Did you know that acid blockers can be harmful to your thyroid gland? Acid blockers are commonly used to treat conditions like acid reflux which thyroid patients are prone to experience! Acid blockers, such as proton pump inhibitors and h2 blockers, cause several issues for thyroid patients. What are acid blockers? Acid blockers work by blocking the production of acid in the stomach. They are used to treat many diseases but most frequently for acid reflux. It may not sound like a problem to block acid but it can be. It turns out your body needs the acid your stomach produces to do several different things and if you can't produce it then you may start to experience certain issues. In addition, acid blockers were never designed for long-term use and yet that's how many people use them. Acid blockers were designed to be used for no more than 2 weeks at any given time and yet many people are using them for years and years without any breaks. How do you know if you are taking an acid bl...
These foods should be AVOIDED if you have Graves' disease. These foods have the potential to cause problems due to how your body processes them in the hyperthyroid state. How do you know if you should avoid them? Well, here I'm talking to people who have ACTIVE graves' disease. Active Graves' disease means that you are taking thyroid-blocking medication like methimazole or if you are currently hyperthyroid. If you've had your thyroid removed or ablated with radioactive iodine then this information doesn't apply. If, however, you have active hyperthyroidism then watch on! #1. Gluten We know that the symptoms of graves' may improve when gluten is removed. Gluten causes inflammation and increases intestinal permeability. #2. Common food allergens (more histamine in your body means a higher chance of reactivity) Graves' results in more histamine production in the body which means you may be more REACTIVE to foods. Foods in this category include: Milk, eggs, peanut, soy, wheat, tree nut (brazil nuts, almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, pistachios, etc), shellfish Be cautious of these foods if you’ve had reactions in the past. #3. Dairy products Dairy products can stimulate estrogen receptors, may cause inflammation, and many people have trouble processing them. In addition, we have studies that show that eliminating dairy in Hashimoto's patients has shown improvement. #4. Foods high in iodine - iodine can stimulate the production of thyroid hormone in graves’. Look for foods such as seaweed, iodized salt, and certain fish. #5. Any source of caffeine Coffee is stimulating and may cause problems in those with Graves'. Avoid these: Coffee, teas, herbal products, matte, guarana #6. Refined sugar Those with Graves' tend to suffer from insulin resistance so they need to be extra careful with excess sugars in their diet. #7. Industrial seed oils. These highly inflammatory oils can cause problems. #8. Processed foods with preservatives Processed foods may cause inflammation and worsen existing immune dysfunction. #9. Alcohol - more difficult to process The liver is already overloaded in those with Graves' and alcohol puts extra pressure on the liver. Download my free thyroid resources here (including my hypothyroid symptoms checklist, the complete list of thyroid lab tests + optimal ranges, foods you should avoid if you have thyroid disease, and more): https://www.restartmed.com/start-here/ Disclaimer: Dr. Westin Childs received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic medicine in 2013. His use of “doctor” or “Dr.” in relation to himself solely refers to that degree. Dr. Childs is no longer practicing medicine and does not hold an active medical license so he can focus on helping people through videos, blog posts, research, and supplement formulation. To read more about why he is no longer licensed please see this page: https://www.restartmed.com/what-happe... This video is for general informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, treatment, diagnosis, prescription, or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Childs and you. You should not make any changes to your medications or health regimens without first consulting a physician. If you have any questions please consult with your current primary care provider. Restart Medical LLC and Dr. Westin Childs are not liable or responsible for any advice, course of treatment, diagnosis, or any other information, services, or product you obtain through this website or video. #thyroid #hypothyroidism #hashimoto's
This is a list of signs of thyroid problems in women! If you are not feeling like yourself and experiencing symptoms such as weight gain, fatigue, or hair loss then it may be your thyroid! Low thyroid function impacts up to 20% of the population (or more). Find out how thyroid problems manifest in women here. Both men and women can get thyroid problems, that much is true but the way that thyroid problems impact men and women is slightly different. This has to do with how the thyroid regulates certain hormones, especially sex hormones. In women, this often manifests as changes to their menstrual cycle as well as their ability to get pregnant (fertility). The most common symptoms of low thyroid problems in women include: 1. Menstrual changes + Infertility 2. Weight gain & inability to lose weight 3. Hair loss (hair falling out, hair growth is slow) 4. Cold intolerance 5. Mood changes (depression, brain fog, anxiety, or irritability) 6. Fatigue 7. Constipation and bloating 8. Muscle pa...
Should soy be avoided if you have a thyroid problem? The answer is not as clear as you might think. Soy is actually somewhat controversial because there are many studies which show that it is helpful and others that suggest it may be harmful to thyroid patients. I'm speaking specifically to thyroid patients when I talk about soy! It may be the case that soy is beneficial but I want to make the case that MOST thyroid patients should avoid soy for 3 main reasons: #1. Soy has an estrogenic effect. There is no question that soy can stimulate estrogen receptors in the body. This can be both a good thing and a bad thing. In some cases, stimulating soy may prevent against heart disease and other factors. But in others, especially those who are overweight, soy can exacerbate other problems. Since many thyroid patients suffer from being overweight, avoiding soy is usually a good idea. #2. Soy can act as a goitrogen. This isn't necessarily an issue by itself but it can become a big issue when you consider that many thyroid patients are already avoiding iodine. The less iodine you consume the more impact even small amounts of goitrogens will have on thyroid function. This probably isn't an issue if you just consume enough iodine but it is still worth mentioning. #3. Soy is heavily processed and around 90% of all soy products are GMO. I've mentioned in other videos that processed foods should be avoided and because MOST sources of soy are heavily processed, you would want to avoid soy just for that reason alone. But what about non gmo version of soy? There may be a case that using non gmo versions of soy may be helpful if you are ALSO consuming enough iodine daily AND if you are not already overweight. Are you currently eating soy or actively avoiding it? If so, let me know how soy has impacted your body! Download my free thyroid resources here (including hypothyroid symptoms checklist, the complete list of thyroid lab tests + optimal ranges, foods you should avoid if you have thyroid disease, and more): https://www.restartmed.com/start-here/ This video is for general informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, treatment, diagnosis, prescription, or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Childs and you. You should not make any changes to your medications or health regimens without first consulting a physician. If you have any questions please consult with your current primary care provider. Restart Medical LLC and Dr. Westin Childs are not liable or responsible for any advice, course of treatment, diagnosis, or any other information, services, or product you obtain through this website or video. #thyroid #hypothyroidism #hashimoto's
Want to know which thyroid medication is best for weight loss? The short answer is pretty much anything that contains T3 thyroid hormone but some of my favorites include cytomel and liothyronine. Other thyroid medications that contain T4 thyroid hormone can be used but they rarely ever help with weight loss. Here's why: Thyroid patients struggle with losing weight, there's no disputing this. If you are listening to this right now let me know if weight is one of your primary issues. The question is: how can thyroid patients lose weight? One answer is through their medication. Some thyroid medications are just flat out better than others at helping with weight loss and you want to make sure you are using the RIGHT one if that is important for you. Any thyroid medication that contains T3 thyroid hormone is typically going to be better at helping with weight loss and we have studies that prove it. Some of my favorite T3 medications include: Cytomel, liothyronine, and SR T3. Other medica...
Your thyroid needs these 3 vitamins in order to create thyroid hormone. If you have a deficiency in ANY of these nutrients then your body will not be able to produce thyroid hormone and you may feel the symptoms of low thyroid. The good news is that you can take this information and use it to potentially help you feel better if you have low levels of any of these nutrients. The 3 main vitamins needed to create thyroid hormone include: #1. Tyrosine. Tyrosine is a protein or amino acid and it is REQUIRED to produce thyroid hormone. This is because tyrosine forms the backbone of thyroid hormone. If you don't have enough tyrosine in your body then you won't be able to put thyroid hormone together. In addition, tyrosine also combines with itself to create something called thyroglobulin. Thyroglobulin helps to smash two half of thyroid hormone together in order to complete the finished thyroid hormone. Tyrosine can become depleted because it is also used as a building block for other horm...
The 5 most common causes of a low TSH. TSH is often used to diagnose thyroid problems in both men and women but it isn't always perfect. In this video, I explain the various triggers of a LOW tsh and what they meant for your body. First, let's talk about what the TSH is. TSH stands for thyroid stimulating hormone and it is produced by the pituitary gland in your brain. TSH then goes into your bloodstream where it stimulates your thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormone. TSH is either stimulating your thyroid gland because it's high or it's not because it's low. As thyroid hormone levels increase in your blood it will cause your TSH to DROP or reduce. This is why most doctors and patients associate a low TSH with a HIGH thyroid (or hyperthyroidism). But that isn't always the case... 5 common causes of a Low TSH include: #1. Hyperthyroidism Hyperthyroidism definitely can lead to a low TSH because your own body is producing too much thyroid hormone. This is often caused by the autoimmu...
Are you currently taking thyroid medication? Have you ever wondered about trying to get off of your thyroid medication? You were probably told that you have to take it for the rest of your life, right? What if I told you that that may not be the case? Well, it's true. There are a lot of thyroid patients who are taking prescription thyroid medications who ultimately want to stop taking them if at all possible. And it turns out that there may be a path for certain people. But please read this disclaimer before you attempt it: Do NOT attempt to get off of your thyroid medication without physician supervision. There are some conditions which make getting off of thyroid medication impossible. These conditions include complete removal of the thyroid gland, complete destruction of the thyroid gland from radioactive iodine, and complete destruction of the thyroid gland from end-stage Hashimoto's thyroiditis. If you have any of these conditions then you MUST take thyroid medication forever. ...
Are you feeling worse on your thyroid medication? If so, you are not alone. Many thyroid patients feel this exact same way! But how can the very medication that is supposed to help you feel better make you feel worse? It's actually not that complicated but in order to understand what is happening, you have to understand some basic thyroid physiology. Here are the top 3 reasons people feel WORSE when taking thyroid medications such as levothyroxine and Synthroid: #1. Your thyroid medication is SUPPRESSING your T3. In the normal and healthy state, your thyroid produces BOTH T4 thyroid hormone and T3 thyroid hormone. The ratio is about 80% T4 to 20% T3. But when you take thyroid medication it completely shuts down how much T3 your body can produce naturally. When this happens you substitute out 20% T3 that your body produces naturally for 100% T4. And if you aren't able to convert that T4 into T3 then you will feel poorly! This is how thyroid medication makes most people feel worse, by...
The list of warning signs and symptoms of selenium toxicity. Are you taking too much selenium? Here's how to find out: Selenium is a very important micronutrient for your body. It is included in certain proteins, called selenoproteins, that enable your cells to function properly, reduce inflammation, and produce antioxidants. Many people suffer from selenium deficiency which leads them to use selenium supplements. That's all good but what happens when they take too much? They may end up with minor signs of selenium toxicity. True selenium toxicity is rare, but a slight amount of selenium toxicity isn't uncommon and can occur if you accidentally take too much selenium in your supplements! This is often a problem for patients with thyroid disease because they know that using selenium can help reduce thyroid gland inflammation. Minor symptoms of selenium toxicity include: - Hair loss - Brittle nails - Fatigue - GI problems - Joint pain - Nausea These are more common than the serious sy...