“I am always doing something I cannot do,
in order that I may learn how to do it.” – Picasso

Nicole suffered from low thyroid function for 28 years. My wife’s thyroid measured so low it didn’t even show up on blood tests. Low thyroid function is common among people with type-1 diabetics. Even those who have an HgbA1C below 5.0%. Nonetheless, Nicole was able to normalize T3, T4 and TSH without any supplementation (as you can see here).

So how did Nicole resurrect her dead thyroid? Honestly, we aren’t exactly sure. She was (and still is) following multiple protocols. Which ones were responsible is hard to say. I think it’s most likely the combination that allowed the thyroid to recover.

Here is a partial list of protocols that Nicole used. These are the ones which most likely led to her saving a few hundred dollars a year in thyroid medication:

1. Kelp Supplementation: Nicole takes powdered kelp in a capsule each day. Kelp is a great source of iodine — the main ingredient in thyroid hormone.

2. Clean Water: Nicole avoided all fluoridated and chlorinated water. Fluoride and chlorine compete with iodine for absorption by the thyroid.  A study by the Maharaja Ganga Singh Dental College and Hospital in India showed that the higher intake of fluoride in children the greater the signs of thyroid disease. Nicole has been drinking only spring water, using non-fluoridated toothpaste and hasn’t seen a dentist in years. She even makes her ice cubes out of spring water.

3. Sweat: Many more chemicals and heavy metals, such as mercury, can also congest the thyroid. Nicole has been spending a half-hour in the sauna every day for the last year and half. Well, actually she’s been spending a half-hour in the closet (where we hang four infrared-sauna lamps). Sweating is a time-tested method for removing toxins.

4. Bile: Nicole also spends an hour (or two) each day in the bathtub, completing 2-4 coffee enemas. Coffee contains a chemical which stimulates the liver to dump its toxins into the small intestine via the bile duct

5. Targeted Supplements with Hair Tissue Analysis: Nicole has been working Pam Killeen. Killeen uses hair mineral analysis to assess the function of the thyroid (and adrenals). She then prescribes specific formulas to detoxify and rebuild the thyroid tissue.

6. High Fat, Moderate Protein, Low-Carb Diet: Each meal, Nicole’s been eating a bowl full of cooked vegetables, a half cup of animal protein and 3-4 tablespoons of ghee. She spices it up with garlic, ginger or curry powder. This simple menu reduces inflammation while providing nutrients needed to rebuild tissues.

The list of complications and ride-along diseases people with type-1 diabetes suffer is long. Fixing the thyroid may not seem as important as preserving kidney function or eye sight. But I’d argue that a healthy thyroid may be the foundation to saving the rest of the body. Thyroid hormone controls your body’s ability to use energy. Energy is needed for healing.

Hormone supplementation, well better than nothing, is not something to settle with. It seems reasonable to assume that the need for thyroid hormone goes up and down throughout the day, depending on whether you’re awake or sleeping, running or sitting, crying or laughing, cold or hot… One pill swallowed in the morning is not going to adjust to these varying energy needs. You end up with too much thyroid hormone flowing through your veins when you’re trying to sleep, or not enough when you’re trying to catch a bus. Either way, it’s stressful. And stress raises blood sugar levels.

So, why not fix the thyroid? I’ve yet to see solid evidence that the beta-cells of a type-1 diabetic can be regenerated. But seeing Nicole’s thyroid come back to life does give us hope. Either way, life without those beta cells is hard enough. Why add unregulated thyroid hormone to the burden truant insulin production?

If you’re not sure where to start when fixing your thyroid, I’d recommend the kelp. Kelp supplements are inexpensive. We’ve been using Now! brand, which is available form amazon.com, amazon.ca and amazon.co.uk. For more information (and lab results) on how Nicole restored her thyroid function, please read: Thyroid Healed: T4, T3 and TSH in Normal Range After 28 Years of Severe Insufficiency