What book you say?

Well, today Dr. Joshua J. Redd, DC, MS, DABFM, DAAIM, is launching his book “The Truth About Low Thyroid, Stories of Hope and Healing for those Suffering with Hashimoto’s Low Thyroid Disease” and I couldn’t be more excited AND it couldn’t be more timely.

Does this sound familiar to you?

“Over and over I was told the same thing: ‘Your thyroid is fine. You shouldn’t be putting on all this weight. Stop eating so much, and get some exercise.’ When I was finally put on thyroid replacement, they increased my dosage every time I started to feel worse. It didn’t do any good.”

Or this:

“I’d never been depressed in my life, but with the changes in my health, my appearance, the pain, and the fact that I could no longer do everything I was accustomed to doing, I knew I couldn’t go on much longer. My body deteriorated so quickly that I was sure I was going to die.”

And sadly this:

“I never told anyone how bad I felt because I knew from experience it wouldn’t get me anywhere. I didn’t want to complain. I was doing everything I could to find an answer, but no one could find anything wrong with me. I began to question myself, and started wondering if I was just crazy. I didn’t want anyone else to wonder, too, so I kept my illness to myself.”

That last one was me for years! I got tired of going to the emergency room because over time, I began to see the words “panic disorder” or “hypochondriac” written in my file. Once the ER doctor saw those words in my file, you can only imagine how quickly I was dismissed!

And no, I am not making a profit by telling you about this book (only the book was given to me for an honest review). I just feel SO incredibly sad to hear the same stories over and over again from people who are not being listened to by their conventional doctors! We really need change in the way conventional medicine is treating us! It is just inadequate!

But for now, we NEED to find answers in alternative ways until conventional medicine catches up to what these knowledgeable and VERY educated Functional Medicine doctors already know will help you! (Seeking Functional Medicine is what finally turned my journey around and led me to many great diet changes and healing protocols that conventional medicine still will not acknowledge. Ask a sufferer though who got this help, and they will tell you how much of a difference this approach has made for their health and symptoms!)

The emotional damage from not feeling validated is unbelievable! If you take nothing else from this book, this may be the most important aspect as you read the stories of those who have suffered like you might be, highlighted in its pages. You will be able to identify with them and it will validate your suspicion that you just simply may not getting the right help for your symptoms!

It’s a (too) long road

I have kept this blog about my journey with Hashimotos Thyroidtis for many years now. The main question I get on a regular basis on my companion Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis Facebook Support Group is this: “Why can’t we get any real help from our doctors?”

Although the wording is different from person to person, it is the same question in a nutshell and many are told to go seek emotional counseling instead of getting the validation and help they need! This continues to cause me distress daily when I hear of so many of those who come to my page suffering. In some ways, I believe they are needlessly suffering because I know of the help available but conventional medicine will not yet validate it so they are left to be suspicious of any natural or alternative interventions.  After all, I have been diagnosed now for over 20 years and not ONE thing has changed in the treatment protocol for Hashimoto’s in conventional medicine even though thousands and thousands of sufferers confirm on a daily basis that the current standard of care is NOT working!

Instead they blame it on the patient and send them away!

This is unacceptable and I am so glad that doctors like Dr. Joshua Redd are attempting to get the word out that there IS hope and although it may take some personal responsibility and work to get the help you need, it IS out there and your symptoms are NOT your imagination!!

Thankfully, it’s easier to get help than ever before

So today, I want to give you hope! I want to tell you that others have gone before you, suffered for years, looked for all kinds of alternative treatments, asked all the same questions, and finally found the hope they were looking for!

Dr. Redd from ReddRiver Health and Wellness compiled this book of testimonies full of hope from those who have cried out for help like you have. Those who have felt the same hopelessness and fear. Like me, at the point of almost giving up, they barely “hobbled” into the doctor’s office who finally gave them the hope they needed.

Each of us have different triggers, different circumstances which brought us to our Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis diagnosis. This is something Dr. Redd and others in Functional Medicine help you pinpoint.

But guess what? Even with all our different situations, we still suffer with the same lack of help from our conventional doctors. This is because they are not looking for the root cause of your symptoms. They continue to watch your thyroid numbers and if they are “in range,” you are sent home to suffer with your symptoms and this becomes a vicious cycles. Even those who may get temporary relief from a dosage change, often end up seeing their symptoms return because the focus simply cannot be on the thyroid only!

So why did Dr. Redd write a book full of stories we could relate to?

Let’s hear it in his own words:

So, you can see Dr. Redd has a heart for those with Hashimoto’s. He wants to offer hope to thousands of those who feel they have nowhere to turn.

And unfortunately, this is too common! I get frustrated often on my support group page because there are only two ways for patients to go.

• They either continue to look for answers from their conventional doctors and Endocrinologists, which offer little to no true help for their symptoms…
• Or they have to spend money pursuing unproven alternative therapies which can also be a dead end.

My hope was first found in Functional Medicine about 5 years ago with a great doctor who knew how to help and validate my symptoms. Dr. Redd is an expert in this approach. It may not be for everyone but if you feel you might be a candidate or want to know more about it, then this book of hope is for you!

My take on it

Because I had the privilege to review this book and feel I need to give you my honest opinion on how it may help you, I want to express it this way; if you feel like you are alone in your suffering and wonder if there will ever be any answers to your symptoms, this book will give you hope and encouragement to seek the right help.

Although the book cannot prescribe individualized treatment plans because you must get testing along with a personalized historical background for that, it can help you see the “red flags” you may be dealing with and how others have seen their health improve after being in the same position.

Do you need hope?

Do you want to know about effective ways to treat autoimmune?

Are you sick and tired of not getting the help you need?

Are you willing to look into another way?

I was and did and I don’t regret moving in this direction many years ago now! I just cannot believe it is taking so long to get this message out to the Hashimoto’s community as a whole because of the great relief so many of us see using these natural interventions!

Will it cost money? Most likely. Is it worth looking into? Definitely!

If you have family members or close friends who do not understand your symptoms and question whether you should be blaming Hashimoto’s for the countless symptoms you may be facing, this book will help you share the truth with them. It will help explain WHY you are feeling this way and even better, that there are things you can do to feel better. It is a tool you can use to get the support you need and the validation you long for.

Want to know more?

You can learn more by watching Dr. Redd in his T.V. Interview on Good4Utah.com and get more information on this book! If you are ready to purchase now, you can merely click the button below!

About Dr. Redd

Dr. Joshua J. Redd, DC, MS, DABFM, DAAIM, author of The Truth About Low Thyroid: Stories of Hope and Healing for Those Suffering With Hashimoto’s Low Thyroid Disease, is a chiropractic physician and the founder of RedRiver Health and Wellness Center with practices in Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. He sees patients from around the world who suffer from challenging thyroid disorders, Hashimoto’s disease, and other autoimmune conditions. In addition to his chiropractic degree, Dr. Redd has a BS in Health and Wellness, a BS in Anatomy, and a MS in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine.  He speaks across the nation, teaching physicians about functional blood chemistry, low thyroid, Hashimoto’s, and autoimmunity.

You can find Dr. Redd on Facebook too here!

The post Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: A Better Way to Hope and Healing first appeared on My Hashimotos Thyroiditis.

This post is going to be short and sweet because I know you and I have many New Year’s Resolutions to consider. It may not add too much to that endeavor, but hopefully will help you along the way! I am going to link you to what I believe were the most helpful resources I took part in this year so you might find something to help thrust you forward in 2015!

First, what good is a post without some food pics? So, I will share some of my favorite foods I prepared during this holiday season. The recipes will be linked to the picture, and for other grain free recipes I enjoy, you can find on my Pinterest page.

Starting off the year in 2014, I made a commitment to move forward with my Functional Medicine protocol and found a great amount of help through that. I had been on the GAPS Diet for about 2 years but still needed help from Functional Medicine for helping me fine tune and get testing along the way. If you have not heard about Functional Medicine, you can find out more from my post here which I did in the spring where Dr. Redd of RedRiver Health and Wellness helps coach us through all the different triggers to our symptoms. You can also find RedRiver Health and Wellness on Facebook here.

Then in the spring I was stunned to find a natural weight loss and blood sugar balancing supplement that just completely changed my life after so many years of debilitating symptoms! I had been looking for something to help me with my symptoms and we knew my blood sugar was still not where it should be (even though my tests did not reveal this) but my diet was very clean and zoned in for that purpose. I was on a grain, sugar, and gluten-free diet at the

time but still having trouble with adrenal issues, chronic fatigue, severe mood swings, PMS, food sensitivities, terrible brain fog and other symptoms that were not yet responding to my good diet of over 2 years. If you look up how blood sugar highs and lows can really trigger some major symptoms for us with Hashi’s, you will see why it may have helped me so much, although I was convinced before I started that I was pretty much as stable in this area as I could be. Due to my new energy and relief from some chronic symptoms, I decided I needed to offer the supplement to others, so I created another website to help people like me see if they could also find similar relief through the supplement. I am happy to help others along the way if they are interested. Visit my site here for more details and my personal video testimony of how it helped me. And one major thing that I noticed this holiday, is that my homemade paleo muffin was left half eaten which had never happened in my life before. I have complete control of my cravings now and this has been an added benefit of the supplement!

At about the same time, I put together a post with the most helpful books and resources I had come across to date and some helpful links to resources to help you along the way. I found it to be one of the most helpful for those who are trying to help themselves as they either wait for professional help or fine tune their own protocols.

Shortly after the huge benefits I achieved in my overall health through supplement, a whole bunch of FREE educational online events poured in and offered life changing information through professionals highly esteemed by the alternative and natural community to help people like us who have been stuck for so long in our symptoms. Some of those events still offer their materials for a very reasonable price and I highly recommend you consider taking advantage of any who still offer those materials online. It can really help you zone in on the right doctors, protocols, and diets for your particular needs. And because we are ALL different, we do have to troubleshoot for ourselves most of the time or find someone to help us with this task. This can add to the stress of Hashimoto’s, but these events have really helped this area of getting us to the right resources faster. It took me literally years to uncover the tips that are available all in one place now, so don’t hesitate to partake in these fantastic resources. It could save you a lot of run-a-round and get you on the road to success much faster. I am not sure which ones are still available for purchase, but feel free to click around through these links to see which are available.

So, I have to say, this has been the most exciting year for me personally in my health goals that I have ever had. I cannot express how much I have been helped by that one supplement. Although it may not work the same for everyone, I think it is worth a try for those who are at their wits end and not sure where else to turn.

May you all have a wonderful 2015 and I look forward to hearing of many new success stories as we go!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The post Hashimotos Thyroiditis: Step Forward with the Best Resources from 2014! Happy New Year! first appeared on My Hashimotos Thyroiditis.

One thing those of us with Hashimoto’s know very well is that this condition is not simple! I learned this over 20 years ago when I was given a little thyroid pill and was told I would magically feel better and would not even know I had a thyroid problem. What I didn’t put together at the time was the profound “coincidence” that my digestion was severely out of whack and that I was also struggling with all kinds of stomach problems. But of course, this had to be separate from my thyroid issues, right? Well, that was what I thought was logical at the time. After all, there was a different doctor for those issues. If I wanted to fix the stomach, that is a whole different area of the body.

Is it possible that fixing my stomach issues could have helped, or even reversed my crippled thyroid at the time? Now years later, I would have to say it would have had a good chance! And it still does. That is why I am writing this post today.  I want to get this information out to as many as possible. Many of you are just beginning your healing journey. There is no better way to start than to look first at the gut. Digestion is where our body processes most of what it needs to survive. Doesn’t it make sense for this one area to be working as well as possible? Well, it does make sense now, but I really just didn’t see it 20 years ago. I was listening to my doctor who really wanted me to believe (and maybe he did too) that this little pill would take care of everything. Don’t let this happen to you. Look beyond that perceived thyroid pill “fix” and look into the amazing world of the digestive tract!

Did you know that digestive problems cause things like autoimmunity, asthma, allergies, mood issues, cardiovascular disease, brain fog and joint pain? Well, thanks to an event coming up in November, you will learn exactly how this can all be connected and how to help give your digestion the tender loving care it really needs. I cannot wait to hear all the speakers and fine tune my journey.

On November 9th, 2014, Sean Croxton of Underground Wellness Radio, is getting down to the nitty-gritty of digestion by bringing us his free new event, The Digestion Sessions! If you have ever listened to his podcast, you will agree with me that he has the best health interview shows you’ll ever listen to. So this makes him the perfect host for this event!

You will hear the hottest topics in digestion right now including whether “gluten sensitivity” is real or not, why acid-blocking drugs can have some far-reaching implications you need to know about, and how in the world can we rebuild this immune system by starting with digestion intervention?

The event kicks off next month and features 25 on-camera, one-on-one sessions with the world’s foremost experts on digestive health.

Experts like Drs. Tom O’Bryan, Dan Kalish, Jillian Teta, Datis Kharazzian, Kelly Brogan, Alan Christianson, as well as Andrea Nakayama, Paul Chek, Christa Orecchio, and more. With a line up like this, it is sure to give us enough expert advice to fine tune our personal digestive help.

In the United States alone, SIXTY-PERCENT of the population is dealing with at least one symptom of digestive dysfunction — gas, bloating, heartburn, candida, constipation, diarrhea, you name it.

Sean and his panel of “A-list experts” cover them all in this FREE online event!

You can watch the amazing trailer he put together below, save your seat for the event, and get INSTANT ACCESS to the Digestion Sessions Quick Fix video series, including:

• Dr. Teta’s 3 Best Tips for Beating Constipation with Dr. Jillian Teta?

• 3 Critical Lab Tests Your Doctor (Probably) Isn’t Running with Christa Orecchio?

• How to Save Your Gallbladder, And What to Do If It’s Been Removed! with Dr. Alan Christianson

Please, if you know anyone with digestive problems, please share it. They’ll thank you for it!

The post Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Why Didn’t I Know How Much Digestion Played a Role When I Was First Diagnosed? first appeared on My Hashimotos Thyroiditis.

Yes, before this year, we have had the benefit of books like Dr. Kharrazian’s “Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms? When My Labs Are Normal,” and Dr. Izabella Wentz’ book, “Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause” in hard copy and eBook form, as well as other good resources I’ve highlighted along the way. But now, sufferers who have been challenged in having the time, brain power, or energy to do this research by reading, are finally getting it in forms that are easier to find, digest, and take action with! Last week we had the Hashimoto’s Institute that was free to our community, now available for purchase through this link.

The perfect example of another resource is this interview with Dr. Redd from RedRiver Health & Wellness (or on Facebook here), on the Television show “The Younger You” with Troy Thompson on September 18, 2014, which I am highlighting below in this post today. This information was so practical and had so much in one 20 minute episode, that I felt the need to get this out to everyone possible.

In this interview, Dr. Redd answers our practical, yet often left unanswered, questions by conventional medicine. And as I said in my last post featuring Dr. Redd, he comes to the rescue once more by answering these questions in visual form and with clarity:

• What exactly IS Hashimoto’s?
• What are the symptoms?
• What are the important tests to get?
• What are the common triggers to autoimmune flares?
• What can help with the symptoms?
• Why isn’t the pill (thyroid supplement) helping enough?
• When is it necessary to remove the thyroid?
• What is the best diet for the thyroid?
• Is it possible to feel better?
• Plus many more!

Join Dr. Redd as he helps us understand what types of interventions can make a huge difference in our symptoms. I know this because I am a product of these interventions and they do help!

I hope you are able to watch this excellent show from the beginning to the end because this information is not easy to find in one place and even more importantly, in 20 minutes! This is especially helpful if Hashimoto’s is all new to you or you are just now trying to find more natural, and I must insert here, more effective, treatment protocols than just a thyroid pill!

Here’s to our continued healing journey!

The post Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: 20 Minutes Might Just Give You The Information You Need To Change Your Health! first appeared on My Hashimotos Thyroiditis.

I know it is a strange title but it is really the truth for me and I think we are finally on the right path! I have been blogging for over 10 years now about my journey with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and the challenges we all have with the lack of understanding and acknowledgment in the conventional medicine model. Just giving us a pill and sending us on our way, not listening to our symptoms, making us out to be hypochondriacs, and leaving us to feel helpless, has been the subject matter of the bulk of my posts in the past. After all, if the test results are in the “normal” range but we feel anything but normal, it’s not our thyroid and must be all in our head! (At least that is what we were told, and still are in conventional medicine most of the time!)

About 3 years ago, I found Functional Medicine. I was delighted that someone out there acknowledged my symptoms as truly being associated with Hashimoto’s after all (yeah, finally) after close to 20 years of suffering without any help from conventional medicine.  I cried when I was actually listened to for the first time and cried a bit harder when my symptoms were validated. Getting tested for gluten sensitivities and other food sensitivities brought me to the beginning of a huge turning point. I realized I had not truly gone gluten-free at that point, as I had attempted a few years earlier. My journey in this area and links to these references including my whole 8 part and free gluten-free series is here.

Then about 2 years ago I was fortunate enough to add the GAPS Diet to my protocol and I finally got relief beyond that which I was getting from just eliminating gluten alone. Now I was getting more help but needed other lifestyle adjustments. Some of these came from my Functional Medicine doctor’s help and some from great books along the way.

But THIS YEAR has been the most exciting because it has brought all these pieces to the Hashimoto’s “puzzle” out into the open by several free online events. All can be purchased if you missed them but if you cannot afford to go back and own the previous ones, I have good news! Things are about to get better. Another event is on its way!

September 15th through the 22nd (2014) begins another FREE event!

People with Hashimoto’s deal with a collection of confusing, chronic and uncomfortable low-thyroid symptoms that aren’t necessarily resolved with medication. That’s because Hashimoto’s affects all systems and the roots link back to your digestive function, your adrenal reserves, your genetic propensity and more.

You can learn to manage your symptoms and thrive with Hashimoto’s but you need the pivotal information from the leaders in the field to take you there!

If you’re ready to take back your health and thrive with Hashimoto’s, it’s time to enroll in the free Hashimoto’s Institute and dive into the wealth of information.

Dr. Alan Christianson (the physician), Dr. Izabella Wentz (the pharmacist) and Andrea Nakayama (the nutritionist) are world-class experts who focus much of their time on thyroid and autoimmune conditions, like Hashimoto’s. They’ve joined forces and combined their clinical experience with the latest emerging research. They’ve gathered over 24 of the top experts in thyroid health to bring you the most cutting-edge Hashimoto’s information.

You’ll hear from experts like:

• Dr. Datis Kharazzian
• Chris Kresser
• Sarah Ballantyne
• Dr. Tom O’Bryan
• Donna Gates
• Dr. Deanna Minich
• . . . and 20+ others

Hashimoto’s is not merely a thyroid disorder. It’s your health. Your life.  Get inspired and empowered during the Hashimoto’s Institute.

You can also click the banner at the end of this post to get to this event. I will be posting the daily topics on the Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis Support Group page so if you have not “liked” this page yet, make sure you do and I will keep you in the loop for each day’s topics.

__________________________________

And finally, this year I found my favorite personal help so far. I have had more relief to my overall health than anything prior through a weight loss and blood sugar balancing supplement which has changed my life. So I made a brand new blog where my story is on the front page there, for those who are interested in that option. I would love for you to join me and see if it can help you too! I have a separate and private FB support group for those who decide to try it through my link there. You may contact me over on my other blog for that info.

The bottom line is that this year has been a year of breakthrough in the community. Things I paid dearly for in years past are now free to the public and it has been so fulfilling to watch. I am so thrilled we have choices now and I believe it will get even better and better as time goes on because it will not be long before conventional medicine has to take another look at their inadequate treatment as we help them see we need other interventions. Many of us want health insurance to cover these breakthrough interventions so more of us can afford to have access to these fantastic natural doctors. At the end of this year I will write my “reflections from this year” post as usual, however, when I sum up the year this time, it will include the most helpful options I have ever been able to report. It is all happening so quickly.

Finally, inadequate treatment of Hashimoto’s Thyroidtis is being recognized as something conventional medicine needs to acknowledge and address! My dream is that next year, we will be hearing of conventional medicine joining efforts with the natural community, so that we can use both together as needed, and are not ridiculed by conventional medicine for choosing natural options along with medication when necessary. If only conventional doctors knew what it was like to find natural options the worked but not be taken seriously when we ask for their help in adjusting medication as these treatments begin to improve our condition! One day, my dream will come true. I can still remember the day my conventional medicine doctor looked me straight in the eyes and said, “diet changes will never help your Hashimoto’s!” I am so thankful for Functional Medicine doctors, like those at RedRiver Health and Wellness Center, for stepping up to the plate, and really helping the Hashimoto’s community!

And while we wait for my dream to be realized, here’s to our continued healing journey!

Click below to sign up for FREE to the Hashimoto’s Institute, so you are notified each day of the upcoming speakers! If you see this post after the event, I will link it to a page where you can purchase it for viewing afterward.

The post Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: The Most Exciting Year So Far for Hashimoto’s and Here We Go Again! first appeared on My Hashimotos Thyroiditis.

There is one thing I can say I have learned over the last 10 years while interacting with fellow Hashimoto’s sufferers: Your journey and what part of it you are on is highly important when looking for a doctor! There are stages a person goes through AND there are personalities to take into consideration.

For example, I see it as a funnel of troubleshooting. Here’s the process you might find helpful to go through in your mind as you decide where you are in the process of trying to find the right help for your situation.

1. Are you already diagnosed and on medication? If so, you are probably in the phase where you need to fine tune your approach if it is not working with your current doctor. If you are not diagnosed, that would be the first step. Find a doctor willing to test you for Hashimoto’s which can be your current doctor or find one who will. Some of you are in areas who allow you to do this yourself through a lab who offers this without a doctor’s requisition.
   
2. For many, you might want to look into a natural doctor who prescribes natural thyroid medication or a Functional Medicine doctor (the linked post helps you to understand why this approach is so helpful) to help you determine the root cause of your symptoms first. Perhaps your body is just needing nutrition, diet change, or natural interventions in other lifestyle habits that can really help your symptoms.
3. Are you naturally minded and already diagnosed? If so, you might consider looking into diet and lifestyle interventions (if you are already diagnosed) and other ways to help yourself like the weight loss and blood sugar balancing supplement that has made a huge difference in my life after over 20 years of debilitating symptoms. My story is on the front page on my new blog there which I created so others can have access to it through me.
4. Do you like to do your own research and come up with your own plan while on the treatment protocol of conventional medicine? If so, there is a whole resource area I have put together that might help you find the approach you would like to look into. There are also online events that have so completely educated the community this year, I was actually dumbfounded after all the years I struggled to find the same info looking into the nooks and crannies of the internet. If you want to basically take a “course” on thyroid health, those events are highly recommended and the links to them are in my last post here. They were FREE to the internet community in May and June and now can be purchased at a great price giving you immediate access to all the resources and information currently available. It is like having everything from the experts in one place.

So, in the end, my journey had to go WAY beyond conventional medicine! My full story is here. In short, I had to, in a nutshell, learn about how going gluten free can be a huge factor in calming the immune system, get testing through Functional Medicine and direction from doctors practicing this type of medicine, work to get the gut healed (Google Leaky Gut + Hashimoto’s and you will see why), and had to learn more about body chemistry so I could adjust my nutrition to get a better body balance. After all this, I added the supplement that is helping me tremendously and I feel I am finally living again!

So, what doctor should you see? It all depends on where you are in your journey! I hope this gives you a better idea on how to proceed. It took me 10 miserable years to stop looking to conventional medicine for a new pill to make me feel better. And from there, another 10 years of searching for natural interventions that worked. (I left out things that didn’t work for me like NAET, EFT, other alternative doctors, and diets like the Mediterranean Diet, The Maker’s Diet, juicing, and gluten free processed foods, among others.) My hope is that my journey might help others get to better choices earlier in their journey.

For easy reference, here are links for different types of doctors and references I commonly refer people to:

Institute for Functional Medicine (search page)

Doctors who prescribe natural thyroid supplements

Certified Gluten Practitioners

Gluten Intolerance Group Medical Professional Referral Listing

You may want to look into other alternative approaches other than those listed. It is highly recommended that you interview or have an initial consultation with any doctor you find in these searches to make sure they are right for you. You might want to ask for references from others who are currently under their care or check the internet for reviews before committing to their protocols.

Here’s to continued healing!

The post Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Why Can’t I Find a Good Doctor? first appeared on My Hashimotos Thyroiditis.

Three things have taken my attention away from this blog.

• First, the absolutely awesome Thyroid Sessions hosted by Sean Croxton from Underground Wellness was a focus for me in April and May and I spent much of my time learning from it and promoting it on my Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis Facebook Page that month. It was truly amazing! If you didn’t get your digital copy, you can still purchase it here.
• Next, was The Thyroid Summit at the beginning of June, hosted by Susy Cohen, America’s Pharmacist, and David Brownstein, M.D. which was also a fantastic addition to our resources and can also be purchased in digital form here, if you missed it or loved it like I did, and want a copy for your library.
• And finally, and most important to me personally, is that I experienced a major health breakthrough beginning in March when I started a weight loss and blood sugar balancing supplement, which is now being offered on my new blog. It had unexpected overall health benefits which really took me by surprise because nothing worked like this before for me!
  

I didn’t want you to think I was giving up on my commitment to bring you the most helpful information on this blog so I felt the need to create a separate new blog for the purposes of spreading the word about this supplement that could possibly be of great benefit to many of you. My whole story is on the front page there!

Those of you who have been following me for some time know I don’t have many good things to say about supplements and rarely talk about them. I find supplements can sometimes be like drugs; you take one supplement, let’s say Calcium, and then you find out it has caused your Magnesium to be out of balance! Or you take Iodine and find out you need a certain amount of Selenium or it can cause an imbalance that can possibly cause a serious flare to your Hashimoto’s! I was not fond of this model and tried to stay away from it. So, you can see, it is REALLY out of my character to talk about supplements on this blog. Any doctor who has ever worked with me knows how leery I am about supplements as they often didn’t agree with me, and I have not been a very good patient to that end, of which I am a bit embarrassed! However, this one fits the description of the type of supplement I used to dream about. The type that tries to balance the body as a whole. And, I waited this long to tell you about it because I needed to see if it stood the test of time.

It is helping me balance my blood sugar in ways my strict diet could not do. It is helping me in my weight loss efforts after my very low carb diet began to fail me towards the end of last year. It is helping me to move toward greater health with much better results than diet alone.

Please don’t misunderstand me! I know that certain supplements can be very helpful. I just have not been convinced enough in my OWN journey about any specific ones yet to mention them on my blog, until now.

So check out my new blog where I share my journey with this special new addition to my health regimen. I invite you to join me and see for yourself if you can benefit from it too!

And of course, this blog will remain a resource for Hashimoto’s as well as continuing to keep you abreast of my own journey.

Here’s to better health!

The post Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: What has Been Happening With Me Recently? first appeared on My Hashimotos Thyroiditis.

The Thyroid Summit is an incredibly educational and informational event unlike any in the past decade. Fun, life-changing and better yet, it’s ONLINE and FREE from June 2-9, 2014. You can watch from your couch while enjoying 7 days of presentations to help you rediscover your health.

America’s Pharmacist Suzy Cohen and Dr. David Brownstein created The Thyroid Summit because they both had personal experiences with undiagnosed thyroid illness. Their mission is to spread the word about thyroid disease, especially how it masquerades as dozens of other diseases.

They’ve united more than 30 world leading authorities on health, medicine and fitness to teach you how to test, treat and tame the symptoms. Save your seat today!

Save your seat for FREE today by clicking here!

WHY SHOULD YOU TUNE IN?

The Thyroid Summit brings together more than 30 of the world’s leading authorities on health and wellness, with a focus on thyroid illness. You don’t have to fly anywhere. You don’t have to wait in long lines. You don’t have to watch from the back of a room. You don’t have to spend a dime to hear what the experts have to say.

 It’s all free! You will learn so much, including:

• Why conventional medicine has FAILED most thyroid patients

• What are the BEST lab tests to order

• Which blood test you DON’T need

• Why you’re ALWAYS the coldest one in the room

• What are the IDEAL “normal” ranges for blood tests (because your lab “normals” are not ideal)

You want answers, like…

• Which natural remedies work for Graves’ disease, Hashimoto’s, hypothyroidism, nodules and cancer

• The connection between thyroid hormones and pregnancy, PMS and post-partum depression

• Losing those last few pounds or more!

• What supplements can make your hair and nails grow faster

• How to relieve anxiety, depression and other emotional problems related to low thyroid

• And many more!

Here are a few of the incredible presenters:

David Brownstein, MD
Holistic Options for Thyroid Disease and Cancer

Suzy Cohen, RPh
Thyroid Healthy: Lose Weight, Look Beautiful and Live the Life You Imagine

Joe Mercola, DO
Thyroid Toxins, Hidden in Your Food and Water

Jacob Teitelbaum, MD
Shine Program: 5 Simple Steps to Overcome Fatigue and Thyroid Disorders

Hyla Cass, MD
A Holistic Psychiatrist’s Approach to Thyroid Disorders

Izabella Wentz, PharmD
How to Heal Hashimoto’s

Dana Trentini
Fertility, Pregnancy and Postpartum Thyroid Issues

Aristo Vojdani, PhD, MSc, MT
The Most Important Lab Tests You Should Take and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

With over 30 additional presenters sharing their wealth of knowledge, this summit is sure to offer the most life-changing, powerful information you’ve ever received. This invaluable (and FREE) resource is intended for men and women everywhere!

As soon as you sign up, you’ll be given instant access to the following FREE GIFTS which will empower you to take the next steps to get well:

• FREE access to the first presentation of The Thyroid Summit by Mike Adams, Health Ranger from NaturalNews.com, who is bold enough to tell the world the truth about “Everyday Pollutants that Poison Your Thyroid,” and what you must do to protect yourself.

• FREE copy of the 1st chapter of Dr. David Brownstein’s best-selling book, “Overcoming Thyroid Disorders”

• FREE copy of the 1st chapter of Suzy Cohen’s book, “Thyroid Healthy: Lose Weight, Look Beautiful and Live the Life You Imagine”

Tune in and watch/listen to The Thyroid Summit ONLINE for FREE from June 2-9, 2014–it could help you rediscover your health!

Or if you are the kind who just want to move forward on your own for immediate access and purchase your full digital copy, you can click on the banner below!

The post Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Don’t Miss the FREE Online Thyroid Summit June 2-9, 2014! first appeared on My Hashimotos Thyroiditis.

Once again, Sean Croxton from Underground Wellness, gives us this fantastic opportunity to learn from so many who have literally changed my life in the last few years. Many of them have given me the tools to navigate to better health, stay updated on the latest science for Hashimoto’s and autoimmune disease, and continue to be on my radar for new developments in each of their fields.

It is my pleasure to announce this FREE event. Mark your calendars and register here for the launch date of May 4th to continue until May 17th, 2014 when you will have access for free to these presentations and the ability to purchase the whole package if desired during or after the event. So if you happen upon this post after the event or, you cannot make it the week it is scheduled, no worries, you will be able to purchase it at a great price. As always, the speakers are a gold mine to see all in one place. Look at this incredible line up of experts and subject discussions below! The presentations for each day will remain up for 48 hours. If you miss one, you can still purchase the whole Thyroid Sessions event  for your digital library to view at your own convenience.

Sunday, May 4th + Monday, May 5th

Chris Kresser, LAc – Author, Your Personal Paleo Code
Thyroid Myths and Truths
– Why the TSH test is not enough! (And what is.)
– Cruciferous vegetables, to eat or not to eat
– How a rise in thyroid antibodies can be a GOOD sign
– One single dietary change that can reverse autoimmune disease.

Reed Davis, FDN – Founder, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition
Stop Chasing Symptoms: And Illustrated Guide to Finding the Root Cause of Thyroid Disorders
– How a dysfunctional liver can be to blame for thyroid problems
– The friendly bacteria in control of 20% of your thyroid hormone
– A digestive “toxin” that sends your thyroid control center offline
– 3 simple non-blood tests that investigate the WHY behind thyroid disorders

Dr. Izabella Wentz, PharmD, FASCP
7 Supplements to Subdue Hypothyroidism
– Why hypothyroidism can sometimes feel like HYPERthyroidism
– A highly common bacterial infection connected to thyroid antibodies
– How to make sure your compounded meds are the same every time
– The cigarette ingredient that reduces thyroid antibodies

Tuesday, May 6th + Wednesday, May 7th

Nora Gedgaudas – Author, Primal Body, Primal Mind
How to Beat Hashimoto’s
– Telltale (and confusing) signs and symptoms of Hashimoto’s
– Why most docs don’t bother looking for antibodies
– The “healing” foods can make Hashimoto’s worse.
– How a fat-based diet may be the diet of choice for Hashimoto’s

Dr. Sara Gottfried, MD – Author, The Hormone Cure
How to Lose Weight When Your Thyroid is Off
– What your eyebrows, lashes, and fingernails can tell you about your thyroid
– The 3 main symptoms of “thyropause”
– Why a low-carb diet may not be a good idea…if you’re a woman.
– Green juice: Why nothing can be worse for hypothyroid

Dr. David Brownstein, MD
Thyroid Nodules and Cancer: Causes and Treatments
– Details unknown at this time

Dr. Andrea Maxim, ND
Alternative Treatments for Thyroid Disorders
– Details unknown at this time

Thursday, May 8th + Friday, May 9th

Christa Orecchio, CN – Founder, The Whole Journey
Thyroid Gone Rogue: A Food and Lifestyle Approach to Healing and Graves’ Disease
– How to clear radiation from the thyroid
– The viral connection that can “turn on” Graves’ disease
– What to do if your thyroid has been removed
– 5 foods to ban from your diet…and which to add

Dr. Kelly Austin, ND – Naturopathic Doctor
Thyroid Medications: What You Need to Know
– The gluten-containing medication that can make your thyroid worse!
– The medication you DON’T want to take if you have Hashimoto’s
– The 2 cleanest, natural thyroid meds — free of dyes and additives
– The 3 words you want your doc to write on your prescription slip

Suzy Cohen, RPh – Author, Thyroid Healthy
Drug Muggers: How Thyroid Meds Rob Your Body of Thyroid-Friendly Nutrients
– The little-known “active ingredient” in The Pill that can deactivate your thyroid
– Name brand Rx drugs that mug your thyroid of nutrients
– The best probiotic for your gut flora fingerprint
– Non-drug solutions for fatigue, hair loss, constipation, and migraines

Ben Greenfield – Author, Beyond Training
How Exercise Destroys Your Thyroid and What You Can Do About It!
– Why your body’s survivalist instincts shut down your thyroid. (Don’t do this!)
– Why cardio gets such a bad rep. Hint: calories DO count…
– The most important nutrient when it comes to thyroid health
– The BEST tests to find out if exercise is affecting your thyroid

Saturday, May 10th + Saturday, May 11th (Mother’s Day Theme)

Kim Schuette, CN – Certified GAPS Practitioner
The Thyroid’s Effect on Conception and Pregnancy
– Subtle, slow detox strategies to prepare the body for pregnancy
– The single worst food to consume if you want to get pregnant
– Kim’s highly effective pre-conception/fertility diet
– How a mother’s low iodine levels affect the IQ of her child

Katie the Wellness Mama
My Journey with Hashimoto’s
– Details unknown at this time

Bridgit Danner, LAc – Founder, Joyful Mammas
Your Fertility Depends on Your Thyroid Gland. Support It!
– How low thyroid can be the “first domino” to fall with reproductive problems
– The autoimmune disorder that may cause major pregnancy complications
– How late nights and bright lights can crash your thyroid…and your fertility
– 15 foods to support your thyroid, liver, and gut (plus, a few to avoid)

Jen Wittman, Thyroid Loving Care
Managing Hypothyroidism and Motherhood
– How to deal with the fatigue, brain fog, and endless juggling act of motherhood
– 3 steps to losing the baby weight when you’re hypothyroid
– 5 things hypothyroid moms wish their friends and family understood
– For Men: Why “fixing it” isn’t what she wants

Monday, May 12th + Tuesday, May 13th

Dr. Dan Kalish, DC – Founder, The Kalish Method
Thyroid Home Testing
– How our modern lifestyle is walking us into a “hormone nightmare”
– A simple test created in 1940s that is more accurate than standard blood work
– How stress and poor adrenal function cripple your thyroid
– The spiritual approach to healing the thyroid

Dr. Alan Christianson, NMD – Author, Healing Hashimoto’s
Ending Thyroid Confusion: Toxins, Nodules, & Surgery
– The “XX” reason why more women than man get thyroid disease
– How to shrink thyroid nodules, naturally
– The shocking truth about the standardization of synthetic and natural meds
– When to have thyroid surgery (and when not to)

Mary Shenouda – Founder, The Paleo Chef
Cooking Demo
– Caesar Dressing
– Oregano Pan Fried Beef Liver
– Anti-Inflammatory Turmeric Tea

Wendy Myers, CHHC
Toss the Hormones Forever and Heal Your Thyroid
– How your hair may hold the clues to why your thyroid is down
– Heavy metal toxicity: Where it comes from and what to do
– How your shower and drinking water may be clogging your thyroid
– The therapeutic effect of blue corn chips

Wednesday, May 14th + Thursday, May 15th

Andrea Nakayama – Functional Nutritionist
Heal Your Gut, Heal Your Thyroid
– “Top to bottom” tips for healing the gut and reversing autoimmunity
– 5 gut-healing nutrients to add to your regimen
– How to catch autoimmunity before it becomes a problem
– A simple “free” way to identify food sensitivities

Pete Servold – Head Chef, Pete’s Paleo
Cooking Demo
– Sablefish Confit in Duck Fat
Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, DC
Breaking the Vicious Cycle of Blood Sugar Imbalances and Thyroid Dysfunction
– 5 reasons your blood sugar is out of control…even if your diet is perfect
– How to turn “couch potato” muscles into workhorses for your thyroid
– The truth about agave and other “natural sweeteners”
– 3 key supplements for balancing blood sugar

Friday, May 16th + Saturday, May 17th

Encore Days – The 4 most popular interviews will be re-posted

You don’t want to miss this amazing opportunity to see these presentations for FREE! Each presentation will be released on the day listed above and left up for 48 hours before they are taken down. If you miss one, you can still purchase the whole Thyroid Sessions event for your digital library!

I want to thank Sean Croxton for continuing to bring groundbreaking health and wellness information to our thyroid community. I really don’t believe I would be where I am without his faithful offerings throughout my healing journey!

 CLICK THE BANNER BELOW TO REGISTER!

The post Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Announcing the The World’s First FREE Online Thyroid Health Event (Starts May 4th, 2014)! first appeared on My Hashimotos Thyroiditis.

My blog is meant to be a resource for as many people as possible so I often post a variety of ways to get help that I particularly believe in or have experienced as profitable, from diet, to Functional Medicine, to finding out if you are gluten sensitive and resources that will help you with that research.

Well, in this post, I asked Dr. Redd, founder of RedRiver Health and Wellness Center to answer some of these questions for us. I am thrilled to present his responses in video form below. There are two videos. Before each one, I will cover the questions you will get answered.

Recently, on our Facebook Support Group page, there was some discussion about why some of us function just fine while others are severely debilitated. This turned into a time where I needed to intervene, because some were not able to comprehend how in the world you can have the same “disease,” yet it cause so many different symptoms and in such differing severity. I am sad to say that some of the comments were uncaring and harsh when those who were truly suffering were asking for compassion and help. This question has been the source of much contention over many months and this is why I asked Dr. Redd to help us understand this and I am also hoping it gives us more compassion for those who are hurting worse that we are, as well as justification for those who are struggling much worse. He also explains why just taking out the thyroid may not be the best answer. And IF we decide to have our thyroid removed, does this mean our autoimmune disease is also removed?

Please listen to Dr. Redd as he explains why this is happening:

So you may be thinking after watching the above video, “Well, thank you very much but how do I address this autoimmune disease then?” Fortunately for us, Dr. Redd took the time to explain the process of detective work that sometimes needs to be done in order to find those triggers, imbalances and additional deterrents to getting well. What is the cascade of events causing our flare ups? Why is it so hard to control? What are the answers?

The following video will hopefully address this as simply as possible for us and help us understand why conventional medicine is not dealing with the real source of the problem. Why don’t they address our quality of life when we go in to the doctor and our TSH is normal? If you are like me, and you’ve had this happen many times in your journey, they really do make you feel like a hypochondriac. I’m sorry, but I’m done with that. I had to leave conventional medicine and move into the world of natural and Functional Medicine (Dr. Redd practices this type of medicine) in order to feel understood and justified.

Yes, there is out of pocket expense to get help like this, but if we are not being helped in conventional medicine, at this time, I really don’t know of any other way. I am grateful that doctors like these Functional Medicine doctors have taken the time to acknowledge our pain and suffering and it would not be fair to think they shouldn’t be paid for this very detailed and difficult troubleshooting path they must help us through.

So, I thank Dr. Redd for helping us understand our condition better and applaud him for his hard work in providing a practice that will give more of us a chance to feel better.

In light of this post, when interacting with other sufferers, let’s all remember that our symptoms could be very different. We all need a place to feel safe and understood, especially when we can be suffering so severely. Let’s reach out to the hurting ones among us and help them feel heard without judgment. This is the reason I developed this blog and Facebook Support Group. There was a time in my life that there was not one person anywhere that seemed to understand my illness, but that was 20 years ago. We have much more help now thanks to professionals like Dr. Redd and other specialized doctors in his center.

If you would like to find out more about RedRiver Health and Wellness Center, you can find them here and you can follow them Facebook where you can see customer testimonials, tips, and other great articles to help you along your way. It doesn’t matter if you live in the area or not. Dr. Redd takes patients all over the world and offers a FREE initial consultation via either phone or Skype!

If you would like to look for other Functional Medicine doctors in your area, there are searches here and here, but please always get references and consult with these doctors before moving forward to make sure they are a good fit for your particular needs.

Here’s to our continued healing journey.

The post Hashimotos Thyroiditis: Wouldn’t it be Nice if Treatment Success was Based on our Symptom Relief? Dr. Redd Comes to the Rescue! first appeared on My Hashimotos Thyroiditis.