Is Your Thyroid Toxic?

{Please welcome my good friend Lydia to the site today! Lydia is a Nutritional Therapist and the author of the Divine Health from the Inside Out site. If you’ve followed my site for any amount of time, you know that Lydia is not only a close friend, but she is also my NTP and has been helping me make great progress on my healing journey. She is an INCREDIBLE woman who really knows her stuff when it comes to health, especially the role minerals play in our bodies. Please give her a warm welcome to the site and stop by Divine Health and say hello!.}

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by Lydia Shatney
Divine Health from the Inside Out

In today’s modern world no one alive is exempt from excessive levels of toxic metals in their body.

They are everywhere and we simply cannot fully avoid them.

Toxic metals do not have a single positive role in the human body either. Unfortunately, they have become a major cause for a number of health issues, including; ADHD, aging, autism, mental illness, even birth defects and more.

One of the dangers of this excess of toxic metals in our modern day society is simply due to the lack of minerals in our soil and food supply.

When the body is chock full of minerals in a healthy balance it can better deal with this toxic metal onslaught. Unfortunately, due to nutrient poor diets for the past 100 years we are in a troublesome place.

While much more could be discussed about toxic metals, mineral deficient diets/soil etc…..today’s post will focus on a few common toxic metals that impair the health and function of the thyroid gland.

Is Your Thyroid Toxic?

With thyroid issues growing more and more common today, it is a good idea to dig further into some of the reasons WHY this could be the case. One reason not commonly discussed is the role that toxic metals play in hampering thyroid health.

Today, I will simply introduce 4 that contribute to issues with your precious thyroid gland.

Lead

Lead interferes with calcium metabolism and can contribute to thyroid imbalance (1). It also impairs hypothalamus and pituitary function (which are directly responsible for the regulation of thyroid and adrenal function). This in turn leads to a reduced level of thyroid hormone and cortisol. Lead may also reduce the conversion of T4 to T3 in the liver. This is not seen via thyroid labs, so your test could appear normal yet you still have inadequate thyroid function.

Cadmium

Cadmium interferes with zinc and calcium and may raise sodium levels on a hair test (2). It also interferes with the metabolism of iron, copper and vitamin D. This can contribute to symptoms of thyroid hyperactivity. However, cadmium interferes with other enzyme systems, often causing symptoms of fatigue and lowered thyroid activity.

Cadmium is difficult to remove from the body. Dr. Culter says that the half life of cadmium in people is estimated to be between 18 and 33 years. Due to this it can accumulate over a lifetime and even low exposure can cause toxicity if not discovered and dealt with.

Mercury & Copper

Mercury and copper toxicity interfere with thyroid activity and can result in lowered thyroid activity (3). In fact, mercury can concentrate in the thyroid and pituitary glands and interfere with their function.

“Copper exerts an attenuating (weakening) effect on thyroxin, the secretion of which is diminished in hypothyroidism.” (4)

Hair analysis testing commonly finds a connection with elevated or biounvailable (stored) copper in those with thyroid insufficiency or hypothyroidism. It’s a good idea to avoid foods high in copper when one has a sluggish thyroid since they can contribute to this. One of your favorite foods could be adding to your own copper burden – chocolate. Even healthy foods commonly found on a paleo diet, like avocado are high in copper and may be best avoided as well.

Those are only a few of the burdens that can hamper the thyroid. Iodine antagonists such as fluoride, chlorine and bromine are also a huge issue that can dampen thyroid health. Obviously, your source of water plays a huge role in contributing to the consumption of chlorine and fluoride. As well as dental care products, shower water and swimming pools and that’s only the beginning of exposure to these elements. Bromine in bread dough softeners and even drinking water only adds further to the thyroid burden. (Read more here about bromine). Not only will one need to detect and eliminate the sources of all of these elements, but it will be important to help the body to naturally chelate them out of the body.

How To Deal With A Heavy Metal Burden

These heavy metals also contribute to a wealth of other health issues apart from the thyroid. Considering that the body works as a whole, or as systems we must realize that it’s not just about isolating one gland to find out what is wrong but to find out how to build the health of the entire body. Dealing with a heavy metal burden can take time to fully recover from and displace the metals with minerals. The only way to get started is by balancing one’s biochemistry through a hair analysis and nutritional plan tailored in light of the results.

As a nutritional therapist, I feel this test alone is the key place to start with each and every one of my clients. Once we know how well your thyroid is functioning we will have a much better idea of what you are up against and just how long it will take your body to really heal and recover.

If you could do one test today for the benefit of your health – hair analysis should be THE one. It is the MOST revealing test you can do for a very small investment. You will also get a clear plan of action from the answers the test provides you so you know exactly what it is you need to deal with.

In light of everything I’ve shared in this post if you are ready to take action by getting started with a hair analysis consult now, simply click on the link below to learn more about all the benefits of a hair analysis and secure your spot today.

In this video, Jessica discusses some of her experiences with HTMA and she is also going to be doing more videos as she gets further into her journey. Also, don’t forget to check out her HTMA blog posts: 

• How Minerals Have Changed My Life
• How HTMA Has Changed My Life
• How HTMA is Helping Me Manage Stress

Sources:

• (1)(2)(3)(4) http://www.arltma.com/Articles/HypothyroidismDoc.htm
• ‘Trace Elements and Other Essential Nutrients’, Dr. David L. Watts
• ‘Hair Testing Interpretation: Finding Hidden Toxicities’, Andrew Cutler, Ph.D.

Supporting the Thyroid & Adrenals Through Herbs

When it comes to supporting the adrenals and thyroid (because they are very closely linked), caffeine may not be your best friend. While those with sluggish adrenal glands tend to feel run down and in need of a regular pick-me-up (like coffee and other caffeinated beverages), in the long run, caffeine can do more harm than good while you are healing. I go into the “whys” around caffeine and your adrenals in this detailed post here. In addition to the caffeine, there are other constituents, molds, and mycotoxins that can show up in coffee that some people find they react to.

When I was diagnosed with autoimmune disease and adrenal fatigue, one of the first things that had to go was coffee. To be honest, I never drank coffee because of the caffeine. I drank coffee for the taste and aroma, as well as the emotional experience I felt to my morning cup of joe. For me, it was a ritual that I looked forward to every day (and sometimes multiple times a day). Whether I was brewing it at home or going to my local coffee shops, the experience was one that I clung to tightly.

But, when I was faced with new health struggles, I knew I had to do whatever I could to support my body and give it the tools it needed to heal. Giving up coffee and caffeine was one step in this direction.

And it sucked.

I turned to the coffee substitutes on the market in a desperate attempt to recreate the ritual I had grown so fond of, but nothing ever tasted the way I wanted it to. Nothing ever gave me that same experience that my cup of “real” coffee did. I knew there had to be something better, but I simply could not find it on my health food store’s shelves.

Necessity is the mother of invention so that is why I created my own coffee substitutes. They were made with organic, sustainably harvested herbs with zero grains, zero gluten, and zero caffeine. Just herbs. Herbs that not only tasted delicious but supported my body’s function, like liver detox, bile production, digestion, etc. In my mind, if I can get something to not only taste amazing but do amazing things for my body, then it’s a no brainer!

I sold these pre-made blends on Etsy for awhile and the demand was more than I could keep up with. People literally LOVED these blends and were stunned at how much like coffee they actually tasted. Customers who had been dealing with a variety of chronic illnesses had given up coffee to heal their bodies, but like me were deeply missing their morning cup of joe ritual.

After careful consideration and work with some highly experienced advisors, I decided to stop selling the pre-made blends and instead share my proprietary recipes in the form of an eBook. That way I could arm people with the knowledge and recipes they needed to make their own caffeine-free, gluten-free, grain-free blends in the comfort of their own home. 

That is why I created the best-selling DIY Herbal Coffees eBook: A Complete Guide To Making Delicious Herbal Coffees to Support Healing & Stress Relief. Now in its second edition, this ebook features all of my proprietary herbal blend recipes to you can craft a homemade herbal cup of “coffee” at home.

In addition, you get a ton of researched information about coffee’s impact on the health of those dealing with issues like adrenal fatigue, blood sugar dysregulation, autoimmune disease, thyroid disease, and any other chronic illness.

Lastly, you get access to your own personal coffee shop. I show you how to recreate your favorite coffee shop drinks and pastries with wholesome, nourishing real food ingredients. No junk here.

This book truly is a comprehensive guide to supporting your health, reducing your stress, and bringing a little something special back into your healing journey. You can learn more and download your own copy of this revolutionary wellness guide here, or simply click on the image below.