For those who are ready to choose natural thyroid treatment methods, but who haven’t already started such a protocol, there are a few things you can do in order to better prepare for such a protocol. Even though following a natural thyroid treatment protocol can potentially restore your health back to normal, as I’ve stated in the past, it is not an easy process. In order for you to have a successful outcome, you need to take responsibility for your health and be prepared for the challenges which lie ahead.
So with that being said, here are some of the things you can do in order to better prepare yourself:
1. Set a specific date when you will begin this protocol. Setting a specific date can help you to better mentally prepare for a natural thyroid treatment protocol. I usually recommend to set a date at least a few weeks out, although some people are eager to begin such a protocol right away, which also is fine. For those who do set a specific date that is at least a few weeks out, this of course doesn’t mean you won’t be making any lifestyle changes before this date, as I’ll discuss some of these changes you’ll want to make below.
But what if you have severe symptoms and want to begin such a protocol right away? Well, what you need to keep in mind is that it will take some time for natural treatment methods to “kick in”. So for example, if you have hyperthyroidism or Graves’ Disease, and if you are experiencing a very high pulse rate and/or other severe symptoms, then you might need to take prescription drugs on a temporary basis to manage these symptoms. Even though I didn’t take this approach, there is nothing wrong with using prescription drugs on a temporary basis, and sometimes it is a wise thing to do in order to manage the symptoms.
2. Begin eating well. While it’s great if you can eliminate all of the refined foods and sugars, dairy, and some other foods from your diet immediately, many people need to take this process slowly. I’ve spoken about this in the past, and how someone who eats junk food daily and has been doing so for many years might want to eliminate a certain type of food every few days, or even once a week. So for example, if they drink a lot of sodas and other soft drinks, then the first three days can be dedicated to eliminating sodas and soft drinks from their diet. Then perhaps after this is done, over the next three days they can eliminate another food from their diet, and take this approach until they have cut out all of the refined foods and sugars from their diet, any dairy products, gluten-based products, etc.
I just want to remind you that this doesn’t mean you will be eliminating these foods from your diet permanently, as the initial goal is to stop eating these foods while following a natural thyroid treatment protocol. Then after the first 30 days your condition can be reevaluated to see if any of these foods can be slowly added back into your diet. Obviously this doesn’t mean that you will be able to eat these foods on a regular basis again, as a lot depends on your individual condition, allergens, etc. Many people can eventually begin eating some gluten-based foods, dairy products, and other foods on a moderate basis. On the other hand, there will be some people who are highly allergic to certain foods and therefore won’t be able to begin eating them again. Others might have to wait a number of months until their digestive health is fully restored back to normal before incorporating some or all of these foods into their diet.
3. Focus on modifying other lifestyle factors. In addition to eating well, other lifestyle factors will of course need to be considered. I have spoken about these factors many times in other posts and articles, and it’s a good idea to begin making these changes before you actually start the natural thyroid treatment protocol. For example, if you currently aren’t getting sufficient sleep each night, then you will want to try to make changes in this area. Of course some people won’t be able to sleep better until after they begin a natural thyroid treatment protocol. On the other hand, those people who are neglecting their sleep, whether it’s by staying up late watching television, surfing on the internet, or eating foods high in carbs right before bed, can and should make such changes right away.
You also will want to make changes in other lifestyle factors as well. So if you deal with a lot of stress on a frequent basis, and aren’t doing a good job of managing it, then now is a good time to begin improving your stress handling skills. And the same concept applies to other lifestyle factors as well. Many people will wait until they begin a natural thyroid treatment protocol before they make such changes, but rather than make all of these changes at once, it’s best to begin making these changes before beginning a natural treatment protocol.
4. Choose a holistic doctor you will be comfortable with. I’m going to assume that you will choose to see a holistic doctor, rather than try to self-treat your condition. You obviously want to try choosing a doctor you’re comfortable with, which might seem like common sense. However, since there aren’t a lot of holistic doctors that focus on endocrine disorders, some people will settle for a doctor who either isn’t competent, or might be a good doctor but for some other reason they just don’t feel comfortable working with them. If this is the case then I encourage you to change doctors, as while you can still receive good results under the care of a doctor you are uncomfortable with, you probably will do much better consulting with a doctor that you ARE comfortable with.
5. Keep a positive attitude. When I was diagnosed with Graves’Disease, due to my background I probably was somewhat more optimistic than most people are before beginning a natural treatment protocol. However, this doesn’t mean that I didn’t have my own fears and doubts, as it’s normal to wonder whether these treatment methods will be successful in restoring your health back to normal, and I definitely was a little bit skeptical. However, no matter how skeptical you might be, it will only benefit you to be positive before you begin such a protocol. Once again, the mental and emotional component of your recovery is important, and shouldn’t be overlooked. Despite what you might think or what others tell you, attitude is important.
So these are some of the things you will want to do in order to prepare for a natural thyroid treatment protocol. Without question, making such changes can be a challenge, but it usually is easier when you make them ahead of time, rather than wait until you actually begin such a protocol. Plus, you very well might begin feeling better from a symptomatic perspective even before you begin the actual natural thyroid treatment protocol.