LDN for Hashimoto’s
Hashimoto’s is the most frequent diagnosis that I see. It is also the most rewarding diagnosis to treat, for several reasons:
1. I look at the thyroid as the queen of all the hormones. When the queen doesn't feel well, she does not rule effectively, however, when she feels vibrant, calm, and healthy, all the territory that she rules over "falls in line". It also happens to be that the queen of all our hormones is incredibly vulnerable to changes in diet and environment, and responds, quite well, to an anti-inflammatory diet, healthy sleep habits, and reduced stress. Basically, if we make sure the queen is happy and healthy, usually, all her soldiers (hormones) fall in line.
2. Thyroid disease is like a complicated puzzle. So many components are necessary for it to fit perfectly together. Thyroid health is affected by cortisol, progesterone and estrogen, EBV and other viral infections, halogens such as chloride, bromide, and fluoride, and inflammation. The thyroid is also affected by inflammatory foods, like gluten, corn, soy, and goitrogenic foods, like kale, broccoli, spinach, and soy. (Soy, much to many Americans’ surprise, is not a healthy food - it is high in lectins which are unhealthy for thyroid health and has been found to be a cause of GI issues and inflammation.)
3. Now, the main reason that I hold a special place in my heart for my Hashimoto's patients is LDN. Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) is incredibly effective for Hashimoto’s. In fact, in the majority of my patients, LDN decreases thyroid antibodies, decreases inflammatory markers, and even helps many of my patients reduce thyroid hormones and achieve the perfect thyroid labs they always dreamed of but never obtained with synthetic thyroid hormones. Why? Because LDN is anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and immune-system modulating. Most of my Hashimoto’s patients achieve complete clinical remission of symptoms, with dramatically improved labs and decreased antibody levels.
So, in a nutshell, what should you do if you have Hashimoto’s, or thyroid disease and inflammation?:
- Change your diet to a lectin-free, goitrogenic-free, anti-inflammatory diet (see Dr. Gundry's work on Lectins or Dr. Izabella Wentz).
- Increase your intake of polyphenols.
- Book an appointment with me through LDNdoctor.com to learn more about how LDN can help you.