Many of my patients suffer thyroid problems: Enlarged thyroid, nodules, under-active thyroid and autoimmune thyroid disease.
They have been given a hormone tablet and the reassurance that if their thyroid gets too naughty, it can always be surgically removed. Tidy solutions, and now thousands of women take thyroid replacement. But they often do not feel well, and their thyroid glands are definitely not happy. What have we missed? What is the thyroid trying to tell us?
Historically, thyroid disease was caused by iodine deficiency. Today, most cases of thyroid disease are autoimmune. Autoimmune thyroid disease is becoming more and more prevalent. What is going on? Our immune systems are turning on our thyroid glands. Why? Because our immune systems perceive our own thyroids as foreign tissue. Why? Because often the thyroid tissue has been damaged by environmental toxins such as pesticides, flame retardants and other toxins. (Wheat gluten then worsens the problem by driving the autoimmune reaction.)
Unfortunately for thyroids, fat-soluble pesticides have an affinity for delicate glandular tissue. They accumulate there. And a toxic thyroid looks wrong to the beleaguered immune system. The immune system is dealing with toxins of its own, and it makes the brave – if misguided – decision to take the thyroid down. The thyroid might make a few frightened chirps, and a thyroid tablet might enter the scene, but the toxins keep coming.
Please, listen to your thyroid. Reduce your exposure to hormonal toxins such as pesticides and flame retardants. Eliminate wheat from your diet. Support your detoxification system with important nutrients such as B-complex, zinc and selenium.
You may also be interested in my Thyroid nodules post, and Why Thyroid tests are unreliable.
Yours in Health, Lara Briden