Thyroid imbalance is linked to a wide range of health conditions, and according to Dr. David Brownstein, ailments tied to the thyroid may be more widespread than most people realize.
Brownstein is a board-certified family physician and holistic medicine practitioner who has written 14 books on holistic health and spoken internationally.
He estimates that thyroid disorders may affect 40 percent of the population, and he attributes this to iodine deficiency and increasing exposure to bromide and fluoride, according to Natural Endocrine Solutions.
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According to Healthline, there are six common ailments linked to the thyroid.
1. Hyperthyroidism — An overactive thyroid produces too much hormone, resulting in such symptoms as restlessness, anxiety, racing heart, weight loss, muscle weakness and sleep problems.
2. Hypothyroidism — An underactive thyroid results in such symptoms as fatigue, depression, weight gain, memory problems and slow heart rate.
3. Hashimoto's disease — Also known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, this disease is the most common cause of hypothyroidism and occurs when the immune system attacks the thyroid gland.
4. Graves' disease — The most common cause of hyperthyroidism, Graves' disease is an autoimmune disorder.
5. Goiter — An enlarged thyroid gland commonly associated with iodine deficiency.
6. Thyroid nodules — Growths on the thyroid associated with iodine deficiency and Hashimoto's disease.
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Brownstein expands on these, saying thyroid deficiency may be at the root of 59 illnesses, including allergies, arthritis, cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
Brownstein's move from conventional to holistic medicine came while his father was suffering with heart disease, according to the Journal of Restorative Medicine. He was unhappy with conventional treatments, and began to research other options after reading "Healing with Nutrition" by Jonathan Wright, MD.
Tests revealed that his father had low thyroid hormone and testosterone levels.
"I put him on some natural desiccated thyroid hormone and natural testosterone, and in seven days of doing that, his 20-plus year history of angina went away, never to return," Brownstein said, according to the Journal of Restorative Medicine.
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