04.11.2022 - By Dr. Westin Childs
Today I am joined by Dr. Alan Christianson. Dr. Alan Christianson is a Board Certified Naturopathic Endocrinologist who focuses on Thyroid care. He is a New York Times bestselling author whose recent titles include The Thyroid Reset Diet and the Metabolism Reset Diet.
You can learn more about Dr. Christianson here:
- His latest book: https://www.drchristianson.com/thyroi...
- His website: https://www.drchristianson.com/
In this podcast episode, we discuss the following topics:
- What got Dr. Christianson interested in medicine and in the thyroid
- Why so many thyroid patients are struggling to feel better despite taking thyroid medication and doing what's "right"
- The 3 main issues that keep thyroid patients from feeling better
- Why there is so much controversy surrounding iodine in the setting of thyroid disease
- The difference between the RDA requirement for iodine and iodine tolerance
- What causes the difference in tolerance of iodine between thyroid patients and what that means for iodine dosing
- What's the role that iodine plays in Hashimoto's and whether or not Hashimoto's patients should avoid iodine
- Stories about extremely high doses of iodine triggering autoimmune thyroid disease such as Hashimoto's and Graves' disease
- The role that selenium plays in Hashimoto's, thyroid antibodies, and in protecting the thyroid gland
- What causes autoimmune thyroid disease and does finding the root cause actually matter?
- Do H. pylori infections or EBV infections cause Hashimoto's thyroiditis?
- Where does iodine avoidance fit into the treatment of patients with thyroid disease
- How the body eliminates iodine and why it's easy to get more than you think on a daily basis
- How taking thyroid medication impacts your body's ability to utilize iodine
- How to know if you are someone who will benefit from iodine avoidance & whether or not it may help you get off of your thyroid medication
- How to find doctors to help patients adjust their thyroid medication and iodine intake
- Hidden sources of iodine and why you are probably consuming more iodine than you think
- How much iodine is getting absorbed through the skin via cosmetics
- Is iodine testing accurate? When does it make sense to test your iodine level and what does that value actually mean
- Is it safe to get an iodine testing challenge test or should it be avoided?
- Are optimal thyroid lab tests something that should be used for thyroid patients?
- How important are free thyroid hormone levels compared to the TSH?
- Where to get Dr. Christianson's latest book and how to ask questions to him via his podcast/youtube channel
Download my free thyroid resources here (including hypothyroid symptoms checklist, the complete list of thyroid lab tests + optimal ranges, foods you should avoid if you have thyroid disease, and more): https://www.restartmed.com/start-here/
Recommended thyroid supplements to enhance thyroid function:
- Supplements that everyone with hypothyroidism needs: https://bit.ly/3tekPej
- Supplement bundle to help reverse Hashimoto's: https://bit.ly/3gSY9eJ
- Supplements for those without a thyroid and for those after RAI: https://bit.ly/3tb36nZ
- Supplements for active hyperthyroidism: https://bit.ly/3t70yHo
See ALL of my specialized supplements including protein powders, thyroid supplements, and weight loss products here:
https://www.restartmed.com/shop/