My Top 6 Thyroid Resources

Several readers and friends have asked recently, so I thought I’d share my top 6 thyroid resources that have been most helpful to me in understanding hypothyroidism.

[Note: While I personally deal with HYPO-thyroidism, many of these resources will also apply to HYPER-thyroidism, or will correspond to resources on that topic.]

My Story and My Top 6 Thyroid Resources

First, here’s a very brief synopsis of my experience with hypothyroidism.

• After three miscarriages, I was diagnosed with “barely clinical” hypothyroidism and given standard thyroid meds.
• Later came a Hashimoto’s diagnosis by an endocrinologist–and a slightly altered treatment–but I still wasn’t feeling well.
• Finally, I decided to do some research of my own instead of merely relying on what I’d been told.
• Since my symptoms weren’t going away, even with the medication, I needed some coping strategies.

Good News and Bad News

My research produced good news and bad news.  The good news: there was hope for my unresolved symptoms.  The bad news: it seemed gluten needed to go.  (Among other things.)

Everything I read seemed to share a common thread: Eliminating gluten from the diet seems to help with thyroid disease (and all autoimmune diseases).

A New Doctor

My research led me to a new holistic M.D., who evaluated my whole situation, as opposed to only my thyroid function.

He recommended major dietary changes, as well as a different brand of thyroid medication and a host of natural supplements.

There are still ups and downs, and I continue to read and learn more, tweaking my lifestyle as I go.

But the bottom line is this: I’m feeling better than I’ve felt in years.  And I have a much better grasp of true health, as opposed to a mere absence of symptoms.

What About You?

Are you looking for answers to thyroid-related questions?  Read on.  I am sharing my top 6 thyroid resources.  

These are the books I read first, and then along the way, plus a few I’d still like to read.  At the end of the post, I’ll share a fantastic new online resource.

3 Books I Highly Recommend

1.  Living Well with Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn’t Tell You… That You Need to Know

This was the very first book I read, the book that launched my entire journey into wellness and holistic health.  Mary J. Shomon is somewhat of a thyroid disease celebrity if there is such a thing.

2.  Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms When My Lab Tests Are Normal: A revolutionary breakthrough in understanding Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism

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I could not believe there was a book with my exact question as its title!  As I recall, this book helped me understand the underlying causes of hypothyroidism, as opposed to merely treating the effects of the disease.

3.  Overcoming Thyroid Disorders

I read this title more recently and found it helpful and concise.  It was recommended by my holistic doctor.  And by the way, David Brownstein has authored quite a few titles on a variety of health topics.  I’m currently reading Salt Your Way To Health

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2 Books I Own and Still Need to Read 🙂

1.  What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About(TM): Hypothyroidism: A Simple Plan for Extraordinary Results

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I’ve read bits and pieces of this book, which has good reviews on Amazon.  Mary J. Shomon–author of the first book listed above, as well as the book mentioned below–wrote the forward.  The author is both an M.D. and a Ph.D. 

2. The Thyroid Diet Revolution: Manage Your Master Gland of Metabolism for Lasting Weight Loss

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Another title by Mary J. Shomon, this is the revised edition of her 2004 New York Times Bestseller.

An Online Resource (and Book) I’ve Just Discovered

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Recently, I came across a great review for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause

, which led me to the author’s website and Facebook page.

I’m fascinated by the fact that Izabella Wentz is both a pharmacist and a Hashimoto’s patient, as well as a self-described “pioneer on a journey for information about lifestyle interventions for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.”

Having just discovered her resources, I’m still a bit overwhelmed by the sheer volume of info on her sites, but I’m slowly digging in and am so encouraged to have found her.

So there you have my Top 6 Resources for Hypothyroidism.

If you are–or someone you love is–struggling with thyroid disease, or even the suspicion of undiagnosed thyroid disease, I hope these books and websites will provide the answers and the hope that you need.

Do you know of other helpful resources for dealing with thyroid disease?  I’d love to hear about them.