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This is now a quiet epidemic affecting millions of people, especially women. Do you feel different that when you were younger? Are you tired most of the time? No matter how much you sleep do you wake up exhausted? Do you find clumps of hair in your shower drain? No matter how much you watch your diet, cut out junk food, and exercise you don’t seem to loose weight.
Do you just drag yourself around looking for caffeine, sugar and energy drinks to give you some energy? How about some brain fog? Depression and exhaustion can be constant symptoms and you know you do not feel right. Taking an anti-depressant won’t help your symptoms, yet it makes the drug companies happy to have a long-term customer that gets hooked.
Most Thyroid tests have too broad a range of what is considered ‘normal’ and about 80% of people are told their thyroids are fine, when they may be functioning at only 30% efficiency. Information about thyroid health, especially Hashimoto’s, is changing and developing rapidly, yet it will take the medical establishment quite a while to catch up!
Did you that 96% of people who are tested for Iodine are deficient? This according to a study of 4000 patients conducted by Dr. David Brownstein, Medical Director for The Center of Holistic Medicine, and renowned author of several books on hormones, iodine and hypothyroidism. Most of us have inadequate dietary intake of iodine and an excess of toxins, which displace iodine, used to protect us.
Many culprits such as Fluoride, Chloride and Bromine suppress our thyroid function constantly, yet they are in our daily water and food supply (like all wheat products). Wheat, even gluten, as well as dairy products, tend to create inflammation in the thyroid and suppress it’s function.
Here are some of the most common symptoms:
Weight gain
Low energy, fatigue
Dry Skin, course hair
Cold hands and feet
Insomnia, poor sleep
Brain fog
Hair loss (alopecia)
Edema (swelling in ankles)
Muscle pain
Elevated cholesterol, triglycerides
Tingling in hands, feet
These are all due to an under-active thyroid, including depression! Low iodine equals low thyroid, and low energy. But there are TWO types of iodine your body needs for optimal thyroid function: Iodine and Iodide. Seaweeds and supplements made from them lack the Iodide that we need. Did you know that the recommended daily allowance in the US for Iodine is only 150 mcg (micrograms)? It take 1000 micrograms to make just 1 milligram. Asian countries have an average intake of 12.5 mg and experience much less to almost none of the symptoms we do here.
Iodine and Iodide protect not only our thyroid glands, but also our breasts, ovaries, and testes, our salivary glands, cerebral fluid, gastric mucosa, and eyes. Most people will benefit from proper iodine supplementation to nourish the thyroid. The iodine supplements you find on the shelf are usually about 100 times TOO low in iodine.
Perhaps it’s time to check in with your Naturopathic doctor to find out what you can do. Many people may actually have a Hashimoto’s type hypothyroidism which can usually be corrected, often without a prescription. Often I see hypothyroidism which is actually secondary to a low pituitary function. Microscopic organisms can also bore into the thyroid, which can be released. Again, wheat and dairy tend to FEED these micro-organisms.
Yes, it is possible to have these symptoms become a thing of the past. There may be several parts to the recovery process such as nourishing the thyroid, cleansing, dietary changes, and checking the other endocrine glands for support so they can all function in coherence. It’s worth making the changes!
Jane Smolnik is a Naturopathic Health Coach and Iridologist with a private practice in Asheville, NC. She also works with people from all over. Please contact her website for more info: www.UltimateHealing.com or www.AdrenalMasters.com.