Alternative Treatments for Thyroid Disorders

The thyroid is a major endocrine gland - one of the body's largest. The thyroid gland produces metabolic hormones that are necessary for proper function of the human body. Whereas most endocrine glands produce a hormone that affects only specific cells of the body, the thyroid produces hormones that are needed by all the cells of the body. Thyroid hormone, also known as T₃, is a vital hormone for proper metabolism of body's cells. Without the proper production of T₃ hormone, the body is left in "low gear."

One that is deficient in thyroid hormones usually experiences a combination of symptoms: low energy, fatigue, hair that falls out easily, brittle nails, cold hands, cold feet, weight gain, goiters, a "sand dollar" sized pain between the shoulder blades, anxiety, and depression. All of these symptoms, individually or collectively, can make one feel horrible. If a child is deficient in thyroid hormones, growth and brain development can be inhibited.

Thyroid hormone is a combination of a protein, thryoglobulin, and an iodine. This is combined three times to produce a T₃ hormone. Thus, T₃ hormone is three thyroglobulins and three iodines. The iodines are important as they make the hormone functional; without the iodine, the thyroid hormone is non-functional and useless. Modern blood tests for thyroid hormone only look for the hormone, they do not actually verify the presence of iodine. Many times, people may test at "normal" levels of T₃, but they are deficient in iodine. Thus, the T₃ hormone looks like T₃ hormone, but it does not function as T₃ hormone as it is missing the functional iodine. As an example, you may see a new, beautiful, expensive Cadillac vehicle and think, "Wow, that is an amazing Cadillac!" Upon opening up the hood, you see an old, rusty engine from a Yugo. Now, what is your impression of the Cadillac? You see, just because it looks like a Cadillac, does not mean that it runs like a Cadillac. Similarly, just because it looks like T₃ hormone, does not mean it functions like T₃ hormone! In a patient with thyroid problems, much of the T₃ hormone is non-functional as bromine is in place of the iodine. This occurs due to the high use of bromine in the processing of foods.

This brings us to the alternative modes of treatment. Much of modern medicine will prescribe a synthetic drug to treat the thyroid - synthroid or levothyroxine. This synthetic drug is an artificial chemical that mimics the effects of T₃ hormone in the body. As such, since the body feels that it is getting its "dose" of T₃ hormone, the thyroid determines that it is not needed and begins to produce less and less of the hormone. The end result is that the patient continues to take the synthetic thyroid drugs the remainder of their life at ever increasing dosages! That is great for revenue, but that is not actually treating the patient!

Most thyroid disorders are secondary to an underlying adrenal fatigue. If you have a thyroid disorder, check out the adrenals and treat them before proceeding with any thyroid treatment. The adrenals will rob the body of nutrients, especially the thyroid, and will not allow the thyroid to heal until they are back to regular function. (Please note: most medical practitioners do not recognize the common adrenal fatigue syndrome, only the extremes of adrenal dysfunction - Cushings and Addisons disease. Thus, to properly treat the adrenals, seek out an Applied Kinesiologist or other qualified practitioner that specializes in adrenal treatments - mild, moderate, or severe.)

If the adrenal glands are functioning properly, most thyroid disorders are effectively treated with a high quality iodine supplement such as a potassium iodide. Upon supplementing with the iodine, the thyroid will begin to kick out the dysfunctional units of T₃ hormone. The non-functional bromine engine of the "Cadillac" will be replaced with functional iodine engine. When this process begins to occur, the individual may feel a bit sick for a few days as the bromine that is released is toxic. Within days, the individual will notice that their hair comes in stronger, their nails are thicker, their hands and feet are warm, they lose weight, and their energy is up!