Remedies for Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

I am an avid follower of Dr. Jonathan Wright, and Dr. Mercola. The information on Dr. Wrights site is excellent regarding hypothyroid and Iodine. Two Dr's said in all their yrs of practice, I have the worst case they have ever seen, and described it as "off the charts" I have went from an energetic thin person to overweight, exhausted, depressed and anxiety ridden person overnight. I feel so ill sometimes, I even thought maybe I had cancer. After reading Dr. Wrights site last week, I purchased iodine (colored) to test my iodine, [put the orange color on my inside arm, and it completely disappeared within an hour. I then ran to a health food store, and purchased Iodine, and literally overnight, I felt better than I have in years. In 2 days, the huge lump I had on the right side of my neck, is completely gone. Nothing short of amazing for me. I plan on adding _____s apple cider vinegar next, and a few supplements that are purported to assist.

Iodine supplements must be taken with SELENIUM together.

Otherwise, iodine will actually harm the thyroid.

http://perfecthealthdiet.com/?p=3621

http://perfecthealthdiet.com/?p=3650

Do not take selenium alone, do not take iodine alone.

A friend of mine was just diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease. I read the two articles you included, and I thought they were VERY important articles... That should be read by everyone on Earthclinic and beyond... even if they don't have Hahimotos. We all need to understand the importance of the selenium-iodine balance. Thanks so much!

I take kelp and evening primrose oil daily for my fibrocystic disease. It helps avoid my huge cyst from filling up with fluid. The last time I had it drained the doctor said I broke a record in how many syringes it took to drain... *7*! It was scary experience since I thought the huge swelling in my breast was cancer. Also it was VERY painful! EVENING PRIMROSE OIL + KELP TABs keep it from filling up! No more going to the doc to get it drained! Hope this helps!

Be careful with Kelp.. I took kelp and it turned my Hypo symptoms into hyper, I had to take PTU and got hives when I stopped it cause it made me too low/hypo.. it was horrible.. my doc said no more kelp..

Hello Diego from Albequerce,

You are right, the body does need iodine for the thyroid to function properly, and for a lot of other things including producing hydrochloric acid in the stomach. Just a couple of drops of Lugol's solution or SSKI daily is enough to take care of this, but when you take increased dosage of either for prolonged period you need to have your TSH checked every month or two and if your TSH goes up it tells you to lay off the iodine awhile and let the body return to normal.

For further information on SSKI (saturated solution of potassium iodide which is not much different from the Lugol's solution) type Potassium iodide in a search window and go through references to pull out Dr. Jonathan Wright's great article on SSKI, which tells you what to use it for and how much to use and approximately how long. You can print this out to keep for future reference. After my bout in the hospital last spring, I started taking 6 drops of SSKI daily for multiple purposes (loosen secretions in the head/lungs, get rid of small renal cysts, flush cholesterol out of blood vessels, and also locally for hemorrhoids) but had to drop off after about 2-3 months of this dosage because it did suppress my thyroid (when taking larger dose for prolonged period should have TSH checked every month or two).

The doctor wanted to prescribe me a low dose thyroid supplement but I declined and told her I'd just stop the SSKI temporarily and increase my B complex vitamins (which the thyroid also requires for proper functioning) and have another TSH in a month or two. The next TSH was back to normal, which tells you that when you treat your body right it works with you and balances out.

Another thing you should remember with SSKI or Lugol's solution is that you should never take it with any water containing chlorine as this reacts with it and causes the potassium iodide to revert to iodine.

Dear Diego:

Potassium iodide in general has the least side effects when taking the iodine supplements. A lugol's solution for most people, the use is limited to 1-2 drops. However in the case of a client I know, who has severe Parkinson's disease, they are far more sensitive to the lugol's solution, taken either internally or applied externally to the feet or applied to the throat area. Hence I have found another kind of iodine which produces even less side effects then Edgar Cayce's Nascent Iodine, which is the hydrogen iodide. I had to since this particular case is a hypothyroid. A lot of researchers really got stuck into what forms of iodine has the least side effects and allow the body to utilize them. For most people, I will use lugols' 1-2 drops in the evening with 500 to 1000 mg of vitamin C as it is more available. A potassium iodide will also do fine and has few side effects, but iodine in general will cause some people, at least initially of acne, being the most common problems. In practice, the use of iodine against Hashimoto does reduce them, but it's more likely that a person will not increase in energy. The effects of iodine is because it's a halogen, and a required mineral, it will also drive out cancer causing fluoride and bromine out of the body, even after months of use, it will continue to drive them out. The beneficial effects is it re activates the pineal gland, which is considered your organ's clock mechanism, such as a CPU clock in the computer, and allows for more regular sleep cycle. For example, the common benefits from increase energy is likely more regular sleep patterns which is most responsible for the increase in energy.

The reason why there are conflicting information is the body simply has trouble trying to get iodine and utilized them, as many forms of iodine produces side effect. So the Quick and Dirty rule is commonly used by conventional medicine such as giving out, thyroid medication instead of the use iodine. So you get a quick fix approach, which commercial scale is cost effective, for them, but won't cure your condition as you will end up taking thyroid medication for the rest of your life. So that doesn't make economic sense as a consumer. It just makes economic sense for the conventional medicine approach. As a result the best forms of iodine I have found is hydrogen iodide, nascent iodine, potassium iodide (or a similar form SSKI), are the ones with the least problem. A lugol's makes more economic sense for most people as they are more easy to find, but it's limited by the dose a person can take, which is usually 1-2 drops with vitamin C before sleep and this works too, at least for most people.

The other problem is how to get the body to really utilize the iodine, hence it's possible that lugol's solution can be taken with tyrosine, which helps the body utilize them, but magnesium seems to be also an important factor too, not just vitamin C so the person can take larger dose of iodine without problems. Therefore in event of a hypothyroidism, which in severe cases leads to goiter, it was well known that the use of iodine in larger doses was in fact the cure fo thyroid. This fact is known for over 150 years, but in today's meidicine the quick and dirty rule is slash and burn, which translates to remove the goiter, and take thyroid medication for the rest of your life. That doesn't make sense, so some may rationalize and just say it is shut down.

However, too much iodine might not be possible for the body to utilized them, since other supplements are needed so the body can handle them, such as taking tyrosine amino acid along with the iodine. It would be a boon to actually allow the body to quickly utilize the iodine if other supplements are also taken so it can be cured faster. So if a simple case for most people I would modify taking a bit larger drops of Lugol's solution to say 4-5 drops every night, with vitamin C 1000 mg, and 500 mg of tyrosine supplements. Or a more conservative dose, if someone still have problems is just to limit to 1-2 drops again. Another indirect way is to take the tyrosine supplements 500 mg with vitamin C in the morning followed by a 10 drops in 1/2 glass of water with lugol's solution as just a mouthwash. That should also reduce some of the problems. SO the cause of hypothyroidism and goiter has been the lack of iodine, how we can take them without problems is the real issue. In fact iodine can cured malaria as same as MMS, but both has problems with the side effects and some can handle them, some cannot. It's all about finding the remedies that won't cause problems for a great majority of people, not a small minority of people. In general for the questions of Lugols' versus the potassium iodide, the answer is simply that potassium iodide produces less side effects then the Lugol's solution, such as light headedness is the ones I noticed, but I take in much larger dose, such as 10 drops to test for their side effects. I won't get these problems at 1-2 drops. As for potassium iodide in general, there's no lightheadness problem if the dose are reasonable and keeping it at 10 mg dose or below. It's harder to do a 10 mg dose on Lugol's. In general, Lugols' for most people are easier to obtain then potassium iodide, so if it's hard to get, people will just get Lugol's and get around the problem by taking them at night and take the vitamin C to reduce the side effects of lightheadedness. It's taken during the night because lugol's solution does make you sleepy. Hence it's one of my remedies to help sleep also and allows people for regular sleep patterns.

Ted

I do not take iodine. Just heard too often that it isn't good for people with Hashi's

I have tried iodine/iodide and I have Hashi's hyPOthyroidism. At first, iodine/ide makes me more tired even if I take Vitamin C with it. Then, after a week or so I get more energetic and feel better. Except for one thing. Along with the Hashi's, I also have the thyroid eye disease (ted) that usually comes with Grave's hyPERthyroidism. Iodine seems to make the double vision of the ted much worse and I can't live with the pain behind my eyes or the sensitivity to light when I paint myself with iodine. This doesn't make sense as I am normally very iodine deficient and I know we need iodine. Go figger! Anybody ever dealt with this?

Bill, Thank you for that great information. I believe it's the overproduction of H202 that causes vitiligo, too. So, if I cure the autoimmune thyroid disease, does the vitiligo get better or worse (since you're increasing the H202)?? Lou

Hi Lou.... There are many medical theories concerning vitiligo. Some believe that vitiligo arises because of an over-abundance of hydrogen peroxide in the skin area caused by a lack of anti-oxidants such as catalase enzyme and SOD to get rid of it. The hydrogen peroxide acts as a bleach which turns the brown pigments white. Other minds believe that it is an anti-immune reaction against the cells producing the brown pigment melanin.

Personally, I'll go with Ted's view that vitiligo is caused by fungus. This is really the root cause of vitiligo in my book.

Hi, I have to agree on this. I got Vitiligo in the UK. It is recognized as inward turned stress. If natural remedies don't work, try Nizarol Shampo. Although it's applied to your skin, it does not leak into your body. Others have had great success with Selsian Blue. I am alway's searching for a way to get rid of this Devil!! It hurts!!! It's just not the discolouration, it's the agitation that it causes as well. I belive it's the Major cause of my neuropathic pain! xxx

Follow up to my last post on Vitiligo. Sorry it is called 'SELSUN' in UK... But I think it's 'SELSIUM' in USA. I will go look and correct any other mistakes I may have made. But the 'VITILIGO' forums I went on were USA... I love The American people, they're real honest and open about health problems and willing to share what worked for them, and don't try to sell you some, B.S. product. Also can everyone please 'REPORT' any Links That say's IT'S FREE!! And when you 'click', on the link....... 'THERE IT IS!!!!!!! ' A product being sold????? That's EVIL!!!!!! Some one finds something that 'cured' them..... Then sells Books, E-Books and Products which are all given with good intention on here. OK!!!!! For instance, under 'COPD' Some one posted a so called 'FREE E-BOOK-LINK, I thought I bet it's the 'DR WILLIAM'S PROTOCOL FOR 'H202 ORAL INGESTION'.... So I purchased it. Do not bother!!! I am not stupid, I just wanted to save deperate people from spending money they can't afford, neither can I!!! ALL THE INFO IN THERE HAS BEEN COPIED OFF EC!!!!!!! PLEASE NOTIFY EC....... IF YOU SPOT SOME THING 'DOGEY' I always do. Love Andrea C xxxx

It must have been a detoxifying effect. Not Kombucha. If you never eat fermented food, introduce it slowly. Good article on mercola dot com on fermented food. I am 99. 9% sure it was not kombucha's fault. Google herxheimer reaction.

Are you still taking the tea? Did it help?

Kombucha Tea made me feel worse than ever and did not fixed or cure my Hashimoto's.

My question is to Susan from Seattle, What treatment if any were you using to treat your Hashimoto's? I have read on a Hypothyroid forum that antibodies will lessen as hashimoto's worsen which it will if not treated with thyroid meds (preferably Natural Dessicated thyroid). I am curious to know if you suffer any symptoms of hypothyroidism? I have heard of the many benefits of Kombucha tea but very much want to know if it cured your hypothyroidism or if you are just assuming so because you are not showing antibodies. In a nutshell are you symptom free since taking this and nothing else?

I have just been diagnosed with Hashimoto's and was looking up giving up gluten. I have been drinking homemade kombucha for about three years now. Although I think it's a great immune booster and I really like it, I guess this proves that it's not a cure for everybody. I still hypothyroidism and have had it for around 7 years.

I also came to the conclusion that Kombucha tea could be the answer. I only just received my diagnosis of Hashimoto's disesase. The doctors in my area are not very vigilant about validating their patients' concerns. Therefore, I've been forced to take it upon myself to find a cure for my condition, rather than just be ill for the rest of my life and mask the symptoms with medication. I'll be trying the Kombucha tea cure because I too read about the yersinia bacteria as well as TH1 antibodies.

Dear PinkDiamondz,

I too live in Wisconsin and the doctors here have NO CLUE about Hashi's. I read the book everyone has mentioned, and I knew I had it. My female dr in appleton said that "Hashimoto's is so rare, there is virtually no chance of you having it. " She basically said its all in my head, and that I am "anxious". I persisted, and she said fine, if it will make you stop worrying, I will feel better too, so go to the endocrinologist. After the endocrinologist asked me a few questions, I asked him "with all of these symptoms, is it possible that I might have hashimotos?" He said "Might? There is no doubt you have hasimotos! Its obvious! " Now he put that in my medical record on the computer, but my dr not wanting to admit I was right, left my diagnosis as "Primary Hypothyroidism". I hate the doctors here. They scare the hell out of me. I want to move back to Canada, no offence. Dr. Michael Johnson, a chiropractor in Neenah, WI, deals with hashimotos and give you oxygen therapy, 12 different blood tests, and a bunch of other stuff about your diet, and no gluten. 100% gluten free. But I can't get his help because he only takes credit or cash, and it costs $9,000 and I am on UI. I can't get well because no one will help me. I'm poor and alone. All my relatives are in Nova Scotia. PinkDiamondz, please contact me so we can compare notes by email or phone. I need help desperately. I am getting sicker.
[email protected]

I'm going to look up some more info on that doctor, Michael Johnson. He sounds great!

Hello Susan from Seattle - I am so excited to read your post! I am writing a book about the stories of people who have cured Hashimoto's disease and would love to interview you for the book. Could you please be in touch? If anyone else out there has cured themselves, please be in touch as well. We are all on this site to help each other. Thank you so much, Miriam

I was just wondering if you have written your book yet. I have Hashimoto's and I'm trying to find a way to get off meds and improve my immune system.

Zander,

Ivermectin is an anti-parasitic drug, so if it is able to alleviate your disease, then chances are you have got parasites in or around your thyroid.

Why is it that you keep getting misdiagnosed? Because medical schools ignore parasites as much as they can, I.e. the typical MD is trained to ignore parasites, AND blame their action on something else, such as autoimmunity.

No, I am not saying that TPO antibodies behave like parasites in the body. What I am saying is that you might have a microscopic intracellular parasite infestation resulting in the inflammation of your thyroid and the presence of TPO antibodies.

May I suggest you continue using an anti-parasitic drug such as Ivermectin, and stop saying it is an autoimmune disorder.

I hope this will help.

Have you watched on youtube

You Can Beat Thyroid Disorders...Naturally!

I recommend.It is 1.5 hours long and I learned many things I did not know.

Hi Lynda...Regarding supplementing iodine, these links will give you the most useful advice on form, dosages, frequency etc:

The Guide to Supplementing Iodine

The Role of Iodine Companion Nutrients

Iodine Research

My own preference, and the preference of many independent researchers is to use either the lugol's iodine or Iodoral forms. Triiodide, in the form of Nascent Iodine(NI), is usually given at too low dosages to be effective. NI is also not as good as the other two forms -- for instance the triiodide or NI form will not detox your body as well lugol's iodine or Iodoral which contain all three useful iodine forms -- triiodide, molecular iodine and iodide which all have considerable beneficial action in the body.

Here's some more research on using iodine supplementation for Hashimoto's:

Hashimoto's Questions Answered

Hashimoto's and the Importance of Selenium

Hashimoto's is an autoimmune disorder where your antibodies end up attacking your TPO enzyme in the thyroid. This happens because there is insufficient glutathione peroxidase in the thyroid cells to prevent the excess build-up of hydrogen peroxide free radicals(which are naturally produced from the thyroid hormone producing process). Normal amounts of glutathione peroxidase act to quickly quench these free radicals, so if you are deficient in glutathione then these free radicals will act to oxidize and change the TPO protein structure which the antibodies immediately recognize as the enemy -- so they attack TPO, further damaging the thyroid.

Proper amounts of glutathione peroxidase can only be generated with proper levels of selenium intake in the diet because the central metallic atom for glutathione is selenium.

Some more information on this concerning other factors which might also be involved in Hashimoto's:

Hashimoto's and Molecular Mimicry

i also would not worry to much about your TSH going up if you take the iodine. The TSH normally always goes back down to normal after awhile. I would also monitor your Free T3 and Free T4 periodically, since this is a much more accurate and proper measurement of your thyroid hormone levels. So I wouldn't worry too much about your TSH levels:

TSH: Why This Measurement is Useless

I would first just take all the companion nutrients with no iodine for 3 or 4 days to build up the minerals and enzymes to necessary and adequate levels in order to accommodate the thyroid process. When you start supplement with iodine, start small and go slow until you reach the proper daily dose.

I would also take the the daily dose of iodine in smaller split dosages during the day. Avoid taking larger dose iodine during the evening because it tends to energize you -- and might cause difficulty with sleeping.

Hi Bill, sorry for the delay and thank you very much for all that information. I will purchase Lugol's and give it a try and see how I go. I will give you a follow up of my progress..thank you again and now some reading..Thank you:)

Yes, thanks, Sam and sorry for the delay, it was very interesting and definitely food for thought....thank you again, Lynda (it was a long video)

The vitamins that usually go along with iodine are Selenium, Sulfur, Magnesium, B6(which helps the body story more Magnesium), and Niacin.

The Guy Abraham and Brownstein research on Iodine looks pretty good. Hyperthyroid is sometimes associated with high iodine intake. Iodine kills fungus, so Bacterial infections makes some sense for this disease. Perhaps extra vitamin C (Sodium Ascorbate) would come in handy.

Anyways, Magnesium Citrate, which Ted often recommends for a leaky guy, seems to cure "Yersinia enterocolitica", if Yersinia is the cause.

Could Antibiotics Cure Your Hashimoto's Disease
Foodborne Bacteria May Be a Cause of Hashimoto's Disease
http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/yersinia.htm
"In this research, investigators studied the prevalence of antibodies to Yersinia enterocolitica in patients with diagnosed Hashimoto's thyroiditis. What the researchers found was the the prevalence of antibodies to yersinia --evidence of exposure -- was 14 times higher in people with Hashimoto's thyroiditis than in the control groups."

http://iai.asm.org/cgi/reprint/63/12/4837.pdf
Y. enterocolitica strains were cured of the virulence plasmid by
streaking them on Luria-Bertani agar plates containing 20 mM MgCl2 and 20
mM NaC2O4 and incubating the plates overnight at 378C (11).

Yersinia enterocolitica induces apoptosis in macrophages by a process requiring functional type III secretion and translocation mechanisms and involving YopP, presumably acting as an effector%u2009protein
http://www.pnas.org/content/94/23/12638.abstract

I keep a bag of raw Brasil nuts in the frig and snack on 3 - 4 a day. That quantity is supposed to give you the amount of selenium you need which means I get extra because there is selenium in my multi. RAW is the important point here.

I was just looking at the "Selenium Cures" page on this site, as well as researching it in general. They're saying that more than 2 brazil nuts per day is dangerous. That you can get your "recommended" amount of selenium from just 2, and some are saying just one. One source was also saying that the danger is more than just too much selenium, but that this nut has some type of poison(s), and so advising not to eat more than 2 per day.

I purchased a bag of brazil nuts recently, and at first was just eating 2 (I'd remembered reading previously that this was a good amount to eat), but then seemed to be craving them, so I let myself eat 6. And I've been doing that for the last several days. I was feeling a little sick a couple of times, but that may be because of the high fat. That's more fat than I usually eat (liver issues). Also, I wasn't even considering that I might be getting too much selenium--and not taking into account that I'm also taking several different supplements (and foods) that contain selenium.

So I'm pulling back on the brazil nuts. No more than 2 from now on and will make a note of how much I'm getting from food/supps.

Very appreciative of the information on this site.

Bubblecious: Search desiccated thyroid/yahoo group and raw food videos.

Question about Borax and Oil Pulling

I am not sure where this question should be posted. I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and I have made great progress in the size of my goiter in the last 2 weeks due to drinking more water and using the ACV and Baking Soda to start detoxing my body. I drink 96 ounces of water a day, I take my multi vitamin which has 150mcg of iodine in it 3x a day now instead of once to make up for loss due to more water, I take extra calcium, magnesium, D and potassium also along with a B complex. I'm using 2TBSP of ACV with 12 oz of water twice a day for one week so far. I will be doing the ACV and water for one more week.

I live in New York and I believe that my thyroid problem could also be from fluoride and chlorine in my water. Is it safe to do the Borax detox and oil pulling at the same time? I have to go for a thyroid sonogram in 2 weeks, and even though my goiter is one quarter of the size it was 2 weeks ago thanks to the info on this site, I want it to be even more improved by then.

My endo wants to do a biopsy and possibly remove my thyroid and I want to avoid that at all costs. If it is not safe to do both at the same time which would be most beneficial to do first? I'd appreciate any help I could get.

Thank you, Trea

Trea, Just wondering if your goiter disappeared? I have a daughter, seventeen, who has similar system--hashimoto's disease and huge goiter on left side. Last visit to endo was two weeks ago. Her recommendation was removal of the thyroid. I absolutely refused. Endo has done nothing by prescribed T4, which has been ineffective in treating the goiter. She refuses to prescribe Armour and has said nothing about diet changes or supplements. Researched. Now have daughter on a gluten free, soy free, sugar free diet and am adding a multivitamin to her daily routine. Her vitamin had iodine in it, which worries me as their is some conflicting information regarding it. The diet is hard on my daughter, and I'm worried she's not completely sticking to it. Need some positive advice from someone to show her that goiter can go away. Endo has told her it will always be there. Looking for a new endo. Hope to hear from you.

I was diagnosed with mild hypothyroidism and positive for antibodies--though my endo never called it Hashimoto's. I spent a year on thyroid medication which did lower the antibody levels and also the TSH, but did not do anything to alleviate my symptoms (weight gain, lack of libido, fatigue, etc. ). I did not have a goiter. After getting fed up that I was not actually feeling any better, I eliminated as many sources of fluoride and chlorine as possible: no fluoride dental care products or treatments, drink & cook with only distilled or non-flouoridated water, installed a shower filter (claims to remove chlorine and also some fluoride), and so forth. There are many books and resources on the web that can be researched. I also followed Ted's borax protocol briefly, helps to remove fluoride from the body. There are other sites that recommend additional ways to remove fluoride--drinking fresh beet juice, eating more fresh beets, eating lots of fresh cilantro, the list is endless. I followed the suggestions that did not seem too outlandish. Finally and most importantly, I disregarded the "avoid iodine" advice that comes with most thyroid treatments. I bought the pill form (12. 5 mg) of the iodine/iodide. There are many references it to on this website--there is also a liquid form called Lugol's that I found hard to find. The pills are easy to find on the internet and not terribly expensive. I took 4 a day to start (2 in am, 2 in pm) because I am heavily endowed in the bust area and this is supposed to indicated a greater need for supplement. I am no longer on thyroid medication, my TSH is around 1 (the target of the endo), I have zero antibodies and I have more energy, better sexual energy, and am no longer gaining weight. I am still struggling to lose but I was able to take off 10 pounds relatively quickly as I began to feel better, something that was impossible before. This is just my personal experience, but in addition to finding a new endo (by the way, a gyn may also be willing to prescribe Armour), I would look at the fluoride and iodine connections. I still avoid soy for a number of reasons, and it will certainly not hurt for your daughter to eat a clean, natural diet and avoid potential allergens if they are suspected. There are also a number of diets on the net that describe how to eliminate and challenge potential allergens such as wheat, corn, dairy, etc. Good luck!

This post is addressed to Eve K fron Houston Tx. Are you still doing okay..? The TSH=1 and 0 antibodies?

Please let me know.

Has anyone heard or tried juicing (veggie/fruit) to help hashimotos? I have hashimotos and no insurance.

Hi there - I may possibly have Hashimoto's and the question in my mind the most for everyone in this forum is about the psychological-emotional aspects of autoimmune disorders such as Hashimoto's. How many of you have any level of low self-esteem or at least grew up feeling unworthy or unappreciated? This is definitely the case for me and I would love to know how many others feel any kind of psychological-emotional cause? Many thanks and I really appreciate everything I have read so far on this forum. Best, Pema (England)

Pema, not only an emotional or psychological aspect involved in a particular illness; but the social and even subconscious attitude we are conditioned with during childhood and beyond. Firstly, in an competitive socioeconomic environment, we know how ruthless the fight for money can be. In many people there are fully developed attitudes of defeatism operative. When I was 24 yrs and learned of my dear Aunt's terminal cancer diagnoses, I automatically assumed an attitude of defeat, and that left me with horrific regrets I can never rid of. Fast forward a few yrs and learned of my Mother's terminal cancer diagnosis, I assumed an attitude of a warrior.

So, if you are a person of worth and goodly character, you are cheating yourself by not becoming a warrior, and not only for yourself; think of your loved one's, especially children, who are watching your every move and some who even worship you. How you can let others down by letting yourself down. Maybe this is what you experienced as a child.

I have recently had a thyroid disorder that brought crippling fatigue and depression, but am better now (and not without a fight). Take Kelp and or Potassium Iodide, and L-Tyrosine, and Raw Thyroid Glandular. Many good reports of Low Dose Naltrexone for autoimmunity. And of course any number of different detox methods to rid the body of "the foreigners".

Hope this helps and good luck.

Hi Pema, I think that most of us have low self esteem at one time or another. I am struggling a bit with it right now because I always looked amazingly young and all of a sudden I found out that I was getting older. Maybe I thought that it would happen to everyone but me?

On another level, if you have Hashimoto's maybe you should consider reading a book I am reading at the moment about Iodine use by Dr. David Brownstein or his other book (which I haven't read) Overcoming Thyroid Disorders! I find that he gives a lot of very interesting information even if I don't think that I have thyroid problems! I do think that I am iodine deficient and I am looking into finding Lugols here in Europe, not an easy task! Someone gave me a tip on this site once but I have to confess that I forgot what it was. I think that there is some place you find it in the UK or else you can find it through Amazon.co.uk.

Hi Pema, I agree that most people feel low self esteem at some point or another. I believe it has mostly to do with our society and all of the images we see daily on TV and magazines. 100 years ago you did not get exposed to thousands of beautiful people on a daily basis. There may have been a few gorgeous people in your town but you probably only saw them occasionally. Now we are constantly seeing beauty and we are comparing ourselves to it which is completely unrealistic. I am just as guilty as anyone else. The unworthiness is also associated with the fact that these beautiful people are burried in wealth and attention while we are (usually) not.

On a different note. There is also an association between autoimmune diseases and some sort of traumatic event that may have happened to a person which caused a sort of self blame. In response to this self blame the body begins attacking itself. For myself I have found this to be a possibility. I have a form of thyroid disease called Graves Disease. I did have an event happen in my life right around puberty which is most likely when my disease started. I blamed myself for the event and until recently you could say I may have hated myself for it. I have also read that thyroid disease in particular are associated with a feeling of not being heard or not speaking out. As it is located right where your vocal cords are it can actually cause laryngitis. I have found this to also be true in my case. I used to be very quiet and very rarely spoke my feelings or opinions in most situations. I did find my voice in writing though and that may be part of the reason for my healing:)

No matter what though you are not alone as far as low self esteem goes. I do not have hashi's but there is still this feeling of not being worthy of love and attention. I fight it on a daily basis. I try to stay away from TV and magazines to help the issue but I am still exposed on the internet and while standing in line at the grocery store. I hope that someday we will stop thinking beauty is so important but I also pray for peace on earth and so far it's not looking likely.

Francisca there are some UK ebayers who sell it too.

Dear Jen from Bozeman,

You've expressed several thoughts that were bothering me about the real cause of illnesses and the state of the world in general, so beautifully. Thank you. There are quite a few people who are opting out of the unhealthy, degrading glorification culture, be it of youth, beauty or ostentation. We can only take heart from them and go ahead in our own search for meaning and health.

Thanks Maria, but I have to confess that I have never bought anything from e-bay. The thought of having to bid.... I have no idea how it works! I am also at a loss as to which Lugols to buy. Amazon sells 3%, 7% and 15%.

Hi Francisca, They also have buy it now prices it's not all bidding, mind you I don't know how to use amazon. I know what you mean about the strength, the choice for me was easy as where I found it (the internet as it's not available locally) they only sell the 2%. I would have liked the 5% as that is what is being used in the studies so when I read how many drops I would not have to think about converting it. It took me a long time to pluck up the courage to start using it as I was taught it was poisonous and decades ago dairy farmers were banned from using it to clean their equipment as it could get into the milk.

Funny thing is, I also knew it was safe to use in hospitals on patients. We were never taught about the different types of iodine although we did know that one brand stung on a wound and another brand did not. Never knew they were different types which now sounds odd. The first I heard of Lugol's iodine was here on EC (thanks again EC). We are sooooo glad that I finally got the courage to try it.

Oh Maria, nice to hear that I am not the only one once in a while struggling with the Internet.... Usually I am quite good but Ebay I have to say has always been a mystery to me! Amazon is very easy, I use it to order loads of books, often very inexpensively (I use other companies as well like Abebooks), ordered my hula-hoop from them.... You just look for whatever you need, compare the prices from the different sellers, choose whether you want new or used (I often order used books as they are mostly almost new or even new), fill in your bank details and address and that's all! I even send gifts to other people by filling in their delivery address!

I had never heard of Lugol's either as it is almost banned here in Europe. My husband is going to a natural doctor today and as I am going with him I will ask her whether one can get Lugol's here in Switzerland (in the pharmacies you can't, not in the health food shops! ). If she knows where to buy it I will wait till I can make an appointment, if not I will order online and have it sent to my sister-in-law in the UK, then I don't pay postage! Like you I only knew about iodine to us on wounds. If you are interested in learning more about the subject I suggest you read one of the book on it! Great information.....

PS - Maria, be aware that a lot of stuff that has been forbidden over the year it is more out of interest or profits than about danger for health! What is really dangerous never seems to be forbidden! In my book I read that they used to add iodine to the bread as a dough conditioner, then it was forbidden and bromide was introduced instead which is very toxic. So there you go....

Francisca, pardon my forwardness but I would recommend not jumping over a cliff for the Lugols as there are other brands arguably as effective. I wasn't making any progress with Kelp so I chose "Life-Flow Liquid Iodine Plus" with very good results. I even experienced an acute detox reaction (surprisingly not immediately as I had expected) after aprox. 2 mo of use.

Thanks for the advice Timh, I will look into it! As other than Kelp iodine doesn't seem to be sold here in Europe there is very little people like me know about it! I also found Nascent Iodine which seems to be more easily absorved but it is also more expensive! I will have to order tomorrow if I want to pick it up at my sister-in-law's house when we are there in February! I also felt no difference at all with kelp and I read today that kelp can contain arsenic!

Francisca, I belong to a yahoo group about iodine that includes many members from Europe. Recently there was a discussion about purchasing iodine in Europe and someone responded that they purchase Lugols/Iodoral from seeknatural. Co. Uk. You may want to look into it further to see if they will ship to you. I believe kelp is not a recommended source because it is usually contaminated and it also does not provide very much iodine. I hope this website will help you find what you need.

Hi Francisca, Lugol's iodine is also available through a UK based company, Regenerative Nutrition. They ship all over the world. I have bought other supplements, oils, and powders from them and am very happy with their quality and customer service. Look them up on Google. They offer a lot of information on the supplements they sell as well. One more thing I like about them, the price is inclusive of shipping charges. Hope this is helpful.

Thanks Tina, I found the site but Lugol's is not in stock although they say that they would have it after the 15th of Dec. Also, it says that the components are iodide crystal and potassium iodide. I am not sure that is correct.... but I sent them a message and got an automated message back informing me that it can take quite a while for them to respond! I have also a Welsh site where they sell Lugol's just they seem to offer 10% to new clients while it was only till last year, not very correct to have the banner still there....

Homeopathy treatment for hypothyroidism.

Just order these four medicines. bottle size 1 oz,

6 tablets (which should be kept below tongue) and taken only once in month.

1. sulfur 200 (after getting this tablets you may get some aggravations to pull out ailments from root, don't be afraid its for good & it will be temporary)

then after one month take again 6 tablets of (only once)

2. Calcaria carb 200.

then after one month take again 6 tablets of (only once)

3. Lycopodium 200

then after one month take again 6 tablets of (only once)

4. silicea 200

then after this treatment if you still have any problems then mail me on 4all.ritesh(at)gmail.com.

Homeopathy does not have any side effects. If medicine is chosen correct then it will surely give good lasting affects.

I never heard of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis until sixteen years ago when I was diagnosed. I was given a prescription for synthroid and sent away. I have never felt the same, but I lived with it. My husband was diagnosed with the same eight years ago. This year my 10 year old was diagnosed with this disease three months ago. This month my 7 year old daughter also walked out of the doctor with a prescription. I have only my four year old child that has not yet tested positive for Hashimoto's.

I was able to handle living with the symptoms and taking a pill of 175 mg per day, but I can't accept this future for my children. I am willing to try anything to cure it. I don't know if I should stop the medication on them and try different things (my husband a doctor, is against this), or do it simultaneously. I am willing to try it on me first until I see possitive results. I told the endocrinologist that I am a living proof that the medicine does not work. I also wanted more blood tests done, but she told me that Hashimoto disease is hereditary. My husband and I are the first to have it in our family, so who did we get it from? I am thinking that it my be contagious.

Please help I want something better for my children. I don 't find any books or resources on alternative medicine for children. At the moment the doctors are just happy to be having a whole family with Hashimoto's disease. I am feeling like a lab rat. I can't stop crying when I go to my kids appointment.

Hashimotos is an autoimmune problem for which many people on the Yahoo LDN site have had success using low dose naltrexone, an FDA approved drug with no side effects, taken in very low doses of 2 - 4.5 mg. As a matter of fact, after starting LDN, often thyroid medicine will have to be reduced within a month because the LDN will begin moderating the immune system. Please see www.ldninfo.org or the Yahoo LDN group. There are published studies on LDN being used on children with Crohn's disease with excellent results and no side effects, so it is safe for children also.

Look for LUGOL's IODINE on the web. There are many articles about it.