THYROID
DISEASE AND ITS HEALING
by
Dr. Lawrence Wilson
© August
2021, LD Wilson Consultants, Inc.
All information in
this article is for educational purposes only. It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure
of any disease or health condition.
Table Of Contents
Warnings:
1. Do not take
thyroid hormones if a hair mineral test indicates fast oxidation. Taking replacement hormones in this
situation is hard on the kidneys and can cause cancer and other problems. Why doctors recommend hormone
replacement for fast oxidizers is explain later in this article.
2. Do not take
thyroid hormones if a hair mineral test indicates a four lows pattern.
Why Is Thyroid Disease Extremely Common?
Why Are Thyroid Problems More Common In Women?
What A Development Program Can Offer.
Hypothyroidism, HashimotoÕs Thyroiditis and Myxedema
Symptoms
Causes
HashimotoÕs
Thyroiditis
Myxedema
Assessment
Blood
Tests
Hair
Mineral Tests
Correction
Hyperthyroidism or GraveÕs Disease
Symptoms
Causes
Hair Mineral Test
Assessment
Correction
Cautions With
Hyperthyroidism
Thyroid Storm
Other Thyroid Disorders
Goiter
Cysts, Nodules,
Infections And Cancer
Cretinism
The Thyroid Hormones.
Functions Of The Thyroid Hormones.
Steps In The Utilization Of The Hormones:
Hypothalamic and
pituitary stimulation of hormone production
Glandular hormone
production
Hormone secretion
Cellular
hormone uptake
Mitochondrial
effects
ATP
effects
Problems With Hormone Replacement Therapy.
Comments On Thyroid Testing.
Medical
testing
Blood
Tests During A Development Program
Temperature
Testing
Hair Mineral Testing
Natural And Synthetic Thyroid Products
Diet And Thyroid Health
Other Natural Thyroid Therapies
Energetic Aspects Of Thyroid Health
Rape And The Thyroid
The Thyroid Body Type
******************************
WARNING #1. Taking thyroid
replacement hormones is very dangerous when fast oxidation is present.
If
a hair mineral analysis reveals a fast oxidation rate, taking replacement
thyroid hormones can cause serious health problems, or even death.
The reason is that
the hormones speed up the oxidation rate even more, throwing the personÕs body
even more out of balance.
One may ask, why
would blood tests indicate a low thyroid condition if a person is in a fast
oxidation state? The answer is
that in fast oxidation, the cell walls are more permeable. This may cause a more rapid uptake of
thyroid hormone into the cells. As
a result, the serum T3 and T4 may actually be a little low. This can cause a doctor to prescribe
thyroid replacement hormones, even though this is not what the person needs.
Anyone who is taking
thyroid hormones whose hair mineral analysis reveals a fast oxidation rate
should seriously reconsider taking these hormones.
WARNING #2. Thyroid replacement hormones or thyroid supplements are very harmful if
a four lows pattern is present
PLEASE do not take
thyroid replacement hormones, thyroid glandular nutritional products, or any
products that enhance thyroid activity if a hair mineral analysis reveals a four lows mineral pattern. Any of these will worsen the four lows pattern.
WHY ARE THYROID PROBLEMS COMMON TODAY?
Thyroid imbalances
are one of the most common conditions in the Western world today. The problems tend to be worse in women,
and worse in adults than in children.
Reasons for this include:
1. Iodine antagonists in the environment. This is a very serious problem that few
talk about. However, the water and
food supply are loaded with halogens, which are elements that can replace
iodine in the thyroid gland. The
chemicals are fluorides, chlorides, and bromides. These elements compete with iodine for absorption and
utilization in our bodies. When
they replace iodine, the thyroid gland simply stops working properly. To read more about this, read Iodine And Iodine Antagonists on this website.
2. Copper and mercury toxicity in almost everyone. According to the
research of Dr. Paul Eck and many others, copper and mercury can easily
interfere with the functioning of the thyroid gland. They may do this by antagonizing or opposing the action of
zinc, manganese and selenium, or perhaps by other mechanisms.
Unfortunately,
copper and mercury toxicity are almost universal today. Mercury gets into our bodies due to
mercury in dental fillings, mercury in all fish except perhaps very small fish
like sardines, and in some cases other sources of mercury. To read more about this, read Mercury Toxicity on this site.
Copper imbalance is
due to many factors. Among the
most important are adrenal insufficiency, vegetarian-type diets, zinc deficiency,
stress and a few others. To learn
about this, read Copper Toxicity
Syndrome.
3. Nutrient deficiencies.
These include low levels in our food of bioavailable zinc,
selenium, iodine, manganese and other vital minerals that are needed for proper
thyroid functioning.
4. Autonomic system imbalances. This cause is related to stress of a certain
type. To read about it, read Autonomic Nervous System Evaluation And Imbalances.
5. Other stress. Stress can cause
many cases of thyroid imbalance.
The stress can be physical, emotional, financial, structural or due to
traumas such as rape or beatings.
All of these can damage the thyroid gland. To read more about this, read Stress
on this website.
WHY
ARE THYROID PROBLEMS MORE COMMON IN WOMEN?
Possible reasons are:
a)
Women need more iodine than men, in
general. Iodine is critical for
breast health and other things in women.
b) Copper and manganese
imbalances affect the thyroid, and are more common in women,
c) Selenium
may be lower in women, in general, and this is critical for proper thyroid
activity.
d) The thyroid
is located at the level of the fifth energy center, which has to do with
expression. In general, women are
more inhibited about expressing themselves than are men. This topic is discussed at the end of
this article.
WHAT CAN DEVELOPMENTOFFER FOR THYROID PROBLEMS?
A complete
development program will correct most thyroid problems and enable most people
to stop taking thyroid medication.
This sounds unusual, but that is our experience over the past 40 years
with development science. The
exception is if the thyroid gland has been destroyed by surgery or radioactive
iodine therapy (or RAI). Ways that
this program heals the thyroid gland are:
- Improve
the lifestyle. Most people go to bed too late and many
do not sleep enough. Some have
unhealthy work or sex habits, do no exercise or do too much exercise. We only permit gentle exercise that
does not stress the thyroid gland.
Also helpful for the thyroid is dressing warmly at all times to avoid
moving the body into a sympathetic state to generate heat. We also only recommend down sex, a much healthier form of sex that does not
cause fluid loss.
-
Mechanical help (chiropractic
manipulation, the neck pull and the spinal twist exercise) correct subluxations
and other restrictions in the neck that can reduce nerve energy to the thyroid
gland.
- Nutritional
therapy. Most people are very low in bioavailable iodine, manganese
and selenium, among other nutrients needed for optimum thyroid activity. This must be done with food, we find,
not chemical preparations.
-
Reducing inflammation. Inflammation often overstimulates the
thyroid gland. Most bodies are
inflamed due to a leaky gut, deficiencies of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D,
calcium, magnesium, zinc and other anti-inflammatory nutrients. Also, most toxins are pro-inflammatory,
as described below.
-
Detoxification. Most peopleÕs
bodies have too much of the iodine antagonists (chlorine, fluorine and bromine compounds). These poisons are widespread in the
food, water and elsewhere.
The concept of mineral replacement by other members of the same mineral
family such as the halogens comes from Dr. Henry Schroeder, MD. He explained that all the minerals in a
column of the periodic table Òlook alikeÓ in the outer electron shell and for
this reason, often one can replace another in enzyme binding sites.
Occasionally, other toxic metals accumulate in the thyroid gland.
Ionizing radiation (iodine 131) also needs to be removed and can be
done slowly by feeding a lot of better quality iodine from kelp. The heat of red lamp sauna therapy also
destroys mutated and weakened cells that result from radiation damage.
Most people also have the three ÒAÓ toxins, as well. These are AGES, aldehydes and what we
call the ÔamigosÕ. These are
oxides and other harmful forms of minerals that are irritating and cause oxidant
damage. Removing these is also
very helpful for the thyroid.
Also, toxic forms of potassium accumulate in the thyroid from N-P-K
fertilizers and other sources.
-
Autonomic nervous system balancing.
This is essential in many
instances to get rid of an overactive sympathetic nervous system that
overstimulates the thyroid gland.
- Immune
system improvement. We balance the hair tissue
sodium/potassium ratio, which greatly assists the body to heal infections,
including HashimotoÕs thyroiditis, which heals easily on this program. Heating the body in a red lamp sauna
also drastically improves the immune response. Most people with hypothyroidism are cold.
- Trauma
release. Traumas often affect the thyroid. One of the worst is rape or even the threat of rape. This affects at least 70% of women and
perhaps more. Rape is a silencer
and the thyroid gland is located at the level of the throat, the site of
expression. Stifling expression
easily impairs thyroid activity.
-
Male-female balance and ÔupdatingÕ the minerals. All
of the toxic metals listed in the paragraph above are what we call poor quality
and older ÒfemaleÓ minerals. They
need to be removed and balanced with higher quality female minerals such as
iodine from kelp, not Iodoral or LugolÕs solution, and with high-quality ÒmaleÓ
minerals such as zinc and selenium.
-
Downward-moving energy therapy. Many people have what the martial
artists call their Òchi in their headÓ.
This causes congestion in the head and neck and often affects thyroid
activity. We recommend a simple
mental exercise and other methods to move subtle energy downward, out of the
head and neck. For details, read Congested Head Syndrome.
-
Polarity and correspondence. One can affect the fifth energy center
by correcting problems in the second center such as impaired digestion. We do this with older low-body
procedures – the genital bath, coffee enemas and vaginal coffee implants,
which help get rid of traumas to that area of the body.
Also, we give freeze-dried thyroid glandular substance, which seems to
help renourish and balance the thyroid gland.
-
Reflexology. We also use foot and
hand reflexology done daily to correct thyroid activity.
- Channel
therapy. Opening the energy meridians or channels is done with
reflexology, the pulling down exercise, spinal twist, chiropractic, improved
nutrition and detoxification.
- A
healthy mental and spiritual focus. The thyroid gland, located at the level
of the fifth energy center, is greatly affected by oneÕs thoughts. We encourage wholesome, logical and
helpful thinking. We teach people
to focus less on egoism and materialism (low energy center values) and more on
friendship, teamwork, learning and love, which are upper energy center values.
-
Development help. Development, as we define the term on this
website, refers to the growth of the seven physical energy centers of the
body. All the methods listed here
assist this genetically programmed process. For details, read Introduction
To Development.
-
Increasing adaptive energy. By balancing tissue mineral ratios, Dr.
Eck discovered one can greatly raise the adaptive energy level in the body.
This automatically causes healing of the thyroid gland and all other tissues of
the body.
- Make
the body more yang
in macrobiotic terminology. (We find the Chinese medical definition
of yin and yang less accurate than the macrobiotic understanding.) This is
critical because today all the bodies are too yin in macrobiotic terminology
due to radiation poisoning, EMF toxicity and other pollution, and
mineral-depleted food.
Yin means expanded. One
effect of a yin body is to allow toxins to enter the thyroid. Correction is mainly done with diet,
more rest, and care about the use of supplements and other therapies. For example, homeopathy, most herbs and
chelation are more yin methods, so we avoid them.
HYPOTHYROIDISM, HASHIMOTOÕS THYROIDITIS and MYXEDEMA
HYPOTHYROIDISM
Hypothyroidism is
defined medically as a low T4 (thyroxine) and perhaps a low T3 level
(triiodothyronine). It is an
extremely common health condition, especially in women over the age of about
30.
Symptoms of hypothyroidism.
Common symptoms include fatigue, dry skin and hair, brittle hair, hair
loss, split ends of the hair, splitting, brittle or broken fingernails, weight
gain (though in some cases one is very thin), cold intolerance, a pasty skin
color, and often some feelings of apathy or depression.
If the condition
persists for years, more serious symptoms can develop. These may include heart palpitations,
heart attacks, cancers, diabetes and other health conditions.
Causes. The cause, in most
cases, we find, involves low iodine and the buildup of bromine, fluorine and
chlorine compounds that damage the functioning of the thyroid gland, perhaps by
an oxidant mechanism. Copper and mercury
may also be excessive in the body.
Nutrient
deficiencies such as low selenium, low zinc, low manganese and others may also
contribute to the problem. In some
cases, the thyroid is fine, but the transport, conversion and utilization of
thyroid hormone are abnormal.
When viewed this
way, one can see why the accepted medical and naturopathic method of just
giving replacement thyroid hormones to those with low circulating levels of T3
or T4 is inadequate and often stupid.
Replacement hormones may address the symptom, but they do nothing for
the cause of the problem. It is at
best a partial and artificial solution.
HashimotoÕs thyroiditis is another common thyroid condition. We find that it is an opportunistic
infection in the thyroid that causes reduced thyroid hormone
secretion.
It usually goes away
when one follows a development program, although this can require a year or
even longer, in some instances. We
donÕt need thyroid hormone replacement therapy for this simple disorder.
However, if you are taking thyroid hormones when you begin a
development program, do not immediately quit your hormones. An exception is if you know that the
replacement hormones make no difference at all in the way you feel.
In most instances,
wait at least 3 months, and then you can try to slowly reduce the hormones.
Some people must wait longer before reducing thyroid medication.
Medical science
calls thyroiditis an auto-immune disorder because thyroid antibodies show up in
the blood. However, it does not
seem to matter what the disease is called. It still clears up quite easily with a properly designed
development program. This requires
working with one of the Approved Practitioners listed on this website. Click here to view
the practitioner referral page.
Myxedema. This is a
more severe form of hypothyroidism.
Usually the person is obese, and the skin of the face and the body takes
on a dough-like appearance and hangs off the face like pizza dough.
One usually feels
tired, depressed, and will develop more serious symptoms if the conditions
persists, which it usually does for years. Medical treatment with thyroid hormone replacement therapy
helps a little, but is not enough by itself to correct the condition. This condition may require more time on
a development program, but it, too, can respond very well to this program.
Assessment.
Blood test findings. T3
and/or T4 are low and the level of TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) is often
elevated.
The body responds to HashimotoÕs thyroiditis
with elevated anti-TPO antibodies.
Hair analysis findings:
1. The oxidation rate. A
properly performed hair mineral analysis will usually reveal a slow oxidation
rate. A slow oxidation rate
means the hair calcium and magnesium levels are high in relation to the sodium
and potassium levels. For more on
this topic, please read The Oxidation
Types on this site.
About 80% or more of
the American, European and most Asian populations have a somewhat slow oxidation
rate. Many of them, however, have
a very slow oxidation rate, indicating hidden thyroid problems.
In a few cases, fast oxidation
is present, but this will generally shift to slow oxidation within a few months
on a development program. The
problem of fast oxidation with hypothyroid symptoms or low T3 and T4 levels is
discussed near the end of this article.
2. Sympathetic dominance.
This is an autonomic nervous system imbalance. It is commonly seen with hypothyroidism
and with GraveÕs disease as well.
Sympathetic dominance is a personality tendency, as well as a pattern
that is fed by biochemical imbalances such as copper and mercury toxicity.
Individuals with
this autonomic imbalance need to relax more, slow down and rest more. For more on this interesting autonomic
imbalance, read Sympathetic Dominance
Pattern on this website.
3. Other patterns.
Less commonly, other hair mineral patterns are present. These can include a three highs, four
highs or a four lows pattern.
Correction. A development program is usually completely successful in
restoring normal thyroid activity in most people.
Most people with
hypothyroidism start to feel a little better in a few weeks or sooner. However, it can take several months to
a few years, or even longer, to remove all of the chlorine, bromine, fluorine
and mercury compounds from the thyroid gland, balance copper metabolism,
replenish a dozen or more nutrients, and balance the body chemistry.
Daily near infrared
lamp sauna therapy, and daily coffee enemas, along with the rest of a
development program, will speed up this process significantly.
Reducing replacement thyroid hormones. Stopping medication is up to the
individual and the prescribing physician, but we let people know that staying
on oneÕs thyroid replacement hormones any longer than necessary is not helpful.
Most often, one does not need to remain on thyroid hormones
forever if one follows a development program, unless the thyroid gland has been
removed surgically or destroyed by radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy.
Quitting thyroid
hormones after one has been on a development program for several months to one
year can be a simple matter of reducing them slowly. Problems do arise, however, of two general types:
1. Fear. Due to advice from
oneÕs physician, or from reading on the internet, some people are terrified to
stop their thyroid medication. We
attempt to explain that the advice from the doctors is aimed at the general public,
not at those people who are following a complete development program.
2. Physical
symptoms. These are caused by two mechanisms:
A. Some people try to stop their thyroid hormones before the body is
ready to do so. This can cause
severe fatigue, depression, swelling of the thyroid, hair falling out, or other
symptoms related to low thyroid hormone activity.
In this case, one
must go back on thyroid hormones, and reduce them slowly as one is able to do
so. Usually, this can be done
within a few months to a year, but it depends how well a person follows their
development program.
B. There may be a drug rebound effect when one stops thyroid
medication. This can cause
fatigue, irritability and other symptoms for a few days to a few weeks.
To avoid this, do not
go off thyroid hormones all at once.
Taper off slowly and gently.
Wait at least three months after starting a development program before
you begin to taper off thyroid hormones.
If one is having
rebound symptoms, they can sometimes be handled by temporarily increasing the
amount of thyroid glandular, B-complex vitamins, selenium and other supportive
nutrients for a few days to a few weeks until the symptoms pass. For more details, read Quitting Thyroid Hormones.
Why
do most doctors recommend thyroid replacement hormones?
Most medical, naturopathic and holistic doctors recommend replacement thyroid hormones in cases of
hypothyroidism and HashimotoÕs disease because they do not know how to restore the
thyroid gland to normal functioning.
If you are not sure what to do, we suggest:
A. If you are not on thyroid hormones
right now, do not start them.
Instead, begin a complete development program and, in most cases, you
will not need replacement hormones.
B. If you are on thyroid hormones at this
time, continue the medication for a few months when you begin a development
program.
As you heal on your development program, in our experience you will
be able to reduce your thyroid medication. Eventually, stopping the drugs is necessary for good results
with nutritional balancing, because the drugs always get in the way of the deep
healing of the thyroid gland that we desire for you.
The
hair mineral test. Development requires a properly performed
hair mineral analysis. A doctor
who says the hair mineral test is not helpful does not know how to use the test
properly. Thyroid imbalances are almost always long-term, chronic
conditions that are perfectly suited to the use of mineral analysis.
Blood
tests during a development program. A development program almost always skews
blood thyroid tests, making them look abnormal, at times. This is due to retracing and healing
reactions.
However,
very few doctors understand this fact, so they believe you are ill and often
want to prescribe hormones or other drugs. This can be especially
confusing. Basically, they
interpret the blood tests to mean something completely different than we do.
Effects
on the heart. Some people with thyroid problems worry
about their heart. We find that a
development program will strengthen your heart and protect it as you heal the
thyroid gland.
For a shorter
article about elevated TSH and the correction of hypothyroidism, read High TSH And Its Correction on this site.
HYPERTHYROIDISM OR GRAVEÕS DISEASE
An overactive thyroid is quite
common today, and seen more in younger adult women, and in some men as
well. It is rare in children. Serum levels
of T3 and T4 are often elevated. TSH
is often low, but not necessarily.
Symptoms. Mild cases may show
few symptoms except elevated serum T3 and T4 levels. More severe symptoms may include anxiety, irritability,
trouble sleeping, excessive hunger or thirst, heart palpitations, tachycardia
and extreme nervousness.
In some cases, the
eyes bulge out, a condition called exophthalmos. Along with these symptoms, the person is often easily
fatigued.
A very serious and
fortunately rare complication is called a thyroid storm. The heart races out of control and shock or death may
occur.
Causes. These include:
1. A toxin in the pituitary gland. This appears to be the most common cause of GraveÕs disease. Correction will occur with a complete
development program. If severe,
anti-thyroid medication is required for a while until the poison is eliminated
from the body, which can take up to a few years on a program. So far, all cases have resolved and the
clients no longer require medication.
2. Stress. This is the other common cause that we encounter. This cause of hyperthyroidism often
resolves quickly with a development program – within six months or
so. It is also important to reduce
stress. Common types of stressors
that can cause this condition are too much exercise, working too hard or other
stressors.
3. Copper or mercury toxicity.
This is often found on hair mineral analyses in cases of GraveÕs
disease. It is known that copper
and mercury can stimulate thyroid hormone production in some circumstances.
4. The following causes
below are much more rare:
a. A TSH-secreting pituitary tumor.
b. A hormone-secreting thyroid tumor.
Hair
mineral analysis findings.
Slow oxidation. In many cases of
GraveÕs disease, a slow oxidation pattern is present on a hair mineral
test. This is confusing! The reason seems to be that slow
oxidation is the underlying condition in many of these cases.
Elevated hair calcium may be seen
with hyperthyroidism because it is associated with:
1) Reduced cell permeability. If thyroid hormone passage through the cell
membranes is impaired, the body may compensate, especially when under a lot of
stress, by secreting more thyroid hormones. It is an attempt to force more thyroid hormones into the
cells. This would account for the
odd symptom picture often seen in GraveÕs disease of a combination of excessive
thyroid hormones and fatigue.
2) Hidden copper toxicity.
Copper imbalance is present in many cases of hyperthyroidism.
3) Adrenal exhaustion. This is also seen on most hair analyses in
cases of GraveÕs disease. Reasons
why adrenal insufficiency or burnout may contribute to hyperthyroidism include:
a. A low tissue potassium level may impair
the sensitivity of the tissues to thyroid hormone. In response, the body may elevate T4 and/or T3 production as
a compensation.
b. Hyperthyroidism
can be a type of failed stress response.
The thyroid gland tries to respond, but the adrenal glands do not join
in, so to speak, and the result is a failed response and the symptoms of hyperthyroidism.
Other common hair mineral patterns in cases of hyperthyroidism:
1. Sympathetic dominance pattern is often
present. This is an autonomic
nervous system imbalance in which a person places much more stress on the
thyroid and adrenal glands. It can
be due to a personality tendency to push oneself, in some cases.
2. Often the sodium
and potassium levels are low.
3. The
sodium/potassium ratio is often normal or even elevated.
4. Copper and/or
mercury may be elevated above their ideal levels. Alternatively, indicators for hidden copper and/or mercury toxicity
may be present such as poor eliminator patterns (copper less than 1.5 mg% or
mercury less than about 0.3 mg%).
Other hidden copper
indicators are a calcium level above about 60 mg%, a potassium level less than
4 mg%, a sodium/potassium ratio less than 2.5, a zinc level less than 14 mg%,
or a mercury level above 0.35 mg%.
5. Rarely, a fast
oxidation or a four highs pattern is present, and rarely the sodium/potassium
ratio is low.
Correction. GraveÕs disease responds excellently to nutritional balancing, in
most cases. In difficult cases,
anti-thyroid drugs may be needed for a few months to control symptoms, and then
they can be discontinued as the condition goes away.
Surgery and RAI (radioactive iodine
treatment to destroy the thyroid gland) are never needed, in my experience so
far, with over 100 cases and we do not recommend them.
Cautions with hyperthyroidism.
1. Reduce stress. This may be
critical for success. Then
metabolic correction often works well and rapidly to correct this
imbalance. Avoid all extra stress,
including even exercise until the condition stabilizes.
2. One must modify the development program. Most people with hyperthyroidism cannot
take any,
or only very little Megapan, Thyro-complex, Endo-dren or kelp.
Also, one may need
more Paramin (calcium and magnesium) to relax. The other supplements are usually okay. The person should drink 3 quarts of
spring water daily, and lots of rest and sleep are most important.
Sauna therapy with a near infrared lamp sauna only
appears to be safe, and an excellent therapy. Perhaps it is because it can reduce the stress response of
the autonomic nervous system that is driving the thyroid. It also helps to remove toxic metals
such as copper, mercury, chlorine and others. It is also very relaxing. Rubbing the feet daily (Foot
Reflexology) Coffee Enemas, and the Pulling Down Exercise are excellent, and perhaps
essential.
For more on this
condition, read GraveÕs Disease and Hyperthyroid Interview With Dr. Wilson.
GOITER, CYSTS, AND TUMORS
Goiter. Goiter is an older
medical term that simply means an enlarged or hypertrophied thyroid gland. This used to be common in certain parts
of America and elsewhere in the world, usually due to iodine deficiency in the
diet.
Today it is less
common, but may occur due to a problem with the absorption or utilization of
iodine, and rarely for other reasons such as an infection in the thyroid
gland. We do not see the condition
very often. However, it usually
responds well to a development program.
Cysts, nodules, infections and tumors. Thyroid cysts and
nodules are common. Some are cancerous
and should be checked.
Non-cancerous
lesions often respond well to a development program. Cancerous lesions will usually respond well to a natural
cancer therapy. Surgical
removal of the entire thyroid should not be needed. For more on natural cancer
alternatives, read Introduction To Cancer.
Cretinism. Low levels of
thyroid hormones during gestation or the development of a fetus cause a type of
mental slowness or retardation called cretinism. This is the origin of the slang expression calling a person
who appears dull a ÒcretinÓ.
We do not have
experience in correcting this condition in a baby or child. However, we are quite sure we can
improve it.
Location. The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped gland that sits in the
throat area at the level of the AdamÕs apple. It is a very unique gland that is absolutely required for
life.
THE THYROID HORMONES
The thyroid gland
produces several very important hormones.
The major one is an iodine-containing hormone called thyroxine. Other names for the same hormone are
tetra-iodothyronine or T4. The
thyroid also produces a little tri-iodothyronine or T3.
Most of this hormone, however, is made elsewhere in the body by
conversion of T4 to T3. This
conversion requires selenium.
The thyroid also
produces a hormone called calcitonin that helps regulate calcium in the body. It tends to reduce serum calcium
levels.
Functions of the thyroid hormones. Our mentor, Dr. Paul Eck, used to say
that the thyroid hormones are like the spark plugs of the body. They ignite the ÒfuelÓ in the
mitochondria of each cell and this is necessary to produce biochemical energy
with which the body performs all of its functions. For this reason, any problem with the thyroid gland causes
energy problems and usually fatigue, at the very least.
These amazing
hormones increase the metabolic rate, also speeding up the oxidation rate, a slightly different concept
used in development science.
The metabolic rate,
in turn, impacts every area of body functioning. This includes digestion, cardiovascular health, and the
metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins. It affects DNA and protein synthesis, body weight, heart
rate, blood pressure, respiration, muscle strength, sleep and sexual
functioning, among other things.
THYROID HORMONE METABOLISM
Adequate thyroid
gland metabolism involves many steps, all of which must work properly. Most doctors ignore most of the
following steps, which is the reason their therapies do not work as well as
they could. Here are the steps of thyroid hormone metabolism:
1. The hypothalamus must signal the pituitary gland to produce
TSH. The hypothalamus produces a substance
called TRH (thyroid releasing hormone).
This, in turn, signals the pituitary gland to produce TSH or
thyroid-stimulating hormone.
At times, there is a
problem with the hypothalamus that affects pituitary production of TSH.
2. The pituitary gland must secrete the right amount of TSH or
thyroid stimulating hormone. TSH causes the
thyroid to secrete thyroxine.
Anything that upsets the delicate feedback system of the body, such as
taking thyroid replacement medication, for example, or some other drugs, perhaps,
can upset the hypothalamic and pituitary regulation of thyroid activity.
3. The thyroid gland must produce adequate T4. T4, also called
tetraiodothyronine or thyroxine, is the main hormone made in the thyroid
gland. To make it requires
manganese, iodine, selenium, tyrosine, cyclic AMP, vitamins C and B-complex,
and many other micronutrients.
What blocks hormone production?
A. A poor diet. If one eats poor
quality food, refined foods, a vegetarian diet or raw vegetables, the diet will
not provide enough nutrients to supply the thyroid with all its nutritional
needs. The body cannot absorb
enough minerals from raw vegetables and salads.
B. Tension in the neck. Tension in the neck can overstimulate or
irritate the nerves going to the thyroid gland. This leads to excessive hormone production for a short
while, and then the gland begins to Ôburn outÕ of nutrients, eventually causing
sluggish thyroid hormone production.
Just giving
nutrients does not really fix this problem, though it will help. One must also release the tension on
the nerves leading to the thyroid that are in the neck and cervical spine
area. Otherwise, the gland will
not function properly. This is a
chiropractic issue, in many cases.
Bodywork such as Rolfing may be needed, at times.
C. Inadequate circulation.
This is needed so that all the required nutrients and enough TSH
can find their way to the thyroid gland.
Impaired blood circulation to the thyroid gland is possible.
D. Toxic metals or toxic chemicals. These are common, and can definitely block hormone synthesis.
Among the worst
offenders are fluorides, chlorine compounds and bromides found in many
commercial breads and in some soda pop.
These directly antagonize or compete with iodine uptake, preventing
proper hormone synthesis. This is
a terrible problem today because we are all exposed to these chemicals.
Copper and/or
mercury toxicity can also impair hormone synthesis in the thyroid gland.
4. Hormone release or secretion. Once produced,
thyroid hormones must be released into the general blood circulation. Secretion of thyroid hormones requires
some sympathetic
nervous stimulation.
Some people have
imbalances affecting the autonomic nervous system that reduces the secretion of
thyroid hormone.
5. Absorption into the cells. Once released into the blood, T4 must be
absorbed into the body cells. For this to occur, the cell membranes must function
properly. Too little or too much
cell membrane permeability will affect the uptake of T4 into the cells. This is a very common problem.
Problems with cell
permeability can be due to accumulation of biounavailable calcium and magnesium
in the cell membranes. This
excessively stabilizes the cell membranes and reduces cell permeability. Deficient calcium and magnesium cause
excessive cell permeability.
Oxidant stress,
impaired fatty acid metabolism such as a deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids, or
other damage to cell membranes can also block the absorption of thyroxine.
Copper
affects absorption by altering calcium and potassium levels. Cadmium or nickel toxicity affect
hormone absorption by affecting the levels of calcium, sodium and other
critical minerals.
6. Conversion to T3. Once inside the cells, thyroxine must be
converted to T3 or triiodothyronine, the more active form of the hormone. This conversion requires selenium,
magnesium and other nutrients.
Fully 60% of this conversion occurs in the liver, so problems in the
liver can interfere with the conversion of T4 to T3.
Some people produce
a hormone called reverse T3, which has a blocking effect on T3. In our experience, this is due to toxic
metal poisoning. I find that if a
person eats correctly on the oxidation type diets described on this website,
and removes toxic metals, especially mercury, this is not a concern and goes away on
its own.
7. Thyroid receptor problems inside the cells. Dr. Eck found that adequate
bioavailable potassium
helps sensitize the cells to thyroid hormone. An excellent source of this is cooked vegetables. Potassium tablets are somewhat toxic
and not as good.
Many people have too much toxic potassium in their bodies. This comes from eating fruit, and the
widespread use of superphosphate fertilizers, which are even used on organic
food. This, or other imbalances,
may interfere with thyroid hormone utilization. For details, read Toxic
Potassium.
8. Utilization in the mitochondria to make ATP. The mitochondria
are the bodyÕs energy factories, comparable to an oil refinery. The mitochondria must respond to T3 by
making ATP or adenosine triphosphate in the glycolysis and carboxylic acid
cycles.
This amazing
chemical is our bodyÕs refined gasoline, as opposed to glucose, which may be compared to
crude oil. ATP is the actual
molecule that our bodies use to power its many activities.
ATP production
requires many nutrients such as B-complex vitamins, iron, copper and
others. So one could have normal
thyroid hormone levels, but the bodyÕs mitochondria may not be able to respond
to the hormones by producing enough ATP.
This appears to be common, and is sometimes called a mitochondrial
defect.
10. Utilization of ATP.
Once ATP is formed in the mitochonidria, the body cells must use it
properly. Basically, the ATP is
converted to another chemical called ADP or adenosine diphosphate. In this process tremendous energy is
released that the body uses to power all of its activities. This is comparable to burning the
gasoline in the car engine. The
fuel is useless if it cannot be burned properly.
In addition, after
it is ÒburnedÓ or converted to ADP, this chemical must then be recycled back to
ATP. Here again, many nutrients
are needed to utilize ATP properly and recycle it properly. If any of the nutritional factors are deficient, or
if any toxins block these critical steps in the energy pathways, thyroid
hormones will be ineffective in increasing energy production.
9. Elimination of excess T3 by the kidneys. Finally, T3 must be eliminated from the
cells and be removed by the kidneys from the body. Otherwise, it will build up and cause a type of
thyrotoxicosis.
For this to occur
properly, T3 must be able to pass out of the cell nuclei, then out of the cell
through the cell membrane, and one must also have adequate kidney
activity. Cell membrane problems
and weakness of the kidneys are very common, especially in older people.
Resulting thyroid imbalances.
Problems can occur at any stage of the production, release, conversion,
utilization or elimination of thyroid hormone. Current medical and naturopathic concepts of hypothyroidism and
hyperthyroidism are incomplete and often misleading as they only relate to
hormone production and release.
For example, one
person may have inadequate hormone production due to radiation damage. Another person may produce enough
hormones, but has an autonomic imbalance preventing its release.
Another person
cannot transport enough hormones into the cells due to low cell
permeability. Still another person
might have adequate hormone production but be unable to utilize the hormones in
the cells due to manganese deficiency or fluoride toxicity.
Another may have
excess hormone production due to copper or mercury toxicity, and at the same
time have inadequate cell permeability, causing a mixture of hypo- and
hyperthyroid symptoms.
A development
program addresses all of these problems, and perhaps others. Regular medical and holistic approaches
do not address these many causes of thyroid problems.
PROBLEMS WITH HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY
We find that thyroid
replacement hormones are rarely needed unless the gland has been removed
surgically or destroyed with radioactive iodine therapy. Except in these cases, hormone
replacement therapy is generally harmful, even when it provides relief of
symptoms.
Problems with taking
thyroid replacement hormones of any kind, natural or synthetic, include:
1. Hormone
replacement does nothing to improve the conversion of T4 to T3. One can give T3, and this is better for
this reason.
2. Hormone replacement
does nothing to assist passage of thyroid hormone through the cell membranes.
3. Hormone
replacement does nothing to assist the absorption of T3 into the mitochondria.
4. Hormone
replacement does nothing to assist the normal production of ATP in the
mitochondria, which requires many nutrients.
5. Hormone
replacement does nothing to assist the body to ÒburnÓ or utilize the ATP,
convert it to ADP, and then recycle it back to ATP.
6. Hormone
replacement completely mixes up the delicate feedback system that normally
regulates hypothalamic, pituitary, and glandular thyroid hormone production.
COMMENTS ABOUT THYROID TESTS
Medical thyroid testing.
Thyroid physiology is very complex, as explained above. Just measuring the serum levels of T3,
T4 and TSH, and perhaps reverse T3 and thyroid antibodies, which is what most
endocrinologists and doctors do, is inadequate, in our experience. It does not tell the doctor enough
about the cause of the problem and how to remedy it.
We recommend hair
mineral testing and a complete development program instead. How this is done is explained below.
Blood tests during a development program. Serum thyroid hormone levels (T4 and
T3), as well as the level of TSH and other serum thyroid indicators, will vary
up and down during a development program.
This is very disconcerting for doctors and patients alike. However, it is nothing to worry about,
and not a reason to stop the development program or to take thyroid hormones.
Doctors, however,
are trained to react with concern to abnormal blood thyroid tests. They often scare our clients into
taking thyroid hormones or something else, when, in fact, large variations in
the serum hormone levels and the TSH are common and completely normal when one
follows a development program. For
more details, read Development Effects On Blood Tests.
Temperature testing.
Dr. Broda Barnes, MD suggested taking oneÕs morning temperature to
assess thyroid activity. If the
temperature is low, he suggests that thyroid activity is often low.
This method of
assessing the thyroid gland is crude, and not too accurate. Other factors can cause a low body
temperature, especially reduced adrenal glandular activity, and even low blood
sugar. So we do not recommend it.
HAIR MINERAL TESTING
The hair test can
help assess thyroid activity, though in some cases the test is confusing to
interpret. Hair testing must be
done by a lab that does not wash the hair sample before testing it.
Hair analysis assessment very different than serum hormone testing.
The hair mineral analysis measures a metabolic or
cellular effect of the thyroid hormones upon the metabolic or oxidation rate.
It can also measure
the levels of certain trace minerals and toxic metals that affect the thyroid. However, it does not measure the levels
of circulating serum hormones.
For this reason,
hair and blood tests for thyroid activity often do not match. We find that that hair assessment is
often more accurate, though not always.
Here are some of the
most important thyroid assessment indicators found on a hair mineral analysis:
1. Hair calcium. The
higher the level of hair calcium, in general, the lower the effective activity
of the thyroid gland. This
occurs because one of the effects of T3 and T4 is to lower calcium levels in
the tissues and, at times, in the blood.
For example, it is known that hyperthyroidism can cause tetany, or
muscle contractions that are due to low serum calcium.
Higher hair tissue
calcium is also associated with decreased cell permeability. This may reduce the passage of thyroid
hormone into the cells, decreasing the cellular effect of the same amount of
circulating serum thyroid hormones.
2. Hair potassium. A lower hair
potassium is associated with reduced cellular effects of thyroid hormones. Dr. Eck felt this occurs because it is
known that low potassium is associated with reduced sensitivity of the
mitochondrial receptors to thyroid hormone. Also, low potassium and sodium are associated with reduced
cell permeability to thyroid hormones.
This means that even if the serum thyroid hormone levels are
normal, when tissue potassium is low the hormones may not be utilized as well,
resulting in a low thyroid effect. This commonly contributes to thyroid
problems in slow oxidizers.
The presence of toxic potassium may also worsen the ability of the
thyroid hormones to be utilized.
For more details, read Toxic Potassium.
3. The calcium/potassium ratio is called the thyroid ratio. Dr. Eck found that hair mineral ratios are often better ways to
assess body functioning than mineral levels. For the reasons given in 1 and 2 above, Dr. Eck decided upon
the calcium/potassium ratio as the thyroid ratio. It is the primary method he used to assess overall thyroid
activity.
Dr. Eck may have
learned this idea from the fascinating work of Dr. C. Louis Kervran, author of Biological
Transmutations, Beekman Publishers, NY, 1980 and 1998. Dr. Kervran also found that the thyroid
hormones impact the ratio of calcium to potassium in the body.
4. Other hair mineral indicators.
1. Copper. Copper imbalance can stimulate the
thyroid. Copper toxicity may play
a role in hypothyroidism and in GraveÕs disease or hyperthyroidism.
Copper assessment is tricky using hair mineral analysis. One must not use the copper level, as
it is often unreliable. Instead,
one must look for hidden copper indicators. For more on this, read Copper Toxicity Syndrome. However, copper imbalance appears to be
very important in some thyroid conditions.
2. Selenium. Selenium is required to produce thyroid hormone and to convert T4
to T3. It is also required to
detoxify and remove most heavy metals and toxic chemicals from the body. Hair analysis can provide some
information about selenium status.
Most everyone, however, needs more selenium today.
3. Mercury. Mercury can
accumulate in the thyroid gland, altering thyroid activity. Mercury toxicity is common in many
areas of the world due to elevated mercury in most fish and seafood, use of
mercury-silver dental fillings, and other exposures to mercury in medical
drugs, contact lens solution, and elsewhere.
The hair mercury
level should be 0.03-0.035 mg%.
Anything higher or lower usually indicates toxicity. Lower levels indicate a Poor Eliminator tendency, explained in another
article on this site.
NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC THYROID PRODUCTS
Thyroid
glandular nutritional products. These are made
from cow or pig thyroid glands.
The hormones have been removed, leaving just the thyroid tissue. Most are freeze-dried products,
although other preparations are available, too, including liquids, homeopathics,
herbal blends and salt-extracted products.
We use a freeze-dried whole
thyroid glandular product on most people with underactive thyroid activity or
slow oxidation with wonderful success.
Exactly how or why the glandular
products work is not well understood, but they are quite effective to help
rebuild their target organ or gland.
They definitely contain many micro-nutrients for the gland, some of
which have not been identified.
They also seem to have a resonance effect, meaning that they vibrate or
resonate at a frequency that somehow encourages the restoration of the target
gland.
Natural thyroid
replacement hormones. These
are usually made of the thyroid gland of cows or pigs. However, they contain some
hormones.
If one must take thyroid hormones,
the naturally-derived ones should work better. This is not always the case, but often they are less toxic
and basically more nutritious. The
natural products contain many other nutrients that may be needed for the
thyroid.
For example, they all contain
some iodine, selenium and other minerals vital for thyroid activity. They may also have a resonance or
energetic effect that may increase their potency. This is the same as with the thyroid glandular nutritional
products discussed above.
We find that
taking any thyroid hormones at all of any type generally slows the healing of
the thyroid gland at the deepest level. This may be because all hormone products upset the delicate
feedback loop system of thyroid regulation. They all tend to freeze or ÒfixateÓ the system, preventing
the normal ebb and flow of hormone secretion that takes place moment by moment,
day and night, in all of us. They
are thus all toxic to varying degrees.
DIET AND THYROID HEALTH
Today, a very
important cause of thyroid problems is the diet. This cannot be overstated or repeated often enough. There is much confusion on this
subject, but we find consistently that some foods help the thyroid while others
inhibit or damage it.
The best food for the thyroid gland. Among the best foods for the thyroid
gland are any that contain iodine. The problem of
the iodine antagonists has been explained earlier in this article and in the
article entitled The Iodine Antgonists. Iodine-rich foods that we recommend are
mainly sardines, kelp and natural sea salt.
Sardines are an excellent source of bioavailable iodine, along with
omega-3 fatty acids, selenium and vitamin D. Adults may eat 3 or 4 cans of sardines per week. All brands are okay. Do not eat more unless they are
boneless, or you will get too much mercury from them. For more on this amazing food, read Sardines
on this site.
Kelp is another good source of iodine. Kelp is a natural food, has a very good balance of trace
minerals, and is quite yang in macrobiotic terminology due to its higher salt
content.
Objections to kelp.
Some doctors do not like kelp because the iodine content varies
somewhat. However, we find kelp to
be very safe, and because it is a natural product, the body seems able to take
the amount of iodine it requires from the kelp.
Some doctors do not
recommend kelp because it contains some mercury and other toxic metals. However, kelp has the highest alginate
content of all the sea vegetables.
This helps bind and remove toxic metals that are in all products from
the sea.
The brand of kelp matters.
Kelp is often sold in capsules. I only recommend NatureÕs Way, Solaray, Endomet,
Norwegian Kelp, and perhaps a few other brands. Many other brands are not as good and in fact, are
toxic. They are often different
species of kelp that have a higher mercury content or perhaps a lower alginate
content. For more details, read Kelp.
Sea salt. Some brands of
natural sea salt contain a fair amount of iodine. We do not recommend iodized table salt, as the form of
iodine it contains is not as good as that in the natural sea salt. For details, read Salt.
High-iodine products to avoid.
All fish and seafood are high in iodine, but all of them except tiny
fish such as sardines contain too much mercury to eat it, today. We find that anyone who eats fish
regularly has an elevated mercury level on their hair mineral analysis.
All sea vegetables
contain iodine, but they also contain too much mercury or not enough alginates
to be eaten regularly. These
include dulse, nori, hijiki, wakame and others.
We also find that
products such as Iodorol, LugolÕs solution, Prolamine Iodine and others are
somewhat toxic and, for this reason, best avoided.
The worst foods for the thyroid.
For thyroid health, it is most helpful to avoid certain foods. Among these are:
1.Sugars, including
even fruit sugars, fruit juices and many others. The reason is that sugars often cause a sympathetic nervous
system reaction in the body. This
is not helpful for the thyroid and adrenal glands at all.
2. Most soy
products. These often contain
thyroid inhibitors. Especially
avoid all unfermented soy such as soy milk, protein powders, Hamburger Helper,
and others. Tofu and tempeh are
not quite as bad, but not highly recommended foods, either. They are lower quality protein foods
that are fine once in a while, but not as staples.
3. Unfiltered tap
water. This will increase your
intake of toxic fluorides and chlorine.
These interfere with iodine metabolism. Carbon filtering will remove most chlorine, but not
fluoride. Fluoride filters tend to
damage drinking water and are not recommended.
Do not drink reverse
osmosis water in your effort to obtain clean water. Reverse osmosis water does not seem to hydrate the body well
in most cases, and makes the body more yin. It is also very deficient in trace minerals. For a much more complete discussion on
water, read Water For Drinking on this site.
4. Commercial
breads. These may contain bromides, which are iodine antagonists. Pepperidge Farm claims not to use
bromine in their flour.
White flour is
usually bleached with chlorine compounds, some of which remains in the bread. They are also often made with water
that contains chlorine and often fluorides.
Breads have many
other problems as well, such as added iron, and that most contain wheat. Today, wheat is an irritating
food. For more on this subject,
read Bread And Why Avoid Most Of It.
5. All refined and
processed foods. These are low in
many vital nutrients needed by the thyroid gland.
6. Raw cabbage,
cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and broccoli. These have a mild thyroid inhibitor in them. However, cooking these foods destroys
this chemical and then they are superb foods. I recommend cooking most vegetables for many reasons that
are explained in an article entitled Raw Foods.
7. All soda pop, but
especially ones that have a citrus taste.
These include Mountain Dew, Crystal Light, Seven-up, Sprite and a few
others. They contain brominated
vegetable oil, another source of toxic bromides.
OTHER NATURAL THYROID THERAPIES
1. Iodine therapy.
This has become very popular.
Most holistic doctors are using Iodoral, LugolÕs solution, or other
iodine preparations. We think they
are on the right track giving iodine to many clients.
However, we observe
that these products build up in the liver. In other words, they are slightly toxic. We have never seen this with kelp, however,
which is a vegetable that has been eaten by human beings for thousands of
years. This is why we much prefer
kelp to provide extra iodine.
2. Relaxation therapies such as meditation. This can help the thyroid. An important part of all development
programs is the Pulling Down Exercise. It is relaxing and very healing when
done properly.
3. Chiropractic and perhaps other body work such as Rolfing. This can be very helpful to relieve
tension in the neck area that can put pressure on the cervical spinal nerves
leading to the thyroid gland. For
more details, read Chiropractic.
4. Foot and hand reflexology.
This is also excellent to relax the body and mind, and for helpful for
all thyroid imbalances. It is very
simple and should be done daily at home by yourself or by a friend. For more details, read Reflexology.
5. Yoga. Some yoga practices for the thyroid involve twisting the neck or
bending the head forward to put pressure on the thyroid area. While they may help, we would only do
extremely gentle yoga.
We find that most
yoga causes soft tissue injuries, spins the third energy center backwards, and
does not move energy downward enough.
For more details, read Yoga, Its Benefits And Problems.
6. Acupuncture and herbal cures.
Acupuncture needling may be helpful in some cases. However, We do not recommend Oriental
herbal therapies. Oriental herbs
are too toxic today for long-term use.
This is very unfortunate, but is reflected on hair mineral tests.
Herbal approaches
for the thyroid do not work well enough, or are too yin, and often contain
stimulant or other toxic herbs or supplements. The only ÒherbÓ for the thyroid that we recommend is kelp
for everyone. More about these
sciences is found in the articles entitled Acupuncture
and Herbs.
ENERGETIC ASPECTS OF THYROID CONDITIONS
The fifth energy center.
The thyroid gland is located at the level of the fifth physical energy
center or throat center.
This center has to do with expression and creativity.
Thyroid problems are
more severe in individuals who are having difficulty expressing themselves, or
who feel suppressed or shut down in their creative endeavors. This may include many women, for
example.
Releasing emotional
traumas and correcting all lifestyle imbalances is thus helpful for some
thyroid conditions. This may be
essential, for example, in some cases of GraveÕs disease, in which stress is
playing a key role in causing the condition.
RAPE AND THE THYROID
Rape often causes
reduced thyroid activity due to:
1. Nutritional
depletion.
2. Toxic metal
accumulation from the sexual fluid of the attacker.
3. The psychological
effect of shutting down expression.
Rarely, traumas cause a hyperthyroid
condition due to acute stress.
THE THYROID BODY TYPE
Some doctors
recognize a Òthyroid glandular body typeÓ. These individuals generally have stronger thyroid glands and
weaker adrenal glands. They are
generally tall, slender and have a more linear or wiry build.
They are often
mentally sharp, often in a ÒheadyÓ and intellectual or ÒbrainyÓ way. The women have smaller breasts and
appear somewhat wispy, at times, although they may be strong mentally and
emotionally.
Some with the
thyroid body type have been traumatized emotionally and are not as comfortable
in their bodies, so they tend to go Òup and outÓ. This means they are Òup in their headsÓ too much. They have a great need for grounding,
centering, and relaxation. When
they burn out, they go into sympathetic dominance pattern and develop weaker
digestion and constipation, in many cases.
In contrast, the
adrenal body type is shorter, stockier or heavier, and often more earthy and
grounded. They are often not as
intellectual, though they can be very smart. They are often physically stronger, have a faster oxidation
rate, and often have better digestion if they are at all healthy. These body types are generalizations,
but they may help us understand some effects of the thyroid and the adrenal glands
upon the body.