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How To Kick Your Thyroid’s Ass: Good Reads on Thyroid Disease
Last week I gave you a little sneak peek into my email inbox and revealed some of the health and food e-newsletters I receive weekly. They’re where I find information and determine whether or not I agree, disagree, how the information could affect my life and health, and want to do further research. In following that theme, this week, I’d like to share a few articles I came across that are thyroid-related and good reads. Now, these articles aren’t straight out the medical journals — they’re just news I happened to come across on various websites and considered interesting. Hope you find them interesting too.
Does Restless Legs Syndrome keep you awake at night? Blame your mum
Now, I don’t follow this website and know nothing about it, but found this article very interesting. That’s because I am all about dispelling “symptom myths. What I mean by that is, I hate the list of acceptable symptoms for thyroid disease because I never experienced but two or so of those — weight gain, memory issues, depression. Those don’t necessarily scream thyroid disease — they could have been attributed to anything. I never got cold, constipated, lost hair, etc. etc. etc. Instead, I have experienced the most fringe, freaky, what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-my-body and no-one-else-talks-about-these-symptoms kind of physical problems. So, when I read/hear about a new symptom being attributed to thyroid disease, I wanna advertise it, so that someone else out there with “not-on-the-official-list†symptoms can feel less alone, less freakish. So, this article about other people’s experience is worth a read. And it’s my little way of saying fuck you to the “official symptoms” list.
Power of Prevention
This website is an awareness campaign, sponsored by the American College of Endocrinology and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. (Here’s an article that summarizes the intent). On the site, they offer a free e-book, which is based on the idea that “Staying in shape and watching what you eat can prevent many diseases-and that includes endocrine-related disorders such as diabetes, thyroid disorders, osteoporosis, obesity and conditions related to numerous glands and hormones… Does that statement stop anyone else in their tracks?!?!!
Now, I looked through the booklet (it’s about 30 pages), and essentially, thyroid disease plays red-headed step-child to diabetes. As always. The focus is mainly diabetes in its various incantations, but there are a few mentions of thyroids. Now, personally, I don’t agree with the nutritional advice they’re giving, and maybe you will or won’t agree too, but either way, it stopped me in my tracks that they would include thyroid disease in a “lifestyle-can-prevent” booklet. Whether you or I agree with that statement or not, the statement in and of itself, and coming from these particular sponsors, is highly controversial, and in my opinion… revolutionary!!
Illinois inmates’ health problems prompt lawsuit over soy-rich menus
If you still had any doubts about soy, this article details that prisoners in an Illinois state prison have experienced physical and mental problems after being fed high-soy diets, and are suing with help of the Weston A. Price Foundation. Unfermented, genetically-modified, full-of-hexane soy is not good for the body. It is especially not good for the thyroid.
Also be sure to look into the W.A.P. Foundation — they offer great information on natural health, and wholesome food choices.
What Causes Low Thyroid (Hypothyroidism)? What Can We Do About It?
I saved the best for last. This website/article was a tip from one of our thyroid ladies and I’m so glad I found it. I cannot agree more with the information in this posting. That’s because it parallels my own personal experience and research. This is, essentially, the same plan that I follow(ed) and which allowed me to experience success. Well, that is, all of his suggestions except “take natural thyroid supplementation — I’ve never done that one, so I can’t speak to it. I would encourage everyone to look into his suggestions on yeast, estrogen dominance, chemicals (chlorine, fluoride, perchlorate, plastics, even mercury toxicity), organics, sugars, etc.
Happy reading and until next week,
Love Always,
Liz
Have a question, comment, story, love letter, or rant/rave to send me?: Liz@DearThyroid.com
Tags: How To Kick Your Thyroid's Ass, hyperthyroidism nutritional tips, hypothyroidism nutritional tips, Liz Schau thyroid nutrition writer, managing hyperthyroid symptoms nutritionally, managing hypothyroid symptoms nutritionally, thyroid books, thyroid nutrition resources
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10 Responses to “How To Kick Your Thyroid’s Ass: Good Reads on Thyroid Disease”
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Liz, I started with your “best for last” and haven’t read the others yet, but I am so glad you heard about this and posted it as your “best for last”.
These are basically all the lifestyle changes I am trying to incoroporate for my “thyroid health”. I recently learned how much flouride is in tea, including green tea. I thought all I had to change was my toothpaste, ha! This article is being printed and posted on my fridge as a reminder to help keep me on this path.
I recently learned my last ultrasound report read “normal appearing thyroid”, meaning the antibodies have not destroyed any part of it yet (miraculously), so I am hoping that means I still have a shot at remission.
Thanks again, Liz! You always find the most interresting and helpful reads.
XOX
lori
Thanks so much Ms. Lori. 🙂
I hope you get something good out of that information. You’re so right on everything you’ve said… fluoride especially. It’s crazy how saturated everything in our homes and environments are with endocrine disruptors. It is a long road, if you decide to follow that Dr.’s suggestions. But for me, it was/is a long journey that is so worth it.
I just read the best as well! Great article, I posted it to my FB wall. Who knows who will read it…they might just need that info. Thanks for sharing, Liz!
I thought the info about estrogen dominance was interesting. I was on birth control for six years straight before I got pregnant and then back on it for over two years after the birth of my daughter. My suspicions, along with my doctor’s input, told me that this was not good for my health so I no longer use it. Makes me wonder, though, if it could have had something to do w/ the development of thydisease?…
Liz,it’s outrageous how much tea I was drinking until recently. I drank tea all day long, almost. Black tea, white tea, green tea, and all kinds of herb teas, especially in the Fall and Winter. Do you know if herb teas also have fluoride in them, like mint, chammomile, orange, etc.? I really miss my chammomile at nighttime. I haven’t been able to find an answer on that type of tea and the white tea, my latest fav tea with honey. Every year my dad is in FL when it’s his B-day and I’ve been sending him white tea and honey. I turned him on to it and he loves it but now I’m afraid to send it to him. I imagine this must also have fluoride. All I could confirm on the internet was regular black tea and green tea. 🙁
I did not finish the “Power of Prevention” because I did not agree with the information I was reading so I stopped. For instance, the TSH being the only test for thyroid disease and they only recognized adrenal crisis, not adrenal exhaustion. One thing I was surprized to see in the list of possible symptoms was medication sensitivities. I say that because this is obviously information from conventional thinking endos and my primary care doctor was not familiar with that symptom. It took her a long time to finally believe how sensitive I was to drugs.
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Have you seen Dr. Ken Holtorf’s “The National Academy of Hypothyroidism” website? If not, you have to check out @ http://nahypothyroidism.org/. They call themselves “thyroidologists” not endos. It was wonderful to see a website with updated (true) information on it.
Who we are?
The National Academy of Hypothyroidism is a group of thyroidologists, headed by Kent Holtorf, M.D. who are dedicated to the promotion of scientifically sound and medically validated concepts and information regarding the diagnosis and treatment of hypothyroidism.
I have had mild RLS for years. I had read somewhere about this being linked to hypothyroidism before, and it cracked me up.
Like you, Liz, I have lots of the odd-ball symptoms–tinnitus, RLS, early greying of hair, asthma-like respiratory symptoms.
It’s great, isn’t it!
Liz great articles I’ve always known that RLS was something that can be a symptoms of thyroid disease/hyerthyroidism and many more to mention that just aren’t listed. so I don’t see why you would dismiss it as a symptom.
As for Soy wouldn’t tough it with a barge poll.
I haven’t read all the articles and links yet will comment more when I have done.
Lolly
Amy, I can’t speak to the estrogen causing thyroid disease, but I do know it can cause massive candida overgrowth. Estrogen is like candy for candida, apparently.
Awesome, Lori. I’m gonna check that site out, thanks.
And with the tea, I am still trying to determine all that for myself. I can’t find any conclusive info. I really want to figure out which teas, or, if all teas contain fluoride and if it’s due to uptake of water contaminated with fluoride or if it’s inherent in the tea itself. And, I’m so right there with you. I grew UP on sweet tea and know it’s done so much damage to my body. Though, not like bottled water is any different — I grew up on that too and it’s full of the stuff.
Robyn, yeah, isn’t that great? That’s why I never trust the “symptoms list” for ANYTHING. There are too many bio-individual markers that could be at play as well as ENDLESS synergies that can equate to any possible manifestation.
Thanks Lolly. Yeah, it really irritates me that we only get like 10 symptoms to validate our experience, when in fact, people experience endless “unrelated” symptoms. They need to feel like they’re not freaks just because their diseases don’t fit inside the box.