Category: Thyroid Function

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Heavy Metals and Hashimoto’s

There are many things we don’t consider as we walk through life. We also tend to believe in the system and trust that institutions will keep us safe. In a perfect world, this would be the case. However, we live in an imperfect world where profits often time outweigh the best interest to us humans. More and more we are seeing companies pop up who are more interested in food safety and the health of their consumer. That’s a good thing.

But until the consensus is food safety before profit, you need to consider what I’m going to say. We are consuming toxins in large quantities daily. In most cases, we don’t consider some of these toxins as being part of our daily lives.

Ide, Ide, and Ide

For years many cities have been putting fluoride in municipal water supplies. They are now rethinking this as studies now show that fluoride can be poisonous. It is my understanding that some studies are now pointing to fluoride as a contributor to childhood ADD. I wonder…. It makes sense. There are many more children with this disorder today than 30 years ago.

Chloride is another one of those double-edged swords. It is a disinfectant which has killed many germs and bacteria that were once out of control. Chloride competes with iodine blocking iodine receptors in the thyroid. We now put it in our water, so it is safe to drink. Is it safe, or is it contributing to thyroid disorders?

Bromides are flying under the radar. Bromides are found in pesticides, they are pesticides. If bromides are pesticides then why are they found in supplements, Facial cleansers, and soda (to name a few)? It is also a goitrogen which inhibits thyroid function (see February 11th post). When I mention supplements, I am thinking of a particular one. Fish oil or most omega 3,6,9’s. They are made from krill and bottom feeders in the ocean.  This brings me back to the pesticides. Pesticides are sprayed on plants, it rains, and the rain evaporates or runs off where? Into the ocean. The water contains the bromides which settle to the bottom of the ocean and the krill feed off them. When we take these omega supplements, we are eating what they eat.

Heavy Metals and Hashimoto’s

When considering the heavy metal connection to thyroid disorders, we should look at the following that have the greatest impact on the thyroid.

  • Cadmium
  • Lead
  • Mercury
  • aluminum

Our environment is contaminated by cadmium through the emission of toxin produced by the following when released into the air.

  • Mining and smelting
  • Phosphate fertilizers
  • Sewage sludge
  • Batteries
  • Plastics

Overexposure to cadmium is noted to cause multinodular goiter, reduce the secretion of thyroglobulin, and promote cell hyperplasia (swelling of the neck), which can lead to thyroid cancer. 1, 2

Lead is another heavy metal contaminate that is plaguing our environment. Increased industrialization and mining, has contributed to the problem, as has prior use of lead in gasoline. It’s also found in cheap jewelry, children’s toys, and paint in older homes. Such exposure is considered to cause depressed thyroid function and elevated TSH.3 Such information should cause us to be cognizant of the environment and food we experience.

Mercury is a heavy metal that affects thyroid hormone levels inversely. As the level of Mercury or aluminum increases, the thyroid hormone decreases. If you are wondering how you might be exposed to these two final heavy metals, you will find them in the following:

  • Dental amalgams
  • Seafood
  • Pollution from coal burning plants

Mercury affects the gland by accumulating in the thyroid and reducing iodide uptake, which inhibits thyroid hormone production. 4

Aluminum exposure comes from:

  • Antacids
  • Body care products (deodorant)
  • Food additives
  • Vaccines
  • Aluminum based cookware

Aluminum triggers an autoimmune response which may result in the production of antibodies, some of which may target the thyroid. 5

Throughout this post I referred to the threat of toxins that affect the thyroid. In future posts I will get into more detail about them so as not to leave you with questions. As you continue your cleansing, and change the way you eat, be mindful about where what you consume comes from.  The environment affects every aspect of our life. It’s for this reason it’s a good idea to perform a body cleanse twice a year. We may not be able to control the environment, be we can take care of our bodies and reduce the effect environmental toxins have in our lives.

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Let the Thyroid Lesson Begin

I drove home that morning, determined I wouldn’t be medicated. I would spend every waking hour researching ways to manage Hashimoto’s without medication. Every indication told me it couldn’t be done.

Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune disease. The thyroid is dead and can’t be brought back to life, I was told. Don’t always believe what you hear. That’s my motto. With that statement ringing in my head, I began to learn about the thyroid.

Our thyroid is the largest endocrine gland in our body. No wonder people have problems. Think about it. This little butterfly-shaped gland works 24/7 to keep our body systems operating properly. Compare that to your computer, and consider this. If you turn on your computer and open 20 different tabs in your browser, one of two things will eventually happen. The computer will either lock up or crash.

Our bodies are similar on many levels. We don’t eat right or get enough sleep. The food we put in our bodies if packed with chemicals that we are not meant to digest. This one abuse causes our organs to work on overload to clean out toxins that eventually cause health issues.

Consider your thyroid. It is one small gland that we pollute every day. From brushing our teeth to eating meat injected with hormones and antibiotics to slathering our skin with cosmetics that are loaded with carcinogens. That’s only the beginning. We’ll discuss this in depth in a future blog.

So, we know the thyroid is busy. It produces two types of hormones, T3 and T4. These hormones control how and at what rate your body will burn energy. It also regulates how you respond to stress hormones. That’s a big job, considering the stressful lives we live. I will discuss this in a future blog as well.

We now know basically what our thyroid function is. So, it’s time to quickly look at two ways it can malfunction. There is hyperthyroidism, where the production of hormones is excessive. Then there is hypothyroidism, in which the thyroid produces too little hormone. Both situations can be disastrous if left un-checked. There are many things that are affected by your thyroid:

  • Rough skin
  • Weight loss or gain
  • Fatigue
  • Being too hot or too cold (excessively)
  • Depression/Anxiety
  • Digestive issues
  • Frequent urination
  • Low sex drive
  • Trouble breathing
  • Hair loss
  • Vision issues
  • Migraines (a biggie for me)
  • Muscle aches/tenderness

We’ll be talking about all of these and more as the blog develops. My goal is to provide information I’ve found throughout my journey to reconcile my thyroid to my lifestyle. It is also my desire to have as many of my readers share what works for them too. We are all in this together. It is my hopes to bring to the attention to women (and men) everywhere that the thyroid is most likely causing problems for people without realizing it. Again another topic for a future blog. Thank you for taking the time to read, I hope to see you all back here for the next post. I wish you much success in your fight for great thyroid health.

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Thyroid Awareness Month

Three years ago, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Before my diagnosis, I’d never heard of Hashimoto’s. I knew it was possible for a person to have a hypothyroid or Hyperthyroid. But I thought it was genetic and didn’t give much thought to the possibility that I would have to worry about it. My grandmother had Grave’s disease and had her thyroid removed when she was young, but again I didn’t think about how it affected me.

Healthy with Hashimoto’s

Today, many years later, I’m 54 years old and living with Hashimoto’s.  I spent the last three years working my way back to good health. Some days I struggle, and I spent many hours researching Hashimoto’s and how I could “beat it” or at least live a healthy life without having to take medication. Well, I continue to be a work in progress, but I’m at a point where I feel healthy, and I don’t need to be on medication. Some days I think that is a miracle.

Thyroid Awareness Month

Now I think back on the journey and realize I shouldn’t be stingy with what I have learned. So, I think it appropriate to begin this blog in January, which I now know as Thyroid Awareness Month. I am celebrating my good health by giving back to those who share my diagnosis.

Real Life Credentials

I’m not a doctor, I have no medical background, with the exception, of being the mom of a nurse. I spent many hours studying with her as she went through nursing school. She is now a nurse, I’m still only her mom; no degree, no real medical knowledge. I’m proud of her though.

So, when you read through my blog please remember I’m only a woman living with Hashimoto’s, trying to find the best way to be healthy and happy. I’m happy to share what worked for me, but please take my words for what they are; mine; my journey, my body, my results. If you have Hashimoto’s or think you do, please talk to your doctor, and if you like what you read here, share the information with him/her and use what information you can, leaving what isn’t possible for you.

Why Now?

I’m going out on a limb publishing this blog. I’m doing it because we need to make people aware that thyroid disease is serious. Twenty million Americans have some form of thyroid disease. Sixty percent of those don’t realize it. They may have symptoms of thyroid disease, but their bloodwork doesn’t show it. We need to be educating people to ask the right questions to get the correct diagnosis. I will discuss this dilemma in future blogs.

Now is the time for me to do my part. I want this blog to be interactive. If you are reading and have questions, please comment. We can help each other by supporting one another and educating others to see the signs. I hope it will help many to live with a healthy thyroid.