A Functional Approach to Hoshimoto’s Disease

Similar to other autoimmune diseases, Hashimoto’s occurs when the body is attempting to defend  itself against something possibly dangerous, such as bacteria, virus, toxin, or a food protein, but  it doesn’t differentiate properly between the “danger” and your own body. 

Typically, Hoshimoto’s causes underactive thyroid symptoms, but on occasion it may cause a  person to fluctuate between underactive and overactive thyroid symptoms due to the nature of  the damage to the thyroid tissue. The conventional approach to Hoshimoto’s is to prescribe  thyroid hormone, monitor hormone levels in the blood, and adjust the dose of the hormone  accordingly as the thyroid continues to lose function until it eventually “burns out”. 

The functional approach focuses on identifying Hoshimoto’s as an immune disease that is  affecting the thyroid, not really a thyroid disease. Therefore, the immune system must be  addressed in order to successfully modulate Hoshimoto’s and enjoy a better quality of life.  

Let’s look at the fundamentals when addressing Hoshimoto’s: 

Adjusting the Diet 

Remove gluten from the diet and identify any other food sensitivities. This can be done with  blood work or an Elimination Diet. Once trigger foods are removed, the gut and any other  barrier tissue that may by inflamed and “leaky”, such as the lungs or the brain, can begin to  heal. Intestinal barrier integrity is very important in an autoimmune disease. When this barrier  becomes too permeable, undigested particles of food, bacteria, parasites, mold, or environmental  toxins are able to cross over into the body. This intrusion triggers a complex immune  response. Great products for leaky gut include IPS® and L-Glutamine. 

Address Nutrients Required for Health 

Often time’s people with Hoshimoto’s are deficient in specific nutrients, such as Vitamin D and  Selenium. A terrific selenium product for Hoshimoto’s is Selenomethionine, an organic form of  selenium that is a readily absorbable form. Selenium functions as an integral part of glutathione  peroxidase, an important antioxidant enzyme, and is required for normal thyroid function. Also  recommended would be Bio-D-Mulsion Forte®. 

Identify/Heal Infections in the Body 

Hoshimoto’s has been associated with a variety of infectious agents such as Rubella, Epstein Barr virus, Retrovirus, Influenza B virus, and Yersinia. Blood testing is an ideal way to identify  these infections, A powerful combination to aid the body in beating the infections includes  A.D.P®, UltraVir-X®, and Cytozyme-THY™ 

Manage Stress 

Managing stress can’t be emphasized enough. Stress does many things to upset the immune  system as well as the adrenals. Stress suppresses healthy immune functions, promotes  inflammation, promotes imbalances of the immune system, creates problems with the gut lining,  and puts additional strain on the adrenals. Addressing stress and supporting the adrenals is a very  important part of the healing process for anyone with an autoimmune disease. Needed support 

for adrenals and stress include Cytozyme-AD™ combined with ADHS®, Li-Zyme Forte™  during the day and De-Stress™ before bed for stress support. 

Thyroid Support 

Last but not least, is to support the thyroid as well as the pituitary and hypothalamus. One of the  reasons people continue to feel exhausted even though they are taking thyroid hormones is  because of an out of balanced Hypothalamus/Pituitary Axis. The following can help: 

• Cytozyme-PT/HPT™ supplies glandular specific support as Lamb

Pituitary/Hypothalamus complex concentrate, combined with SOD and catalase for the  best in PT/HPT support.  

• GTA®, GTA-Forte®, and GTA-Forte II® provide thyroid glandular (porcine), trace mineral and antioxidant enzyme support.
• Meda-Stim™ for healthy thyroid function, primarily by supplying nutrients that support  the conversion of T4 to T3. They include essential micronutrients such as B vitamins,  iodine, selenium, and zinc. Also included are supportive nutrients such as the amino  acids, L-Tyrosine, and L-Glutathione, providing nutrients such as amino acids, along  with specific botanical support.  
• Thyrostim™ is a broad spectrum support for healthy thyroid function consisting of vitamin A, minerals, trace minerals, glandular specific probiotic support, L-Tyrosine, and special enzyme synergists. 

Having a diagnosis of Hoshimoto’s, or any other autoimmune thyroid disease, does not mean you  have to suffer on-going symptoms. The ultimate aim when addressing an autoimmune disease is  to restore balance to the immune system through addressing the fundamentals of healing the gut,  

addressing missing key nutrients, investigating and healing infections, managing stress,  supporting the adrenals, and providing support for the thyroid, pituitary, and hypothalamus.