Before I answer this, it’s probably a good idea to explain what an aromatse inhibitor is for those people who aren’t familar with these. Aromatase is an enzyme which helps in the production of the estrogens, as it specifically converts testosterone to estradiol, and androstenedione to estrone. There are drugs specifically manufactured to help inhibit the conversion process, which of course is why they are called aromatase inhibitors. There are also some natural aromatase-inhibitors which I will discuss shortly.

When Are Aromatase Inhibitors Used?

They are used in numerous different conditions. For example, since breast and ovarian cancer involve the hormone estrogen, aromatase inhbitors are commonly used in the treatment of these conditions. Body builders also may use these when taking steroids, as if they don’t take an aromatase inhibitor then the excess testosterone will convert to estradiol, which will result in estrogen dominance. Some medical doctors will give these drugs to their patients when recommending bioidentical testosterone to address a deficiency. In all of these examples, the goal is to preven the formation of estrogen.

If you have been a long time visitor to my website then it shouldn’t surprise you that I’m not a big fan of aromatase inhibitors. I’m not saying that in some cases they aren’t necessary to use, but they of course don’t get to the underlying cause of the problem. For example, if someone has low testosterone levels and is given bioidentical testosterone to bring up the levels, and then is given an aromatase inhibitor to prevent the testosterone from converting to estradiol, then this isn’t addressing the cause of the low hormone levels. Once again, I’m not suggesting that it’s never necessary to give bioidentical testosterone. On the other hand, I know some doctors who will give it to every single patient, even if they don’t show a deficiency. I definitely don’t agree with this approach.

Side Effects Of Aromatase Inhibitors:

Of course just as is the case with most prescription drugs, there are potential side effects. Some of the common side effects include fatigue, joint and muscle pain, as well as hot flashes and night sweats. There are also other less common side effects one might experience.

How About Using Natural Aromatase Inhibitors?

There are also natural aromatase inhibitors, and I’ve had some people ask me as to whether these are effective in preventing estrogen dominance from occurring. Natural aromatase inhibitors can be effective, but it depends on the situation. For example, if someone is addressing a low testosterone condition by giving small amounts of bioidentical hormones, then a natural aromatase inhibitor can prevent the conversion from happening. Of course if one is taking a small amount of testosterone then one shouldn’t need to worry about excessive conversion to estradiol.

Some natural aromatase inhibitors are more effective than others. For example, flaxseed oil is an effective aromatase inhibitor due to the high concentration of lignans. Flavinoids can also be effective, along with pumpkin seed extract. In fact, when I attended a seminar by Dr. David Brownstein, who uses bioidentical hormones a great deal in his practice, he stated that “Pumpkin seed extract has been shown to reduce aromatase by 50%”. He also mentioned how pycnogenols have been effective at blocking estradiol production.

So hopefully you have a better understanding of how aromatase inhibitors work, and realize that while they might be necessary at times, the overall goal should be to get to the cause of the problem so they won’t be needed.  And if it is necessary to take an aromatase inhibitor, then you might want to consider some of the natural options I discussed in this post.

There has been a lot of controversy over aspartame, which is an artificial sweetner that has been linked to numerous health issues. If you perform a search in Google or any other search engine under “aspartame side effects”, you will find plenty of information which should convince you to avoid this artificial ingredient. Of course you can’t believe everything you read on the internet, but there seems to be enough evidence which proves that this ingredient is best to be avoided. Truth to be told, this doesn’t just apply to aspartame, but other artificial ingredients as well. Aspartame just happens to be one of the most infamous artificial ingredients out there.

Some of the different symptoms related to the consumption of aspartame include headaches, muscle spasms, slurred speach, heart palpitations, and memory loss. Keep in mind that this is a very short list, as this artificial ingredient has been tied to dozens of different symptoms and conditions. One of the most interesting sources I’ve come across on the dangers of aspartame is on Dr. Mercola’s website (www.mercola.com), as there’s an article entitled “Apartame: What You Don’t Know Can’t Hurt You”. The article talks about the three chemicals aspartame is made up of (aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol), and discusses how these chemicals can cause problems.

For example, Dr. Mercola discusses how Dr. Russell L. Blaylock, who is a professor of neurosurgery at the Medical University of Mississipi, published a book which showed the damage caused by the ingestion of excessive aspartic acid from aspartame, using almost 500 scientific references. You can of course read this article to find out specifically how aspartame causes damage.

Dr. Mercola also discusses how ingesting aspartame can lead to high levels of phenylalanine, which can also lead to numerous health issues: “Excessive levels of phenylalanine in the brain can cause the levels of seratonin in the brain to decrease, leading to emotional disorders such as depression. It was shown in human testing that phenylalanine levels of the blood were increased significantly in human subjects who chronically used aspartame.”

As for methanol, which is the third ingredient in aspartame, the article reveals that no more than 7.8 mg of methanol should be consumed daily, but “a one-liter (approx. 1 quart) aspartame-sweetened beverage contains about 56 mg of methanol. Heavy users of aspartame-containing products consume as much as 250 mg of methanol daily or 32 times the EPA limit.” As for the symptoms from consuming too much methanol, the article states that “symptoms from methanol poisoning include headaches, ear buzzing, dizziness, nausea, gastrointestinal disturbances, weakness, vertigo, chills, memory lapses, numbness and shooting pains in the extremities, behavioral disturbances, and neuritis.”

Does Aspartame Affect Thyroid Health?

As for whether aspartame directly causes harm to the thyroid gland, this artificial sweetener seems to affect the entire endocrine system. There seems to be a lot of “case studies” which suggest that this ingredient can affect thyroid gland activity. There have been people with both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism who stopped taking aspartame and showed a quick improvement in their condition.

I did try to do some research regarding the chemical components of asparatame, and while I couldn’t find any evidence that an excess in the amount of aspartic acid directly causes harm to the thyroid gland, it does seem that excess amounts of phenylalanine and methanol can lead to thyroid malfunction. For example, while phenylalanine is important for the formation of thyroid hormone, an excess of phenylalanine has been show to prevent an adequate amount of tyrosine from reaching the thyroid gland, which of course can affect thyroid function. An excess of methanol also seems to have an effect on thyroid health.

The truth is that while consuming aspartame can potentially cause or contribute to a thyroid condition, it does seem that most of the symptoms and conditions related to the consumption of aspartame are neurological in nature. Of course just like the thyroid gland, the nervous system affects every single tissue and cell in the body, and so either way, it’s a good idea to avoid aspartame. And as I mentioned earlier, it of course is best to minimize your consumption of all artificial ingredients. Although aspartame has been linked to many different symptoms and conditions, other artificial ingredients can also have a negative effect on your health.

In fact, even when following a natural treatment protocol for your thyroid or autoimmune thyroid condition it isn’t necessary to be “perfect”. Don’t get me wrong, as you definitely need to be more strict when you are first following a natural treatment protocol. But as an example, when I first began following a natural treatment protocol, I ate mostly whole foods, but I had Standard Process protein bars a few days each week. While they are healthier than most other protein bars sold on the market, they still have a couple of questionable ingredients, one of which is soy lecithin. Even though I ate these protein bars I still received great results, mainly because I was strict with just about everything else.

To be frank, at that time I wasn’t as aware of the ” health risks” of consuming products like soy and gluten. In the past I regularly ate soy-based chicken nuggets, and other processed foods which contained soy on a frequent basis. And I also ate foods with gluten reguarly as well. These days I of course eat much better, but I still eat some Standard Process protein bars every now and then, and I also eat some foods with gluten, etc.  Of course some people do need to avoid gluten and other common allergens on a permanent basis, but that’s not the point of this post.  The point is that if perfection in eating and lifestyle were required to restore one’s health back to normal, most people following a natural treatment protocol wouldn’t receive good results. In February of this year my family and I went on a Disney Cruise, and while I tried eating well and attempted not to trash my good eating habits, I knew I was going to eat some junk food while I was on vacation. So while I eat well most of the time, I’m not an extremist by any means.

In fact, I’m not afraid to admit that some of my patients who have restored their health back to normal eat better than I do. Once again, I eat better than most other people reading this post, but whereas I will go out every now and then for a slice of non-organic, non gluten-free pizza, some people are strict and will eat everything organic and gluten free. Of course some people are forced to eat better than me, as for example, someone with a severe gluten sensitivity will need to avoid gluten on a permanent basis.

Would I be better off eating organic 100% of the time and completely avoiding foods with soy lecithin and gluten? Probably, but that’s my choice. I could lie and claim I eat everything organic, avoid gluten and dairy completely, even when on vacation, but I don’t want people to think they have to eat a perfect diet and live a perfect lifestyle to overcome their thyroid or autoimmune thyroid condition, and then maintain a perfect diet and lifestyle thereafter. Plus, it would of course be embarrassing to tell everyone I ate perfect, and then bump into someone while I had a slice of pizza in my hand, or perhaps someone would come across a digital photo posted on the internet that was taken of me on the Disney Cruise eating ice cream with Mickey Mouse!

Speaking of the cruise, I was pleasantly surprised that some of the restaurants on the Disney Cruise offered organic chicken.  So I did have some healthy meals, but of course ate some unhealthy food too.  Normally I do a detoxification shortly after vacation, but this time I took a different approach and decided to do one about 6 weeks before the cruise.

In any case, if you are hesitant to follow a natural treatment protocol because you think it is going to be challenging, then you are correct. However, if you think you need to be perfect in order to receive great results, then you are mistaken. And for those who don’t want to begin such a protocol because they fear they will need to avoid all junk food for the rest of their life, this definitely isn’t true, although you will need to eat well most of the time. But for many people, eating foods with soy lecithin, gluten, and dairy every now and then won’t be a big issue, although there without questions are exceptions.

Many people assume that just because something is natural this means it is completely safe.  But this isn’t true, and two good examples of this are with herbs and bioidentical hormones.  I consult with a lot of people who have taken herbs and/or bioidentical hormones on their own.  And truth to be told, most of the time doing this isn’t going to harm someone, although in the case of natural hormones it can lead to some severe problems if one doesn’t know what they’re doing, which pretty much describes 99.9% of people.

Let’s first talk about supplements and herbs.  I have told the story in the past about how many years ago, not too long ago after I graduated from chiropractic school, how I purchased some supplements in order to do a detoxification.  At the time I didn’t know too much about nutritional supplements and herbs, but I purchased a few of them, and the first night after I took them I woke up in the middle of the night because I had a strong urge to urinate.  However, I was unable to urinate, which as you can imagine was an extremely uncomfortable feeling.  Actually I was able to urinate, but it took about ten to fifteen minutes to “squeeze” out the urine.

I went to the medical doctor the next day and got my first prostate check, had a urinalysis performed, and everything came back negative.  I stopped taking the supplements, and was able to urinate again without a problem.  But of course I had to make sure it was the supplements I took which was responsible for this problem, and so a few days later I foolishly took the supplements again, and sure enough the same problem happened.

Now once again, such problems when taking nutritional supplements and herbs might be rare, but they do happen.  This is one reason why I constantly talk about seeking the advice of an expert.  Another reason is because even if no problems arise when taking nutritional supplements and herbs on your own, the chances of receiving optimal results are slim unless if you have a great deal of knowledge about these supplements and herbs, which most people don’t.

Taking natural hormones can without question cause greater problems.  It is not uncommon for me to consult with someone who has experienced an overdose when taking bioidentical hormones.  This is especially common with progesterone creams.  And one reason for this is because one really can’t tell how much of a hormone a person needs.  Everyone is different, and so different people will require different dosages.  After all, we weren’t meant to take bioidentical hormones, as our amazing bodies know exactly how much hormone is needed.  When someone suffers a hormone imbalance, it’s not due to the fault of the body, but usually due to some external problem.

This doesn’t mean that I never recommend bioidentical hormones, as there are some cases when I will.  But I don’t dispense them to all of my patients, although I can’t say the same for some other doctors.  While bioidentical hormones can help some people, they have been abused, and just because they are natural does not mean they are completely safe.

People will argue that taking bioidentical hormones is no different than taking nutritional supplements.  But it is very different, as hormones are supposed to be produced within the body, and not taken externally.  The same isn’t true about the vitamins and minerals we need.  Plus, hormones are extremely powerful, which is a big reason why they can lead to so many problems.

In summary, even though supplements, herbs, and bioidentical hormones are considered to be “natural”, this doesn’t mean they are safe.  This is especially true with natural hormones such as progesterone and testosterone, as taking such hormones might be necessary sometimes, but most of the time they aren’t needed.  And when it is necessary to take them, you really should consult with an expert.  Of course one problem is that most doctors aren’t experts when it comes to bioidentical hormones, as many also assume since they are “natural” that they are safe.  So you need to be careful when choosing a doctor, making sure they don’t recommend bioidentical hormones to most or all of their patients.   And you also want to be careful when taking supplements and herbs on your own, as my personal experience shows that problems can arise when self-treating your condition.

However, you want to be careful when using red yeast rice, as even though it’s a natural product, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t any risks associated with taking it.  Just as is the case with statins, taking red yeast rice to lower cholesterol can actually affect your thyroid health.

Cholesterol Is Important For Proper Thyroid Health

Even though many people have a negative perception of cholesterol, the truth is that cholesterol is extremely important for proper thyroid health.  The reason for this is because cholesterol is the precursor for both the steroid hormones and the adrenal hormones.  So while you of course don’t want to have too high of a cholesterol level, if the levels are too low then this can lead to a deficiency in progesterone, testosterone, and cortisol, as well as other hormones which are essential for proper thyroid health.

So what cholesterol level is considered to be too high?  Most medical doctors will recommend for their patients to have a cholesterol level below 200, and some will actually recommend a cholesterol level below 180.  The truth is that in most cases, having a cholesterol level between 200 and 250 isn’t something to be too concerned about.  And this just isn’t my opinion, as the research supports this.  You’ll no doubt be told that having high levels can increase your risk of developing heart disease and strokes.  Once again, having extremely high cholesterol levels can lead to health issues, but the same can be said with very low levels.  In fact, many people who take red yeast rice or statins are doing themselves more harm than good.

But why do so many medical doctors recommend for their patients to take cholesterol-lowering medication such as statins?  There are essentially two reasons:

1. They don’t know any better. This obviously shouldn’t be the case with the training and experience that most medical doctors have, but the truth is, they don’t seem to pay much attention to the physiology of the body in many cases.  This of course isn’t just true with regards to lowering cholesterol, but in other areas as well.  In hyperthyroidism or Graves’ Disease, the solution in the eyes of many medical doctors is to obliterate the thyroid gland, even when the symptoms aren’t too severe.  With hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, synthetic thyroid hormone is almost always recommended.  Similarly, for high cholesterol, most medical doctors will recommend statin for someone with “high” cholesterol levels.

This doesn’t mean that some people can’t benefit from taking statins.  When someone has a very high cholesterol level, then perhaps giving that person statins on a temporary basis isn’t a bad idea.  The problem is that many doctors don’t do anything to address the cause behind the high cholesterol problem.

2. The influence of the billion dollar pharmaceutical industry. Of course the more statins are sold, the more money the drug industry makes.  It should come as no surprise then that the drug industry would want medical doctors to recommend statins to everyone with high cholesterol levels.  While it may seem like common sense to recommend statins, when you consider that in most cases high cholesterol levels are caused by lifestyle factors (and not a deficiency of cholesterol-lowering medication), the primary goal should be to have the person modify these lifestyle factors.

Once again, I’m not suggesting that statins are never necessary.  I realize that lifestyle factors aren’t the only factor responsible for high cholesterol levels.  Plus, if someone has extremely high cholesterol levels, even if it is due to lifestyle factors it might be necessary for them to take statins or red yeast rice on a temporary basis.  So I’m not going to argue that some people might benefit from taking statins or red yeast rice, although I definitely think statins are overused, and in some people will affect the production of progesterone and/or other hormones which can in turn affect thyroid health.

In summary, while you don’t want your cholesterol levels to be too high, having too low of a cholesterol level can affect the production of certain hormones, which in turn can affect your thyroid health.  So while some people may benefit from taking red yeast rice or statins, many people really don’t need to lower their cholesterol.  And many who do need to do this can accomplish this by eating better and exercising regularly.

Whatever the cause of the thyroid hair loss in the person with hypothyroidism is, the ideal goal should be to correct the underlying cause of the condition.  While some people with hypothyroidism do need to take synthetic or natural thyroid hormone on a permanent basis, others can have their health restored back to normal through a natural treatment protocol. And when this is the case, the thyroid hair loss problem many times is corrected.

Other Potential Causes Of Hair Loss In People With Hypothyroidism

In addition to an imbalance in thyroid hormone resulting in hair loss in people with hypothyroidism, an imbalance in other hormones can result in this as well.  I’ve discussed the condition estrogen dominance in other articles, which is an imbalance in the hormones estrogen and progesterone.  Estrogen dominance can also lead to hair loss in people with hypothyroidism.  As a result, just giving a person with this condition thyroid hormone might help with the hypothyroid symptoms, but if estrogen dominance is responsible for the hair loss then one obviously needs to address the cause.

The problem is that many endocrinologists don’t evaluate the estrogen and progesterone levels of their patients.  And those that do usually will only perform a one sample test, which might be sufficient for menopausal women, but definitely isn’t adequate for cycling women.  For cycling women, their hormones are in a constant state of fluctuation, which is why a one sample test usually isn’t sufficient to determine whether they have estrogen dominance.  This is why I recommend a cycling female hormone panel for cycling women, as it tests for estrogen and progesterone (and other hormones) every three days during a woman’s cycle.

When someone with hypothyroidism has hair loss due to estrogen dominance, putting that person on a specific natural treatment protocol can help to correct this condition.  Some doctors will recommend bioidentical hormones to address the problem, which very well might help with the hormone imbalance and in turn with the thyroid hair loss.  However, giving natural hormones won’t correct the cause of the problem, which is why I try to avoid giving bioidentical hormones if at all possible.  And when I do recommend them, it is usually on a temporary basis.

There are other possible causes of hair loss in people with hypothyroidism, such as certain medications (antidepressants and oral contraceptives are examples), as well as nutritional deficiencies.  Some people with a zinc deficiency will experience hair loss.  Chronic stress can also lead to hair loss, and of course many people deal with chronic stress on a regular basis.  So in these cases, correcting the cause of the problem will usually help with the hair loss.

Can Nutritional Supplements Help With Thyroid Hair Loss?

Taking certain nutritional supplements can help some people with hypothyroidism who are experiencing hair loss.  Just as is the case with giving medication or natural hormones, one doesn’t just want to give supplements instead of addressing the actual cause.  While some supplements can be given on a temporary basis, the ultimate goal should be to find the underlying cause and then correct it if at all possible.  Of course some supplements are recommended to help address the cause of the hair loss.  In any case, here are some of the supplements which might be able to help with certain hair loss issues in people who have hypothyroidism:

• Evening Primose Oil

• L-lysine and L-arginine

• Vitamin C and Vitamin E

Of course before taking any nutritional supplements, or natural hormones for that matter, it is wise to first consult with a competent holistic doctor to see if they can find the underlying cause of your hair loss problem.  This of course is better than just managing the symptoms.

In summary, natural treatment methods can help many people with hypothyroidism who are experiencing hair loss.  Just as is the case with many other conditions, the ultimate goal should be to detect the underlying cause of the problem, whether it be the reduction in thyroid hormone, estrogen dominance, or a nutritional deficiency.

So while the ultimate goal is to restore the health of the person’s digestive system, some people do need some additional digestive support on a temporary basis.  Then once they have a healthy digestive system they can usually wean off of these supplements.

1. Digestive Enzymes. Taking quality digestive enzymes can help to properly digest the food you eat and any nutritional supplements you take.  When someone has problems with their digestive system it probably will take at least a few months to completely heal the digestive system to the point where it can properly digest the food they eat and the supplements they take on its own.  So if your digestive system isn’t functioning properly then you probably will need to take digestive enzymes for awhile.  Some people continue to take digestive enzymes on a maintenance basis to further help with the digestive process.

2. Probiotics. Many people take probiotics to help replenish the healthy bacteria of the gut.  It is especially important to take probiotics if one is on antibiotics, as these drugs kill both the harmful bacteria, as well as the good bacteria.  In addition to there being probiotic supplements, certain foods such as yogurt contain these healthy bacteria as well.  So if you eat yogurt then this will also supply you with some probiotics.  Of course if you’re avoiding dairy then you just might want to stick with taking some supplements.  Plus, many people eat flavored yogurt, which usually has a high sugar content, and thus can potentially do more harm than good.

3. Betaine Hydrochloride(HCL). Although millions of people take acid-stopping medication to reduce the production of acid in the stomach, the fact remains that many people have insufficient stomach acid.  When this is the problem, taking Betain HCL with pepsin can help with this.  You want to take this with food to avoid stomach burning.  If someone has an overproduction of stomach acid then taking this will exacerbate your digestive issues, and probably will cause burning.  This is why it’s important to begin with a lower dosage, and caution should be taken if you already have symptoms such as stomach burning.

Standard Process has a digestive supplement called Zypan, which actually contains a combination of Betaine hydrochloride and digestive enzymes, including pepsin and pancreatin (which in turn contains amylase, lipase, and protease).  If someone is experiencing stomach burning then they should not take this supplement.  In fact, if someone is having severe digestive issues then it’s a good idea to consult with a competent holistic doctor before taking any of the supplements I have discussed here.

When Can You Stop Taking Nutritional Supplements For Digestion?

As I mentioned earlier, it will take at least a few months to heal the digestive system.  This process usually takes a minimum of three to six months, and can take longer in some people.  In order to heal the digestive system one needs to eat a diet consisting mostly of whole foods, and cut out the refined foods and sugars.  Certain allergens such as gluten should also be eliminated during the healing process.  And needless to say, one should be drinking purified water and avoid drinking soda, coffee, etc.  In addition to taking nutritional supplements to help with the digestive process, other supplements may need to be taken as well in order to address certain nutritional deficiencies one may have.

Once someone’s digestive health has been restored then they can begin weaning off these supplements.  Once again, some people do choose to take some of these supplements on a maintenance basis, especially the enzymes and probiotics.  Whether you want to do this is of course completely up to you.

In summary, these are some of the nutritional supplements which can help with digestion.  Although many people will take these supplements and continue to eat unhealthy foods, the obvious goal should be to do what it takes to restore your digestive health back to normal.  So one really should try to eat well.  To be honest, when it comes to restoring the health of your digestive system, a lot of this you can do on your own, although some people can benefit from food allergy testing, a detoxification program, as well as other factors to help improve their digestive health.  So while you can and should do some of the basics on your own, for optimal results consult with a competent holistic doctor.

Let’s take a look at two different scenarios.  Scenario #1 involves a patient with Graves’ Disease who has a stress level of “7″, but their stress handling skills is a “9″.  Scenario #2 involves a patient with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis who has a stress level of “5″, but their stress handling skills is a “2″.  The fact that they have two different conditions doesn’t matter.  What I want to focus on is their stress levels and stress handling skills.

While the patient in scenario #1 has higher stress levels than the patient in scenario #2, she also has significantly greater stress handling skills.  If both of these patients were following a natural treatment protocol and didn’t do anything to further improve their stress handling skills, patient #1 would have a better chance of recovering.  Obviously there are factors other than stress which play a role in one’s recovery, but stress is a huge factor.  So if everything else were equal and the only difference between these two patients was with the different stress handling skills, the patient with the greater stress handling skills would have a better chance of recovering, even if they dealt with more stress on a regular basis.

In fact, if someone has poor stress handling skills and doesn’t do anything to improve this, even if they follow all of my other recommendations, it will be almost impossible for this person to achieve optimal health.  They could eat a perfect diet, take the recommended supplements, get sufficient sleep, minimize their exposure to environmental toxins, etc.  But if they are unable to manage their stress, they will not fully recover.

Chronic Stress Weakens Both The Adrenal Glands And The Immune System

The reason why someone with chronic stress won’t be able to achieve optimal health is because this stress will impact both the adrenal glands and the immune system.  Chronic stress will cause the adrenal glands to secrete cortisol, which over a long period of time will weaken the adrenal glands.  And as I’ve discussed in the past, weak adrenal glands will also affect immunity.  So it really is critical that someone does a good job of managing their stress.

I’m pretty sure that stress was one of the main factors in my development of Graves’ Disease.  I have had some patients ask me what I have done to better deal with the stress.  While there are many different stress management techniques one can use (yoga, meditation, etc.), the truth is that I didn’t use any specific technique to manage my stress.  Eating healthy and exercising regularly definitely helps me to better deal with stress.  But a lot of it is mental in nature, as while there definitely is no shortage of stress in my life, I’ve just learned to handle it much better.  In other words, just being aware of the impact stress had on my health has helped improve my stress handling skills over the years.  This doesn’t mean I can’t further improve it, as I probably should do some meditation or yoga.

Of course I realize it’s not easy to rate one’s stress handling skills.  And many people have a tendency to overestimate their ability to manage stress.  If you were to ask me a few years before I was diagnosed with Graves’ Disease to rate my stress handling skills on a scale of 1 to 10, I probably would have put an 8 or 9, although it probably was more like a 4 or 5.  So while I do pay attention to what people put down on the questionnaires, I realize that some people think they do a good job of managing the stress in their life, but in reality they need to greatly improve their stress handling skills.

In summary, if you’re looking to restore your health back to normal by following a natural thyroid treatment protocol, then it is essential for you to develop good stress handling skills.  If you don’t do this and if you deal with a lot of stress on a regular basis then it will be nearly impossible to achieve optimal health, even if you follow all of the other recommendations of the holistic doctor you’re consulting with.

While I’m not completely opposed to having my patients take natural progesterone, as well as other bioidentical hormones, I usually don’t recommend them taking any natural hormones unless absolutely necessary.  An example of this would be a woman who received a complete hysterectomy, as there is a good chance that this person would need to take natural progesterone.  On the other hand, I have consulted with numerous cycling women who currently take or have taken natural progesterone, and this usually is unnecessary, although there of course are exceptions.  The same concept applies to men, as many men who are low in testosterone take bioidentical testosterone, which usually isn’t necessary.

Why Are Many Doctors Recommending Natural Hormones?

If there are risks when taking bioidentical hormones, then why do so many doctors recommend them to their patients?  First of all, I wouldn’t assume that natural hormones are completely safe just because doctors advise their patients to take them.  As we are all aware of, there are many medications and other conventional medical treatment methods which are risky, yet recommended frequently by medical doctors (radioactive iodine anyone?).  So I wouldn’t assume that bioidentical hormones don’t have any risks just because they are recommended by numerous doctors.

Many people assume that bioidentical hormones are safe not because they are recommended by many healthcare professionals, but because they are natural.  Plus, just like nutritional supplements, people can easily purchase natural progesterone and other bioidentical hormones online.  So because they are “natural” and are readily available, AND at the same time are recommended by numerous doctors, many people think that natural hormones are completely harmless.

The Difference Between Bioidentical Hormones & Nutritional Supplements

Many people think of natural hormones as being similar to taking nutritional supplements.  But hormones are very complex, and should not be mistaken as being the same as supplements and herbs.  While there are risks with taking certain supplements and herbs, it is much easier to develop problems from taking hormones, as they are very powerful.  One of the most common problems with hormones is overdosing.  For example, many people take bioidentical progesterone or testosterone.  Doing so will frequently make the person feel better initially, but there is the potential to overdose, which can lead to a whole host of symptoms.  This is true even when you are careful with taking specific dosages, as especially with hormone creams there is a good chance of overdosing.

When Are Bioidentical Hormones Necessary To Take?

Although I’m not in favor of giving bioidentical hormones out like candy, there are times when I will recommend them to my patients.  The main problem I have is that they don’t get to the underlying cause of the problem. So for example, if someone has a deficiency in progesterone, testosterone, or any other hormone, then I want to find out what caused the deficiency.  This is similar to the approach I take with hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, as I want to find out why the person has a deficiency or excess in thyroid hormone, and not just give thyroid hormone to people with hypothyroidism, or a drug to suppress the production of thyroid hormone in people with hyperthyroidism.

So there are essentially two cases when I will recommend bioidentical hormones to my patients:

1. When the person has had a gland or organ removed. As I mentioned previously, a good example of this is when I consult with a woman who has had a complete hysterectomy, as there is a good chance this person will need to take natural progesterone because her body no longer can produce a sufficient amount on its own.

2. When someone has a severe deficiency. If someone has a severe deficiency then I also may give that person natural hormones on a TEMPORARY basis.  So for example, if someone has very low DHEA levels then I very well might have that person take DHEA on a temporary basis.  On the other hands, an herb like Tribulus can sometimes raise low DHEA levels in menopausal women and men, and so not everyone with a low DHEA level needs to take bioidentical DHEA.  But when someone with a severe deficiency needs to take bioidentical hormones, my goal is to put them on them temporarily.

Warning: Most Healthcare Professionals Don’t Know Much About Natural Hormones

One of the big problems is that many healthcare professionals don’t know much about bioidentical hormones, yet they recommend them frequently to their patients.  Some have had a weekend crash course, while others don’t know any more than their patients.  So you really do need to be careful when speaking with any healthcare professional about bioidentical hormones.  And if you have a deficiency, don’t hesitate to ask your doctor “why do I have the deficiency, and how will taking these hormones permanently correct it?”  Don’t be surprised if they don’t have a good answer for you.

In summary, although bioidentical hormones such as natural progesterone can help many people, you need to remember that in most cases they don’t do anything for the underlying cause of the problem.  The truth is that most people don’t need to take any natural hormones, and when they do need to take them, it usually should be on a temporary basis.  And please don’t take bioidentical hormones on your own, as you really do want to speak with someone who is competent in this area, as this can lead to a lot of problems.  This is especially true if you are taking hormone creams.

In the past I have written articles and posts regarding “unsupportive” friends and family members.  One of my recommendations is to try to avoid those people who don’t support your decision to follow a natural thyroid treatment protocol AND who constantly nag you about this. But of course this is difficult to accomplish with your spouse, and so if you are looking into natural treatment methods but have an unsupportive spouse, then you need to try educating them about the safety and effectiveness of such methods. This can admittedly be challenging to do, but it’s definitely worth attempting this.

So how can you accomplish this?  After all, you can’t force anyone to be open minded and embrace natural treatment methods.  But you can try to convince them to take an hour or two of their time to look at some of the benefits of following a natural treatment protocol, as well as some of the risks of conventional medical treatment.  Here are a few of the ways you can do this:

1. Have them visit this website. However, I wouldn’t just give them the website address and tell them to read some articles.  I would choose a few select articles and/or videos for them to watch.  I would try not to overdo it.  For example, if you have hyperthyroidism or Graves’ Disease and wanted to convince your spouse about the benefits of natural treatment methods and the risks of radioactive iodine treatment, then you might want to have them read the following articles and/or watch the following videos:

Article: Are You Skeptical About Natural Treatment Methods?

http://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/articles/are-you-skeptical-about-natural-thyroid-treatment-methods/

Article: Combining Natural Thyroid Treatment Methods With Conventional Treatment Methods

http://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/articles/combining-natural-thyroid-treatment-methods-with-conventional-treatment-protocols/

Article: Stop Treating The Thyroid Gland!

http://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/articles/stop-treating-thyroid-gland/

Video: Natural Hyperthyroid Treatment Methods: Are They Safe?

http://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/videos/video-natural-hyperthyroid-treatment-methods-safe/

Video: Radioactive Iodine: Why You Should Avoid It

http://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/videos/video-radioactive-iodine-avoid/

Video: Graves’ Disease: Natural Treatment Options

http://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/videos/graves-disease-video-natural-treatment-options/

On the other hand, if you have hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, then you might want to have them read and/or watch the following:

The same three articles I listed above

Video: Natural Hypothyroid Treatment Methods Can Cure Your Thyroid Condition

http://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/videos/video-natural-hypothyroid-treatment-methods-cure-thyroid-condition/

Video: Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Natural Treatment Solutions

http://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/videos/video-hashimotos-thyroiditis-natural-treatment-solutions/

2. Have your spouse listen in on a consultation with a natural endocrine doctor. Have them be a part of your recovery, as if they are at all skeptical about you following a natural treatment protocol, I think it’s a good idea to get them involved.  This way they can hear the doctor tell them all of the benefits, and of course they can ask the doctor any questions they may have.  This can help to overcome many of the objections your spouse may have about you following a natural treatment protocol.

3. Give them some physical material they can read. If your spouse prefers to read physical material rather going online or talking on the phone, then you can give them a book to read.  Or if they don’t want to read an entire book then print up a copy of the free guide I offer online, and have them read this.  They should be able to read this within an hour, and it will give them some valuable information that might make them more supportive of your decision to follow a natural treatment protocol.

Obviously there will be some people who refuse to do any of the above things.  And while reading an entire book may be a lot to ask, asking your spouse to read a few articles and/ or a couple of videos won’t take too much of their time.  There of course still will be some people who can’t be convinced of the benefits of natural treatment methods.  For these people there really isn’t much you can do, other than stick to your guns and hope that your spouse doesn’t become too big of a nuisance in trying to persuade you to stick with the conventional medical treatment protocol.