction of diabetes, whether it be insulin deficiency, insulin sensitivity, etc. by helping your cells to metabolize sugar more efficiently.
Simply monitoring your blood sugar and trying to maintain certain levels in no way addresses this problem.
And you are correct, lots of hypothyroidism sufferers develop insulin sensitivity and diabetes because of the underlying dysfunction. That’s why we actually work to correct the issue instead of just trying to “manage” it with insulin.
Cutting carbs doesn’t solve the problem and can actually create it.
Just this week I consulted with two new clients who followed a low carbohydrate diet, one for 2 years and one for less. Both are now pre-diabetic because of it.
It’s not the sugar, it’s the dysfunction.
Acute fructose administration improves oral glucose tolerance in adults with type 2 diabetes.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11679451
“CONCLUSIONS: Low-dose fructose improves the glycemic response to an oral glucose load in adults with type 2 diabetes, and this effect is not a result of stimulation of insulin secretion.”
Metabolic effects of dietary sucrose and fructose in type II diabetic subjects.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8908389
“CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that in the short and middle terms, high fructose and sucrose diets do not adversely affect glycemia, lipemia, or insulin and C-peptide secretion in well-controlled type II diabetic subjects.”
Hi Ellen, I think you’re missing the point of the study. This specific study is looking at ROS with respect to the safety of consuming orange with respect to inflammatory diseases thus showing it’s safety for diabetics. However, this is only one study. See my response below.
“We were intrigued by the fact that there was no increase in ROS or inflammation following orange juice consumption”
Wow, Tom, thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me in so much detail. I really appreciate it. The problem of getting the sugar into the cells is exactly where I am stuck.
I used to compensate with several hours of exercise each day and was on no meds for my decade-long diabetes, but a bad accident changed my life ten years ago. I can no longer exercise the way I used to, and I am on lots of insulin and metformin. VLC (very low carb) used to work for me in the past, but since my accident no matter how little I eat I can’t get the blood sugar down. And very low carb leaves me feeling so weak now. I never had thyroid problems until the last few years.
Getting the glucose into the cells is the problem, just as you described in your reply. I’m surrounded by elevated blood sugar, but cells are starving.
Again, I appreciate your time!
I am just going to throw this out there: I’m a HUGE proponent of magnesium in higher doses and I’ve read that the problem with getting insulin/sugar into cells is that the cells calcify (hard shell) and that is due to mag deficiency. Mag is what facilitates/allows calcium to dissolve and absorb. This is also the cause of ‘plaque’ on the artery walls; that is a calcification due to low mag. Would love Tom’s input on this.
Magnesium plays an important role in keeping calcium out of cells where it has a tendency to calcify soft tissue. But that’s not the primary mechanism of insulin resistance. That’s discussed in more detail here: https://www.forefronthealth.com/hypothyroidism-and-diabetes
How much selenium is recommended? I know different foods are high in selenium, but how many mg of selenium should we aim for per day? Since I don’t get selenium every day in my diet how much should I supplement my diet on the days I don’t get any from dietary sources?
Hi I’m Realy strugging with hashi on tyroxine for the past 5 years but seem to be feeling worse as time passes could it be my I’m not converting to t3 how much selenium should I take . I’m also taking milk thistle but I’m starting to feel no point in living like this it’s pure misery thanks for any advice
Tom, thank you for sharing this information, however my question is how does this prevent or cause autoimmune disease? Also do you have a phone number where you do consults regarding these teachings? I read about the sugar drop and I can relate all throughout the day even after eating. I’m not a diabetic nor been diagnosed with hashimotoes however I had multiple suspicious follicular neoplasm cells on my large nodules and suffer the symptoms daily of hashimotoes. I have been told to follow the autoimmune elimination diet, it’s brutal. Any advise on this is greatly appreciated.
Immune function can be drastically affected by Estrogen dominance and an over-active stress response, both of which are responses to hypothyroidism. And both of which cause involution of the thymus gland. Dr. Hans Selye showed this shrinking of thymus gland occurs very early in the stress response. I do work with and consult with clients.
I’ve been taking 125 thyroxine for nearly 10 years. The last 5 I have no relief of my symptoms I can’t loose weight and am constantly tired and very depressed. My gp does my bloods regularly and says my dose is perfect. What else can I do as I have very low quality of life being this tired all the time, ???
So I’m hypothyroid (not Hashi’s though). In many of your videos you say that unless people correct the underlying problems then no amount of thyroid meds will really make a difference because the won’t reach the cells. How is it that you say that? Since starting on meds the blood levels have improved so the thyroid meds must be getting to the cells right? Granted My symptoms are only partly improved but i’d like to understand what you mean when you say “no amount of thyroid med will help because it won’t get to the cells”.
Thanks so much for the great info
Not at all. Improvements in blood levels of thyroid hormone shows you what is happening in the blood stream. It does not directly indicate that your cells are able to use it. I discuss this in more detail here: https://www.forefronthealth.com/overcome-hypothyroidism/
I’m throug menopause and The doctor prescribed me Minivelle patches, does the minivelle interact with T4 for hypotiroidsm ?
Hi Leslie, Minivelle is estrogen, which is very thyroid-suppressive. You can learn more here: https://www.forefronthealth.com/hypothyroidism-and-estrogen
Hi tom
I’m type to diabetic, and want to know how I can control it with diet and stop taking meds,
So much conflicting information out there from so called experts
Be great full for any advice
Thank you
I found your article intriguing. I have had Hypothyroid disease since I had my second child – almost 14 years ago. Along with that I have psoriatic – spondylitis. I take NDT- which has been the best result for me, many anti-inflammatory meds. In recent years, I have developed high cholesterol, and blood pressure issues this year. Now, on 2 different anti depressants. Since being on the blood pressure medicine, I have gained weight. I am unable to sleep more than 3 hours at a time. I went to my doctor recently for a check up and he has gotten on to me about being extremely high in cholesterol, and close to becoming diabetic. I do not take pain pills, because I feel as if I take too many meds as it is. I am stressed out because life…. I DO NOT WANT TO BECOME DIABETIC. My doctor does want me to stay on a semi- low carb, high protein diet, and get exercise – which I do not have the energy, desire, or time to do. I take more medicines that both my parents take currently, who are both diabetic. I have small extremities – small waist – but my waist is where my fat lies. I’m 45 and I want a better quality of life. What do you suggest? Thanks in advance for your advice.
Now I m suppressing my tsh to a very low level “thyca patient ” and i m having trouble with converting t4 to t3 , my question is if i take t3 hormone gonna make me feel better ?
Do you have any information, references, or recommendations of a correlation with hypothyroidism and multiple myeloma?
I have hypothyroidism and Addison’s disease, how will this diet change help me as I dump salt and don’t convert potassium to salt?
it seems like there is always something new on thyroid issues. I am allergic to iodine so therefore I have had to steer clear of all seafood, anything with iodine and back in the early 80’s my dr put me on thyroid meds and told me to stay on them the rest of my life. unfortunately, no dr since the 90’s will put me on them saying my thyroid is elevated but not high enough for meds. I have gained a ton of weight, my hair is falling out by the hands full, my legs and eye brows have very little growth and so many other issues but no one listens. I have so many health issues and been disabled for about 5yrs and I am only 53 and I am scared I am going to die from lack of help…can you advise what to do??
hi
Maybe I missed it, but how does one know if they are estrogen dominant? through a blood test? my doctor has had me on an estrogen cream since I started going to her for my thyroid; could I be getting too much estrogen?
I hope my questions aren’t dumb. I have been on this rollercoaster since having kids and I really need help. and I keep hearing different conflicting ways to eat or cure for the thyoid. it’s all mind boggling. I just need one doctor who knows what they are doing, how to read my labs and isn’t trying to scoot me out of the office quickly for the next patient. any recommendations?
thank you,
from anchorage alaska
Hi Nicole, estrogen dominance and hypothyroidism go hand in hand. Without adequate T3 the liver can’t produce glucuronic acid necessary to detoxify estrogen. So estrogen tends to build up in the tissue. Many doctors test for estrogen by blood lab which is highly inaccurate because the estrogen is in the tissue, not the blood. Excessive estrogen directly blocks the thyroid gland and inhibits metabolism. Supplementing additional estrogen tends to compound the problem and only cause more problems.
so if testing the blood for estrogen is ineffective, how do you know if the tissues are loaded with estrogen to know if you have an estrogen dominance? confused. sorry.
Hi Kristi, we oftentimes will look at prolactin and serotonin which can help give a more accurate estimate of true estrogen levels.
hi are those blood tests and will docters do them
They are blood tests and some doctors will run them, but not all.
My dr says my thyroid needs to be fine tuned. I’ve been on T4 for 30 yrs & I’m seesaw between hypo & hyper & suffer with all the symptoms for both. I have Hashimotos, Vit D def, osteopenia, have had pre cancers cells in one breast resulting in biopsies & lumpectomy. Because of what you said about there being a problem detoxifying estrogen because of the thyroid problem, would my risk for breast cancer be even higher? My dr says I’m already at a 30% risk for breast cancer because I had the precancer cells & because there a high family risk.
Hi Jennifer, most breast cancer is estrogen-positive meaning that estrogen plays a direct role in the occurrence and growth of the cancer. So, regulating estrogen would decrease your risk NOT increase. Also consider that our Hashimoto’s is driven by estrogen dominance as well. And this is why you’re seesawing between hypo and hyper. Estrogen inhibits the proteolytic enzymes that allow your thyroid gland to release thyroid hormone. This can cause your thyroid gland to become blocked, going through periods where it can’t release the hormone and stores too much (hypo) and period where the gland then unloads, releasing too much thyroid hormone at one time (hyper).
I’ve had blood work done by my regular physician and they say thyroid blood work was fine. I don’t think they checked my T3, T4 for thyroid problems. I’m guessing it is probably hormonal since I had a hysterectomy 17 years ago. My hair is thinning really bad and I was wondering what type of “PHYSICIAN” should I see to try save my hair? I don’t even know where to start, but I’m shaken really bad about loosing my hair. Please HELP. Thank you.
I’m hypo with hashimotos. My thyroglobulin antibodies is 3 IU, thyroid peroxidase antibodies is 602 IU, free T4 is .9, free T3 is 2.8, reverse T3 is 12, TSH was 5.77 until I was put on a 1/2 grain of NDT it then went down to 1.21. I’m at the cusp of pre-diabetes( genetics). My total cholesterol is 199. My Basal temperature has been 95.7. Last month was 96.7.
My doctor is a DO but he hasn’t addressed my Autoimmune…so I’ve been doing my own research.
In your opinion Tom, what do you think of all my numbers? Also, how would I get my temperature up, increase the NDT to a full grain? I’m 51 years old, starting the “change” irregular cycle,severe thinning hair and loosing my eyebrows(MAJOR concern of mine!!!) belly fat….and my feet are killing me all the time! I’m thinking about seeing a Functional DR in my area. However, I was hoping for some input from you :) I’ve been using the 3Food Protocol and that’s been good…..kind of weird…but cool. It’s just difficult weeding through ALL the info from so many resources.
I appreciate any input and THANK YOU! :)
I just want to say THANK YOU, TOM BRIMEYER for putting this information out here for us. Some of this information is above my only one year of college education, but I am diligent and can read and research till I understand. GOD BLESS you for helping those of us who want to identify and heal the source of the problem. Shine on!!!!!
I am on no medications for my hashimotos. My thyroid levels are normal except my slight elevated antibodies. This is because I am on a strict gluten, dairy and soy free diet. On eat low sugar and carbs too. I also have Celiacs.
Hi, like many people on here l suffer from low mood, I’m stressed all the time, tired all the time, unable to loose weight, horrible dry skin, ache in my joints, unable to concentrate for long periods, and don’t get me started on my lack of a good nights sleep…… Anyway I was diagnosed 2 years ago with hypothyroidism, this week they have said my levels are fine……. Bloods taken 2 weeks ago, been on new amount for 6 weeks….. I honestly feel no different in the slightest way. Should l feel normal, l asked my doctor and was told your levels are fine so lm fine. I’m so fed up with it all, please help x
Hi Sally, this is a very common problem and why the medical system is failing people like yourself. I talk more about why you can’t trust blood tests here: https://www.forefronthealth.com/thyroid-tests/
I’m about to release a new training on how to test your own thyroid function at home and more accurately than blood labs.
Hi Tom, Im in Australian 49 yrs old and have had hypothyroid symptoms for years… Have had bowel cancer at 44, have benign cysts in my liver and kidneys and have a very slow digestive system which Im on meds for. I saw a natural “thyroid specialist” a few years ago who used the thyroflex system and said with my results if I was in USA I would of been put on meds years ago and that I had very low Iodine. I took some supplements etc but due to costs could not continue down this rd. All blood works since via local dr say my levels are within range etc etc and just my age and hormones and to eat less and move more…. but then say I cannot exercise as also have bursitis in right hip ! I have low body temperature all the time and feel like I want to sleep after every meal, no matter what the meal is…. although when bloods done my sugar levels are all good and so is my cholesterol. I am also highly stressed due to terminal parents.. I would be very interested to know what avenues you think I should take to get tested properly for all thyroid issues. thank you
Hi Lynda, we have a great training series that walks you through our testing process and how to interpret labs properly here: https://www.forefronthealth.com/lp/ultimate-thyroid-testing-protocol/
would you know how to deal with multiple chemichal sensitivity and alergies, I am hoping you have some answers. I am not able to take meds or suplememnts or even some foods. I have Hashimoto (high thyroid antibodies),, A.Sponolitis joints problems, body aches, and chronic fatique syndrom. and encephalomyelitis
Hi Liby, MCS and ME have a lot to do with liver dysfunction and in particular the effects of estrogen. As the liver cannot store glycogen, it also cannot produce glucuronic acid necessary for detoxification of estrogens and other toxins. Sometimes very small amounts of T3 can help the liver initially when thyroid medication isn’t tolerated.
What if your liver is healthy? I eat mushrooms a lot. I could try eating carrots daily. My issue is that my doctor only tests one thing and it’s normal and has so far refused to do more tests because he says he doesn’t want to do tests that aren’t necessary. I also have an autistic sonwho has sleep issues so I only get a couple hours of sleep myself when I can.
Hi Jayne, hypothyroidism itself leads to liver dysfunction as discussed here: https://www.forefronthealth.com/how-to-heal-your-thyroid/
So, it’s nearly impossible to have a fully functional liver when you are hypothyroid.
I have a19 y.o daughter who was diagnosed with Hashimotos at age 13. She had previously had fluoride treaments which caused her teeth to turn yellow and then the other Hashi’s symptoms began. Am I correct to think maybe the fluoride damaged her liver which lead to the Hashi’s? If so what is the best thing to do to heal the liver?
thank you
Hi Donna, fluoride directly effects the thyroid gland and could be involved. But there are other factors to consider as well such as x-rays (especially dental x-rays). Dentists don’t typically cover the neck when doing x-rays which leaves the thyroid gland exposed to radiation and the complications that can result. But oftentimes what you mention is more of the straw that broke the camels back so to speak. There could also have been some underlying dysfunction from the beginning.
I just found out I have really high oxalates and have been told to do a low oxalates diet. Carrots are very high in oxalates. Is there something else that could be used? Beets are high oxalate too.
Hi Amy, avoiding oxalates is not the solution and goes against everything we teach. Instead you should focus on correcting the underlying dysfunction which is causing them to become elevated.
I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Disease when I was 24, at that time that same doctor said I was prone to get diabetes because my 2 children were 9lbs & 9lbs 10 oz when born. I took Synthoid for 4 years and stopped for a couple of years and now I am 46 and taking Levothyroxin faithfully. I recently had a doctor appt and she stated my sugars are at a pre-diabetic state and I should lose weight and watch my sugars. I was also told I have a fatty liver.
I am so confused on what to eat or do. I tried just plain vegees and plain fruit smooties, but I think I was drinking to many or much of the fruit smooties which might have caused my sugar levels to go up. I just know I’m not feeling well anymore and need help.
Hi Nadine. Hashimoto’s is caused in large part of estrogen dominance and estrogen is well known for activating the stress response. So, it can make you more prone to diabetes. I’ve just written an article about diabetes that you might find helpful: https://www.forefronthealth.com/hypothyroidism-and-diabetes
Hi Tom-
I have been fighting weight gain for years along with fainting spells. I went so far as to track my calories and found I did not lose weight until excessive exercise and my calories were dropped to 800 per day. I successfully dropped 55 lbs at one point but it came back immediately when I raised my intake to 1300/day. I have given up so many times I cannot count. I had never even heard of thyroid/pituitary function until my mom was diagnosed a few years ago with Hashimoto’s.
Everyone, including doctors, have always told me I was just fat and lazy. In 2009 I became pregnant with my daughter (after 6 months) and read somewhere online that heavy women just have a hard time getting pregnant. Within 4 months I had lost 35 lbs. It was like someone turned on my metabolism. Toward the end of the pregnancy I gained 30 lbs back but that was mostly baby and water weight. During my pregnancy I had been going to a “low income” general practice. Not once did I ever see the same doctor or nurse. I was tested for thyroid function and told twice that it was a “false positive” and I was “just so fat and morbidly obese” that I would “die any second.” (@224lbs) They tested me 3 times for the glucose screening. Chugging orange syrup and sitting in a tiny office under watch for two hours each time was awful. I had stomach pains later in the pregnancy and I was accused of just being a “stupid new mother” with “pregnancy gas.”….Enlarged liver…. And the brain fog? Apparently, that is a pregnancy and breastfeeding symptom….
The baby and I are fine btw…..
Flash forward to today….
I moved and got a new doctor. At my very first visit he noticed I had severe memory problems during our chatting and my being over weight (5’5” @ 240 lbs). Not to mention I had significant balding on the top and back of my head. (gobs of hair were in the vacuum and my brush daily.) Honestly, I could hardly remember my age (32 now) or what I ate or how to do my jobs (I have 2 of them) My blood pressure was so low it had been causing me to faint and have random arrhythmia issues. My symptoms nearly cost me my jobs btw. It was REALLY bad.
I went through the tests and he said my pituitary function was through the roof basically trying to get my thyroid to do its job. I felt super better with my T4 pills @ 75mcg at first but then the symptoms began to come back and along with headaches. I researched people on Armor and found people did better on a mixture of meds so my doctor said my blood tests were fine but he would give me 5 mcg of T3. He had told me in the beginning we would know I was at the right amount because most people initially lose 10 to 15 lbs when they reach the correct med levels. This has yet to happen. (Completely got my hope up.) I have attempted to exercise and diet but I find it difficult working two jobs with a family and on a tight budget, Both of my jobs are labor intensive and hard on me anyhow. I have previous injuries from working hard labor over the years (building houses, logging, welding, working freight, various customer service jobs) my back and knees are toast at this point. (My boyfriend keeps trying to get me to do those high impact PX90 or Insanity exercises but it makes me just was to cry.)
I find I am very emotional although I have never been tested for any other hormonal issues. (Was skimming through the comments on here and some mentioned Estrogen levels.)
I have heard to avoid eating certain foods like broccoli or cabbages ( I forget the plant hormone now but heard that that plant family has a hormone that can mess with the thyroid / med function. )
I still try to track my caloric intake and at this point I am about 1700-1900/day… if I really try…
I take multi vitamins, Biotine, D3, magnesium and calcium, and ironically… cinnamon for my heart. Heard it helps with vessels and heart function. Occasionally I take in some Dandelion tea or pills but not much in the way of liver detox lately.
My weight is all the way up to 260…. I’m super depressed and in pain daily. I have stopped having pain in my gut from my liver (the initial pain from the enlargement and stretching of the lining and connective tissues. Although, I am certain it’s still just as big and fatty as ever.
I am going to go ahead and mention the doctor believes this has been going on since my childhood. Makes sense why I fell asleep in school and could not get my classwork down. I felt like a genius that was too tired to function… I that makes sense. And also on that note, my mother was a maxillofacial surgical assistant and I helped her with her school work… including clinical… for the whole class (because I have perfect teeth) x-ray practice for the whole class, no lead throat cuff. I can’t imagine what is even left of my thyroid at this point….
Hi Lisa, I’m so sorry that you had to go through all of that. How unprofessional. But I’m happy to hear that you’re being proactive about improving your health.
Tom,
Thank you so much for this. Everything is ringing true for me. My Hypothyroidism is fairly well controlled now, but I have had some of these issues mentioned above in the past, but didn’t necessarily relate them to my thyroid issues, It’s so refreshing to have someone actually say some of the things I have experienced, like the changes in temperature after eating. I used to get that a lot and would always have that feeling of low blood sugar when I hadn’t eaten for a while. I try to eat fairly healthily now usually little and often, which I feel works for me, but I think could really benefit form the extra tips, so I just wanted to say thank you.
Michelle
Hi Tom,
LOVE, love love your web.
Speaking about ” estrogen dominance and hypothyroidism go hand in hand.”. I’m 62, and gynecologists say I need more estrogen(I don’t and didn’t use it). I’m hypo, (not diagnosed but nave all symptoms you mentioned)
I’m also using and love your protocol, but just wondering – is it ANY substitutions?
Not always have the stuff. Can it be, lets say, raw milk cheese to take with coffee instead of cream, which, by the way almost all fake, ”ultra pasteurized”,dead, (or you think it’s OK?). Not always able to got real milk.
Or Apple cider vinegar instead of OJ? And cheese has salt.
Or anything else?
Thank you.
You have to be very careful with cream because almost all contain carrageenan or some sort of gum today which is very irritating to the digestive tract. But in general, I recommend following the protocols as designed.
I have a question about the shrimp/cod thing. Is this about omega 3’s and what is your position on chia seeds as an alternative? I hear they provide 4 times the omega 3’s as fish. Thanks!
No, it’s about the thyroid co-factors like selenium, zinc, copper, etc.
So happy to have found this site, my se timents exactly. Good nutricious Food is our best medicine
Thank you for the info, I feel there is allot of wonderful info I need to pay attention to. Happy New Year! I have thyroid, hypoglycemia problems, orange iodine got rid of my breast lumps I worried about. My natural path told me to put the iodine above the nipple of each breast huge lumps were gone in two weeks! There switching my thyroid medication from armoir to another one. I feel depressed my hormones are off could cry at the drop of a hat. Testosterone was normal, there checking progesterone.
Just found your website a couple days ago. Have suffered from Hypothyroidism for about 30 years … since I was a teen. Had radioactive iodine to kill it. I have a hard time finding information online for people with no thyroid. I saw above that you commented about body temp, if it drops from before to after a meal, there’s a blood sugar issue. Mine does seem to drop from before to after a meal. (Side note, I’m rarely able to get my body temp above 97.6 although I don’t suffer from cold hands and feet as many do.) Question is: how often do you recommend eating to keep blood sugar stable? I just started with the OJ, coffee, and butter this week and also chewing my desiccated thyroid meds. I’ve noticed a lot more clear thinking, especially in the mornings, as that’s when I have better control of what I’m eating. I tend to get foggy headed and lethargic in the evenings still. Anyway, any input would be greatly appreciated. Trying the 7-day thyroid diet next week. Anxious to see the results. I’ve been decades researching, seeing various docs and trying to figure this whole thing out. Hoping your protocols help me make progress and feel my age again.
Glad to hear that and just in case you didn’t see it, I just posted an article on RAI today: https://www.forefronthealth.com/rai-and-thyroidectomy/
I’ve gained 46 lbs in a year! My dr says my thyroid melds @75 meg were too high?? Oh it’s just cuz you turned 50?!? I said no I’m more active than ever I walk vigorously I eat carefully and zero junk food. She blows me off all of the time. I’m going to demand more tests or go over her head! My hands n feet are always cold even in summer. I’m beyond disgusted. She cut my thyroid mess to 50mcg and says it’s just age. I have never been heavy I’m at my 9 month pregnancy weight. I’m only 5’2″ and always lost weight after my kids were born. I weigh 180 lbs. I look like a weeble. Help!
Tracey, I’m so sorry to hear that. You’re definitely not alone as a number of clients I have worked with over the years have been in your same shoes. They will say you’re either eating too much or not exercising enough while failing to understand that under-eating and over-exercising are two easy ways to further suppress your thyroid function. I would highly recommend finding a doctor who is willing to do more in depth testing and who will prescribe desiccated thyroid or T3 in addition to the T4.
Hey Tom…I just ran into you for the very first time reading this article. And I am just wondering if DE earth…which I just started taking a few wks ago…could possibly help if I think I’m hypo. I know I’m glucose intolarent (aka overweight). I’ve got all signs lethergy, hair loss, dry skin etc…and yet…my test test normal. Next thing I’ll be is insane! :)
Peace&:)
MTW
Hi Marie, I wouldn’t recommend DE use continually as it could be very irritating to the intestines. But I haven’t looked much into it’s use internally.
Can you explain the connection of hypothyroid and Afib ?
A-fib can have a lot do with the electrical system of the heart. Vitamins D and K, calcium, and magnesium are all helpful in stabilizing the heart rhythm. Thyroid is also important as it help improve magnesium retention. Estrogen is oftentimes involved as well. There are a lot of studies showing decreased protective steroidal hormone production in association with a-fib as well indicating that thyroid function and metabolism are directly involved.
Hi Tom. I purchased your program a month ago and love it. I’ve made enormous improvements. I am a former year-long low carber, and am using your protocol to control my blood sugar. I’m fine during the day if I eat every 90 minutes or so, but am still having trouble at night. I can sleep for a couple of hours, but then my BG drops and I wake up. I’ve tried the salted OJ, but the stress suppressing effects only last an hour or two, and I wake up again.
I’m following your protocol to the letter (I’m an Engineer too and Compliance is my middle name), except for one tweak. To try and achieve a smaller but longer lasting BG rise I’ve tried eating a small serving of a type of lentil called Chana Dal just before bed time. It has a glycemic index of only 8, and it raises my BG very minimally, but the effect lasts several hours. I can now sleep 4 to 5 hours before waking up, at which point I use the salted OJ to quell the stress response.
What’s your opinion on this? I know that beans in general are somewhat thyroid suppressive, but the long-lasting BG boost allows me to sleep. Presumably, once my liver heals I won’t need to use the beans,
Is there a compelling reason why I should NOT use the beans to allow me to sleep?
Once a week I skip the beans to see if I’m making any progress in terms of night time BG control. It’s been 5 weeks and I’m noticing only a slight improvement. Could the beans be slowing down my progress?
Hi John, the problem is that your liver isn’t storing adequate glycogen to regulate your blood sugar at night. So, the beans are really more of a band-aid covering up the bigger problem. There are a number of reasons why I wouldn’t recommend the beans for this. A good nighttime snack can have a similar effect. Using some thyroid before bed can help too. But ultimately it’s the health of the liver and promoting glycogen storage that needs to be the focus.
Hi Tom. I was wondering about sea salt. I couldn’t find non-oxidized salt, and found sea salt in my cupboard. I sprinkle little in orange juice. Is this ok? And the Yogi detox tea for liver function I have found to help boost my energy level. I started using Yogi detox tea to detox cannabis for chronic pain a few years ago, but just started drinking tea again. With the info you have given me so far I can feel a slight difference. That’s a good sign. Thank you so much for the olive branch. I give thanks to God for leading me to you, cause I had given up hope of any kind. I really thought that this must be what dying really feels like. I have some hope now, so again thank you!
Hi Judy, I’m happy to hear that. :)
Hi Tom, I like the way you think! Common sense functional medicine and targeted nutrition. I think that is the future. We have to stop thinking of a disease as perfectly represented in a single lab value. You can balance your blood sugar but the disease is still progressing. You can lose weight but still drop dead of a heart attack. The right diet is going to be one that promotes longevity – not treat a particular disease. The imbalance encompasses the whole body. This is why I love Chinese Medicine – which is the only medical tradition that understands how to gently nudge the body back to health.
Cool stuff…
I am glad to find your site and look forward to exploring more on here. I was on levo, but had such side affects my doctor put me on another brand. Side affects increased! I couldn’t live like that so I went off the meds and nine months later, I actually feel much better by taking natural vitamins that support….they do not heal…the thyroid. I have more energy than before taking any meds. I went to two doctors who don’t seem to have a clue about thyroid issues, then stopped altogether. I know I still need guidance, but, was not getting it from them. One doctor told me those prescribed meds would not cause the side affects I mentioned to him. My response was, then why did they stop once I stopped the medicine? And I have read many, many posts online of women who have same issues, same side affects. He had no answer. Said he did not want to draw blood to check my thyroid until he gets results from my previous doctor. I thought that was strange, I strongly look for natural ways to help with hypothyroidism, so I am glad to find you.
Hi Anne, too much T4 is very suppressive to the thyroid gland itself. And oftentimes this results in decreased T3 production by the gland which is what causes the worsening of your thyroid condition and symptoms. This is one reason why we don’t recommend T4-only meds at all.
Thank you for the very informative article. I have Hashimoto’s and have had it for over 30 years. I have most of the symptoms mentioned and didn’t realize the cause for all of those was hypothyroidism. I thought I was just lazy. I am so tired all the time and can’t sleep most of the time. You mention use carrots daily. Is that raw or cooked or does it make a difference? Can you email your answer?
Hi Carol, this is what you need for the carrot: https://www.forefronthealth.com/boost-your-thyroid-with-carrot/
I take a low dose of Hormone pill will this affect my thyroid?
I also have Hashimoto’s…
Hi Trish, it depends on what the hormones are but most it’s important to understand that hormones don’t work independently of each other. They all tend to affect each other. So many other hormones do directly affect the thyroid gland, liver, and other parts of the thyroid hormone pathway. With hashimoto’s estrogen (and oftentimes progesterone) are directly involved.
Hi Tom,
Sorry, I posted this comment in another thread, but meant to post it here….
I’ve been following your program for almost two months now, and have seen enormous improvements in my energy levels and overall metabolism. I’m a former low-carber and am working to get my liver healthy again so I can control my blood sugar. For the past month I have been experiencing intermittent mild pain in my liver/gallbladder area. I have seen my doctor and got an ultrasound yesterday, which showed no abnormalities. Could my pain be related to my new eating protocol? Perhaps a sign that my liver is coming back to life? Or do you think the pain is unrelated?
Hi John, it’s difficult to say exactly without knowing more. We do tend to see increased bile production and if there has been some biliary stasis or thickening of the bile as is common with excess estrogen then it could create some sensation in the area.
i had my thyroids takein out , i am on synthroid125 an have gained about 50 pounds ,fell sick an tired all the time, i wished you could help thxs
Hi Joyce, we definitely can. Here’s an article that can help: https://www.forefronthealth.com/rai-and-thyroidectomy/
Hi, thanks for your informative articles.
I have SIBO and hypothyroidism. I believe my hypothyroid is what led to the SIBO. Along with trying antibiotics and elemental diet, I have to eat a low-carb diet to prevent the overgrowth of intestinal bacterial overgrowth. And I have been told to stay on low carb diet forever to prevent recurrence of SIBO as the recurrence rate is High!
Do you have any thoughts on how I can heal my thyroid while NOT causing the SIBO to grow even more?
Thanks for your time.
Gay
Hi Gay, yes research shows that hypothyroidism leads to SIBO as we’ve discussed in some articles such as this one: https://www.forefronthealth.com/thyroid-leaky-gut-food-allergies/. There are ways to address this properly and a low carb diet is not one of them. If SIBO is caused by hypothyroidism and a low-carb diet can cause hypothyroidism (https://www.forefronthealth.com/low-carb-thyroid-dangers/) then it should make sense that it would only be contributing to the problem.
My temperature goes lower after meals, which from what I’m reading is suggestive of a thyroid problem. What I also notice, though, is my body temperature plummets after exercise, when I think it should go up. While I am typically around 97.5 most of the day, my temperature drops to 96 after exercise. Do you know what is going on here, and if there is anything I can do about this? Thank you!
Hi Tracy, what that’s telling you is that you have blood sugar issues and very high levels of thyroid suppressive stress hormones that are rising before your next meal. After you eat these hormones become suppressed causing your temp to drop. This is a common sign of a poor diet, significant stress, inability to regulate blood sugar, or all of the above which is commonly what we see.
Hi Tom:
I am anxious to try out your protocol. I don’t have a gallbladder and if I knew then what I know now, I would have found a way to have kept it. But sadly, it’s gone and now I live on digestive enzymes for the gas I have right after a meal. Do you have any thoughts about this? I do have Hashimotos, but my antibodies have been going down, my doctor regulated my bio-identical hormones and my estrogen (saliva test done every 3-4 months) seems to be in line. What are your thoughts about bio-identical hormones, too?
Thank you,
Virginia
Hi Virginia, you might need bile salts but not enzymes. And even then, thyroid hormone, cholesterol, and vitamin A are necessary for bile salt production. Many enzyme supplements are problematic and can create problems. Keep in mind that you can’t accurately measure estrogen through saliva or blood as it accumulates in the tissue. Some bio-identical hormones can be very beneficial. However, estrogen is almost always not. Estrogen itself is very thyroid suppressive.
Hi Tom,
I am 68. I had my thyroid removed in 2002 and as a result my parathyroid glands are not working. I take thyroxine, calcium and vit d. I had my gall bladder removed 3 years later. I had a hysterectomy in 1987 and was given HRT. I still use an oestrogen only patch.
I live in the UK and my doctor says my blood test for thyroxine is fine. T3 is not normally prescribed here.
I am constantly tired, can’t lose weight and my legs ache. I have recently been told I have arthritis.
Do you think all these things are connected and how can I help myself get better. I am so depressed by all this.
Hi Christine, I’m not sure why you had a thyroidectomy, but everything you’ve been through is very likely related to your hysterectomy. Most women are incorrectly put on estrogen after this which only makes things worse in the long run. Estrogen is very thyroid suppressive and with your hysterectomy, it’s progesterone that becomes very deficient and that is required to support proper thyroid function. This is also the likely the underlying cause of your arthritis as estrogen drives the stress response, but you need thyroid hormone to produce stress hormones. When the demands for stress hormones are greater than the supply, arthritis and eventually physical degeneration begins to occur. And anyone with a thyroidectomy needs to be using T3.
I’ve noticed that your meal plans don’t include any grains. Can you explain the reason? I’ve been trying out your recipes before I go for a week on them and I was pleasantly surprised at how filling they were. I have a hearty appetite and sometimes I can’t finish my coffee or smoothie.
Hi Rebekah, grains break down entirely into glucose which requires insulin to get to your cells. Many hypothyroidism sufferers also develop some degree of insulin resistance/diabetes where they have difficulty with this. So, we focus on carbohydrates higher in fructose which doesn’t require insulin to be metabolized by your cells and also helps to improve glucose utilization. So, it’s much more efficient and beneficial for improving metabolism for hypothyroidism sufferers and diabetics.
Hi Tom, you responded to somebody – ”you might need bile salts but not enzymes. Many enzyme supplements are problematic and can create problems.”
I was sure I’m doing a favor to my body with enzymes – my also have an ox bile extract 150 mg in it, or I need just ox bile only? Why enzymes bad for my low thyroid?
How to help digestion then?
Thank you.
Introducing enzymes where they don’t belong can actually cause inflammation and other problems. Hypothyroidism itself causes enzyme deficiencies so addressing the underlying issue is more important. And there are safer ways of improving enzyme production, i.e. coffee with meals increases certain proteolytic enzymes. I discuss this in more detail in this article: https://www.forefronthealth.com/hypothyroidism-and-dairy-intolerance/
Tom, I love your understanding of the thyroid. We need to connect !!
Hi, Tom I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism when I was thirteen. At that time I didn’t really understand what it was. All I knew was that I was fat and I would be “magically” healed with pills. Twelve years later I know that was a BIG.FAT.LIE. For a while after I was diagnosed I took my pill everyday like clock work . Then as I noticed that the pounds were not dropping like flies and because I had felt no different then before I stopped putting in the effort to take them. I’m getting back in the habit of taking them and I’m trying to know more about my thyroid condition. Something I keep coming upon is the Hashimotos disease. From the symptoms I have read it acts just like Hypothyroidism. How is it diagnosed accurately ? Also, I knew before about how low thyroid can cause fatigue. How fatigue are we talking? I have times where I can go to bed at 2 am and get up at 6 have my coffee I’ll be tired but I can make it through the day. The bedtime rolls around and I’m wide awake and don’t go to sleep till 2 am sometimes 3 am and be wide awake. Then sometimes I go to bed at 7 pm wake up at 6am then go back down at 7am and don’t get up till 1 pm and still be so tired my eyes are heavy and sore. Is this Thyroid?
Hi Heather, Hashimoto’s is hypothyroidism with an immune component. Many doctors diagnose it based on antibodies alone but the only way to truly diagnose it is to do a fine needle biopsy of the thyroid tissue and look for signs of true infiltration of the gland. The presence of anti-thyroid antibodies does mean that they are attacking the gland. And adrenaline tends to rise at night causing lots of sleep issues. It’s common to have fatigue during the day while insomnia at night. You can get more help on sleep here: https://www.forefronthealth.com/hypothyroidism-and-insomnia
Finally, someone who understands what thyroid patients are going thru! .Thank you for this site!!!
Hi Tom, I was diagnosed with low thyroid and was taking the prescription for this. Then 1 year later I realised that I wasn’t able to sleep at all. It was suggested that I stop taking the prescription. I had already been diagnosed with Clinical Depression and then I was diagnosed with Diabetes in Dec 2013. I still have difficulties sleeping and my energy dips to the point I have no energy to walk around my home town. Are all these related?
Hi Kara, very much so and I’ve written about this in some articles including: https://www.forefronthealth.com/hypothyroidism-and-insomnia and https://www.forefronthealth.com/hypothyroidism-and-diabetes/
Hi! Just reading this article. My doctor recently ran some blood work because of my hair thinning and fatigue. She said I have Thyroiditis. a couple of years ago, I went through some major health issues with my liver. They couldn’t tell if it was cirrhosis. I am 34. I had a biopsy and they said cirrhosis was unlikely. Fast forward to today my liver levels have improved significantly, but still a little high. My total bilirubin then was 36.7, now it’s 0.8. I have lost close to 70 lbs, but it seems nearly impossible to get the weight off. I need to lose 20 more pounds. Is the Thyroid my problem or my Liver? I am so confused as what to do.
this is helpful & thank you, I am diabetic,border # but I have been doing low carb diet,& I thought that would help my thyroid…NOT ! thanks now for hairloss ugh !
Hi Dana, I’m glad you’re finding it helpful. I’ve written more about diabetes and how low-carb diets can contribute here: https://www.forefronthealth.com/hypothyroidism-and-diabetes/
I love reading your articles and comments Tom! I think I have the liver issue you’ve mentioned. I have hashimotos and hold all my weight in my belly – I have often thought I have estrogen dominance. I’ve had a partial hysterectomy as well – 54 yrs old. And now have fatty liver. I’ve followed the Whole 30 for sometime to reduce inflammation and had some success to lose weight the first time but very little a second time. What protocol works to support or cleanse the liver effectively?? I seriously want to get this in order!!
Hi Elaine, liver health depends largely on adequate nutrition and hormone status. The idea of cleansing the liver is a bit of a misnomer. I discuss this in more detail here: https://www.forefronthealth.com/thyroid-detox/
Hi Tom! Would you recommend Milk thistle w/ advanced liposomal delivery for hypothyroid patients? Also, what do you think about brazil nuts for selenium? I’ve been having the nuts daily now, 2-3 a day.
Hi Veronica, I don’t use milk thistle or brazil nuts with clients. When looking at foods, we have to consider both the good and bad parts of the food. It’s not worth trying to solve one problem, only to create another in the process.
Hi Tom,
I am very interested in your info. I am taking NatureThroid for some time now.. I also take bio-identical hormone creams to balance my hormones.. Progesterone cream and others to balance.. I work with a naturopath. I am going to start your 3 food protocol, but I tend to get migraine visual disturbances when I drink coffee or eat chocolate. Is there something I can do to prevent that? I love coffee but avoid it because of that.
Thanks!
Evelyn
Hi Evlyn, We talk about those who don’t respond well to coffee and how more often than not it’s because of nutritional inadequacies.
The migraines can also be caused by circulatory issues, which goes hand in hand with clotting disorder. When blood pools in the large veins, even a small increase in blood pressure from coffee can result in a migraine. But the issue is generally related to estrogen dominance which increases clotting factor among many other issues directly related to suppressing thyroid function.
Years ago my gallbladder was removed. For many years after that I’ve relied on a nutritionist who told me my problem was my liver. She had me go low carb, low fat, high protein with supplements and lemon to support my liver. I’ve always had symptoms of low thyroid, but normal on blood tests. I take digestive enzymes with mil thistle and ox bile. I use bio-identical progesterone cream prescribed to regulate my periods. My fasting glucose results put me in the pre-diabetic area. I’m overweight with symptoms of fibromyalgia for the last 20 years. I have trouble sleeping. I take zantac for gerd. Diabetes runs in my family. I am intrigued by your informative site, but I am perplexed by certain things like “Lipase releases free fatty-acids from stored fat”. So my digestive enzymes are increasing my triglycerides? My naturopath just put us on high quality fish oil for cholesterol, but your site says this is potentially bad. Is someone with higher than recommended triglycerides worsening the problem by taking lipase and/ or fish oils? I am in a quandry after reading this. I am interested in your program, but I would like to have more feedback from “verified” customers.
Hi Kristen, you sound a lot like a client I’m currently working with. I would venture to say that if what you’re currently doing isn’t working, then you might want to re-think your approach altogether. I’ve talked about many of the dangers of fish oil in my articles. Using it to lower cholesterol is very poor and dangerous advice. As for the program, we have hundreds of testimonials. Contact support if you’d like more information. I understand your need for more customer feedback and that’s something we’re currently working on as I think that’s a sticking point for others as well.
Just found your site and I am so glad I did! I am learning so much valuable information to help my customers( I am a sales associate at a health store). I have a few questions; 1)I’ve always thought I had thyroid issues based on how I feel and that fact I have majority of the symptoms so I decided this June to get my blood work checked. I found out I had high cholesterol so I adopted a paleo diet hoping things would change. Got my blood work done again in September and my cholesterol was still high but my TSH went from 0.8 to 0.5. Not sure why, my carbs were not too low,about 120. Any ideas why this could be? 2) Is it safe to buy indole-3-carbinol pills to detox harmful estrogen’s or is still toxic for thyroid because its found in broccoli?
Hi Justice, elevated cholesterol is a sign/symptom of hypothyroidism. Doctor’s used it for decades prior to the newer (and less reliable) testing. I would highly recommend you use a more accurate testing protocol like I teach here: http://www.forefronthealth.com/lp/ultimate-thyroid-testing-protocol
I don’t recommend using I3C (indole-3-carbinol) or DIM because they also have their own negative effects such as inhibiting metabolism and ATP production.
Hello ive had a thyroid problem for a very long time, i take my meds daily and i also take a capsule (Black seed oil) that i take for my arthritis which helps with the pain, i have now got my thyroid back to normal by my blood test, everything is normal, but then i had liver come up on last blood test, why would that be if everything is normal except for the liver showing up, my doctor said that has never been there before, so then he sent for every test he could think of and its still showing and all the test come back normal, so what can i do. Thanks Isabelle
Hi Tom, I was wondering is it safe to do a low dose estrogen patch of you use carrot daily?
How can we reduce the excess estrogen in addition to helping the liver remove it? There are many things in the environment that have estrogenic properties. We can avoid them but is there anything else we can take that would attract or attach to the estrogen so that it is removed by the liver?
Hi Deborah, yes, it’s called glucuronic acid, which is part of the glucuronidation pathway which is essential for detoxifying estrogen. Unfortunately glucuronidation becomes impaired in hypothyroidism worsened by a number of related issues like elevated endotoxin. This is why we have to restore this vital detox pathway in order to regulate thyroid function.
There are some supplements that are pushed for this purpose, but these have their own dangerous effects and are best avoided.
Hi Tom, i just came across your site today. Thank you so much for all your hard work and information you provide for all of us..that can’t or won’t get answers to our health problems. I recently lost 65 lbs. but carry all the weight left.. on my belly.. and for the last 6 months.my legs and feet hurt so much,.that most days,. i can barely walk on them. I also had high blood pressure since i was 14..and am now almost 52 yrs.old. What do you think would be causing my leg and feet problem and would affect the circulation in my legs? Any advice would be so appreciative honey!
Hi Tom, I ‘m having great difficulty with my legs and feet and standing or walking on them..since last March. There doesn’t seem to be any circulation in my legs and my feet are always cold.Do you think it could be a sign/symptom of hypothyroidism? It’s in my family and a couple have had thyroid cancer.I’m very concerned.
Hi Darlene, yes poor circulation and cold extremities are common symptoms of hypothyroidism. For example, the excessive estrogen that occurs in hypothyroidism can cause the blood to thicken and/or pool, decreasing circulation. It also tends to cause nerve swelling, which can also lead to the pain.
OMG! This was the connection (about the liver, glycogen and failing T3 transfer) I have been trying to make this week! Your post fell into my lap at the right time! Is there a further connection you can make here about the liver and kidneys struggling and creating persistent albuminuria?
Fascinating! As a nurse of 13 years, seeing a plethora of endocrinologists with lack of knowledge on thyroid, and working for very respected family practice doctors I am baffled at the lack of understanding at the role of the liver. It’s not taught or treated in the every day medical field. We treat symptoms not root causes. This would have saved me my gallbladder removal and probably a divorce haha. Thank you for your dedication to this. Being a mother of a 3 year old I realized how old I am at 33 and I have a lot of life to still live for her and she isn’t getting the quality of it. Thank you again!
Hi. I seem to have every symptom of Hashimotos but when bloodwork is done, I don’t have the antibodies. I have had an uptake CT done and it showed almost no uptake. A speck here and there. My doctor says my receptors are blunted. Would this protocol help in this type of situation? TIA
Hi Jorja, I discuss receptors and other parts of the thyroid hormone pathway here in this article: http://www.forefronthealth.com/overcome-hypothyroidism/
Oysters are one of the best source of selenium.
Hi Tom
I learned a lot from you Thanks
I had my TPO level 300 now 130 in very short time i was able to dropped the number down by using some supplements and food .
I switch to natural thyroid medication (desiccated thyroid) .
I have nodules on my thyroid do you know how can i get rid of them i had 8 now 2 and one fibroid and they keep pushing me for surgery which im not going with ,i want to know what the root cause ,
now im on progesterone cream is that help ?
Sorry for the questions but i trust you and i like how to look and seeing the problem you look for the root cause .
Also im taking some herbs like ashwagandha as cortisol manager
What do you think SIR
Thanks
Sue
Thank you for this write-up. I’ve suffered (undiagnosed) with low blood sugar ever since the days of Carlton Fredricks being on A.M. radio in the 70’s. To this day, I still have to watch my food intake carefully…..but I’ve noticed something that plays havoc with my blood sugar,,,,,,,and that is COFFEE!!! When I have it (compared to breakfast), and how much I have can cause me to plummet in blood sugar quickly to a shaking mess. Othertimes it has little effect. BUT if I eliminate coffee from my diet for several days and more,,,,,it seems that I do NOT get the shakes or drops in my blood sugar. In fact I can go MUCH longer periods of time without meals and there is no detrimental effect that I experience. Of course this all varies a bit,,,,but coffee seems to really mess things up…..and I really DO NOT want to give up coffee for good if I don’t have to. (I know I should though) Thank you!! :-)
Hi Mark, this is discuss in our 3 Food Protocol. The problem is common but misunderstood. First, most people don’t take their coffee correctly. Drinking it black for example will cause that. The problem is that hypothyroid sufferers don’t store and release glycogen (stored sugar in the liver) efficiently at all. Coffee pushes glucose to your cells, but when your liver can’t release glycogen in response to the blood sugar drop, it causes a stress response.
To fix this, we first use a specific coffee recipe to prevent the drop and blood sugar while we also restore proper liver function. Do that, and you won’t have a problem with coffee and instead can use it for the many benefits it has to offer.
Good afternoon: I wanted to thank you for providing your life changing program. I can say with certainty that you have changed my husbands life for the better. He had resolved himself to a life of pills with no improvement in his quality of life. Although we have not been able to purchase your books, the information you have made available online has made a dramatic impact from day one. Please keep the information coming, our family depends on it.
Hi Evelyn, I’m happy to hear that and hope your husband’s condition continues to improve.
I have hashimoto. I had my gall bladder removed 3 weeks ago & was told I have a fatty liver & a spot on my liver that they are gonna watch. I guess my question is would the fatty liver be connected to hashimoto.
Hashimoto’s, gallbladder issues, and often liver issues are directly related to thyroid and estrogen issues. I discuss fatty liver and estrogen in the following articles: https://www.forefronthealth.com/hypothyroidism-and-estrogen and https://www.forefronthealth.com/hypothyroidism-and-stress/
Hi Tom
My blood sugar high only in the morning fasting I will try this nice remedy because I wake up at night every day .Do y think metformin is good to take it before bed .I tried berberin but didn’t work and I try metformin it dropped my number down .please your advice
I have hypo thyroid and utrus fibroid and ovarian cyst. Of you have any remedy for this problem I appreciated.
Thanks
Sue