“When it comes to thyroids, many doctors are more inclined to treating the lab results, rather than
 the person.  As in most cases, the lab results are normal to low normal and the patient is written off.  That’s because they’re not testing properly.

“Normal does not equate with optimal.”  Neal Rouzier, MD

Our thyroid regulates our metabolism, keeps us warm, increases fat breakdown, lowers cholesterol, counters depression, and brittle hair, skin and nails. It works in conjunction with our adrenals. Healthy cortisol levels are important to healthy thyroid function – and…a very importnat point…if our adrenals are weak, our thyroid function goes down too (into hypothyroidism). They are attached, so to speak.

Most doctors will diagnose you by testing your levels of TSH (thyroid stimulating hormones which are secreted by your pituitary). If it’s in excess, it means the thyoid is malfunctioning. But here’s the rub:

You need to diagnose both T3 and T4. T3 is the important one here…it’s 10 times more active and stronger than T4. And 80% of T4 is converted into T3 anyways. But T3 is seldom measured by doctors. So when you go, ask that they measure T3 as well as T4.

Healthy eating for the thyroid is the same as for the adrenals….watch the sugar! It’s deadly! Take an iodine tablet (found in kelp) or eat seaweed regularly, use iodized salt (sea salt has little iodine), and watch the soy in foods…there is so much soy in packaged foods – protein bars, spreads, restaurants foods – because it’s a cheap, tasty filler but it weakens our thyroids! And increase your protein..the thyroid LOVES protein!

Be careful of the Synthetic options – Synthroid^®, Levoxyl^®, Thyroxine^® contain only T4, with the assumption that T4 will be converted into T3. They are taught that if the body is needing T3, it will convert what it needs from T4. Not so. As we age, the body converts less and less T4 into T3. These synthetics, rarely, if ever, are able to convert into T3. And T3 has a short half-life so doctors shied away from its use, and have primarily focused on the more ‘controllable’ T4.

Safer, natural, Bio Identical options – Armour^®, Westhroid^®, Naturethyroid^® or others found at Compounding Pharmacies. These constitute both T3 and T4.

My favourite book, and one that I highly recommend is MD Neal Rouzier’s book: HOw to Achieve Healthy Aging (below). It offers a research-based view on Bio-identical hormones that helped me feel good – no great – about my decision to use them!.