Millions of people have thyroid conditions, and many of these people wonder whether genetics play a major role in the development of their disorder. In fact, I’ve had numerous patients ask me as to whether genetics is the primary reason why they have a thyroid condition, and whether this would prevent them from receiving good results when following a natural thyroid treatment protocol.
The truth is that many people with thyroid conditions have genetic markers which will make them more susceptible to developing such a condition. However, research is showing that just because someone has a genetic marker for a thyroid condition does not necessarily mean they will develop such a disorder. Although genetics does play a role, more and more studies are showing that lifestyle factors play an even greater role. So even if you have a genetic marker for a thyroid condition, this does not mean you will develop such a condition. And if you already have a thyroid condition, including an autoimmune thyroid disorder such as Graves’ Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, you can still restore your health back to normal by following a natural thyroid treatment protocol…even when having a genetic marker.
This is good news, as while some people might have an increased chance of developing a thyroid condition due to genetic factors, most of these people who don’t have a thyroid condition can take steps to prevent such a disorder from developing. And those people who do have an existing thyroid condition can potentially restore their health back to normal by following a natural thyroid treatment protocol, despite having a genetic marker for such a disorder.
Studies Show That Lifestyle Factors Play A Greater Role Than Genetics
Obviously I don’t expect anyone just to take my word for it that lifestyle factors play a greater role than genetics in determining whether or not someone has a thyroid condition. So if you want to read more about this, there are actually a few books out there which will discuss this topic. One book is called “Outsmart Your Genes: How Understanding Your DNA Will Empower You to Protect Yourself Against Cancer, Alzheimer’s, Heart Disease, Obesity, and Many Other Conditions”, which is written Dr. Scott Colby, and goes into detail about genetics and predictive medicine, and how using genetic testing can help to prevent the development of certain conditions, including thyroid disorders. Another book, called the “Biology of Belief”, by Bruce Lipton, also talks about genetics and how genes and DNA aren’t the sole factors when it comes to developing certain conditions.
Just keep in mind that these books aren’t specific to thyroid conditions. For example, in the book “Outsmart Your Genes” (which by the way is a very medically-oriented book), Dr. Colby talks about some of the different conditions which are determined by a combination of genetic and nongenetic factors. In addition to thyroid conditions being heavily influenced by lifestyle factors, other conditions include heart disease, cancer, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and arthritis. Without question, there are certain diseases solely determined by genetics, and that aren’t influenced by lifestyle factors. Some examples of these diseases are Tay-Sachs and cystic fibrosis. While there might not be much we can do to prevent or cure a disease such as cystic fibrosis, many of these other conditions I just listed can be prevented or cured.
How To Find Out If You Have A Genetic Marker For A Thyroid Condition
These days it is actually possible to find out if you have a genetic marker for a thyroid condition, along with other conditions. I’m not going to go into detail about this, as if you read the book “Outsmart Your Genes”, it will talk about how you can find out which genetic markers you have through genetic testing. Dr. Colby also includes examples of labs in his book where you can go to obtain such testing.
While I think this information can be useful, I’m definitely not at the point where I would recommend that my patients receive genetic testing to find out if they have a genetic marker for a thyroid condition. Because in all honesty it’s not going to change my approach with regards to the natural treatment protocol I’m going to recommend. The one advantage such testing could have is that it would make people more aware of the conditions they are susceptible to. So perhaps people would be more compliant if they knew they had a genetic marker for a thyroid condition. In any case, I don’t require, or even bring up genetic testing when consulting with patients, and I don’t see this changing in the near future.
Will A Genetic Marker Prevent A Thyroid Condition From Being Permanently Cured?
If you currently have a thyroid condition, and at the same time have a genetic marker for such a disorder, then you might wonder if this would prevent your condition from being permanently cured. In other words, even if following a natural thyroid treatment protocol restores your health back to normal, will having this genetic marker put you at risk of having a relapse in the future? I don’t know if there is a specific answer to this, but my response is “probably so”. The reason is because while a natural thyroid treatment protocol can potentially restore a person’s health back to normal, if someone has a genetic marker for a thyroid or an autoimmune thyroid condition, and then goes on to neglect these lifestyle factors, then there is a good chance they will suffer a relapse over time.
However, this might also hold true for those who don’t have a genetic marker for a thyroid condition. In other words, if someone without a genetic marker develops a thyroid condition solely due to lifestyle factors, restores their health through natural treatment methods, and then neglects their health again, then there is a good chance they will suffer a relapse.
So while there is always a chance for a relapse to occur whether someone has a genetic marker or not, if you do restore your health back to normal and then maintain your health, then this will obviously decrease the chances of you suffering a relapse. In summary, genetics is without question a factor when developing a thyroid condition, but it isn’t the only factor. Lifestyle factors at least play an equally important role, and according to many research studies, these factors are actually more important than genetics.
Other Articles You Might Like To Read:
Why You Can’t Rely Solely On Thyroid Blood Tests [1]
The Difference In Using Natural Thyroid Treatment Methods In Men & Women [2]
Are You Skeptical About Natural Thyroid Treatment Methods? [3]
How A Hair Mineral Analysis Can Determine Thyroid Health [4]
Combining Natural Thyroid Treatment Methods With Conventional Treatment Protocols [5]