How Important is Your Thyroid?

I am going to start a blog post on my thyroid issue and my desire to get off of my medication and get my thyroid back to functioning normally. I have been trying to change my diet to get rid of the foods that hinder its production, and I just now found a person on Twitter who did heal her hypothyroidism. She ate a carnivore diet, but then I read on other websites that the thyroid needs some carbs to function properly. Epoch Times just published an article on Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. This condition involves the immune system attacking the thyroid gland which now affects at least 14 million Americans and up to 7.5 percent of people globally. I have been diagnosed with Hashimoto's. Let's dive in. (Be sure to click on all the blue highlighted links for more info.)

What is the thyroid gland and what function does it perform? 

According to the site You and Your Hormones, the thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate the body's metabolic rate, growth and development. It plays a role in controlling heart, muscle and digestive function, brain development and bone maintenance. Its correct functioning depends on a good supply of iodine from the diet. Cells producing thyroid hormones are very specialized in extracting and absorbing iodine from the blood and incorporating it into the thyroid hormones.

What happens when your thyroid does not function properly? Normally the thyroid gland produces the exact number of hormones needed to keep your body’s metabolism running and in balance. TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) secreted by the pituitary gland remains at a constant level in your blood circulation, but the level increases when the T4 levels fall and decreases when T4 levels in the blood rise. This hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid feedback loop keeps the levels of T4 in your blood stable and reacts to small changes immediately.

However, there are several disorders associated with the thyroid gland with most problems concerning the production of thyroid hormones. Either the thyroid gland produces too much hormone (called hyperthyroidism), resulting in your body using energy more quickly than it should; or your thyroid doesn't produce enough hormone (called hypothyroidism), resulting in your body using energy more slowly than it should. Rarely does cancer of the thyroid gland develop.

It's weird because if the TSH level is very low, it means you are producing too much thyroid hormone; and if it's high, it means you are not producing enough. I think it's confusing, so I am hoping this blog gives enough information to figure out what you need to discuss with your doctor.

What are the TSH levels for each of these conditions? This chart tells what they mean:

How do you know if you have an issue with your thyroid? What are the symptoms? 

Typical symptoms for hyperthyroidism are weight loss, fast (and sometimes irregular) heart rate, irritability/nervousness, muscle weakness and tremors, changes in menstrual periods, sleep problems, eye problems and heat sensitivity.

I am only going to highlight hypothyroidism in this blog because that is what I have, in addition to having Hashimoto's Disease.

Symptoms for hypothyroidism include weight gain, slower heart rate, fatigue, menstrual period abnormalities, forgetfulness, dry skin and hair, hoarse voice and intolerance to cold. There are actually hundreds of symptoms, but here’s a list of some of the most common:

Feeling tired; weak -- fatigue, exhaustion, lethargy, feeling run down
Anxiety
Thinning or loss of outer third of eyebrows
Depression
Weight gain
Feeling cold
Irritability
Hair loss or thinning; coarse, brittle, straw-like hair; loss of underarm and/or pubic hair
Weakness and aches in muscles and joints
Itchy and dry skin
Difficulty concentrating
Brain fog
Constipation
Heavy or irregular periods
Puffy face and around the eyes
Hoarseness in the voice
Muscle weakness
Elevated cholesterol 
Slowed heart rate; irregular heartbeat, palpitations
Low or high blood pressure
Insomnia; sleep apnea; snoring
Brittle nails
Muscle loss
Low libido
Infertility and miscarriage
Lack of motivation
Digestive issues
Low vitamin D
Low B12
Weak immune system
Low ferritin (or anemia)
Needing a nap in the afternoon
Chronic fatigue
Diminished appetite
Low basal body temperature 
Frequent infections
Lump in throat

Slowed achilles reflex; other slowed reflexes

Dry mucous membranes

Jaundice

Pallor, paleness of skin, pale lips

Dull facial expression

Protrusion of the eyeballs

Slow movement; speech

Enlarged neck - goiter

Edema of the feet

Hearing issues -- tinnitus

Allergies

Dizziness; Vertigo

What is hypothyroidism? Hypothyroidism is most often diagnosed when TSH levels are elevated, Free T4 levels are low and/or Free T3 levels are low. But, oftentimes a doctor will diagnose a patient with hypothyroidism when they see just high TSH levels. TSH is a hormone that the pituitary sends out to tell the thyroid how much or how little thyroid hormones to produce. How does it all work?

It starts with the hypothalamus which tells the pituitary to release TSH which then tells the thyroid to produce T4 and T3. The thyroid produces 80% of T4 and 20% of T3, but your body does not use T4; it only uses T3. The T4 that the thyroid produces has to go into the liver and gut to be turned into the T3 that your body needs. If you think this is confusing -- it is.

What causes a high TSH? The pituitary, hypothalamus and adrenals (also called the HPA axis) are all part of the endocrine system and communicate with one another throughout the day. When the body perceives stress – emotional, mental, physical, environmental, mental, stress from disease, etc. – the hypothalamus tells the adrenals to work harder to put out additional cortisol, and it tells the pituitary to crank out more TSH so the thyroid will slow down.

So, a high TSH level isn’t actually a thyroid problem; TSH tells you what is going on with the pituitary, not your thyroid.  Instead, there’s some sort of imbalance in the HPA axis. Your practitioner’s job is to now figure out why there is an imbalance. If there are adequate levels of Free T4, but there isn't enough Free T3, this often indicates liver congestion. 

The TSH can provide some insight about what might be happening with the feedback between the body and the brain. It should not be used as a concrete marker for thyroid dysfunction because it tells you what is going on with the pituitary, not your thyroid. TSH is a proxy marker for how well the pituitary is functioning but it does not tell you how much hormone is in the body.

TSH is not a thyroid hormone; it is a pituitary hormone that can provide some insight about what might be happening with the feedback between the body and the brain. It should not be used as a concrete marker for thyroid dysfunction. (Even though that is what many doctors rely on.)

T4: Total T4 measures the bound and free hormone. A Free T4 measures what is not bound and able to enter and affect the body tissues. Total T4 provides information about how much T4 the thyroid is producing. Measuring Free T4 more accurately reflects how the thyroid is functioning when checked with a TSH. Low Total T4 can indicate a need for iodine and/or selenium. 

Elevated TSH/Low Free T4 ~~ disease in thyroid gland

Low TSH/Low Free T4 ~~ problem with the pituitary gland

With an underactive thyroid gland, the level of T4 will be low, while the TSH level will be high. This means that the thyroid is not making enough T4 and the pituitary recognizes it and is responding by making more TSH in an attempt to force more T4 production out of the thyroid. 

What is T3, why is it so important?

If T4 is normal or high and T3 is low, this is a common sign that your liver is not able to properly convert T4 into T3 efficiently.  This is where I am. Since 2020 my TSH has averaged around 2.0 (Ref range .45 - 4.5), my T4 has averaged around 1.5 (ref range .82 - 1.77), whereas my T3 has been below 3 (ref range 2.0 - 4.4) (should be in the top 30%).

• High T3 levels: High total T3 levels often indicate hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid). This can lead to a fast heart rate, anxiety, and weight loss.
• Low T3 levels: While not a reliable indicator on its own, low T3 levels can be associated with hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid), certain medications, or severe illnesses.

So, do I need to improve my liver function? Liver dysfunction is one of the most common causes of hypothyroidism. I don't know -- my liver function tests are all normal.

What causes liver dysfunction?

Hypothyroidism can cause liver dysfunction in a number of ways, including:

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) ~~ Low thyroid hormone levels can lead to impaired lipid metabolism, insulin resistance, and inflammation in the liver, which can cause fat to accumulate. This condition is called hypothyroidism-induced NAFLD. People with hypothyroidism often have higher levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, and may not remove triglycerides from their bodies as quickly as others. The hormone leptin, which is produced by fat cells, may also contribute to NAFLD by causing insulin resistance and liver damage. NAFLD can progress to more severe conditions like non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and cirrhosis.

Hypothyroidism and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: What’s the Link? Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with risk factors like obesity, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes. Recent research has also linked a fatty liver to hypothyroidism. What herbs are best for liver health?

Choline for Cognitive Support
Supports brain function and supports neurotransmitter synthesis.
 
NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine) for Liver Wellness
Assists in liver function and supports glutathione levels.
 
Milk Thistle for Liver Health
Contains silymarin which supports liver cell regeneration and protection.
 
Zinc for Immune Health
An essential mineral known to support immune health.
 
Beetroot for Liver Function
Encourages healthy liver processes and supports liver health.
 
Artichoke Leaf Extract for Digestive Aid
Helps support bile production and offers digestive support.

Chanca Piedra Extract

Helps prevent and treat kidney stones. Works by inhibiting the formation of calcium oxalate crystals, which are the primary constituents of most kidney stones. It promotes the relaxation of smooth muscles in the urinary tract, facilitating the expulsion of stones.

Dandelion Root

Assists in flushing out toxins and aiding in bile production, essential for digestion and liver function. Its anti-inflammatory properties also help support immune health in the liver.

Dr. Sten Ekgerg: Thyroid disease is very common for men and women, and 60 percent of those with thyroid disease are unaware of their condition. There are natural things you can do now to help restart your thyroid. Men and women can have an thyroid issue, but a woman is about five to eight times more likely to be Diagnosed with a thyroid condition than a man. Approximately 1 in 8 women will be affected by a thyroid condition at some point in their lives. Hypothyroidism, a slow thyroid function the most common thyroid issue, and Hyperthyroidism, a fast thyroid function, problems tend to develop slowly, often over a number of years. The standard treatment for hypothyroidism is taking daily thyroid hormone replacement medication, but medications come with side effects. Four common issues associated with the thyroid include Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Graves' disease, goiter (enlarged thyroid), and thyroid nodules.

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ALCOHOL

What about alcohol? What does it do to the thyroid? According to Dr. Westin Childs, alcohol acts like a toxin to your thyroid and liver, damaging both and lowering hormone conversion from T4 to T3.

*Alcohol harms thyroid cells and slows metabolism

*It damages the liver, which is critical for thyroid hormone activation

*Even small amounts can worsen fatigue, weight gain, and Hashimoto's symptoms

*Quitting alcohol supports detox, hormone balance, and thyroid recovery

Avoid alcohol completely for a healthier thyroid, liver, and body.

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FLUORIDE

Another thing that may have contributed to my hypothyroidism is FLUORIDE. Yes -- something that we all ingest through our toothpaste and water that we drink everyday. Why did the government start putting fluoride in our water? To prevent cavities? Our government has been trying to poison us for a very long time. Dr. Isabella Wentz wrote about Fluoride and Your Thyroid.

Before the public was convinced that adding fluoride to their water was for their own good, the metal & chemical industries had the problem of disposing of their highly toxic fluoride waste.

Now, thanks to corporate lobbyists & the big lie sold to the public about supposed health benefits, the fluoride waste is dumped into our municipal water supplies & into our personal care products. Not only did this solve their toxic waste disposal problem but allowed them to sell it for a profit at a markup of 20,000 times.

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Iodine

Iodine is the body's master internal detoxifier of heavy metals, fluoride, chlorine, bromine & the radiation residue that builds up in tissues. Fluoride infiltrates where Iodine should be & harms thyroid function. Hypothyroid is caused by heavy metals poisoning because Iodine cannot uptake into the cells. Which is why Iodine supplementation & a healing protocol heals Hypothyroid permanently. 10 Life Transformative Benefits of Iodine... 1: Detox Mercury, Aluminum, Lead, Fluoride & Bromide 2: Shrinks Cysts, Fibroids & Tumors 3: Prevents Cancer & Parasitic Infections 4: Heals Candida & Fungal Infections 5: Relieves Menopause symptoms, hot flashes & acne 6: Breaks down scar tissue & adhesions 7: Lifts mood & brain fog 8: Heals Hypothyroidism 9: Stimulates hair growth & relieves cold intolerance 10: Heals immune system & reduces inflammation Our soil, water & food are mostly devoid of Iodine in this modern era. Even consuming large quantities of eggs, seafood & raw dairy may not be enough to reach optimal Iodine intake each day. Each of our cells has an iodine receptor site & if there is no available iodine to uptake into the cell, heavy metals will displace & occupy that site. The RDA dose of 150 mcg is only set to prevent a Thyroid Goiter, not the amount every cell needs for vibrant optimal health. Your thyroid gland alone needs about 6 mg of iodine per day for optimal function. The rest of the body uses an additional 4 mg each day. For optimal wellness, which is what we always strive for, you need approximately 10 mg of Iodine each day. Iodine also has required cofactors which are easy to acquire the trace amounts needed thru diet. Iodine needs selenium, zinc, copper, iron & methylated B. Before taking any iodine supplement, you need to check to make sure your body needs it. Get some liquid iodine and rub some on your arm. If it disappears your body is absorbing it, then you need extra iodine. If it does not, you do not need to supplement with iodine.

If you do need to supplement, an easy way to reach optimal intake involves just a few drops of Lugol's 2% Liquid Iodine. Each drop delivers 2.5 mg of bioavailable Iodine. Valerie Smith has taken J. Crow brand for years, after using a natural protocol 8 yrs ago to heal Hypothyroid. Judy Cho did a YouTube video on the importance of iodine in your diet and explains how much to take. Have I been taking iodine? No, but after listening to Judy's video, I am ordering some from Amazon.

The Importance of Iodine and Thyroid Health: In this video, I discuss iodine and its crucial role in maintaining thyroid health, hormone balance, and overall wellness. Did you know that iodine deficiency is one of the leading causes of thyroid disorders worldwide? 

I share rates of thyroid disorders and thyroid cancer and how conditions like Hashimoto's thyroiditis impact millions of lives—alongside the surprising market value ($$) of treating these illnesses. I discuss thyroid testing and medications, when necessary, and how to interpret thyroid function through functional medicine ranges versus conventional ranges. I also compare thyroid bloodwork testing to urinary iodine testing. And then I get tactical. I share how to make sole water, when, how, and how much to take of iodine, and how to do DIY home testing with the iodine skin patch.

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THYROID TESTS

According to Dr. Westin Childs, to properly evaluate the thyroid you need the following tests (make sure you ask for these tests from your doctor! If he/she won't do it then simply move on to another doctor who will - don't waste your time with doctors who won't work with you. You can use my free resources to find tips and tricks on how to find a doctor who will work with you):

- TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone)

- Free T2 (see explanation below)
- Free T3
- Free T4
- Reverse T3
- TPO antibodies
- Thyroglobulin Antibodies 
- Sex hormone-binding globulin
- Ferritin
- Serum Iron
- TIBC

Here is what each of them stand for and why you need it to determine the health of your thyroid:

 TSH: TSH stands for thyroid stimulating hormone and this hormone is produced by your brain. Your TSH tells your thyroid gland how much thyroid hormone it needs to produce. In most cases, if your TSH is low that means you have too much thyroid hormone in your body. If your TSH is high, that means you are not producing enough thyroid hormone or you need to be taking thyroid medication. The TSH is NOT a perfect test, however, and you absolutely should look at your TSH in context with the other lab tests listed below. 

- Free T3: Your free T3 is a measure of how much T3 (the active thyroid hormone) is available for your body to use. If this number is low (regardless of what your other lab tests are) you will most likely feel poorly. Your free T3 may be the single most important thyroid lab test. 

- Free T4: Your free T4 is a measure of how much T4 (the inactive thyroid hormone) is available for your body to convert into T3. If your free T4 is low then you may not have enough T4 for your body to utilize and turn into the active T3. Your free T4 is important, but not nearly as important as your other thyroid lab tests. 

- Reverse T3: Your reverse T3 is a measure of how well your body is actually turning T4 into T3. Your body has two options in regard to how it wants to process T4. It can either turn T4 into the active T3 thyroid hormone or turn it into the inactive Reverse T3 metabolite. High levels of reverse T3, therefore, indicate that this conversion process is not working well. 

- R T3 Ratio: Reverse T3 ratio (calculated by dividing Free T3/reverse T3): This ratio indicates how much competition exists between free T3 and reverse T3. If your ratio is low then the competition is high. If your ratio is high then the competition is low (this is what you want). As free T3 decreases and as reverse T3 increases, this sets the stage for cellular thyroid resistance. 

- TPO and Thyroglobulin antibodies: The presence of thyroid antibodies indicates that you may be suffering from autoimmune disease (Hashimoto's thyroiditis) which may explain your symptoms. These are VERY important to test for because they provide an EXPLANATION as to why you are feeling the way you do. It's better to know WHY you have thyroid disease so you can target your treatment for that problem. You should ALWAYS test for these antibodies initially and then re-test for them periodically to ensure you are on the right treatment. 

- Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG): SHBG is a protein secreted by your liver in response to thyroid hormone and estrogen. SHBG is helpful because it can be used to determine if the thyroid medication you are taking is actually being absorbed into your body. A low SHBG, especially if you are taking thyroid hormone, may be an indication that you are not absorbing your medication or that your dose is not high enough. A high SHBG means you might be getting too much thyroid hormone or that you have too much estrogen in your body. 

- Ferritin: Ferritin helps activate the thyroid at the cellular level and ferritin is required for hair regrowth in thyroid patients! 

- Serum Iron: Iron is required for oxygen consumption and energy production. Low iron = low energy. 

- TIBC (total iron binding capacity): This is another way to help you interpret your iron stores. 

As noted above, Free T3 and Total T3 are two of the most important thyroid tests. They evaluate your thyroid function; give vital information as to how your body is processing thyroid hormones, and gives you information about the hormone which is responsible for activating your cells and turning on your genes.

Free T3 can be low because there is an excess of cortisol that is blocking the conversion of Free T4 to Free T3 and instead creates an excess of R T3. 

Free T3 ~~ gives you an idea how active your thyroid is at the cellular level; measures how much Free T3 and active thyroid hormone your body is available to work with. It's the most important thyroid hormone in your body. T3 is responsible for attaching to the surface and the nucleus of your cells and making genetic changes to the cells. This process is what makes your thyroid increase your energy, manage your weight, and regulate your cycle.

What happens if you don't have sufficient Free T3 since it does all the heavy lifting when it comes to your thyroid? Free T3 can be low because there isn’t enough Free T4 being produced by the thyroid to be converted into Free T3. If there are adequate levels Free T4, but there isn’t enough Free T3, then this often indicates liver congestion.

Your thyroid produces T4 and sends most of it to the liver to be converted into the active form, Free T3. If you have enough Free T4, but not enough Free T3, then you don’t necessarily have a thyroid problem, instead, you may need to support your liver so it can efficiently convert T4 to T3 for you.

Liver congestion is pretty common nowadays, and cannot only cause low T3 in the body, it also can cause estrogen dominance, severe headaches, blood sugar imbalance, chemical sensitivities, skin issues, and dark circles under the eyes, among other things. A healthy liver stores sugar/carbs (glycogen) used as fuel. When hypothyroid, you lose the ability to produce glycogen and then you develop blood sugar issues.

Glycogen is necessary for production of glucuronic acid, which is necessary to detoxify thyroid suppressive hormones (estrogen). The more hypothyroid you become, the higher cholesterol rises. You need T3 to use cholesterol efficiently. My cholesterol was 247 in November 2023 (and my doctor wanted me to start on a statin, of all things). I told her emphatically NO WAY! My TSH was 3.8, and the last time my T3 was tested was in November 2022 at 2.3. This is low. The reference range for T3 is 2.0-4.4. Based on this information, I have no idea why my doctor would not test me for T3 and T4.

Back when we arrived in Glen Rose, Texas in 2017 I had to find a primary care doctor. I found a lovely young Hispanic doctor who took good care of me. She did the normal tests and found my TSH to be 5.0 and she put me on Levothyroxine. It took a while to find the right dosage, but we eventually settled on 75mg. This dosage keeps my TSH between 2 and 4. (Lab range is .450 to 4.500). 

When Dr. Landero left Granbury, I had to find another doctor. I chose Dr. Lopez, however, she thinks that I do not need have my T3 levels tested, and I cannot figure out why. She thinks I only need to know what my TSH level is. TSH levels tell you what your pituitary is up to, but it’s not telling you what the thyroid is doing. Fast forward to 2024 and I decided to switch doctors to one who will listen to me and ask for the tests I want to see. My new doctor is Leslie Ross and I am now able to see what my results are for TSH, T4, T3 and TPO.

What does the FT3 / RT3 ratio mean? If the ratio is low, it means the competition to convert to T4 is high; if the ratio is high, the competition is low. A RT3 ratio of 41 = 41:1 (optimal) means my body is efficiently converting the inactive RT3 into the active T3. A ratio above 10 is considered a good conversion and normal thyroid function.

If you are hypothyroid and therefore lack active T3 thyroid hormone then your body simply cannot use cholesterol to make the hormones it needs. As a result of not being able to use cholesterol, it naturally rises. The only way to control your cholesterol level is to improve your thyroid function, then your cholesterol will be normalized.

Your body needs active T3 to use cholesterol. If you are hypothyroid and lack active T3, then your body cannot use cholesterol to make the hormones it needs. 

After all of this reading about thyroid tests, Dr. Childs just added another thyroid hormone I have never heard of or read about: T2. So, I would add T2 to my list of tests needed to determine your thyroid health. Here is an article that explains T2. This is what he says about T2:

T2 plays a critical role in metabolism (1), energy, fat-burning (2), and mitochondrial function (3). In fact, it also helps other thyroid hormones, like T3 and T4, do their job. 

So what is T2, really?

• T2 is a naturally occurring thyroid hormone your body makes in small amounts.
• It’s not available in thyroid medications like Synthroid or levothyroxine.
• It’s the only thyroid hormone available over the counter (which means you don’t need a prescription to get it). 
• And despite its importance, it’s been almost completely ignored by conventional doctors for years. 

To date, it’s been used by thousands of thyroid patients (with or without thyroid medication) to help: 

• Support healthy metabolism
• Enhance energy and mental clarity
• Promote fat-burning and mitochondrial function
• Improve thyroid hormone conversion & stabilize T4 and T3 levels
• Support healthy cholesterol levels

I also read and take the products from Dr. Westin Childs. I am currently taking Hashimoto's AbRx, which is Organic Black Cumin Seed powder (Nigella sativa) and Selenium. What does this product do? Research shows that Nigella sativa can help lower thyroid antibodies and increase free thyroid hormone levels in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease. Hashimoto’s Ab Rx features the exact same ingredients and dose used in these clinical studies. Selenium is a mineral used by the thyroid gland to create glutathione, which protects it from oxidative damage. By neutralizing free radicals, you can protect against thyroid gland inflammation and damage. This formula contains the ideal concentration of selenium in a highly bioavailable form.

T3 is the most important thyroid hormone in your body. As a thyroid patient, you should put most of your effort and energy into improving T3 levels if you want to feel better! T3 Conversion Booster was specifically formulated to help your body create more of that powerful thyroid hormone naturally. And because so many thyroid patients aren’t converting well, enhancing this process is a no-brainer for just about every thyroid patient.

My T4 and T3 was checked was in November 2022, and then again in November 2024. My T4 was in the normal range, but my T3 has been low for many years. My new doctor put me on a T3 supplement to see if it will bring my T3 up. However, in the meantime, I am taking some additional herbs to help my thyroid so I have stopped taking my thyroid meds every day and near the end of March 2025, started taking them on Wednesday and Saturday. Since then, I have stopped taking them altogether.

I am adding T2 to my thyroid regime. I have been taking Beef Thyroid made by Ancestral Supplements, but I'm almost out of that and I have not decided if I will order more. So in the meantime, I am taking Hashimoto's Ab Rx, and Thyroid Daily Essentials.

If you look at my chart, you will see that my TSH went up to 8.14 in October 2025, so I have decided to start taking my Levothyroxine again.

I have also read that amino acids are needed for the proper conversion of T4 to T3. In this article, it talks about five hidden reasons your thyroid isn't working and what to do about it ~~ I have added amino acids to my vitamin/herb regime.

If you've been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and started on medication like levothyroxine (Synthroid), you probably expected to feel better within a few months. Your doctor likely told you that once your TSH levels normalize, your symptoms should disappear.

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But here's what many people discover: even with "normal" blood work, they still feel exhausted, struggle with weight management, and deal with persistent brain fog. Sound familiar? The frustrating truth is that for many thyroid patients, simply taking T4 medication addresses only part of the problem.

Here are five critical factors that most doctors don't discuss—but could be the key to finally feeling like yourself again.

1. Your Body May Not Be Converting T4 to the Active T3 Hormone

The Problem: Levothyroxine provides your body with T4 (thyroxine), but T4 is actually the inactive form of thyroid hormone. For your cells to use it for energy production, T4 must be converted to T3 (triiodothyronine) in your liver.

Think of T4 as raw material in a factory—it needs processing before it becomes the finished product your cells can actually use. This conversion happens through special enzymes called 5'-deiodinases, primarily in your liver.

Why This Matters: Studies show that many people with hypothyroidism have impaired T4-to-T3 conversion. You might have plenty of T4 in your system (which is what most doctors test for), but if it's not being converted to active T3, your cells are still starving for thyroid hormone.

The Solution: Supporting your liver's conversion process through targeted nutrition becomes crucial. The conversion requires specific amino acids and antioxidants to function properly.

2. Amino Acid Deficiency Is Blocking Your Thyroid Function

The Problem: The T4-to-T3 conversion process depends heavily on glutathione, your body's most powerful antioxidant. But glutathione is made from three specific amino acids: cysteine, glycine, and glutamic acid. If you're deficient in the essential amino acids that create these building blocks, the conversion can't happen efficiently.

Research published in medical journals shows a direct link between glutathione levels and successful T4-to-T3 activation. When glutathione is low, the conversion process becomes sluggish or may stop working entirely.

Why This Happens: People with hypothyroidism often need 1.5-2x more protein than healthy individuals because their liver is working overtime to manage hormone conversion and detoxification. Most people consume nowhere near this amount, especially if they have digestive issues (common with thyroid problems) that prevent proper protein absorption.

Key Amino Acids Your Thyroid Needs:

a. L-Methionine: Required for glutathione production and zinc/selenium absorption

b. L-Lysine: Essential for iron absorption (critical for energy)

c. L-Phenylalanine: Converts to tyrosine, the raw material for T4 production

The Solution: Ensuring adequate intake of essential amino acids in their most bioavailable form can dramatically improve thyroid hormone conversion.

3. Your Thyroid Hormones Can't Reach Your Cells

The Problem: Even if you're successfully converting T4 to T3, the active hormone still needs to be transported into your cells where energy production actually happens. This transport process requires specific proteins and nutrients that many thyroid patients are lacking.

Without proper cellular transport, T3 hormones remain in your bloodstream but can't reach the mitochondria (your cells' power plants) where they're supposed to trigger energy production.

Why Transport Fails: The transport proteins need optimal nutrition to function. When you're dealing with the digestive issues and nutrient malabsorption common in hypothyroidism, these transport mechanisms can become impaired.

The Solution: Supporting cellular transport through comprehensive amino acid nutrition helps ensure thyroid hormones actually reach their target destinations.

4. You're Taking T4-Only Medication for a Three-Step Process

The Problem: Most doctors prescribe levothyroxine (T4 only) and assume your body will handle the rest. But thyroid hormone activation is actually a three-step process:

1. Step 1: Produce T4 (this is what your medication provides)
2. Step 2: Convert T4 to active T3 in the liver
3. Step 3: Transport T3 into cells for energy production

Your medication only addresses Step 1. If Steps 2 and 3 aren't working properly, you'll continue experiencing hypothyroid symptoms regardless of your TSH levels.

Why This Matters: This explains why you might feel great initially when starting thyroid medication (as your T4 levels rise), but then plateau or even feel worse over time if the conversion and transport processes aren't supported.

The Solution: Address all three steps through comprehensive support that includes the building blocks for conversion and transport.

5. The "Normal" Lab Range Doesn't Account for Conversion Problems

The Problem:  Standard thyroid panels typically only measure TSH and sometimes Free T4. But these tests can't tell you whether your body is actually converting T4 to T3 or whether the T3 is reaching your cells.

You might have:

- Normal TSH

- Normal Free T4

- But low Free T3 (the active hormone)

- And still feel terrible

Why This Happens: The reference ranges for "normal" thyroid function are based on statistical averages, not optimal health. Plus, most labs don't routinely test Free T3 or Reverse T3 (an inactive form that can block thyroid function).

The Hidden Factor: Many people with conversion problems also produce too much Reverse T3, which acts like a brake on thyroid function even when T3 levels appear adequate.

The Solution: Working with practitioners who understand the full picture of thyroid function and supporting your body's natural conversion processes rather than relying solely on synthetic hormone replacement.

After discovering that I need all of the essential amino acids to help my liver convert the inactive T4 into the active T3. I bought these amino acids and just started taking them this week (November 3, 2025). I imagine it will take a while to know whether they will do the job. I will go for another blood test in May 2026.

In another article by Dr. Childs, he lists 17 natural thyroid remedies that actually work. In this article, he will explain 17 natural therapies that you can use (many of them proven) to help improve thyroid function, improve peripheral thyroid conversion, and promote more thyroid hormone production in your body.

1) Diet. For a quick overview you can find a list of foods to avoid below:

• Refined sugar
• Gluten
• Dairy
• Alcohol
• Trans-fat
• Industrial seed oils
• Highly processed soy
• Frozen and highly processed foods
• Legumes and beans
• Coffee

• *Note: You can read more in detail about how each of these impact your thyroid in this article.

2) Vitamins & Supplements. Using supplements and vitamins is another way that you can improve your thyroid. 

3) Meditation. Daily meditation has been shown to help improve cortisol, testosterone, and growth hormone. 

The guided meditation in this video starts at 10:37. 

4) Yoga. Yoga is another one of those therapies which have been studied and proven to be effective. I like yoga because it’s often one of the few exercises that women with hypothyroidism can tolerate. 

5) Essential Oils. These aromatic compounds work in one of two main ways:#1. Through their aromatic compounds (so-called aromatherapy) and…#2. Through their direct effects on your cells.

6) Detox Protocols. Whether you realize it or not, you are coming into contact with chemicals that may negatively impact your thyroid on a DAILY basis. 

7) Treating your Adrenals. Your adrenals are organs that sit on top of your kidneys. These hormone glands pump out some very important hormones including epinephrine, norepinephrine, cortisol, and other hormones which balance your salt and water balance.

8) Calm Down. Newer studies are showing that certain types of personalities are associated with an increased risk of developing health problems over their lifetime. 

9) Give up Coffee. The problem with coffee probably has little to do with the coffee itself and more to do with our ever-increasing reliance upon caffeine and the lifestyle that it promotes. 

10) Avoid Goitrogens. Goitrogens are compounds (foods, chemicals, medications, etc.) that block the uptake of iodine into your thyroid gland. 

11) Reduce Sugar Intake. One of the best things that you can do for your thyroid (and overall health) is to reduce the amount of sugar that you consume on a daily basis. 

Sugar, and by sugar I am referring to refined and added sugar, impacts several hormone systems in your body and can lead to hormone-resistant syndromes such as insulin resistance. 

12) Reduce Inflammation. We all know that inflammation is bad for the body but what you may not realize is that it is also bad for your thyroid. 

Inflammation, from any source, has been shown to reduce the ability of your body to convert the inactive T4 thyroid hormone into the active T3 thyroid hormone. 

13) Address Gut Health. Another very important system you won’t want to ignore if you have thyroid issues is your gut. 

And by your gut, I’m really referring to the trillions of bacteria that live inside of your intestinal tract and how these bacteria influence your body. 

14) Avoid Radiation & Protect your Thyroid. It has been well-documented that radiation to the thyroid gland can increase your risk of thyroid dysfunction including thyroid cancer, thyroid nodules, and thyroid cysts (24). 

It makes sense, therefore, to protect your thyroid gland at all costs!

The most common exposure to radiation in modern life is from conventional medicine and the use of radiology imaging including CT scans, X-rays, barium studies, cardiac stress tests, dental x-rays, and so on.

15) Exercise. Exercising positively impacts your thyroid. 

16) Get Enough Sleep. As many as 40% of Americans are not getting enough sleep each night. 

And this lack of sleep can potentially cause problems for your thyroid. 

Several studies show that sleep deprivation has a negative impact on the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis. 

Sleep deprivation leads to a decrease in peripheral thyroid conversion and a rise in TSH.

I found another person who writes a lot of articles about hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's who has lived through them and helps others. So, I am going to read what she has to say, and I will link her website here so you can read it as well. It's called The Invisible Hypothyroidism by Rachel Hill.

In my quest into the Carnivore lifestyle, I happened upon Jenny Mitich who has a whole series of videos on thyroid. In August 2024 she had her thyroid panel done and discussed the results with Dr. Amie Hornaman, a doctor who specializes in thyroid function. Here is the first video she did where she discusses her results with Dr. Hornaman:

Even though Jenny's TSH came back in the normal range, the results of her TPO came back high, which means she has Hashimoto's. Many women who have had life changing experiences develop Hashimoto's -- such as having children or beginning menopause. 

In this video, Dr. Lisa Hornaman discusses what your thyroid panel means. Are your thyroid and hormone lab results completely inaccurate—and you don't even know it? The timing of your blood draw, whether you fasted, when you took your medication, and even your supplements can completely skew your results. This means you could be under-medicated, over-medicated, or not medicated at all based on FALSE lab values. In this Quick Fix episode of The Thyroid Fixer, Dr. Amie Hornaman breaks down EXACTLY how to get the most accurate thyroid and hormone lab results possible—whether you're testing at a lab or using an at-home test kit.

5 Hidden Reasons Why Your Thyroid Medication Isn't Working (And What To Do About It)

If you've been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and started on medication like levothyroxine (Synthroid), you probably expected to feel better within a few months. Your doctor likely told you that once your TSH levels normalize, your symptoms should disappear.

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But here's what many people discover: even with "normal" blood work, they still feel exhausted, struggle with weight management, and deal with persistent brain fog. Sound familiar? The frustrating truth is that for many thyroid patients, simply taking T4 medication addresses only part of the problem.

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Carnivore for women ~~

Specifically: the number of women who have resolved hormonal dysfunction, PCOS, endometriosis symptoms, perimenopausal chaos, and two decades of unexplained fatigue by removing plants and eating animal foods. The thyroid requires iodine, selenium, and zinc. Beef and seafood. It requires conversion of T4 to T3, a process disrupted by chronic inflammation. Seed oils. It requires adequate cholesterol for hormone synthesis. The thing you've been told to minimise. Oestrogen is synthesised from cholesterol. Progesterone is synthesised from cholesterol. Every sex hormone requires the substrate that dietary guidelines have spent fifty years telling women to eat less of. The advice to eat less fat, more fibre, and plenty of wholegrains has been directed disproportionately at women, has been delivered disproportionately in the context of weight management, and has produced a generation of women with disrupted hormonal function, brittle bones, depleted iron, and the persistent suggestion that these problems require medication rather than food. Eat the fat. Eat the meat. Let your hormones work.

Another thing that I noticed since being diagnosed with hypothyroidism is that my cholesterol levels are high. I'm not saying that I'm worried about having a higher than normal cholesterol level, because I'm not, but that is one thing that comes with this disorder and of course, doctors immediately want to put people on statins (one of the worst things you can do. I did a blog on statins and cholesterol) ~~ even my doctor! Why do doctors all want to put people on statins just because their cholesterol level is high? 

Taking statins is not the way to lower your cholesterol level. Statin Drugs in particular have been linked to an increased risk of:

• Progressive Muscle Disease
• Diabetes
• Liver Damage
• Digestive Problems
• Immunological Disorders
• Memory Loss
• Lou Gehrig’s Disease

Being hypothyroid and deficient in T3 also prevents you from using cholesterol and converting it into your thyroid-protective hormones. 

Free T3 can also be low because there is excess cortisol (from adrenal imbalance) that is blocking the conversion of free T4 to free T3 and instead creating an excess of reverse T3.

Here is a video by Neisha Berry, the wife of one of the doctors I listen to (Dr. Ken Berry who has YouTube videos and the Proper Human Diet website). She is talking about her protocol for Hashimoto's.

I have also read the website by Carrie Vitt on the issues she had with her thyroid. She healed herself from Hashimoto's Disease and her website (Deliciously Organic) is about her healing process and also to help anyone who has a thyroid problem. 

If you find that you cannot deal with your symptoms and need help healing your body, Carrie Vitt, who is now a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, offers help through an Online Thyroid Course where she helps you recover. Here is the link to her course where she will teach you how to heal your thyroid and get your life back. 

What are the ranges, symptoms, and meaning of TSH levels? The thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) test measures the amount of TSH in the blood to convey how well a person’s thyroid functions. Normal levels are typically 0.4 to 4.0 milliunits per liter (mU/L).

We've all been led to believe that the thyroid "controls it all," but this simply is not true. For example:

When the body is stressed, this taxes the adrenals and also creates blood sugar imbalance. The hypothalamus sees this, and tells the pituitary to send out more or less TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), creating a hypothyroid or hyperthyroid situation.

If the body is not digesting food very well (very common), then the thyroid does not have the raw materials it needs to make thyroid hormones, so T4 and T3 decline. The thyroid is simply responding to the deficiency in the body.

When there is chlorine and fluoride in the bloodstream (from chlorinated and fluoridated water), the thyroid grabs on to these halogens thinking they are iodine, and the FT4 and FT3 levels can go off balance.

Your thyroid is super sensitive to any kind of stress be it mental, physical, or emotional stress, synthetic chemicals, poor digestion, nutrient deficiencies, radiation, etc. and it simply responds to the environment that it is in. Your thyroid wants to work properly, but you have to give it the right environment.

Thyroid Imbalance Testing: 30 million adults suffer from thyroid imbalance. Don’t let dysfunction go undiagnosed. A wide range of factors from hormone imbalances to mineral deficiencies and environmental pollutants can interfere with thyroid production, leading to health problems.

The ZRT Blog is an extensive resource for patients and health care providers searching for health and hormone testing information. Here, you can read about ZRT’s cutting edge research, advances in testing, wellness advice, and health industry highlights. How 5 Elements Can Affect Your Thyroid Hormones

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I got tested for Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody), which came back at 100. Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune condition in which your immune system attacks your thyroid tissues. TPO (thyroid peroxidase) is the key enzyme that helps your thyroid make thyroid hormones. Anti-TPO is an antibody that attacks TPO. This is the lab that is most often used to diagnose Hashimoto’s. A normal anti-TPO level is usually below 30.

I will get my annual blood work in November 2025, and will find out if what I am doing is helping. I feel good with what I'm taking; still getting up early and exercising, and still drinking a shake with all my vitamins in it. (Well, what I was doing did not work. My TSH went up to 8.14, so I started taking my Levo again. I'm due for another blood work at the end of January 2026.)

Everyone is biochemically individual, but in her practice (Carrie Vitt ~~ Deliciously Organic) they've found that a TSH level between 0.5-2.0 is the range where people feel healthy and vibrant. (Test range is .45-4.5; mine was at 2.9 in April 2024.) 

The pituitary, hypothalamus, and adrenals (also called the HPA axis) are all part of the endocrine system and communicate with one another throughout the day. When the body perceives stress, the hypothalamus tells the pituitary to make more or less TSH so that the thyroid will produce more or less thyroid hormones to keep the body functioning. So, a low or high TSH level isn’t actually a thyroid problem. Instead, it’s often an imbalance in the HPA axis. Your practitioner’s job is now to figure out why there is an imbalance.

The are three common reasons why Free T3 can be low:

1. Not enough Free T4 being produced by the thyroid to be converted into free T3. What is a normal amount? It's supposed to be between .82 and 1.77, and the best in the top 50%.  In November 2024, my Free T4 was 1.08. 

2. If there are adequate levels of Free T4, but there isn’t enough Free T3, then this often indicates liver congestion. My Free T3 in November 2024 was 1.9, which is low. Normal is between 2.0 and 4.4, and should be in the top 30%. My liver enzymes are normal.

3. If there is excess cortisol (from adrenal imbalance, that is blocking the conversion of T4 to T3 and instead creating an excess of R T3. 

Your thyroid produces T4 and sends most of it to the liver to be converted into the active form, free T3. If you have enough free T4, but not enough free T3, then you don’t necessarily have a thyroid problem, instead, you may need to support your liver so it can efficiently convert T4 to T3 for you.

Liver congestion is pretty common nowadays, and can not only cause low T3 in the body, it also can cause estrogen dominance, severe headaches, blood sugar imbalance, chemical sensitivities, skin issues, and dark circles under the eyes, among other things. Here is an article Carrie Vitt wrote with specific steps you can take to improve this issue.

Free T3 can also be low because there is excess cortisol (from adrenal imbalance) that is blocking the conversion of free T4 to free T3 and instead creating an excess of reverse T3.

One example of why this is important: Look at iodine. Iodine is required for a healthy thyroid. If your body is too acidic, the thyroid will receive insufficient iodine, and thus cannot perform properly. A malfunctioning thyroid is connected to arthritis, cancer, diabetes, heart attacks, depression, fatigue and obesity. Yet few of us are able to connect the dots and recognize that these illnesses are caused by a malfunctioning thyroid, which is caused by over acidity. 

I've been trying to figure out why my T3 is low and what I can do to bring it up -- detox my liver? Eat differently? I quit drinking a few years ago so it's not alcohol related. 

I read a lot about thyroid problems. There are a couple of websites I go to. One is Forefront Health. The guy that writes this site also has hypothyroidism. His site has a wealth of information. I also look at Deliciously Organic, with Carrie Vitt, who has Hashimoto's Thyroid. I new person I just found is Mary Shomon who went through her own issues with hypothyroidism. She has a good website, Verywell Health, with lots of information. 

4 Estrogenic “Health Foods” That Can Unknowingly Sabotage Thyroid Health

1.    Soy Foods. Soy products are often recommended to peri-menopausal and menopausal women as a way to increase their estrogen levels. Just like estrogen hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been shown to increase risk of breast cancer, soy phytoestrogens can too.

2.    Flax Seed. Flax seed takes the cake when it comes to total phytoestrogen content of 379 mg per 100 grams of flax. Like soy, many peri-menopausal and menopausal women are also dangerously led to using flax. Again, this is because doctors tell them that they need to increase their estrogen.

3.    Sesame Seeds. Another seed shown to contain a large amount of phytoestrogens is sesame seed. Sesame seeds are often claimed to help protect against cancer and diabetes. They are often cited to improve bone health and lower inflammation. Well, they’re note quite as estrogenic as flax seed, yet sesame seeds contain 8mg of phytoestrogens per 100 grams.

4.    Hummus. Hummus takes the fourth spot at 1 mg of phytoestrogen per 100 grams. Now, it’s important to keep all of these amounts in perspective. For example, sesame seeds and hummus might appear to contain little phytoestrogen compared to flax and soy. Yet, when you compare them to other foods low in phytoestrogens, it paints a very different picture.

Harms of Soy:

Hormonal Disruptor...Soy contains plant estrogens as Phytoestrogens which effectively raise your estrogen levels & lowers testosterone. Causes Hypothyroid...Soy contains high levels of goitrogens which inhibit the thyroid’s ability to utilize iodine correctly & leads to hypothyroid. Lectins...Alters Leptin sensitivity which leads to Insulin Resistance & Metabolic Syndrome/Obesity. Cancer...High intake of Soy increases Breast & Prostate Cancer. Phytic Acid...Blocks absorption of Zinc, Calcium, Iron & Magnesium. And also causes allergy response to IGG. Gut Microbiome...GMO & Pesticides harm the GI Tract & leak to malabsorption syndrome. Heavy Metals...Soybeans contain high levels of Lead, Nickel & Cadmium. These cause behavior & neurological harms in both children & adults.

In addition to soy, you should not eat Kale. I know it's supposed to be a "super food" but it's the worst veggie for your thyroid. It contains goitrogens, which are defense chemicals that are made to avoid being eaten in nature. It acts as an "anti-nutrient" for humans. Goitrogens also block the thyroid from absorbing iodine. Over time, the thyroid cannot absorb iodine, your thyroid levels will drop like a rock or cause a goiter.

The last thing is commercial salad dressings, which contain soybean oil or canola oil. I've written a lot about seeds oils and the harm they cause to the body. 

Studies Showing Adverse Effects of Soy

Wise Thyroid

What steps can you take to improve your symptoms if you’ve been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Disease?

Ask your practitioner for a thyroid panel. Getting a look at what’s actually going on with your thyroid will give you and your practitioner more insight as to what steps to take next. 

So, now this is what I have to do:

1. Heal my gut naturally. 

2. Support my adrenals.

3. Detoxify.

4. Eat real, grain-free, nutrient-dense foods.

Reading Dr. Childs, one trigger causing Hashimoto's is high estrogen levels. Estrogen dominance plays a central role in the development of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. And it stems from estrogen’s effects on your thymus gland. The thymus gland sits right behind your breastbone and it plays the important role of regulating your immune system. Not only does estrogen damage your thymus gland, it also increases the production of autoimmune antibodies.

For people who are having issues with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or other autoimmune conditions, and want to help regulate their immune system… restoring the thymus gland is essential.

Estrogen cannot be tested through blood work because it rests in the tissues, not the blood. There are 10+ symptoms that indicate estrogen dominance. 

People who are hypothyroid both overproduce estrogen and cannot detoxify it, causing it to accumulate in their body. Needless to say, both of these problems tend to cause estrogen to build up to dangerous levels. Unfortunately, this isn’t caught through blood testing because estrogen tends to accumulate in the tissue, not in the blood. How to correct estrogen dominance.

How to spot estrogen dominance ~~ 

Unfortunately, having a high amount of estrogen in your body can lead to many unwanted side effects. Here are 10 of the warning symptoms to look out for:

1. Irregular periods with light or heavy bleeding
2. Weight gain, especially around thighs and hips
3. Headaches
4. Worsening of premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
5. Breast tenderness
6. Fatigue
7. Decreased sex drive
8. Anxiety and depressed mood
9. Uterine fibroids
10. Bloating

The only symptom I have is bloating, but it's not that bad either.  So, my guess is that I do not have estrogen dominance. 

To determine if a postmenopausal woman is estrogen dominant, a blood test measuring estradiol (E2) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels is recommended. Additionally, a DUTCH test can provide a comprehensive analysis of estrogen metabolism and its metabolites.

Elaboration:

Estradiol (E2) and FSH:.
In postmenopausal women, low estradiol (E2) levels are expected, as the ovaries produce less estrogen after menopause. However, if E2 levels are higher than typical for postmenopause, or if other symptoms of estrogen dominance are present, it may indicate estrogen dominance. FSH levels will also be elevated in menopause as the body attempts to stimulate estrogen production from the ovaries.

[In 2020 my estradiol level was 1.1 (normal is 0 to 30 pg/mL if you’re postmenopausal) and FSH was 70.0 (normal is 25.8 to 134.8 mIU/mL); In 2022 my estradiol was <5.0 (normal <.6 to 54.7 and FSH was 59.6 (normal is 25.8 to 134.8)]

The DUTCH test (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones) offers a more detailed assessment by measuring various estrogen metabolites (estrone, estradiol, estriol), and progesterone metabolites. This test can help identify if there's an imbalance in how estrogen is metabolized and processed by the body.

What caused my hypothyroidism to turn into Hashimoto's? (Or vice versa.) Hashimoto’s disease is a disease of inflammation. Symptoms of inflammation in Hashimoto's:

1. Fluctuating thyroid levels
2. Feeling run down
3. Joint pain and stiffness (in the muscles or back)
4. Allergies or reactions to foods
5. Skin rashes or other skin problems
6. Symptoms of other autoimmune diseases (Lupus, MS) I did have a cousin who developed Lupus, but she has since passed, plus she had other issues as well.

If you have Hashimoto’s then you already have one autoimmune disease, as if that wasn’t bad enough. But did you know that if you have one autoimmune disease you have a much higher risk of developing a second? This risk most likely stems from inflammation and immune dysfunction.

So what causes inflammation? 

• Not eating clean enough – Diet probably plays the single most important role in regulating inflammation in your entire body. The foods that you put into your mouth contain information and that information can either help reduce inflammation or cause it. Gluten, dairy, inflammatory fats, and processed foods tend to cause the most problems but there are many other foods that can do it as well!
• Nutrient deficiencies – There are several vitally important nutrients that your thyroid needs in order to function. Zinc, Selenium, and Iodine all fit into this category. A deficiency in any of these nutrients is enough to not only cause thyroid problems but can also trigger inflammation AND Hashimoto’s. 
• Not sleeping enough – Lack of sleep is a KNOWN trigger of inflammation. In fact, studies show that just reducing your sleep by 1-2 hours each night increases inflammatory hormones (3), reduces thyroid hormones, and lowers sex hormones! Do not sacrifice your sleep for any reason if you have Hashimoto’s! 
• Too much stress – Stress is often one of the primary triggers of Hashimoto’s in many people. Stress from things like poor work/home-life balance, the loss of a loved one, divorce, and being a caretaker for several years, are some of the most common triggers I personally see. But I’ve also seen Hashimoto’s triggered by car accidents and other forms of physical trauma as well. Why? Because they all cause stress. 
• Chemicals and toxins – Exposure to everyday chemicals and toxins can lead to inflammation and thyroid damage! And I’m not even talking about exotic chemicals here, either. Exposure to ingredients in makeup, chemicals found on foods, preservatives in food, flame retardants, cleaning chemicals, and more, can all cause inflammation and damage your thyroid. 
• Inflammation in the gut – Inflammation in the gut leads to all sorts of problems and can even be the primary cause of Hashimoto’s in certain people. Your gut protects the inside of your body from harmful toxins, bacteria, food particles, and anything else that makes it down your mouth. Damage, in the form of inflammation, weakens the barrier of your gut and diminishes its protective capacity. 
• Low thyroid function – Low thyroid function itself can actually exacerbate Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. This is why some people see a dramatic improvement in their antibodies and inflammatory levels when they start taking thyroid medication. You can either improve your thyroid with natural thyroid remedies or with the use of thyroid prescription medications. 

I listened to Dr. Zacharie Cole talk about gut issues, and one of the things he mentioned that is causing a slew of diseases is the high use of glyphosate that began to be applied in earnest on the crops in the early 1990's. Look at this graph showing the rise in thyroid cancer when this herbicide began to be sprayed on crops. Another reason not to eat corn or soybeans!

Here is an article by another person that I follow on thyroid issues and his view of Hashimoto's Disease. 

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Hashimoto’s: How the Adrenals Cause All Kinds of Problems

Symptoms of adrenal stress are many, because the adrenals (like its buddy, the thyroid) can affect every system in the body.

Some of the more common symptoms of Adrenal Stress:

* Fatigue, also a thyroid symptom

* Headaches, splitting headaches especially

* Decreased immunity

* Sleep issues. Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep and waking up feeling exhausted even after you had enough sleep.

Take 1 Tablespoon Before Bed To Kill Cortisol in 5 Minutes

* Mood swings

* Sugar and caffeine cravings, (have a hankering for a Red Bull? It could be your adrenals)

* Irritability or lightheadedness between meals, a blood sugar and adrenal problem

* Eating to relieve fatigue, another blood sugar problem

* Dizziness when moving from sitting or lying to standing, it affects your blood pressure

* Gastric ulcers, ulcers in the stomach can be caused by the adrenals

We have to treat the adrenals to heal the thyroid. Weak adrenals can cause hypothyroid symptoms alone without any problem in the thyroid gland itself.

The most significant indirect effect the adrenals have on thyroid function is through their affect on blood sugar. Low or high cortisol – caused by any of the chronic stressors listed above – can cause hypoglycemica, insulin resistance or both.

Blood sugar imbalances cause hypothyroid symptoms in a variety of ways. But adrenal stress also has more direct impacts on thyroid function. And, (darn the luck!) hypothyroidism has a direct impact on adrenal function. (Sound like a vicious cycle?)

Hypothyroidism impacts adrenal function and adrenal function, in turn, impacts the thyroid.

First, what happens with the adrenals when the body is in a hypothyroid or functionally hypothyroid state?

There is a very clear link between hypothyroidism and hypoadrenalism. When there is trouble from this, it is often linked to problems in a part of the brain called the hypothalmus.

The hypothalamus is really like the boss of the boss. (The pituitary is the master or boss endocrine gland and the hypothalamus is the pituitary’s boss.)

With the adrenals, this little benevolent, enlightened dictatorship is called the hypothalmic-pituitary-adrenal axis or the HPA axis. These 3 run the whole show.

The HPA axis plays a major role in regulating immune function, digestion, energy use, mood and thrill of thrills, sexuality.

This HPA axis is controlled by hormones (in a non-linear fashion) and it is totally manipulated by stress. Stress is like the femme fatale of the HPA axis. It’s the mean wife of the boss’ boss.

Where am I going with all of this?

Well, a dysfunctional HPA axis, like the troubled empire ruled by the mean boss’ wife, can cause all kinds of problems.

With Hashimoto’s, one of the reasons why people continue to feel exhausted even though they are taking thyroid hormones is because of a messed up HPA axis. And adrenal stress can lead directly to a messed up HPA axis.

Hypothyroidism also impacts the HPA axis. When you are hypothyroid it leads to elevated cortisol due to decreased clearance and a negative feedback loop (The HPA axis doesn’t work properly.)

This, in turn, inhibits thyroid function because cortisol inhibits the enzyme (5’ deodinase) that is responsible for converting T4 to the form the body uses, T3.

Something else no one ever tells you is that treatment with T4, like Synthroid or Levothyroxine, can cause adrenal problems. If someone has adrenal insufficiency, then they are at risk for thyroxine making the problem worse!

Adrenal stress reduces conversion of T4 to T3 ~~ 80% of the hormone produced by the thyroid gland is T4, it is inactive in that form and must be converted into T3 before it can be used by the cells.

The inflammatory cytokines I just mentioned not only disrupt the HPA axis, they also interfere with the conversion of T4 to T3. The enzyme 5'-deiodinase is responsible for the conversion of T4 into T3 in peripheral tissues such as the liver and the gut.

What To Do?

Here’s the tricky thing about adrenal stress: it’s almost always caused – at least in part – by something else. These causes include anemia, blood sugar swings, gut inflammation, food intolerances (especially gluten), essential fatty acid deficiencies, environmental toxins, and of course, chronic emotional and psychological stress. These are also all the things that make Hashimoto’s worse.

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This is the protocol that Valerie Anne Smith took to heal her hypothyroidism:

Hypothyroid No More: Her Personal Thyroid Healing brain fog, extreme fatigue, intolerance to cold, insomnia, constipation, weakness, dry skin & hair: Just a few of the vast array of Hypothyroid symptoms. 

Her Protocol involved 3 aspects: 

ADD 

ELIMINATE 

SUPPLEMENT 

ADD: Hypothyroid cannot heal on subclinical protein consumption.

The Thyroid requires protein. 1-1.5grams protein/per lb ideal bodyweight as a minimum, there is no upper limit for protein. A 120lb person needs to eat at least 120- 180grams of protein for healing to take place. Article on protein.

Nutrient dense animal foods in abundance: Beef, Eggs, Pork, Low Mercury Wild Caught Seafood, Poultry, etc. Good quality unrefined Mineral Salt like Redmond's, Celtic Gray, Baja Gold Salt, etc. Thyroid requires trace minerals & unrefined sodium chloride. 

Strength Train/Weightlifting will encourage hormone production, endorphin production & increase metabolism. (Not cardio, which will further deplete & fatigue Adrenal hormones) 

ELIMINATE: Wheat/Gluten, Grains, Soy, Nuts & Seeds, Potatoes, Legumes, Cruciferous Vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts, bok choy, arugula, radish, turnips). These contain Thyroid harming Lectins, Oxalates, Goitrogens, Phytic Acid & Saponins. If you are dairy intolerant or dairy sensitive, dairy should be eliminated as well. The gut inflammation that occurs will hinder key nutrient absorption & prohibit thyroid healing. 

SUPPLEMENT: Required for optimal healing & Thyroid T3/T4 function is Iodine, Selenium, Vit. D3/K2, Zinc Picolinate, Iron, Magnesium Glycinate, Methylated B Vitamins, Vitamin A, Vitamin E. She uses Now Brand Thyroid Energy Formula & added single additional supplements from the above list. Prioritizing natural daily sun exposure for D assimilation & hormone production &/or red light therapy. Sweat therapy &/or Sauna to detoxify the body from anti-nutrients in the Eliminate category.

This protocol healed her Hypothyroidism in 18 months (2018) & she slowly eliminated some of the supplements while getting abundant nutrition in 200+grams of Protein each day, which maintains her Thyroid healing.

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Here is Judy Cho's article on The Carnivore Diet and Low Thyroid.

Can a carnivore diet heal hypothyroidism? If you read Valerie's story, the answer is yes. Judy uses the carnivore diet to heal a multitude of illnesses and health issues. She has a functional medicine clinic in Austin, Texas. Here is her Facebook page. She has lots of podcasts that talk about all the different health issues she deals with. Here I am only going to share her views on thyroid and the carnivore diet. The carnivore diet healed Valerie and it also healed Judy.

Your Thyroid: What Happens When The Foods You Love…Bite You Back?

Quiz time…

Which of the following foods could harm your critically important thyroid gland?

Flaky, buttery croissant
Chewy chocolate chip cookie
Oven-roasted Brussels sprouts
Organic spinach salad
Roasted sweet potato

If you answered that the croissant and the chocolate chip cookie could damage your thyroid, you’re right…

These foods both contain gluten, which can damage the thyroid in a number of ways. And these two foods also raise your blood sugar, promoting inflammation, oxidation and metabolic imbalances (all of which can directly affect the thyroid).

But the correct answer to the quiz is: ALL OF THE ABOVE

What most people don’t realize is that even many so-called “superfoods” – including Brussels sprouts… spinach… sweet potatoes… and MANY more – can damage the thyroid and lead to full-blown disease.

And this is no small, isolated issue…

It is estimated that 20 million Americans have some type of thyroid disease (with tens of millions more worldwide). As further proof of how common this condition is, the drug with the most prescriptions written annually is a thyroid medication.

But there is good news…

It is much safer (and importantly, more EFFECTIVE) to treat a thyroid condition by determining the root causes and correcting those conditions with a personalized diet that avoids potential triggers.

Foods and environmental factors can harm your thyroid in six key ways:

Promoting Leaky Gut (Intestinal Permeability)

Destroying Thyroid Tissue
Blocking Manufacture of Thyroid Hormones
Hampering Metabolism of Iodine (required to produce thyroid hormones)
Cross-Reactions with other foods, compounds or tissues
Raising Thyroid Antibodies

Before we get to specific harmful compounds in our foods and environment, it’s important to note…One Size Does NOT Fit All when it Comes to Your Diet

Of course, there are some foods that negatively impact almost everyone with thyroid disease… (I’m talking to you, Gluten!)

We have to remember that we are all unique. And there are personal health and genetic differences between every one of us. That means a certain trigger could cause severe symptoms for one person… and have no effect on another.

But there are four compounds, which are “common denominators” when it comes to the thyroid:

Lectins
Goitrogens
Oxalates
Heavy Metals

Let’s learn a about these key thyroid-harming compounds and what they do…

Lectins

Lectins are proteins that protect plants from being consumed by microorganisms, pests, insects and other predators… including YOU! These compounds resist digestion and pass through the tract unchanged (a survival mechanism for seeds).

Lectins have the potential to promote leaky gut. They increase bad bacteria (and bacterial toxins) in the gut. And they also bind to tissues (including the thyroid). All of these mechanisms can damage the thyroid and trigger autoimmune disease.

Lentils, soybeans, peanuts, chick peas, eggplant, peppers, whole wheat, quinoa, brown rice, chilies, cucumber, melons, pumpkin, squash, zucchini, barley, corn, oats, popcorn, rye/barley, wheat, cookies, crackers, pasta, potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, flaxseed

Goitrogens

Goitrogens are found in a wide variety of foods. These compounds can block your ability to manufacture of thyroid hormones. They also hamper iodine metabolism, which reduces thyroid function.

And while some people handle goitrogens just fine, others can be severely affected. The New England Journal of Medicine recently pointed to a case of a woman who put herself into a hypothyroid coma by eating raw bok choy daily for several months (even though she previously had no previous history of thyroid disease).

The good news is that cooking goitrogenic foods can help deactivate them, thereby reducing or eliminating risk of harm. In fact, a recent study in Human Toxicology found that consuming 150g of cooked and drained Brussels sprouts daily for four weeks had no impact on thyroid function.

broccoli, kale, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, turnips, bok choy, radishes, mustard greens, collard greens, horseradish, kohlrabi, cabbage, sweet potato, flaxseed, pears, peaches, pine nuts, peanuts, rutabaga, spinach, strawberries, 

Oxalates

Oxalates are compounds that can form damaging and painful oxalic acid crystals in the body.

Those at risk for oxalate toxicity include: people who have taken antibiotics, those with autoimmune disease, gut imbalances, autism, or other health issues. It has also been shown that many people in the Western world don’t have the bacteria to break oxalates down.

In addition to damaging the thyroid directly, build-up of oxalic crystals can lead to a wide variety of symptoms, including joint and bone problems, anemia, gout, kidney stones, muscle pain, vulvodynia and kidney disease.

In a similar case to the woman who consumed too much bok choy, another woman was recently admitted to the hospital with severe kidney damage, due to the oxalates she was consuming as part of a “green smoothie cleanse.”

almonds, cashews, peanuts, soy, sweet potato, okra, beets, cocoa, tea, berries, spinach, swiss chard, rhubarb, pecans, potatoes

Heavy Metals

As you most certainly know, the list of harmful effects from heavy metals – including mercury, cadmium, lead, aluminum and arsenic – extends well beyond the thyroid.

We tend to think of these metals as “pollutants” that end up in soil, water, plants and animals as an aspect of our modern industrialized world. And while this is certainly true, many of these compounds occur organically and can enter the food supply naturally.

Heavy metals harm the thyroid in myriad ways…

For example, the thyroid gland needs the mineral iodine to produce thyroid hormones. But when mercury is present, the thyroid can absorb it in place of iodine. This can directly cause hypothyroidism and increases the risk of autoimmune thyroid disease. Heavy metals have also been shown to:

Promote goiter

Increase risk of thyroid cancer

Elevate levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)

Removing iodine from the thyroid hormone, thyroxine

Cause oxidative damage to the thyroid

Reduce production of beneficial thyroid hormones

Heavy metals can also trigger an immune response, which can lead to production of antibodies which target and destroy thyroid tissue.

And it doesn’t take much…

One recent study of the effects of arsenic on the thyroid suggests that it can “profoundly affect the thyroid hormone receptor (TR) at very low concentrations” as well as impact the genes that can affect thyroid function.

Keep in mind: Most of these thyroid-harming compounds come from plants… with the exception of heavy metals. That’s why it’s important to choose wild, low-toxin seafood (like mackerel, sardines and wild salmon), as well as grass-fed and pasture-raised meats.

So, now you know which compounds can damage your thyroid and what kind of harm they can cause. But there's more...

Many of us grew up getting amalgam fillings on our teeth that had mercury in them. Mercury vapor sneaks its way from your teeth to your brain. This is your brain with mercury:

Mercury symptoms: depression, mild fatigue, anxiety, forgetfulness, eyelid, face, or muscle twitching, digestive issues, constipation and/or diarrhea, frequent bad breath, constant body odor, dizziness, irritability, sensitivity to sound, inability to concentrate (brain fog), abnormal menses, low body temperature, cold hands and feet, tender teeth, tinnitus, insomnia, metallic taste in the mouth, nail fungus, unexplained anger, autoimmune response.

Dr. Izabella Wentz has great information about foods containing oxalates and their effect on Hashimoto's and thyroid health ~~

In addition to thyroid symptoms, are you also experiencing joint pain, burning with urination, burning with bowel movements — and/or do you have a history of kidney stones? If so, you may want to look into oxalate sensitivity. Oxalates are found in certain “healthy” foods such as dark leafy vegetables and legumes, as well as some nuts and seeds.

Preliminary research has linked oxalate build-up to thyroid disease, and while I’ve personally not had a problem with oxalates (knock on wood 😉), other thyroid patients have reported oxalate issues, and oxalates turned out to be at the root of one of my client’s joint pain and urinary symptoms… (This was a person who was “doing everything right”, but still struggling!)

While oxalate build-up has been predominantly tied to kidney stone formation, a study of thyroid autopsies found that 79 percent of adults had oxalate crystals in their thyroid glands, with prevalence increasing with age. Interestingly, people with Hashimoto’s had a higher incidence of oxalate crystals, especially in the parts of their thyroid gland that were inflamed!

This led the scientists to conclude that oxalates may play a role in contributing to Hashimoto’s, potentially causing inflammation that may trigger the autoimmune response that, in turn, results in the destruction of the oxalate crystals and the surrounding thyroid tissue. In some cases, giant cell reactions were found around the crystals, suggesting an ongoing immune response.

Some believe that an oxalate-free diet is the only path to freedom from these symptoms, but I have found that in many cases, oxalates may need to be reduced in the short term, and that there are underlying issues that can be addressed to resolve oxalate sensitivity!

Thus, for those of us with thyroid disease, it is important to recognize the role of oxalates and how we can address them.

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Here is a Neurotoxic Quiz. If you have 6 out of 10 you are toxic; 8 out of 10 most likely neurotoxic illness; 10 out of 10 your health is severely compromised and most likely already have a serious health condition.

1. Unusual weight loss/gain

2. Cognitive issues

3. Fatigue

4. Sleep deprivation and Insomnia

5. Unstable Mood and Behavior

6. Thinning hair and/or hair loss

7. Frequent headaches

8. Constipation

9. Inexplicable body aches

10. Skin problems

We are taking is a product to detox our bodies from heavy metals. Heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium, arsenic, chromium, thallium, aluminum and lead can cause acute or chronic toxicity. What you may not know is that you can contract heavy metals easily in your day-to-day life through toys, paint, antiperspirants and common household items. You can also be exposed to heavy metals through birth and dental work. If you have low energy, an imbalanced immune system, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), fibromyalgia, neurodegenerative disease, Alzheimer’s, dementia or Parkinson’s, these conditions may be an indication that you have heavy metal toxicity in your body.

In this video, Jordan Rubin shares 10 heavy metal detox strategies to rid your body of these harmful toxins. We want to arm the liver, kidneys, skin, lymphatic and respiratory systems to allow your body to naturally eliminate these heavy metals. We are taking Shilajit, which I get through Amazon.

7 Foods That Harm the Thyroid

One of the most critical revolutions in health over the past decade is our growing understanding of the importance of personalization, when it comes to diet.

In the past, many doctors and health experts spoke in absolutes…

Broccoli is good for you…
Spinach is good for you…
Sweet potatoes are good for you…

Today, we understand there are no absolutes when it comes to health.

Foods that are exceptionally healthy for some people could make others very sick. And I’m not talking about allergies, like a “harmless” peanut butter sandwich that could cause a fatal reaction in some individuals.

I am talking about individual differences in our genetics, environment, previous health and dietary history, gut microbiomes (and dozens of other factors) that can play a profound role in how certain foods and compounds in foods affect your personal health.

Along these lines, we continue our discussion of thyroid disease, where we left off in our previous article.

Thyroid Disease Is A Growing Concern

You don’t hear as much about thyroid disease as you do about cancer, heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s. But it has become a serious epidemic. It’s estimated that more than 50 million people worldwide suffer some form of thyroid disease.

It is also quite concerning that the prevalence of thyroid disease has skyrocketed in the last 20 years. This indicates that changes in our environment and exposure to radiation and toxins could play a large role.

But the foods you eat can also make a big difference to the health of your thyroid.

And our reactions to these foods vary widely from one individual to the next.

So if you know you have thyroid disease or symptoms of a thyroid disorder or if you simply don’t feel as well as you know you should, it is very important to consider what you are eating and how certain foods make YOU feel.

Because even the healthiest so-called “Superfoods” could be making you sick!

Kale...The Salad Bar Garnish That Faked It's Way To Superfood Status. "The American Kale Association" Looks Legitimate, But Looks Are Deceiving, It Was All Made Up. Kale Belongs As A Salad Bar Garnish, Not In Your Mouth. PR Agent Obren Sinclair, thought it would be fun to see if she could make kale famous. Make Merchandise, make up a fake "American Kale Association" to give the toxic greenery some clout, get A-List famous performers to sing Kale's praises. And it worked, the masses bought into the "kale club." Kale Is Actually One Of The Most Contaminated & Harmful Plants In Restaurants & Grocery Stores. Isothiocyanates: A Goitrogen that inhibits Iodine absorption. Blocks the iodination of thyroglobulin, suppresses thyroid peroxidase activity, increases TSH & causes an increase in thyroid symptoms. Raffinose: is indigestible causing severe GI distress. Humans lack the enzyme to digest raffinose, so it passes into the large intestine where bacteria ferment it, producing severe painful symptoms. Heavy Metals: Kale is a hyperaccumulator of Thallium, Cadmium, Cesium, Nickel, Lead, Aluminum & Arsenic Pesticides: 80% more pesticide residue than any other vegetable or fruit. Some samples contained 18 pesticides including Dacthal, banned in Europe since 2009. PFAs: Kale contains shocking levels of forever chemicals, even in certified organic samples. Highly carcinogenic & accumulative in the human system.

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In Valerie Smith's last article, she discussed specific harmful compounds in our foods and environment which can damage your thyroid, including: Lectins, Goitrogens, Oxalates and Heavy Metals. Today, we discuss some common foods that contain these compounds (and what to watch out for if you or someone you love is not feeling your best)…

Thyroid-Harming Food #1: Wheat & Gluten Grains

By now most people understand that gluten can harm your health – even if you are not “sensitive” to gluten!

Wheat and other similar grains contain a lectin called wheat-germ agglutinin (WGA). These compounds can change the cellular structure of the small intestine. This not only causes leaky gut, but allows WGA to slip into the bloodstream where it creates an inflammatory immune response (which can damage the thyroid).

These foods also trigger the release of zonulin, another compound that is associated with gut permeability and incidence of autoimmune disease.

These compounds trick the body into attacking itself – and the thyroid gland is often ground zero for “friendly fire” against our own tissues. The good news is that leaky gut can be arrested and reversed. And avoiding wheat and gluten-containing foods is vital in this process.

Thyroid-Harming Food #2: Nuts & Seeds

In moderation, nuts and seeds can be delicious and healthy for most people. But these foods also contain a variety of compounds that may impair thyroid function for others – including lectins, oxalates, goitrogens and phytic acid.

Here’s a quick rundown of potentially problematic compounds in common nuts and seeds:

Almonds: Oxalates (122 mg per ounce), Lectins
Brazil Nuts: Lectins
Cashews: Oxalates (49 mg per ounce), Lectins
Flax Seeds: Goitrogen, Lectins
Hazelnuts: Oxalates (28 mg per ounce)
Pecans: Oxalates (10 mg per ounce), Lectins
Pistachios: Oxalates(14 mg per ounce), Lectins
Pumpkin Seeds: Lectins
Sunflower Seeds: Lectins
Walnuts: Goitrogen, Oxalates (31 mg per cup), Lectins

Soaking and sprouting these foods (or using blanched nut flours) can help reduce the amount of these potentially-harmful compounds. But not all of these compounds are broken down with processing or cooking and you may wish to avoid these foods if you have a thyroid condition.

Thyroid-Harming Food #3: Cruciferous Vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables include foods like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale and many others. As I’m sure you learned from your Mother and Grandmother, who undoubtedly urged you to “eat your veggies” when you were a child… these foods have a wide variety of health benefits.

They promote detoxification by invoking Phase 2 Enzymes in the liver. They contain potent phytonutrients. And they have been found to reduce the risk of cancer.

But when it comes to thyroid, cruciferous vegetables have a dark side (for some people).

These foods contain thyroid-hampering compounds known as goitrogens (especially in their uncooked form). For most people, cooking cruciferous vegetables and reducing the amount you eat raw will be sufficient to ward off negative effects.

Thyroid-Harming Food #4: Potatoes & Sweet Potatoes

Potatoes, sweet potatoes and yams are a staple food worldwide.

And while you might already avoid these foods for their impact on blood sugar, you should also know that potatoes are rich in lectins. These compounds promote leaky gut and may increase bad bacteria (and bacterial toxins) in the gut. They also bind to tissues (including the thyroid).

Potatoes are also high in oxalates (with the amount in sweet potatoes more than three times higher than white potatoes). Avoiding the peel can reduce oxalates significantly.

It should also be noted that sweet potatoes are a known goitrogen.

So, if you have existing thyroid issues or similar symptoms, this may be a food to avoid.

Thyroid-Harming Food #5: Quinoa

Over the last decade, consumption of the “Incan Superfood” has exploded. But quinoa is NOT the superfood pseudo-grain it has been made out to be…

Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that quinoa can cross-react with gluten, due to lectin compounds called prolamins.

And while those pesky lectins promote leaky gut on their own, quinoa also contains saponins and phytic acid – two other gut-punching compounds – making it a potentially unsafe “gluten-free” option and potential promoter of autoimmune thyroid disorders.

Thyroid-Harming Food #6: Legumes

Legumes are typically considered healthy. But they contain a number of inflammatory anti-nutrients (including lectins) that can pose problems for those with thyroid disease.

In fact, the ability of lectins to damage the gut might account for the increased allergen potential of peanuts. And while all legumes contain these compounds, peanuts and soy are “thyroid triple threats” because they also contain oxalates and goitrogens!

Soy is well known to promote leaky gut, the overgrowth of bad bacteria, autoimmune and allergic issues. Fermentation helps to enzymatically break down lectins (so foods like natto and soy sauce pose less of an issue).

However, the high oxalates and goitrogens make this food a no-go. The same goes for virtually all beans… avoid if you are concerned about thyroid health.

Thyroid-Harming Food #7: Unsafe Seafood

Virtually all fish contain some mercury. But as you go up the food chain, this heavy metal concentrates in the flesh. Generally speaking, the larger the fish and the more predatory its nature, the more toxins it will contain.

Tuna, marlin, swordfish, orange roughy and shark are known to be high in methylmercury. While farm-raised fish – like tilapia, catfish, salmon and others – are often high in endocrine-disrupting PCBs.

These toxins suppress thyroid hormone receptors, reduce thyroid hormones, impair liver enzymes responsible for activating thyroid hormones, raise thyroid antibodies and enlarge the thyroid itself.

Regardless of the health of your thyroid, always seek the lowest-toxin wild fish and seafood.

Personalize Your Diet to Heal Your Thyroid

When it comes to the health of your thyroid, a “Paleo-template” is the ideal place to start. By removing grains, legumes and most forms of dairy, you’ll eliminate the biggest thyroid offenders.

From there, you can begin to unmask the sensitivities and reactions you have to common foods that can stand in the way of achieving optimum health.

Can The Carnivore Diet Help Hypothyroidism And Hashimoto’s?

The carnivore diet involves consuming only animal products and excluding all other foods, including fruits and vegetables. Fans of the diet claim benefits such as weight loss, improved mood, and blood sugar regulation, but it is also associated with various health risks, and no formal research has studied the diet. Ahead, a look at some of the pros and cons of the carnivore diet for people with Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism.

Judy Cho, a nutritionist specializing in the thyroid, thinks that the carnivore diet, low carbohydrate, is the way to heal. Here is an article by her on The Carnivore Diet and Low Thyroid. The first section of the article explains how the thyroid works and the different hormones associated with it. Then she goes into how a mostly meat diet helps the thyroid. 

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There are different views on carbohydrates. Here is Dr. Westin Childs' perspective:

‍
Avoid The Carnivore Diet If You Have Thyroid Problems. This article is written by Dr. Westin Childs. He advocates that people with thyroid issues need a certain amount of carbohydrates.

#1. Carbohydrates Are Needed For Optimal Thyroid Function

I think everyone is familiar with what the carnivore diet entails but, in case you aren’t, here’s a quick primer:

The carnivore diet is a diet that focuses primarily on meats but also allows fish and other animal products such as eggs and butter.

This diet is very high in protein and fats but is severely lacking in carbohydrates which is by design.

Many people, especially those who are proponents of carnivore and the ketogenic diet, suggest that carbohydrates are responsible for the diseases that plague mankind.

According to them, diseases like cancer (1), diabetes (2), heart disease (3), stroke (4), and more, all stem from the increased intake of carbohydrates like sugar, bread, pastries, pasta, and so on.

This stance is represented in the diet and foods that people who believe this recommend.

In other words, they will strongly suggest that you remove all sources of carbohydrates from your diet as possible.

They justify this stance by making the claim that carbohydrates are considered non-essential which is not true for fats and proteins.

As far as nutrition goes, the body has an absolute need for fats, called essential fatty acids (5), and proteins called essential amino acids (6).

Because the body is unable to produce these essential fats and proteins, they must be consumed from your diet.

You’ll notice that there are no essential carbohydrates.

So the logic goes that you will be able to get everything your body needs if you consume a diet that is rich in essential fats and essential proteins.

While this is technically true, there’s a little more to the story.

The body doesn’t have a need for carbohydrates to survive, that much is true, but it appears to need carbohydrates to thrive.

For the purpose of living a long and healthy life, most of us really want to thrive, not just exist, so this is actually very important.

In women, low-carb diets have been shown to cause issues with the menstrual cycle and, in men, they’ve been shown to cause low testosterone.

But more important than this, very low-carb diets sustained over a long period of time have been shown to cause thyroid problems in some people.

This is seen in studies such as this one.

What researchers see is that as carbohydrate intake decreases, the conversion of active thyroid hormones decreases as well.

This is reflected in thyroid lab tests as a decrease in active T3 thyroid hormone and an increase in T4 levels which is associated with no change in the TSH.

If you aren’t familiar with thyroid hormone lab tests, allow me to explain what this means:

The TSH is a measure of total thyroid function in the body.

So at first glance, the fact that the TSH remains unchanged in these diets is a fairly positive sign.

But the problem isn’t from the TSH, it comes from the change in circulating thyroid hormones and their relation to one another.

T4 is considered an inactive thyroid hormone which acts as a reservoir for T3 hormone production.

T3, on the other hand, is the most biologically active thyroid hormone and the thyroid hormone that pretty much does everything you want your thyroid to do.

What your body does is draw upon your T4 stores to turn it into T3 on an as-needed basis.

The shift that is seen in low-carb diets indicates that the body is conserving T4 levels and reducing the conversion of inactive thyroid hormone to active thyroid hormone.

This exact scenario is typically seen in situations in which the body is actively trying to conserve energy and shunt resources to other parts of the body that need those resources more.

We see this lab pattern in situations where people are chronically ill or under extreme stress.

In other words, low-carb diets, at least for some people, seem to cause changes in thyroid thyroid lab tests that are not usually seen in healthy people.

The advocates of carnivore are aware of this but will try to suggest that these changes in thyroid hormones provide some benefit to longevity and may just be an adaptive response.

It’s hard to know exactly what these changes mean but there’s no question that, at least for some people, going carnivore may be enough to not only make existing hypothyroid patients feel worse but also enough to throw some people into hypothyroidism.

This doesn’t mean that low-carb diets will negatively impact everyone who goes carnivore, but it does mean that it may cause problems for certain individuals.

We’ll talk more about when it may make sense to accept these changes to thyroid function in a minute but for now, let’s talk about another reason you may want to avoid going carnivore:

#2. Decreased Carbohydrate Intake Increases Sex Hormone Binding Globulin And Decreases The Activity of Sex Hormones

Not only will decreased carbohydrate intake impact your thyroid hormone levels, but it also will impact your sex hormone levels.

We know this from both real-world examples of people who have shared their lab work (more on this below) while undergoing the carnivore diet and from research studies.

They all show the same thing:

As carbohydrate intake declines, sex hormone binding globulin levels increase, and free sex hormone levels decline.

For those who have never heard about sex hormone-binding globulin before, here’s what you need to know.

Sex hormone-binding globulin (abbreviated as SHBG) controls how much sex hormone your body has available for use.

The higher your SHBG is, the less active your sex hormones will be. It’s that simple.

People who undergo low carbohydrate diets will see their SHBG rise which is automatically associated with a decline in free sex hormone levels.

Dr. Paul Saladino M.D., a big proponent of the carnivore diet, has gone on record by sharing his lab work while on the carnivore diet and after the introduction of carbohydrates like fruit and honey.

What he shares tracks exactly with the research stated above:

His lab work after being on a strict carnivore/keto diet for several years showed a sky-high SHBG level, a low free testosterone level, a high-normal TSH, and a low T3.

After adding fruits and honey to his diet (around 200 grams per day) he saw a very large drop in his SHBG level (by about half), a rise in his free testosterone level, a decrease in his TSH level, and a rise in his free T3.

These changes were also associated with an increase in his energy levels and an increase in his basal body temperature.

What’s even more interesting is that all of these changes occurred without impacting his fasting serum insulin level which remained undetectable both before and after.

Why is this significant?

Because, at least anecdotally, it shows that carbohydrates are not only essential for proper thyroid and sex hormone function, but that including healthy sources of carbohydrates does NOT have a negative impact on insulin levels.

#3. There are Better Ways To Lose Weight

I think one of the main reasons that the carnivore diet is so attractive to people is that 1) it’s relatively simple to understand and 2) there’s a promise of weight gain at the end.

This is particularly appealing to thyroid patients who often struggle to lose weight.

But is there anything special about the carnivore diet that you can’t obtain with other healthy diets?

No.

Some people will try to suggest that carnivore diets are superior to weight loss because they result in more rapid weight loss.

And while this appears true, it’s somewhat misleading.

The weight loss associated with low carbohydrate diets will always be more rapid, at least initially, because these diets impact fluid levels as well as bowel movements.

An increase in bowel movements and changes to the kidneys that result in the excretion of water from the body make it look like you lose a lot of weight quickly but this weight is just fluid and water, not fat.

When you break down the weight loss from the carnivore diet and account for this loss in fluid, you see that there are no differences in other diets.

It just appears to be more effective because the weight loss on the scale from fluid loss is more pronounced in the beginning.

The reality is that you can absolutely lose weight at the same rate as the carnivore diet with a healthy whole food-based diet.

And these whole-food diets that include healthy sources of carbohydrates such as fruits and vegetables do not come with all of the baggage and potential problems as the carnivore diet.

In other words, there’s nothing special about the carnivore diet when it comes to weight loss.

#4. Low Carb Diets Cause Sleep Disturbances

The final nail in the coffin for the carnivore diet is that it may cause issues with sleep.

This particular issue is well-known in the carnivore community and is often referred to as carnivore insomnia or keto insomnia.

Its exact cause is not exactly known but it definitely has something to do with carbohydrate intake.

Studies like this one have shown that low-carb diets reduce rapid eye movement sleep and increase slow-wave sleep.

Why is this a problem?

Because thyroid patients already suffer from shorter sleep duration and lower satisfaction with their sleep quality compared to the average population.

When you add on additional factors that may make sleep worse, you have a recipe for even worse sleep outcomes.

We also know that sleep plays an important role in regulating weight, thyroid hormones, and even sex hormones.

So anything that negatively impacts your sleep will also impact these important systems.

Just because carnivore can cause sleep issues doesn’t guarantee that it will in your specific situation but because of the importance of sleep in your overall health, this factor should be considered, especially if you already have issues with sleep.

Going Carnivore If You Have a Thyroid Problem: When Does it Make Sense?

Are there situations in which it may make sense to use the carnivore diet if you have a thyroid problem?

Absolutely.

It may seem hypocritical for me to suggest this given what we’ve discussed so far but I do think there are situations where this diet does make sense, at least temporarily.

The situations that I’m referring to are those of autoimmune diseases like Graves’ and Hashimoto’s and those with a combination of thyroid disease and diabetes.

Let’s talk about the autoimmune diseases first:

The reason I think it may make sense for those with autoimmune thyroid disease to give this diet a try is because there are so few treatments available for these conditions.

I’m not saying that carnivore is the best diet for these conditions given that other diets like the AIP (Autoimmune Protocol) diet have been shown to be effective as well, but it is a really simple and easy diet for the average person to wrap their head around.

Comparing the AIP diet to the carnivore diet is night and day.

AIP requires a more thorough understanding of food and nutrition and it may not be as accessible to people who are not as well versed in nutrition as others.

Carnivore, on the other hand, can be simplified into a few sentences which means there may be more patient compliance with this type of diet.

Again, that’s not to say that other diets can’t or won’t work for thyroid autoimmune disease, because they can, but simplifying the nutrition for the average person does have certain advantages.

The next group of people who may want to consider going carnivore are those with a combination of diabetes and thyroid disease (of any type).

The reason for this recommendation is simple:

Going carnivore has the potential to put diabetes into remission quite rapidly which will have a profound positive impact on the entire body.

If given the opportunity to remove this incredibly destructive disease from your body, you should take it.

Again, this isn’t the only diet that can help reverse diabetes, but it’s one of the easier diets for people to grasp.

Having said all of this, even if you were to go carnivore with a thyroid problem, I don’t see any evidence to suggest that it should be used long-term.

The best way to use a diet such as this is to use it temporarily until you have gotten the problem you are trying to tackle under control.

From there, I think it makes sense to transition to a whole food-based diet which includes healthy carbohydrates in the form of fruits, vegetables, and honey.

This allows you to take advantage of the benefits of the carnivore diet without realizing the long-term potential negative outcome associated with its use.

The Bottom Line?

Outside of these instances (and a few select others), you won’t find my routinely recommending the carnivore diet to patients with thyroid problems.

For the average person with thyroid disease, I don’t think the benefits outweigh the risks and potential uncertainties associated with this diet.

A Successful Approach to Underactive Thyroid Hormone Function

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Why You Can’t Live Without Fructose

If it wasn’t for fructose then you wouldn’t be here on this planet. In fact, without fructose, human life itself would not be possible.

If you have been following the health news in the media to any degree, then you’re likely aware of some of the negative rumors regarding fructose that are being thrown around. Maybe it’s just me, but it appears as if fructose is being accused of some hideous crimes and is quickly working its way up to the top of the Most Wanted list of criminal food offenders.

Here’s what one “so called” health expert has to say about fructose…

Consuming foods that contain high amounts of fructose—even if it’s a natural product—is, to put it bluntly, the fastest way to trash your health.

But are we really sure that fructose is the criminal that we think it is? Could it be that fructose is being framed?

All I can say is that hopefully fructose gets the fair and unbiased trial that it deserves.

Do you remember the time when we used to presume innocence until proven guilty? Unfortunately, today we tend to have a more backward mentality and assume guilty until proven innocent.

Instead of turning on your fruit and blaming it for your health problems, maybe you should really be thanking your fruit for making your life possible in the first place.

Is It Fructose or High-Fructose Corn Syrup?

Just so that we are all on the same page, fructose is fruit sugar.

It’s the predominant form of sugar found in fruits, and is also found in honey, flowers, and even root vegetables. Fructose itself is a naturally occurring substance that has been part of the human diet since the beginning of humanity.

While I understand that there is plenty of controversy surrounding high-fructose corn syrup, the recent negative literature has been specifically referring to fructose itself. While fructose itself is naturally occurring in nature, high-fructose corn syrup is an unnatural chemically altered food.

So please do not confuse the two or treat them as equals.

Regardless, many anti-fructose advocates are pointing at an increase in fructose in any form in our diet as the cause of the modern day obesity epidemic. But, have you ever heard of someone become obese by eating too much fruit?

Me neither…

Have we all but forgotten the proverb that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away?”…

Maybe after hundreds of years we just need to update the proverb to, an apple a day makes you obese and diabetic… But it’s just not as catchy is it?

Why Fructose is the Fruit of Life

I want to share with you one very important role of fructose that nobody seems to be mentioning and how without it, life as we know it, simply could not exist.

Fructose itself is literally the fruit of life.

Before we wade through the knee deep muck of medical research that is being spewed today to incriminate fructose, it’s always important to take a step back and first understand the essence of human physiology.

If we’ve forgotten how a healthy body is designed to work, then how we can possibly make sense of medical research?

Without Fructose Conception is Impossible

Most everyone understands the technicalities of human reproduction.

For those who need a little refresher, it requires the male spermatozoa to impregnate the female egg. While this is a very simplistic view of the reproductive process, fructose plays an essential role in making all this possible.

For starters, the male spermatozoa, requires a lot of energy for its journey in search of the female egg. And it gets this energy from none other than fructose.  The male seminal fluid is especially rich in fructose and studies have shown that when spermatozoa cannot properly utilize fructose, it results in infertility or degenerative changes in the developing cells.

Not only is fructose abundant in the male seminal fluid but it is also abundant in the fluid inside the female uterus, where impregnation and conception occurs.

Not only does this female source of fructose provide additional energy for the spermatozoa, it is also the essential source of energy used by both the spermatozoa and egg upon conception. Once conception has occurred, it’s fructose that fuels the rapid cell growth and cell division that makes life possible. Without fructose, conception would simply be impossible.

Without Fructose Fetal Development Is Impossible

Fructose has also been well documented as the essential source of fuel for the developing fetus. Studies have shown that high levels of fructose accumulate within the amniotic fluid that surrounds the developing fetus and in far greater concentrations than what is found within blood samples of the mother.

Fructose is so essential to the developing fetus that fructose from the mother is able to pass through into the fetus, but fructose is unable to pass from the fetus back to the mother. This ensures that a high concentration of fructose is available to the fetus at all times when needed.

Polyol concentrations in the fluid compartments of the human conceptus during the first trimester of pregnancy: maintenance of redox potential in a low oxygen environment.

The concentrations of fructose, inositol, sorbitol, erythritol, and ribitol were significantly higher in coelomic and amniotic fluids than in maternal serum, but the reverse was the case for glucose and glycerol… These results demonstrate that the polyol pathway, considered vestigial in adult tissues, is highly active in the human conceptus during early pregnancy.

Simply put, fructose is an amazingly rich source of energy that is unique in its ability to support the creation and development of life under quite difficult conditions.

It is able to support life in a way that no other sugar or source of energy can.

Does Fructose Have a Role in Healing Hypothyroidism?

Hopefully at some point in time we can begin to see and understand the importance of fructose and its unique ability to support life in a way that will benefit us as adults.

In much the same way that fructose is the only energy source with the ability to support the creation and development of life, if used correctly it can also be used to heal your thyroid and your health.

This is one of the many reasons why I use fruit and fructose successfully with every single one of my hypothyroid clients.

So, before you dismiss fructose entirely, stop and consider that there is an entire other side of the story that you don’t know about. We often forget the parallels between fairy tales and real life as we know it.

Instead of looking at fructose entirely as the villain, could it be possible that fructose is nothing more than a modern day Robin Hood, heralded as the Most Wanted man in the land, but in reality is secretly working for the greater good of humanity.

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Here is another thing that I did not know about thyroid disease, which is a lack of iodine in the diet. According to this interview, just about everyone is deficient in iodine and is causing an outbreak of various cancers, such as thyroid, breast and prostate.

How to check if you need iodine:

Iodine Is Critical Not Only For Thyroid Function But Every Cell In The Body. Iodine Is Cancer Protective. The Adrenals, Muscles & Skin Require Iodine To Function Correctly. Everyone Needs Iodine, Even Those Without A Thyroid. We should be getting at least 150mcg of iodine per day.

Iodine Has Cofactors That Must Be Present In The Diet Or In Supplementation. If The Cofactors Are Missing, Iodine Will Not Uptake Into The Thyroid. You Can Be Iodine Deficient & Never Heal The Deficiency If These Are Missing From Your Diet: Tyrosine Selenium Zinc Copper Iron Methylated B The best way to get Iodine is through Nutrient Dense Animal Foods, as they also contain the cofactors needed for the Thyroid to uptake the Iodine. 

Including foods rich in Iodine are a better choice for getting an abundance of Iodine. If an abundance of Beef, Eggs, Fish, Dairy &/or Poultry are eaten, Iodine intake will be great. 

Symptoms of low iodine: 

Fatigue, brain fog, memory problems, thinning hair, constipation, depression, a sluggish metabolism, dry skin and headaches have all been linked to an iodine deficiency.

Studies have shown that most women are not getting enough iodine from their diet alone these days.

Getting enough iodine each day has been connected with increased energy, a healthy metabolism, a healthy thyroid and glowing hair, skin and nails.

How to tell if you are deficient in iodine:

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Interesting video by Dr. Rob DeBease on the cause of autoimmune diseases, such as Hashimoto's.

He also talks about the one food that could change everything for your thyroid:

So the question really is ~~ what should I eat or take to heal my condition? Is there a diet that will stabilize the thyroid? This article by the same doctor that wrote about the adrenals ~~ Marc Ryan, L.A.C. ~~ has a diet for Hashimoto's. When it comes to Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism, inflammation is the root of all evil. And diet is a big player in inflammation.

Hashimoto's Diet in 5 steps:

Step 1: Keep a Journal: There is a very good chance that there are foods in your diet that are causing immune reactions. Sometimes these reactions are subtle and some people have had them for so long that they aren't even aware it is happening. Keep track of what you eat daily and note your symptoms. This is incredibly important data.

Some of us operate under the delusion that we are good at remembering things. When it comes to your diet and reactions to what you eat, you aren’t. There are way to many variables and things going on, you can’t possibly remember it all.

And why does it matter? Your immune system lives in your digestive tract (an estimated 70-80% is found there) and when you have autoimmunity, interactions with your immune system can have consequences.

When you react to certain foods or herbs or supplements, this can cause an immune response, which can lead to more inflammation and it can promote an attack on your own tissue.

So it’s really important to identify what foods in your diet cause responses. And some of these responses are digestive and others may be emotional or neurological. That’s why we need the journal to look for patterns.

Step 2: Simplify your diet: The more variables you have the harder it is to figure out what is going on. Start by eliminating the foods that are known to cause reactions. The top 3 are gluten, dairy and soy. Eliminate them 100% from your diet for 30 to 60 days. Keep track in your journal what changes in symptoms occur.

If you’re just starting out. It’s time to simplify. Too many variables means that you don’t know what’s causing what. You need to simplify things (often in more than one part of your life).

Start with your diet. And start with the foods that can have the biggest impact. These are: gluten, dairy and soy.

There are reams of research on gluten and thousands of success stories from people who have gotten off of it and feel significantly better. If you doubt that this is true, here’s a post where I looked into this topic and a metric ton of research.

Same is true of dairy, Both lactose and casein (a protein found in milk) can be problematic for Hashimoto’s folks. They can hamper conversion and absorption of thyroid hormone. Still not convinced? Read this post that also looks at tons of research.

And soy is a goitrogen and can also hamper thyroid hormone behavior in the body. Go off of all three for 30 to 60 days minimum, 100%. Note all the symptoms you have in your journal before, during and after. Then review the journal and see how many remain.

Step 3: Remove inflammatory foods: Now it's time to re-evaluate and take the next step. Check your journal, note the change in symptoms. And then, take it to the next level with the Autoimmune Paleo Diet (AIP). Other inflammatory foods include refined sugar, alcohol, grains, nuts and seeds, and nightshades (tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and white potatoes). Now, for 30 days cut these out 100%. 

The next step is to take this to the next level. The reality is that gluten, dairy and soy may just be the tip of the iceberg.

Other foods like refined sugars, alcohol, grains, nuts and seeds, and nightshades (tomatoes, eggplants, peppers and white potatoes) can also cause inflammation. This is basically the Autoimmune Paleo Diet, you can learn more about it in this post.

You can test to see whether or not you have sensitivities to these foods, but sometimes these tests are inaccurate and you may react to those foods any way.

The best way to find out is to eliminate these foods for a period of time (usually 30 to 60 days) and then reintroduce them in a systematic way, one food at a time (More on that in a moment).

Here, again, your journal is a very important tool. Note all the symptoms you had when you started this phase of your recovery and keep track before, during and after.

During this period, it’s also a great time to detoxify your liver, work on healing leaky gut, boost stomach acid, balance blood sugar and work on all the systems of your body that may be compromised.

Step 4: Re-evaluate and test: Thus far, you have removed many of the inflammatory foods from your diet. Check your journal again and note where you have improvements and where things have not changed. If you still have digestive problems, consider testing for SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth), H. Pylori, candida, and parasites (these can be ordered together in a stool sample).

Once you’ve gone through this process, you need to re-evaluate. This is where your journal becomes worth it’s weight in gold. You took the time to keep track of what you did, now go back over it and analyze the data.

What improved and what didn’t? Where did you cheat? What happened when you did? How much better are you know than when you began?

If you like many of the people I work with, chances are you got some improvement from this process. But if you still aren’t satisfied with your results, the it may be time to dig a bit deeper and do some testing (this can also be done at the beginning, of course).

You might want to rule out SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth), candida, H.pylori, blastocystis, parasites and more. Most of these can ordered in a single stool test.

Step 5: Re-introduce and double down: Now that you have gone through this process, it's time to reintroduce foods in a systematic way. One food at a time. This is where your journal will really come in handy. Note any symptom that you have both digestive and emotional/ psychological.

Your goal is to identify the foods that you can eat without a problem and to figure out which foods are triggers. Once you do that, double down on what works and continue to work on healing your gut and getting as much variety as you can within the foods that you can eat. And keep going; now you have something you can build on. 

Your brain, stomach, heart and all your glands and organs will thank you. Because by reducing inflammation you have made life a whole lot better for them too.

The final step is to go through the re-introduction process. Again, you’ll need your journal. Introduce one food at a time as the only variable. Start small and keep track of your reactions.

This will give you invaluable information on what foods you react to and it will help you create a solid foundation for healing.

Once you go through this, you will be able to identify what works and what doesn’t. Double down on what works and tweak or experiment with variations of what didn’t.

Awesome! Great job! Now you are on your way to getting your Hashimoto’s into remission. Remember remission is a journey a destination, you are now on the right path in your journey.