Page 29 - Winter2017

improve overall gut health and regular elimination. the intended health outcome.
Start by incorporating the five foundational
5. Support a healthy gut. The digestive tract, especially the large intestine, tenets mentioned above, and find a practitioner
is home to billions of microbes that play a significant role in human who is well versed in thyroid issues. This person
health. It is vitally important to ensure these organisms are well cared should be able to listen to your goals and needs,
for and are in a harmonious relationship with one another. Much like working with you rather than just talking at you.
a garden, some of them can overgrow, creating a less-than-optimal The good news is that a possible thyroid issue
environment, leading to intestinal dysbiosis or leaky gut. doesn’t have to keep you from living your best
life. Be your own advocate, ask questions and
PROPER TESTING maintain a steady commitment to maximizing
Insurance restrictions prevent many health care providers from order- your health.
ing thorough blood panels to evaluate for thyroid dysfunction. The most
common marker ordered is TSH which, as previously mentioned, is not Dr. Ronda Nelson holds a PhD in holistic nu-
actually a thyroid hormone. In order to better understand whether there is trition along with a master’s degree in herbal
truly a dysfunction within the thyroid gland itself, the right markers must medicine. Her passion lies in helping others
be evaluated in context with one another. Without a complete picture, a regain their health through dietary modifica-
misdiagnosis is much more likely to happen, resulting in unnecessary tions and herbal and nutritional support. Dr.
and often unhelpful medications. Nelson enjoys working with difficult digestive
To minimize these risks, it is imperative to consider seven serum and endocrine-related cases, helping men and
markers that can indicate and make it possible to examine suspected women reach their health potential as quickly as
thyroid dysfunction: TSH, total T4, total T3, reverse T3, T3 uptake, TPO possible. She recently transitioned to a virtual-
and TGB (see sidebar below). only practice which allows her to work from her
Seattle home. Dr. Nelson has gained the respect
CONCLUSIONS of patients and doctors alike, providing relevant
Although thyroid dysfunction has many causes, it can be corrected clinical information both online and at her sold-
over time with the right information and plenty of patience. Thyroid hor- out educational seminars across the country.
mones may be needed in some cases, but taking time to test thoroughly
and evaluate for underlying causes can make a significant difference in

SERUM MARKERS TO TEST FOR THYROID DYSFUNCTION

TSH: Although not a thyroid hormone, this pituitary hormone can provide some insight about what might be happening
with the feedback between the body and the brain. This marker can vary though. It should not, therefore, be used as a
concrete marker for thyroid dysfunction.

TOTAL T4: This marker provides information about how much T4 the thyroid is producing. If total T4 is on the low end
of normal, it can indicate a need for iodine and/or selenium.

TOTAL T3: The reference range for this marker is much larger than T4 because of the amount converted into T3. Lower
levels may indicate a need for liver and gut support in order to improve T4-to-T3 conversion.

REVERSE T3: This is a useful marker to rule out stress as a contributing factor to thyroid dysfunction. If low, consider
general adrenal support and focus on improving overall liver function.

T3 UPTAKE: When elevated, this marker can indicate a possible passive exposure to testosterone. If low, consider the
possibility of estrogen exposure.

TPO: One of two thyroid antibodies, this serum marker is commonly positive with the presence of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

TGB: This thyroid antibody is not positive as often as TPO. However, it can be significantly elevated with Graves’ Disease.

WINTER 2017 Wise Traditions 29