Tex, One of my health news letters asked this question and posed the following comments regarding Armour and Soy. What do you make of it?
An SI member named Mary writes, "I have hypothyroid. I take Armour. I believe in natural things. Do you have anything on hypothyroid?"
William Campbell Douglass II, M.D., confirms that Armour (which is desiccated thyroid and provides the complete range of thyroid hormones) is an excellent treatment choice for hypothyroidism.
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Armour all
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In an October 2002 issue of his Daily Dose e-letter, Dr. Douglass explained why Armour is more effective than a hypothyroid drug called Synthroid.
Dr. Douglass: "Research shows that the thyroid hormone T3 is more active than T4 – in fact, it is roughly four times as strong as T4. In the body, all T4 hormones must be converted into T3 in order to control metabolism. Many patients do not have the enzymatic capability to make that conversion. Synthroid is T4. After I discovered this fact, I switched all of my hypothyroid patients to a natural thyroid product (called Armour). Natural thyroid is derived from the thyroid glands of pigs and is a combination of T3 and T4. The majority of these patients experienced an almost immediate improvement."
Dr. Douglass also cites a study in which subjects taking Armour scored better on six of 17 measures of mood and cognition than subjects who took Synthroid. Mood and physical status results were better in 10 of 15 instances. Biochemical evidence also showed that Armour improved thyroid hormone action more effectively than Synthroid.
Hormone treatments should always be taken under a doctor's care. Dr. Douglass also cautions that patients who are currently taking synthetic thyroid medication should talk to their doctor before changing their regimen.
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Dietary landmines
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Beyond treatment, there are a couple of foods that may present pitfalls for patients with hypothyroidism.
An HSI member named Betty writes, "I have seen mentioned that broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower (cruciferous vegetables) should not be eaten more than three days per week if one has hypothyroidism. What exactly goes wrong if this is not adhered to?
According to the Linus Pauling Institute, a high intake of cruciferous vegetables may prompt the development of a compound call goitrin, which has been shown to impede the synthesis of thyroid hormone.
Soy is the other food to be wary of.
In the HSI Healthier Talk community forums, a member named Chefgirl notes that soy products can play havoc with hypothyroid patients because the soy isoflavones limit the cells' ability to receive thyroid hormones.
Chefgirl writes, "In reality, soy protein is one of the worst things that I could consume, especially on a daily basis. I can't begin to tell you the difference I felt when I stopped eating soy products, just within 2-3 days."
What infuriates her is that she consumed soy products for 10 years, "thinking I was eating healthy and being told that was the case."
Other isoflavone rich foods include legumes, grains and cabbage. Red clover (sometimes used to address menopausal symptoms) is also high in isoflavones. You can find more information about the problems soy causes for hypothyroid patients at the web site for the Weston A. Price foundation (westonaprice.org).
Hotrod
more soy questions
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RUBYREDDOG
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Hi Hotrod,
I definitely agree with all of that information. To be honest, I don't understand why the medical world jumped on synthetic T4 so whole-heartedly in the first place, decades ago, when it was first developed. Evidently, the pharmaceutical companies did another great selling job. Doctors seem to be quite "gullible", in some situations, and as long as the labs show that a patient's TSH and free T4 are within the "normal" ranges, they are convinced that they have adequately treated that case, regardless of what the patient has to say about it.
I don't generally worry much about the cruciferous vegetables, but then, I don't normally eat them more than two or three times a week, anyway. Soy definitely "messes with your hormones", so it's a factor not only in thyroid issues, but in virtually any other hormone-mediated bodily process, IOW, in virtually everything. I bookmarked the Weston Price website, when I first came across it, about four years ago, and I've never found a reason to question anything that they say there.
Thanks for posting that.
Tex
I definitely agree with all of that information. To be honest, I don't understand why the medical world jumped on synthetic T4 so whole-heartedly in the first place, decades ago, when it was first developed. Evidently, the pharmaceutical companies did another great selling job. Doctors seem to be quite "gullible", in some situations, and as long as the labs show that a patient's TSH and free T4 are within the "normal" ranges, they are convinced that they have adequately treated that case, regardless of what the patient has to say about it.
I don't generally worry much about the cruciferous vegetables, but then, I don't normally eat them more than two or three times a week, anyway. Soy definitely "messes with your hormones", so it's a factor not only in thyroid issues, but in virtually any other hormone-mediated bodily process, IOW, in virtually everything. I bookmarked the Weston Price website, when I first came across it, about four years ago, and I've never found a reason to question anything that they say there.
Thanks for posting that.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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RUBYREDDOG
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- Location: Glendale, Ca.
Thanks Tex,
I take levothyrovine, 50mcg, I am going to ask my GP Doc. to switch me over to Armour.
Since my recent EL results showed a sensivity to yeast, soy and eggs, I have pretty much cut them out of my diet. Though, I am still finding some of my supplements have them listed in the ingredients. SOY IS IN EVERYTHING. Things seem to be getting a little better (gas, bloating and frequency) but this is definitely tougher than the GF and DF elimination I have been doing for the last 3 months.
CAN ANYONE GIVE ME A RECOMMENDATION (GF,DF,SF,YF,EF) for waffles, cookies or salad dressing???? I had to give mine up and I realllllly miss them.
Hotrod
I take levothyrovine, 50mcg, I am going to ask my GP Doc. to switch me over to Armour.
Since my recent EL results showed a sensivity to yeast, soy and eggs, I have pretty much cut them out of my diet. Though, I am still finding some of my supplements have them listed in the ingredients. SOY IS IN EVERYTHING. Things seem to be getting a little better (gas, bloating and frequency) but this is definitely tougher than the GF and DF elimination I have been doing for the last 3 months.
CAN ANYONE GIVE ME A RECOMMENDATION (GF,DF,SF,YF,EF) for waffles, cookies or salad dressing???? I had to give mine up and I realllllly miss them.
Hotrod
We use Annie's Naturals brand of roasted red pepper dressing as a steak sauce, cooking sauce, even on french fries...it is free of scary things and quite good. Since Rick has to be GF,SF,DF, rice free and sugar free, finding a replacement for ketcup, steak sauce and etc was hard, but this fit the bill...
Carrie
Carrie
Hotrod,
Note that there is only one source for Armour:
http://www.armourthyroid.com/
And due to the presence of T3, (and other hormones), it's necessary to use a conversion to get the dose, (for example, 50 mcg of levothyroxine is equivalent to 30 mg, or half a grain, of Armour). You may have to re-regulate your dose with Armour. In case your doctor is not willing, the site has a doctor locator.
Waffles without soy are the rarest of the rare, I suspect. You will probably have to make your own, but this is an excellent mix to start with. You can probably find a way to replace the eggs in the final mix by asking Dee for some advice, (or checking her kitchen forum). Likewise on the cookies and salad dressing. Dee may be gone camping again, though, right now, but I'm just guessing.
https://www.namastefoods.com/shopping/s ... m_list.cgi
Carrie,
Have you by any chance tried these? Note that they are also sugar free.
Tex
Note that there is only one source for Armour:
http://www.armourthyroid.com/
And due to the presence of T3, (and other hormones), it's necessary to use a conversion to get the dose, (for example, 50 mcg of levothyroxine is equivalent to 30 mg, or half a grain, of Armour). You may have to re-regulate your dose with Armour. In case your doctor is not willing, the site has a doctor locator.
Waffles without soy are the rarest of the rare, I suspect. You will probably have to make your own, but this is an excellent mix to start with. You can probably find a way to replace the eggs in the final mix by asking Dee for some advice, (or checking her kitchen forum). Likewise on the cookies and salad dressing. Dee may be gone camping again, though, right now, but I'm just guessing.
https://www.namastefoods.com/shopping/s ... m_list.cgi
Carrie,
Have you by any chance tried these? Note that they are also sugar free.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
We have used the Namaste pizza crust ( makes a great flat bread), their waffles and their brownie and cookie mix ( I add melted bakers chocolate to the cookie mix, with coconut,and nuts and make them into cookie bars, just cook them longer than the instructions, they are wonderful)...yummy on all counts...but Rick is starting to show some issues with rice and maybe grains in general, so we are trying to back away from them right now...but hope to add them back in soon. They are in our local grocery store, and we haven't found any of their products that don't taste like their gluten loaded counterparts...
Hugs,
C
Hugs,
C
I'm also GF,DF,SF,YF,EF and I can tell you that it's very difficult to find items without any of these ingredients. It's just as difficult to find recipes that don't include any of them, especially ones that are egg-free. I bought a couple of Bette Hagman's Gluten-Free Gormet books and almost all of her baked goods require eggs.
It is impossible to find a mayonaisse that is GF,DF,SF,YF,EF. You'll have to make your own, I'm afraid. I posted an easy mayonaisse recipe in Dee's kitchen. It's here: http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewt ... 7960#47960
I make my own waffles. The best recipe I've found without eggs is Carole Fenster's in her book "Cooking Free." The recipe also makes great pancakes. I actually copied the recipe from a preview of her book on Amazon.com, as I recall. Bob's Red Mill also has a tasty pancake mix which can be used to make waffles. If you're not intolerant to legumes, the mix should work well for you. I believe he even tells how to substitute for the eggs.
When you bake without eggs, you need to substitute xanthan gum and/or egg replacer for the eggs. One cookbook I have, "The Complete Gluten-Free Cookbook" by Donna Washburn & Heather Butt provides an egg-free alternative for most of the recipes. One of her substitutions for eggs is to use ground 1/4 c. ground flaxseed mixed with 1/3 c. warm water in place of 2 eggs. Flaxseed can cause loose stools, so beware.
I think we are in the minority, even on this board, in needing to be egg-free. I have found it helpful to look for vegan recipes on the Internet and substitute my own gluten-free flour mixture in place of the flour.
Gloria
It is impossible to find a mayonaisse that is GF,DF,SF,YF,EF. You'll have to make your own, I'm afraid. I posted an easy mayonaisse recipe in Dee's kitchen. It's here: http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewt ... 7960#47960
I make my own waffles. The best recipe I've found without eggs is Carole Fenster's in her book "Cooking Free." The recipe also makes great pancakes. I actually copied the recipe from a preview of her book on Amazon.com, as I recall. Bob's Red Mill also has a tasty pancake mix which can be used to make waffles. If you're not intolerant to legumes, the mix should work well for you. I believe he even tells how to substitute for the eggs.
When you bake without eggs, you need to substitute xanthan gum and/or egg replacer for the eggs. One cookbook I have, "The Complete Gluten-Free Cookbook" by Donna Washburn & Heather Butt provides an egg-free alternative for most of the recipes. One of her substitutions for eggs is to use ground 1/4 c. ground flaxseed mixed with 1/3 c. warm water in place of 2 eggs. Flaxseed can cause loose stools, so beware.
I think we are in the minority, even on this board, in needing to be egg-free. I have found it helpful to look for vegan recipes on the Internet and substitute my own gluten-free flour mixture in place of the flour.
Gloria
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
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RUBYREDDOG
- Adélie Penguin
- Posts: 158
- Joined: Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:45 pm
- Location: Glendale, Ca.