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  #1   ^
Old Sun, Nov-10-19, 03:55
WereBear's Avatar
WereBear WereBear is online now
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Posts: 14,605
 
Plan: EpiPaleo/Primal/LowOx
Stats: 220/125/150 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 136%
Location: USA
Default My thyroid needed help. How about yours?

Thanks to the efforts of Ms. Arielle sharing her book on idodine, lately I've been experimenting with raw thyroid. (Hey, it's an organ meat!)

I was familiar with the struggles of people on this board dealing with the simply deluded world of endocrinology when it comes to ANY kind of hormone replacement. My issue was cortisol, my opinion is very low, and a couple decades of observation and personal experience has not budged it for the better.

However, I never had the issues from the thyroid lists, except... fatigue and immune dysfunction. I have been reading the work of Dr Sarah Myhill and this led me to discovering how stress shuts down the thyroid, and it will never show on tests because they read them all wrong.

I love the work of Dr Georgia Ede, and this article, Foods that Cause Hypothyroidism give us a glimpse of how much worse off this situation becomes when we eat the SAD.

Quote:
I suspect that there is actually enough iodine in the environment to go around, and that we actually need less than 150 micrograms per day of iodine. I suspect that there is something about the human diet which interferes with our ability to absorb, utilize, and/or retain iodine, and that this is why we appear to be iodine-deficient compared to other animals. So, what might the possible culprits be?


No surprise since we live in Opposite Land when it comes to nutrition. The standard advice of soy, cruciferous vegetables, and very little meat leads to anti-thyroid activity. Along with every other factor in how the SAD works against us, this might be highly significant.

Quote:
In my experience, most people are unaware of the connection between soy and thyroid problems. If a study like this had been about an ingredient in red meat, you can bet you’d see a giant headline in the New York Times trumpeting that red meat causes thyroid disease, and everyone would be talking about it…


Now add stress. Cortisol overproduction (my problem) can lead to reduced function for the thyroid. This will never show up in labs, so I'm just going to cut to the chase and I'm up to 1 of these raw thyroid tablets per day.

I get a definite lift in energy and BETTER SLEEP. This strategy is a keeper, and I'm being very cautious. But I am proof of concept here.

Thyroid is incredibly important in disease reversal. Even if you don't think you have a thyroid problem.

It seems I have one.
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  #2   ^
Old Sun, Nov-10-19, 05:32
Dodger's Avatar
Dodger Dodger is offline
Posts: 8,758
 
Plan: Paleoish/Keto
Stats: 225/167/175 Male 71.5 inches
BF:18%
Progress: 116%
Location: Longmont, Colorado
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While I don't feel that I have a thyroid problem, I started taking an iodine supplement about a year ago.
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  #3   ^
Old Sun, Nov-10-19, 07:02
Ms Arielle's Avatar
Ms Arielle Ms Arielle is online now
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Posts: 19,177
 
Plan: atkins, carnivore 2023
Stats: 200/211/163 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: -30%
Location: Massachusetts
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Go Werebear!!

Thyriod function definitely underdiagnosed, esp for wonen.

Adding Ashwaganda has added to the calmness in my body and mind, especially after our truck was totalled by distracted driver. Cortisol may help if we are chased by a bear, but these days the stress is everyday all day for far too many people. Its a normal state in the US.

Iodized salt everyday. Love my kale but now that I understand how the elimination of fasting from our holidays was a major factor in allowing aging factoers to go unchecked, I dont see the antioxidate factors as important as fasting. Yes, qyality foods. And vegetables and some friuts. Bright colors, know the calue of each.

Fasting is a forgotten art. Im still learning how to do it.

Still managing distress. And adding prayers. Thanks for what I do have, and less focus on wgat I dont have.

My doc ok,d having thyroid meds. Only took ten plus years to get it addressed.

Increased belly fat is telling me something is still out of synch.....
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  #4   ^
Old Sun, Nov-10-19, 09:07
Dodger's Avatar
Dodger Dodger is offline
Posts: 8,758
 
Plan: Paleoish/Keto
Stats: 225/167/175 Male 71.5 inches
BF:18%
Progress: 116%
Location: Longmont, Colorado
Default

Iodized salt can lose iodine content over time. That's why I started supplementing.

http://archive.unu.edu/unupress/food/V193e/ch06.htm
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  #5   ^
Old Sun, Nov-10-19, 09:47
Bonnie OFS Bonnie OFS is offline
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Posts: 2,573
 
Plan: Dr. Bernstein
Stats: 188/150/135 Female 5 ft 4 inches
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: NE WA
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Years ago a doctor said my thyroid was low & prescribed medication. But when I moved here (20 years ago) my new doctor said it was low but within acceptable limits. Every doctor who has tested my thyroid says the same.

I've looked for iodine in the stores (limited choice here) & can't find it. I suppose it's available online, but I wouldn't know what to look for. Same with raw thyroid - tho I wouldn't even know where to start with that!

So some clues about brand names & dosage, please?

Thanks in advance!
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  #6   ^
Old Sun, Nov-10-19, 11:54
Meme#1's Avatar
Meme#1 Meme#1 is offline
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Posts: 12,456
 
Plan: Atkins DANDR
Stats: 210/194/160 Female 5'4"
BF:
Progress: 32%
Location: Texas
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bonnie OFS
Years ago a doctor said my thyroid was low & prescribed medication. But when I moved here (20 years ago) my new doctor said it was low but within acceptable limits. Every doctor who has tested my thyroid says the same.

I've looked for iodine in the stores (limited choice here) & can't find it. I suppose it's available online, but I wouldn't know what to look for. Same with raw thyroid - tho I wouldn't even know where to start with that!

So some clues about brand names & dosage, please?

Thanks in advance!


Iherb has it, it's called Iodoral 12.5 mg and you take it with Selenium as per the book, "The Iodine Crisis"
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  #7   ^
Old Sun, Nov-10-19, 13:40
Ms Arielle's Avatar
Ms Arielle Ms Arielle is online now
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Posts: 19,177
 
Plan: atkins, carnivore 2023
Stats: 200/211/163 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: -30%
Location: Massachusetts
Default

Selenium....funny how little humans are supplemented. Here on east coast its regularly added to foal and mare rations. East of Mississippi the soils are deficient.
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  #8   ^
Old Sun, Nov-10-19, 14:03
Meme#1's Avatar
Meme#1 Meme#1 is offline
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Posts: 12,456
 
Plan: Atkins DANDR
Stats: 210/194/160 Female 5'4"
BF:
Progress: 32%
Location: Texas
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ms Arielle
Selenium....funny how little humans are supplemented. Here on east coast its regularly added to foal and mare rations. East of Mississippi the soils are deficient.


So true!
At the feed store they sell bags of iodine which DH bought for me in amazement that they sell it and I added it to the BIG water trough.
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  #9   ^
Old Sun, Nov-10-19, 14:58
Bonnie OFS Bonnie OFS is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,573
 
Plan: Dr. Bernstein
Stats: 188/150/135 Female 5 ft 4 inches
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: NE WA
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Meme#1
Iherb has it, it's called Iodoral 12.5 mg and you take it with Selenium as per the book, "The Iodine Crisis"


Thank you!
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  #10   ^
Old Sun, Nov-10-19, 18:56
Meme#1's Avatar
Meme#1 Meme#1 is offline
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Posts: 12,456
 
Plan: Atkins DANDR
Stats: 210/194/160 Female 5'4"
BF:
Progress: 32%
Location: Texas
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bonnie OFS
Thank you!


You're welcome!
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  #11   ^
Old Mon, Nov-11-19, 05:43
WereBear's Avatar
WereBear WereBear is online now
Senior Member
Posts: 14,605
 
Plan: EpiPaleo/Primal/LowOx
Stats: 220/125/150 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 136%
Location: USA
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bonnie OFS
I've looked for iodine in the stores (limited choice here) & can't find it. I suppose it's available online, but I wouldn't know what to look for. Same with raw thyroid - tho I wouldn't even know where to start with that!

So some clues about brand names & dosage, please?

Thanks in advance!


Here you go, from my favorite online source:

https://www.iherb.com/pr/natural-so...0-capsules/6016

I started with ONE every 3 days. Moved to two days between. Now, two months in, I'm taking ONE every day, always with first meal of the day. This is where I plan to stay for a while.

What intrigued me were the reviews like this:

Quote:
my thyroid cancer resulted in removal of the entire gland and radiation treatment. i have suffered constant hypo since because my levothyroxine, despite hitting perfect numbers on the chart, has not relieved many of the worst symptoms. the very first day of this product ended the problem. i was fearful there would be a drop off of effect, but no problem so far. priceless.


This is the only raw thyroid product I know of, but there can be others. I originally got it from Amazon, but they don't seem to have it now.

One principle I always follow is that all supplementation should start small and slow. I monitor all "feels" from baseline, be they positive or negative. The warning signs would be the symptoms of HYPERthyroid:

Appetite change (decrease or increase)
Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
Fatigue.
Frequent bowel movement—perhaps diarrhea.
Heart palpitations.
Heat intolerance.
Increased sweating.
Irritability.

Did I have any? No. (For one thing, I always have heat intolerance ) I did get a few instances of passing anxiety when I started, but that soon smoothed out, and they really were fleeting. Everything else was highly positive: cravings diminished, sleep vastly improved, and energy increased. I wake up feeling normal again. While that usually doesn't last past lunchtime, this is a wonderful improvement.

By contrast, here is HYPOthyroid.

Fatigue.
Increased sensitivity to cold.
Constipation.
Dry skin.
Weight gain.
Puffy face.
Hoarseness.
Muscle weakness.

According to italics, anything that lightens my fatigue would mean I'm on the right track with supplementing - neither too high or too low. My sleep has become long, deep, and healing; after SEVEN years of disturbed and inadequate sleep.

Judging by my experience so far, my list of hypothyroid symptoms would look more like this:
  • FATIGUE dear heavens so much
  • sleep problems
  • appetite issues (when I was at my sickest I lived on cold cuts and ice cream because it was all I could choke down)
  • immune issues

It's n=1, but what an N and this 1 is grateful beyond measure.

To be clear, this is a situation probably caused by all my other issues, from disastrous menopause leading to all kinds of endocrine resistance and the subsequent collapse of my health creating new issues until I struck out on my own. Real doctors have been instrumental in my continuing recovery, but they all have blogs

My situation was also complicated by the hidden genetic condition that I also detected when no one else would have even thought of it. This was the source of the overwhelming stress coming from my previous life configuration. (I kept the husband and cats, but radically changed my job and living space.) So this ongoing crisis was solved almost entirely by myself, without much in the way of medical-treatment. Which I'm starting to feel is becoming the new oxymoron.

Why didn't I try to get tested as a first step? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA you must be new here. That's another post in itself.
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  #12   ^
Old Mon, Nov-11-19, 05:52
WereBear's Avatar
WereBear WereBear is online now
Senior Member
Posts: 14,605
 
Plan: EpiPaleo/Primal/LowOx
Stats: 220/125/150 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 136%
Location: USA
Default

I went through excruciating effort to get endocrine testing with a BIG specialist associated with a respected medical college. I asked to be referred based on my symptoms of low cortisol which ticked 99% of the boxes for Addison's Disease. Which can kill you.

In addition, I tracked my temperature every day at the same time, and it was all over the map. I had prepared a summary of how this had all started with menopause. If I weren't so sick I would have done a Power Point presentation!

Arrogant #$(*&^% ignored ALL of it. Within five minutes he was lining up the standard middle-aged woman trifecta:
  • Problem with sleep? Ambien will make you sleep. And have sex with strangers.
  • Problem with feeling depressed because I'm sick and can't get any help? Prozac. Because it's all about shutting up the patient, not actually healing them.
  • I'm alive after the age of forty? Lipitor. Because you think I have problems NOW, we can always give you new ones for a change of pace.

I tell him menopause is trying to kill me and this so-called ENDOCRINOLOGIST does not even mention getting tested or trying hormone replacement therapy. I tell him my cortisol status is like someone with Addison's and he brusquely informs me if I had Addison's, I'd be dead.

Yeah, because I had to wait 3 months for this appointment.

I had to DEMAND that my cortisol be tested. He saw this as a way of throwing me out of his office, so he did. Turned out he did the test all wrong, then interpreted it all wrong, too!

But what I managed to get from it was actually the first step of recovery, because it led me to Dr. Jack Kruse, who really started the process. At that time, he was the ONLY one who understood the root cause of my issues with cortisol.

So this is why I am so deeply cynical about getting help with my issues. I'm not anti-medicine at all; there is no better time to fall in a combine than right now. If I had something clear and simple like a broken leg, I absolutely would avail myself of medical help. But they are ZERO help with creating and maintaining health.

We have to do that ourselves.
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  #13   ^
Old Mon, Nov-11-19, 05:54
WereBear's Avatar
WereBear WereBear is online now
Senior Member
Posts: 14,605
 
Plan: EpiPaleo/Primal/LowOx
Stats: 220/125/150 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 136%
Location: USA
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ms Arielle
Selenium....funny how little humans are supplemented. Here on east coast its regularly added to foal and mare rations. East of Mississippi the soils are deficient.


Along with the magnesium in soil, which has only deteriorated since the Dust Bowl, for heaven's sake. Mr WereBear and I like the brazil nut solution
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  #14   ^
Old Mon, Nov-11-19, 10:10
Meme#1's Avatar
Meme#1 Meme#1 is offline
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Posts: 12,456
 
Plan: Atkins DANDR
Stats: 210/194/160 Female 5'4"
BF:
Progress: 32%
Location: Texas
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by WereBear
Along with the magnesium in soil, which has only deteriorated since the Dust Bowl, for heaven's sake. Mr WereBear and I like the brazil nut solution


Iodine has been depleted from the soils since the ice age and there are only two mines in the world where it can be found.
I take Selenium with the Iodine because it helps the body absorb the Iodine and I found out that Selenium also helps prevent Colon cancer.
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  #15   ^
Old Mon, Nov-11-19, 15:56
Ms Arielle's Avatar
Ms Arielle Ms Arielle is online now
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Posts: 19,177
 
Plan: atkins, carnivore 2023
Stats: 200/211/163 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: -30%
Location: Massachusetts
Default

I think Im ready to start taking the mare supplement myself!!
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