Hashimoto's Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause

Thank you Izabella Wentz! This book has been an absolute lifeline for me as I've struggled with thyroid-related symptoms and been told repeatedly by drs. that I was fine. She explains the science behind what's going on in Hashimotos in-depth, but in a digestible way. I often even want to recommend it to anyone looking to learn more about autoimmune diseases because she explains so well what's going on in the autoimmune process, the different triggers to investigate, and emerging theories of autoimmunity. This book is much more in-depth than others I've read, and Izabella lays out her research in an unbiased way. She's not picking out research that supports her point, like some others do, but instead summarizes the research that exists, making points about its strengths, limitations or shortcomings. This book has really helped me communicate with my drs., know what tests to ask for, and understand why my drs. are running certain tests/using certain protocols, etc. I had a very sudden worsening of symptoms that seemed, primarily, like reactive hypoglycemia (blood sugar drops suddenly within a few hours of eating), though when I tested my blood sugar levels, most readings were normal. And it would take me hours to recover from a crash, leaving me feeling fried. I had faintness, dizziness, fatigue, poor memory, poor concentration, hair loss, rapid heart rate at random times, would get very cold, felt tired and wired, often couldn't sleep, depression, anxiety, overwhelm, dehydration despite drinking a lot of water, and other strange symptoms that would come and go. My symptoms were bad enough that I had to stop working after about a month. I was diagnosed with Hashimotos based on an antibody test and sonogram (my TSH, T3 and T4 were normal initially, even by functional medicine standards, though I was so symptomatic). But I was told that I didn't need thyroid medication and not given any guidance other than to eat every 2-3 hours. This book explained why so many of these strange things were happening and how to begin healing my body. It's the only place where I've been able to learn many things, such as why I get reactive hypoglycemic symptoms when my blood sugar isn't particularly low (my adrenals are severely burned out). I even went to the Mayo Clinic and was told, essentially, that I was fine, that I didn't even need thyroid medication, although at that point my TSH was barely within their "normal" range, and had risen dramatically. Using this book, I was able to advocate strongly for myself, ask for certain tests and challenge the drs. One Mayo dr. even told me that I'd done more research than his medical students, based on my questions that I have Izabella to thank for. Luckily I now have found a function medicine dr. to work with, who uses a similar process and protocol, and I encourage everyone to find a function medicine dr. It's worth every penny. I've improved drastically since working with mine, and although Izabella's book got me on the right path before I found my dr., it helps immensely to have the guidance of someone trained in function medicine. It's now been 4 months since my sudden onset of symptoms (though for years I had some symptoms), and two months since working with my functional dr., and I'm getting so much better, though I still have a ways to go. The AIP (autoimmuine paleo) diet, digestive enzymes, a number of other vitamins/supplements, and meditation have really turned around my health. I feel I can't do this book justice in this review, it has been so critical to my process of figuring out what was going on with my body and how to heal, and I'm endlessly grateful to Izabella. This is the first book I recommend to anyone with Hashimotos. I also recommend The Adrenal-Thyroid Revolution by Aviva Romm, and Aviva Romm's podcast; A Mind of Your Own by Kelly Brogan for mental health; 10% Human and The Good Gut to learn more about the microbiome, which I've learned is critical to healing.

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause by Izabella Wentz, Pharm.D., FASCP with Marta Nowosadzka, MD has a wealth of credible information on thyroid basics, symptoms, tests, and treatment. Izabella Wentz, a pharmacist and Hashimoto’s patient, has summarized three years of research in her book. I highly recommend her book, and I have attempted to summarize some of this information that I believe is crucial for every thyroid patient should know. Thyroid Symptoms As many thyroid symptoms are very non-specific they are often disregarded by the medical community in the initial stages. Patients are dismissed with having depression, stress or anxiety. Thyroid patients are prescribed anti-depressants or anti-anxiety medications without consideration of thyroid function. Medical studies have shown that up to one-third of people who fail antidepressants report feeling better once started on Cytomel (a T3 thyroid hormone). Some patients have even been hospitalized and misdiagnosed as having bipolar disorder or schizophrenia when in fact they were suffering from thyroid imbalances. People with anxiety, depression or other mood disorders should have their thyroid function checked, especially TPO antibodies. Some individuals with lifelong psychiatric diagnoses have been able to recover after receiving proper thyroid care. Thyroid Basics The thyroid produces thyroid hormones that affect the function of just about every organ system in the human body. Thyroid hormones are responsible for stimulating the metabolism of the foods we eat, extracting vitamins, and producing energy from food. They are also vital to the production of other hormones as well as the growth and development of our nervous system. The thyroid also maintains our temperature. Indirectly, thyroid function affects every reaction in the human body, as the temperature has to be just right for these reactions to take place properly. T4 (Thyroxine) and T3 (Triiodothyronine) are the two main thyroid hormones. Only T4 and T3 are considered to be biologically active in the body, and T4 is 300% less active than T3. Twenty percent of T3 comes from thyroid secretion, while the remaining 80% comes from T4 when T4 is converted to T3 through the deiodination process (which removes on iodine molecule) in peripheral organs like the liver and kidney. However, stress, nutritional deficiencies, or other issues can impair the thyroid’s ability to function. Instead of converting T4 to T3, the body conserves energy by converting T3 into an inactive form of T3 know as reverse T3 (rT3). Reverse T3 is able to bind the receptor sites on the cell that T3 normally occupies, but it does not have the ability to unlock these receptors and enter the cell, thus not allowing the necessary reactions inside the cell to take place. Total T4 includes: • T4 hormones bound to protein. When bound to protein, thyroid hormone is not available to the cells and therefore can’t do its job in the body. • FreeT4, which are T4 hormones that are free or unbound to protein. Total T3 includes: • T3 hormones that are bound to protein, and are not available to the cells and therefore can’t do its job in the body. • Free T3, which are T3 hormones that are free or unbound to protein. Free T3 Includes reverse T3 (rT3) hormones that cannot enter the cells and therefore can’t do its job in the body. So, the only T3 that is beneficial to the body for thyroid function is Free T3 minus rT3. Recommended Thyroid Functions Tests • TSH Test: Low levels of T4 and T3 circulating in the blood signal the release of TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone), while high levels of circulating T4 and T3 stop the release of TSH. The problem with using the TSH test to diagnose and treat thyroid function is that the amount of T3 and T4 circulating in the bloodstream does not address the issue of how much Free T4 and Free T3 is actually available in the cells to ensure proper thyroid function required to produce hormones, enzymes, neurotransmitter, and muscle tissue, and have a healthy metabolism. • Free T4 • Free T3 • rT3: TSH, Free T3, and Free T4 tests may be normal, but without factoring in the amount of rT3, patients may be suffering with thyroid symptoms. Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and Recommended Tests Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is an autoimmune condition that results in destruction of the thyroid gland. Hashimoto’s is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States, and accounts for 90% of cases of hypothyroidism. In most cases of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, blood tests will reveal one or two types of anti-thyroid antibodies. Thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOab) is the most common antibody present, and often antibodies against thyroglobulin (TGab) are found as well. These antibodies may appear decades before a change in TSH is detected. For this reason, TPO antibody screening is always crucial in suspected thyroid disease. Recommended tests are: • TPOab: Antibodies above 500 kU/L are considered aggressive, while antibodies of less than 100 kU/L are associated with a reduced risk of progressing to hypothyroidism. • Thyroglobulin Antibodies Why Are So Many Thyroid Patients Suffering with Thyroid Symptoms? Izabella Wentz’s research completely discredits the research currently used by traditional medicine. Traditional medicine’s diagnosis and treatment of thyroid function determines that any suppression of TSH, in spite of all other thyroid test results, indicates that the patient is hyperthyroid. This misuse of the TSH test results in a false diagnosis of hyperthyroidism; therefore, all the health risks they attribute to this erroneous diagnosis of hyperthyroidism are not valid. And could they defend their preference for T4 only medication if the patient’s medication was based on the results of all the lab work required to determine healthy thyroid function instead of basing it on their flawed research? Some of traditional medicines research is as follows: • Overreplacement – Overreplacement with T4 should be discouraged. Overreplacement causes subclinical hyperthyroidism (normal serum T4 and T3 and low serum TSH concentrations), or even overt hyperthyroidism. The main risk of subclinical hyperthyroidism is atrial fibrillation, which occurs three time more often in older patients with serum TSH concentration < 0.1 mU/L than in normal subjects. Patents with subclinical hyperthyroidism, particularly postmenopausal women, may also have accelerated bone loss. It is therefore important to educate patients about the potential adverse effects of overtreatment with T4. • Combination T4 and T3 therapy – Some hypothyroid patients remain symptomatic in spite of T4 replacement and normal serum TSH concentrations. As an example, in a large community-based questionnaire study of patients taking T4 who had normal serum TSH concentrations, 9 to 13 percent hypothyroid patients might benefit from substitution of some T3 for T4, an idea that has now been evaluated in multiple randomized trial, almost all of which showed that combination T4-T3 therapy does not appear to be superior to T4 monotherapy for the management of hypothyroid symptoms. In some trials, patients preferred combined therapy to T4 monotherapy; however, in one of those studies, patients were given overzealous doses of thyroid hormone resulting in mild hyperthyroidism. In general, clinical trials of combination T4-T3 therapy have not successfully replicated physiologic T4-T3 production. The Future for Thyroid Patients The truth about the current diagnosis and treatment based on the TSH test is that it has caused thyroid patients years, if not a lifetime, of suffering. By treating many thyroid symptoms, such as depression, fibromyalgia, CFS, stress and anxiety, etc. as separate illnesses, the medical profession and the pharmaceutical industry are the only ones who benefit. And the scary thing that I am now noticing is that as older doctors retire, the younger doctors taking their place have been trained to diagnose and treat thyroid function based on traditional medicine’s research as if it is sacred scripture. The only hope that thyroid patients have now are alternative medicine doctors who understand thyroid function and know and use the correct lab tests. I was informed this year (2017) that the lab tests ordered by my Naturopathic doctor are no longer covered by Medicare and Medicaid insurance. Are these doctors being targeted to be phased out? What does the future hold for thyroid patients? For additional information on why the medical profession should reassess the validity of using the TSH test and their preference for T4 only medications, read my review on Living Well with Hypothyroidism by Mary Shomon.

This book has literally saved me MONTHS of research on my own. Dr. Wentz has created a wonderful resource not only for those suffering from Thyroidism, but frankly from ANY auto-immune disease. She has clear to follow explanations of how the thyroid functions, followed by chapter after chapter on how to heal. The best part of the book is her supplement guide, which includes not only what to take, but how it works, what is does, and what dosages are best. I don't know if my personal story will be helpful, but let me start by explaining what I learned on my own versus what I learned from this book. I was diagnosed with Hashimotos, but normal thyroid hormone levels, despite having *all* of the symptoms of hypothyroidism. I saw three endocrinologists, three GPs, two neurologists, numerous chiropractors and massage therapists, two acupuncturists, and even a life coach and hypnotist (pretty much any health related professional whose bio suggested they might be able to help). I tried *everything*, and I mean everything, to get back on track but it just wasn't working until I found this book. This book introduced me to two concepts that were critical: Functional medicine, and Hashimoto's Gluten sensitivity This led to several significant changes. I *fully* committed to being gluten free. No bread, no soy sauce, no tempura sushi, not even cookie dough ice cream. I scoured labels, googled everything I ate, and was generally an intolerable friend to go eat out with ;) But it worked. That was the first huge leap forward. The second came when I started looking for functional medicine doctors in Austin, TX and following the supplementation suggestions put forward in this book. I found Dr. Ben Anderson in Austin, TX who has been a life saver for me, and even for one of my friends now dealing with similar issues. I'd already been taking a mix of supplements, but he helped me find even better supplements that were attuned to my body. And he did hormone testing, which showed major adrenal fatigue. So, with a few tweaks, here's the final list of supplements I'm on (but I'm not a doctor so consult yours first!) Empty Stomach (AM): - Licorice drops - Probiotic - Saccharomyces Boulardii Lunch: - Glutamine - Methyl B12 (my Dr suspects a MTHFR gene mutation; regular B12 wasn't helping but this works great) - NAC - Zinc (this was huge for me; gave me lots more energy) - Selenium Bedtime: - Magnesium - CoQ10 - Probiotic - Fish Oil w/vitamin D Many of these don't have to be taken with food and the order could be switched up. This was just what worked for me based on balancing the load of how many things I was taking each time of day. I'd recommend chatting with your doctor about lab work for vitamin deficiencies and reading Dr. Wentz's supplement guide. Also, keep hunting for a functional medicine doctor in your area who charges reasonable prices. The first one I found got great reviews but their "autoimmune cure" package was $4k. Crazy! Several others weren't much better at $750 for a one hour consult. I found my doctor through a case study in the book "Why isn't my Brain Working." That book had lots of case studies with doctors from across the country, so you might start there if you are looking for a local functional medicine specialist. Good luck everyone!

This book has been my guiding light out of the darkness of how scary it is to be diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, ,especially one that affects every system in your body in a kind of out of control merry-go-round. My holistic doctor immediately recommended this book to me upon diagnosis. I was freaked out and needed much more advice than my wonderful, knowledgeable doctor had time to give me, but she had connected me with a source. She told me I had autoimmune thyroid disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which I had never heard of, and showed me my thyroid antibody titers which were sky high. I didn't even have any symptoms specifically except for sudden weight gain and some hair loss. I would have never known how to proceed to understand my disorder, and the fact that so many miss, that the destruction can be slowed and autoimmunity halted or even reversed in some cases. My doctor of course also gave me some important recommendations of supplements, such as selenium and n-acetyl cysteine, and a low introductory dose of Nature-throid, a prescription thyroid hormone replacement from natural pig sources, to start out. She suggested we discuss my assumed accompanying adrenal fatigue and "leaky gut". She also started me on low-dose Naltrexone (check it out in the book or at lowdosenaltrexone.org), which is something Dr. Wentz herself never really tried, but which helps reverse autoimmunity and decrease or eliminate antibody titers over time.. After this, I was on my own with the book as my guide. Dr. Wentz also has a new book coming out and a website thyroidpharmacist.com, which is also useful. The book guided me through the medical explanations about how the thyroid works (or should work) and what goes wrong with Hashimoto's and the autoimmune attack on the gland, to lifestyle factors and environmental triggers that can help initiate onset of the disease itself, as well as background infections and diet factors that can do the same. All of the above are equally discussed as possible perpetuating factors once the disease has been set in motion. My doctor also followed her algorithm with testing me for underlying viral infections, which it turned out I have fairly high active titers for Epsteinn-Barr virus, which we attacked with natural antiviral supplements, monolauriin and red marine algae, and testing me for nutritional, vitamin, and mineral deficiencies, which are very, common sequelae, and which I also had. She bumped up my Vitamin D supplement to 10,000iu/day, and added iron supplements for extremely low ferritin levels, which was a crucial discovery in the quest to get symptom resolution and also return to normal thyroid gland function. Again, the book explained the mechanisms behind all this, and walked me through the issues with adrenal fatigue and "leaky gut", getting me started on some supplements and some changes in my diet. Dr. Wentz is at her best when explaining not just what happens, but why, and what you can do about it, either through diet or lifestyle modifications and/or supplementation. She never gives the impression that there is not more that can be done, and she herself gives the impression everyone should reach for the goal of reversing and halting autoimmunity completely, an option she was never given back when she was diagnosed by the less than understanding conventional medical establishment. Dr. Wentz passion is functional medicine, a kind of alternative approach where nutrition is very important, but even more so, you always look for the root cause, like in the title to her book. She has helped me tremendously, and I recommend her book to others with Hashimoto's everywhere I can (especially in the supplement reviews in the Amazon community - both my doctor and Dr. Wentz are excellent at recommending essential supplements for this disorder and all those other disorders that accompany it). Highly recommend this book - it helped me keep my sanity when my health felt like it was plummeting out from under me. And my doctor immediately prescribed me this book upon diagnosis, so I trust her recommendation!!!

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's last summer (although I think I've had it much longer). I decided to take my health into my own hands and research as much as possible about the autoimmune disease. This book has really helped me. I tried some of the suggestions for finding my "Root Cause" and tried the elimination diet. Gluten and dairy were not problems for me, however selenium supplementation has worked wonders. I live in WV and it is known that our soils are deficient in this mineral. I decided to supplement and within a month I had great results with one of my mystery symptoms. For years I had been "choking awake" at night. Doctor said that because I was thin, I couldn't have sleep apnea. After one month on a selenium supplement, I stopped choking awake and started sleeping much better. My neck which was getting "thick" is much thinner and my endocrinologist reported that the nodes on my thyroid have went away. This book really gave me great suggestions on trying to find out what treatment would work for me. I recommend it to anyone that is diagnosed with Hashimoto's.

If you struggle with autoimmune issues and have been told that the best you can hope for is to just "manage your symptoms", dont' buy it!! DO, however, BUY THIS BOOK!!! I suffer from Hashimotos Syndrome and Sjogrens Syndrome, both of which have made me miserable for years!! Ive tried multiple supplement programs and other "alternative" therapies as well as prescription therapies, to no avail. Synthroid did help but I never got back the stamina (or weight loss ability) I once had. Believing that science would, one day, find an answer, I continued to check various websites from time to time, hoping for new updates. It was during one of these random Google searches that I stumbled upon and, ultimately, purchased Dr. Wentz's book. What an educational, eye-opening and inspiring read! Long story short, gut health is key to so many conditions and infirmities as well as the correct function of the immune system and Dr Wentz explains this in exhaustive detail so that, you not only have knowledge but understanding. If more people had a better understanding of what really goes on in their gut (hint - its a lot more than elimination), they'd take their eating habits far more seriously, I believe. I found the book relatively easy to read and implement. In less than a week's time, I do feel different, better, stronger and more alert during the day, ALL DAY, and I also sleep better at night. I guess the best word to describe how Im starting to feel is "balanced". I was a former professional athlete who slowly disintegrated over a matter of years - weight gain, fatigue, random aches and pains, depression, frequent illness, muscle weakness, sloppy gait and physical balance issues, brain fog, difficulty focusing, memory issues and, ultimately, a sense of overall defeat. At first, I wrote it off to the aging process but I, later, learned it was an autoimmune process, likely triggered by a long, severe bout with Mononucleosis in my early 30s. Like so many, I was told that the best I could hope for was symptom management. I never really believed that, though, which is why I kept searching for answers. I truly believe that the information in this book is turning that autoimmune "malfunction" in my body around. Im so convinced, that Im considering starting a blog or FB page to track my process for my own accountability, as well as to, hopefully, inspire others. Again, Ive been into this a little more than a week so, its hardly enough time to make a determination, BUT, I can say that I already feel better, so something is changing (and I dont recall even Synthroid making me feel better that fast). If youve been down the autoimmune road, like me, youve probably tried anything and everything for relief, wasting time and money on huckster websites that promised results but, instead, delivered snake oil, at best. Dr. Wentz delivers science, knowledge, personal experience and real hope! Buy this book, its well worth it, and so are you!!

FIRST, I want to say BUY THIS BOOK!! Possible 2 copies, one for you and one for your doctor!!!! Really!! This is probably one of the best books I have read on the Hashimoto's Disease! Kept it in my bag for the longest time to read every chance I got and when something came to mind! It fully explains the complexity of this illness! Isabella Wentz, wrote this book after her own diagnosis. There is a lot of research that was used as well as her own trial and error to dig at what was her root causes to feel better. I have followed all her advice! I have changed the way I eat which was necessary in order to regain my health back. When I started the book after I recovered my diagnose ... I literally felt like I was dying. I actually had dreams about myself dying. I could barely get outta bed in the morning... I was that achy everything hurt and I always felt tired, no memory, depressed and faster than I have ever been in my whole entire life ( yet on a diet all the time and really thinking I was eating healthy... Which by Weight Watchers I was but it wasn't the right foods for my disease) I had gone to doctors for over 8 years and I was told eat less and exercise more. I felt like I failure! Why wasn't the exercise that I did enough?! I was running for at least 3 hours a day! Broke my foot I ran so much and lifted weights too, switched to rowing on an ERG, while I was trying to heal my foot. Did marathons on it! Rowed for 5 hours too and guess what.... I LOST ZERO WEIGHT! I was restrictive with my food as well! I never drank or smoked and every outing I would literally watch other skinner people eat and drink while I picked at the veggie and fruit trays. I started to question if God even likes me... Because no Mayer how hard I tried I got nowhere! I was beyond sad. So while I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism I wasn't diagnosed with Hashimoto's... I dove into research ( formerly an RN) I found Izabella's book... Highly recommended and I followed all her tips! This was last year, where my journey started and a year later I have turned my health around in the right direction. I have lost 30 pounds, my hair is finally beginning to grown again after much loss, I don't ache in the morning, I am clear headed in though, my skin looks great, and I feel like MEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!! I am still working on a few areas that need tweaking but I happy with where and in what direction I am moving! I also need to mention that I am getting there without the help of doctors. So you can too! It's a little tough but I have had not one doctor who would listen to me, that my insurance would pay for. I have even had to try and teach a few of them nicely I may add. I had doctors misread my lab work and tell me I was perfectly healthy ... Even with clumps of hair falling out and heart palpitations!! HEAL THYSELF and Go GRAB THIS BOOK!!! I also need to mention that I believe this author is the BEST! She is continually doing more research on this disease, she shares her knowledge as she obtains it! She cares about people and this disease, it's like it's her mission in life. I consider her the truest of BLESSINGSin my life, because without her book, I am not sure I would have had much more of one. I ❤️the Thyroid Pharmacist CHICK!! She ROCKS!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻❤️❤️❤️❤️👏🏻👏🏻❤️👏🏻❤️❤️👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👍🏻👍🏻

This book and the network of information Dr. Izabella Wentz is providing through her website and Facebook page have been the best resources I’ve found through an otherwise lonely quest to hack my Hashimoto’s. After years of experiencing varied symptoms that mimicked other conditions (tested negative or didn’t respond to targeted treatment), increasingly worsened and crossed multiple body systems, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis in June 2016. My doctors stated there was no treatment until my condition progressed to hypothyroidism, wherein they would prescribe a synthetic hormone. I was provided no education on the thyroid or autoimmune conditions nor recommendations to alleviate my symptoms (which were likely caused by the fluctuation in my thyroid that is under attack). I was also told that I “will find a site (online) that suggests certain supplements, but there is no evidence that these actually stop the process or prevent the development of hypothyroidism”. I had already done a little bit of research online in conjunction with my test results which suggested nutritional intervention, but my requests for a referral to a nutritionist specializing in autoimmune conditions were ignored. Left with no support system from conventional doctors, I dove into the internet, determined. I found the “Root Cause” book early in my research but reluctant to make such a quick uneducated decision, I kept looking and reading everything I could find online on the condition. Then my husband turned me on to a medical podcast that interviewed Izabella Wentz, a pharmacist who had been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s and was able to put her symptoms in remission. I was swayed by the fact that this was an individual with a medical background that seemed to be pro-lifestyle intervention and supplementation more so than medication. When I discovered this was the author of that book I didn’t buy, a few clicks more and the book was on its way! It was a quick read, I highlighted similarities in our experience and was refreshed by those commonalities. I took notes on which interventions resonated with me and I planned to implement first. I am grateful for the education on the immune connection to the digestive system and the explanation of the self-sustaining cycle of destruction. What I have learned has empowered me to take control of my medical testing and treatment. My TPO antibodies will be retested next week and I am cautiously optimistic to see how the interventions I’ve implemented the past 5 months have affected my results. My journey has just begun and I look forward to and find immense value in the flow on information I continue to receive from Dr. Wentz and her network. I am indebted to her for sharing her research.

I bought this book when I was sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. I felt utterly overwhelmed by the diagnosis of autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimotos) and desperate to find a way to get better. This book is the product of the authors experience, both as a sufferer herself but, perhaps just as importantly, as a pharmacist whose combined medical knowledge and more holistic understanding of how the things we put into our body affects what we get out. This book lays out exactly how you get to the underlying cause of your disease process and clearly sets out a pathway to health using the authors "DIG AT IT" approach: D = Depletions, Digestion I = Iodine, Inflammation, Infection, Immune Imbalance G = Gut healing, Gluten A = Adrenals, Alkaline Phosphatase T = Triggers I= Intolerances T= Toxins This book is for you if: 1)You are willing to take responsibility for your health into your own hands. 2)You are doggedly determined to find out what is causing your autoimmunity and tackle the underlying issue with the aim of getting it into remission. 3)You are willing to make whatever diet and lifestyle changes you need to in order to get yourself well. I'm talking big stuff here. Like giving up sugar, alcohol, grains, gluten, in your search for your triggers. To give an example: I have been a strict vegetarian for 25 years. To solve MY specific depletion issues, I have had to start eating meat. 4)You can find money in your budget to spend on supplements, vitamins and minerals, some of which are quite expensive. 5)You have a GP who is willing to be OPEN MINDED to views on this disease which do not follow UK NHS dogma and will work WITH and FOR you in obtaining the tests required to assess what action to take (this was the hardest part for me personally and I have ended up having to pay for much of the testing privately.) This book is not for you if: 1)You are looking to suppress your symptoms by popping a prescribed pill without really wanting to understand the underlying disease process or make any big changes to your lifestyle. 2)You are easily put off by the complexity of human biology. This book is in depth and in truth, you will probably end up with more knowledge on the subject than your GP has by the last page. It goes way beyond medical school teaching or conventional NHS policy on treatment. You will need to be invested in reading this book and looking up things you dont understand along the way. It is worth it and whenever I checked out anything I was unsure of, what Izabella Wentz had concluded was always spot on. It is an amazingly well researched book. Along the authors own journey she has either considered or tried almost every diet, protocol, supplement and drug available for this condition and her own research on the rationale behind them brings together what I can only say appears to be the best knowledge out there. I nearly gave this book 4 stars because the one major downside of this book is that it is written for an American audience where the healthcare system is different and you can walk into your doctors office and demand a battery of tests, pretty much on a whim and as long as your insurance will cover it, the doctor will order it. Not so in the UK and many of the tests mentioned were things my GP was not willing to entertain or had never heard of. Fortunately, I found a fabulous functional nutritionist who was able to order many of the tests instead of my GP. Not cheap, but worth it to get the answers I needed. I also found it massively frustrating that the 'Decoy' supplement Thyrophin PMG (suggested in the book) is only available in the USA and I couldnt get any of the US sites selling it online to ship it to a UK address. I got round this by having it sent to a family member in the US who then posted it on to me, but, it is annoying to find things which really could be helping a lot of people with this condition are so hard to get hold of over here. Anyhow, if you are newly diagnosed and looking for help, start here, with this book. If I can also just say, if you are newly diganosed and you are feeling utterly floored by it all, scared, anxious and very unsure what the future holds for you health, please take courage from the author of this book. There is HOPE and you CAN and WILL feel better than you do today. I would also recommend Dr Datis Kharazzian's book 'Why do I still have thyroid symptoms when my lab results are normal?' and 'The immune system recovery plan' by Susan Blum. Lots of people suggested I get 'Stop The Thyroid Madness' and it is a good book for people with Thyroid Disease but I wouldnt recommend it in your first round of reading because Hashimotos is actually about understanding Autoimmunity first and foremost and *then* how it affects your thyroid. Best of luck on your journey to health. 2017 update: Since writing this review I was diagnosed with several more autoimmune diseases and the battle against them began. It's been a long road but I now have the autoimmunity well controlled. I am well. I'm working. I'm living, not existing. My TPO antibodies are in remission and TgAs are low and stable. Please could I also recommend to anyone facing autoimmunity the following books: The Paleo Approach by Sarah Ballantyne The Autoimmune Solution by Amy Myers These two books compliment the Dr Wentz approach very well.

It’s a very dry read (a dictionary has more plot twists) but absolutely worth it. I have learned so much and I am getting great results.

Es un libro excelente para quienes buscan conocer más acerca del tratamiento de esta enfermedad, sus efectos en los pacientes y los cambios en el estilo de vida que pueden contribuir a mejorar la salud.

Item arrived next day read up to chapter 2 ,very interesting

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis about 20 years ago. At the time there was very little out there on this disease. I was shocked to find that symptoms which I had presented for years finally had a name. I researched every book I could find. I went on-line looking for help. I must say I found some excellent help for thyoid- both hyper and hypo which this illness encompasses. However, after visiting the endo, I was still unsure what I should do. Yes, of course take the thyroid meds but what else could I modify. Although I was extremely fatigued at all times, I still pushed myself to exercise a lot. My eating habits were good although I had always had a tiny appetite. I had been extremely thin all my life, but overnight I became very heavy. Of course the ridicule from "family and friends" only exacerbated by anxieties. With the help of a metabolic doctor, I lost most of the weight Sleep was non existent. This wonderful book explained to me the causes of my illness and gave excellent suggestions on how to live better. Although I have only had the book for a short time and have read it cover to cover, I found excellent advice on how to improve my quality of life..........................yes......I urge you to read this highly informative book and as another reviewer has said save yourself the time it takes to research this information. You and your health deserve it!!