COMMON THYROID MYTHS YOU NEED TO KNOW

This guide will get you on the right path to feeling your best!

After being diagnosed with an incurable thyroid disease and given the option to take radioactive iodine to destroy my thyroid, I improved my diet, lifestyle and consciousness instead. The results were astounding!  My swollen thyroid swung from hyper to hypo, and then Hashimoto's. It was a challenging time, but I gained a new understanding of what it means to get to the root cause of thyroid conditions to truly heal.  People need to know that there are alternative options to managing and healing the thyroid without resorting to radical medical treatments or a lifetime of costly medication. As a masterful health coach with over two decades of experience working with people with thyroid trouble, I can guide you toward healing your condition, stop suffering, and getting on with your life! Start here, with this easy guide to help you get a handle on what's the truth and what's a myth in regards to thyroid disease.

Thyroid disease is a hot topic and thyroid medication is a BIG seller. Over 20 million people are diagnosed with thyroid disease every year, and they are told that once they get on thyroid medication, they can never get off. This is a lucrative myth perpetuated by Big Pharma and the medical professionals that write the prescriptions. BUT, it’s not necessarily the truth. If you still have a thyroid and it hasn’t been removed, radiated or ablated, it can produce the hormones you need. One of the major keys to getting the thyroid to do what it is designed to do is to give the body adequate nutrition and the raw elements it needs to create thyroid hormones. Patience and a little bit of detective work are required to discover which nutrients are missing from the diet and how you can support your digestive system to best absorb them.

MYTH #1: You Can Never Get Off Thyroid Medication

Iodine is absolutely needed for the production of thyroid hormone, cellular health, and the proper functioning of your entire body. The body does NOT make iodine, so it needs to be an essential part of your diet. If you do not have enough dietary iodine, you cannot make thyroid hormone. A deficiency can lead to goiter (enlarged thyroid gland), hypothyroidism, miscarriage, and mental retardation in children whose mothers were iodine deficient during pregnancy.[1] BUT, you do not need to take supplemental iodine to reach your dietary needs. If you supplement with too high a dose and/or for too long, this can have a negative impact on your thyroid. Too much iodine can have as damaging an effect as too little. Excessive amounts of this isolated element can induce hyperthyroidism, goiter, thyroid antibodies and autoimmune thyroid disease (hashimotos, graves).[2] There are better and more balanced ways to get the iodine your thyroid needs. Your body will be better served by eating natural sources of dietary iodine. This includes: There are many iodine-rich foods you can eat to ensure your body is getting adequate amounts of absorbable iodine. Try this iodine-rich recipe for starters: Aromatic Cauliflower Putanesca [1] http://www.thyroid.org/iodine-deficiency/[2] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2935336/

MYTH #2: You Need To Take Supplemental Iodine

SeafoodSea vegetablesNettles leafCapers and other pickled foodsEggsBeans

Thyroid nodules are very common. 30% of 30 year-old women have a thyroid nodule and that number will increase. According to Dr. Mario Skugo, Endocrinologist, “Small thyroid nodules are common, with 50 percent of women over the age of 50 having them, but the vast majority of them are benign.”[1] The rate of thyroid nodules continues to increase as we age:   The majority of these thyroid nodules, more than 95% of them, are benign.[2] That means they are non-cancerous. Unfortunately, it’s a hot trend right now to over-diagnose and over-treat the small percentage of thyroid nodules that actually are cancerous. Dr. Luc Morris, Head and Neck Department of Surgery at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City said, “It is fair to say that the large number of thyroid cancers being diagnosed represent an epidemic of diagnosis, or an epidemic of medical testing, rather than an epidemic of true disease.”[3] So, hang onto your thyroid. Don’t get pressured into a thyroidectomy, ablation or radioactive iodine. More often than not, those treatments are absolutely unnecessary. Get a second, third and fourth opinion.

MYTH #3: Thyroid Nodules Lead To Cancer

60% of 60 year-old women have at least one thyroid nodule70% of 70 year-old women have at least one thyroid nodule

The brassicaceae family of vegetables (formerly cruciferous) are an amazing healing group of plants that support phase II liver detoxification and lower your risk of cancer. Members of the brassicaceae family include: But, these vegetables contain glucosinolates that can inhibit iodine uptake, resulting in hypothyroidism, promoting goiter formation.[4] The key to eating these amazing health-supportive plants without suffering with any potential negative side effects to your thyroid is to eat an iodine-rich diet (see MYTH #2). With adequate iodine in your daily diet, you don’t necessarily have to worry about this problem.

MYTH #4: Don’t Eat Cruciferous Veggies

CabbageBroccoliCauliflowerChinese cabbageRadishesTurnipsKohlrabiRutabagaCollard greensKaleBrussels sproutsBok choyMustard greensMaca

Also, keep in mind that cooking these vegetables deactivates any of their potential negative effects. That means if you are already iodine deficient… sauté, steam, or roast these veggies rather than blending them raw into your smoothie. [1] https://consultqd.clevelandclinic.org/overdiagnosis-thyroid-cancer-leading-unnecessary-interventions/[2] https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/thyroid/thyroid-nodules[3] https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/867598#vp_1[4] https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/food-beverages/cruciferous-vegetables#iodine-thyroid-function

MYTH #4 cont'd: Don’t Eat Cruciferous Veggies

Epstein Barr (EBV) is a highly contagious virus. It is part of the herpes family of viruses and one of the most common in the world, with almost the entire human population being exposed to it at some point in their life (90-95% of all people). EBV is stealth. It can establish “lifelong latency and intermittent reactivation after primary infection and with limited clinical symptoms in the majority of infected individuals, EBV has become ubiquitous in all human populations.”[1] If EBV causes thyroid disease why isn’t 90% of the population suffering with thyroid conditions? It takes more than one factor to knock the thyroid out of balance.  

MYTH #5: Thyroid Disease is Caused by Epstein Barr Virus

If nutrition is inadequate, the body will not have the elements needed to create thyroid hormone.If you are eating the right foods but they are improperly prepared this can inhibit production of thyroid hormones.If stress is high, poor digestion is the result and nutrients will not be properly absorbed.If liver health is compromised T4 toT3 conversion will be impeded.If someone is suffering from unresolved emotional trauma and in a chronic fight or flight state (sympathetic nervous system), the thyroid will naturally slow down or speed up to preserve life.If someone is overworking and not getting adequate rest, this impacts the health of the kidneys and adrenals, and eventually the thyroid.If the immune system is weak, stealth viruses like EBV will eat away at the body’s energy reserves, compromising the thyroid.If the virus is hiding in the organs and glands, and growing in numbers, the immune system will attack it contributing to autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s and Graves’ and Addison's Disease.

Having EBV can be one of the factors that contribute to thyroid disease BUT it is not the only factor. There are many more risk factors to take into consideration. Your body needs more than just exposure to the virus to break down into a diseased state, otherwise the entire population of the world, or at least 90% of us, would be diagnosed with thyroid disease due to EBV. [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK47424/

MYTH #5 cont'd: Thyroid Disease is Caused by Epstein Barr Virus

There are many myths about thyroid disease that may carry some shred of truth within them, but have been blown out of proportion, and will not help you heal. Don’t get sucked into the hype. Part of healing your thyroid is to understand what impacts the health of your thyroid and why, as well as what can you do about it. It would be my honor to give you the insight and practical steps to heal your thyroid, stop suffering, and start feeling fabulous. Below is what one of the participants in my Nourishing Thyroid Health Program had to say: "Before I started with this program, I was suffering from complete burn out, chronic fatigue, aches, pain, and weight gain. After 2 months of applying the dietary and life style changes recommended in Andrea’s program I started to notice many of these symptoms go away. I have been feeling more in tune with myself at all levels and I know I have dropped some pounds because I can see and feel it without needing a scale. Also, on my last blood work, the doctor told me that we needed to lower my medicine, finally! Today, I feel in control as I am noticing many shifts from the dietary modifications and regaining energy and improvement on all levels. Today I know I am on the right path to get off that med and be my best naturally." - Violaine Herlitz, Larchmont, NY  Click here for details: Nourishing Thyroid Health Program

FINAL THOUGHTS

COMMON THYROID MYTHS YOU NEED TO KNOW

This guide will get you on the right path to feeling your best!