I have always thought that there is a window of opportunity in which alternative medicine fits. A time slot where it not only works quite well but better than any medicines at our disposal. That window opens when you first realize that you may have a problem and closes when the problem becomes acute. The time frame can be as short as minutes (such as in an insect or snake bite) or as long as several years (such as in chronic illness.) The more acute the problem, the more likely it becomes necessary for medical intervention.
The key to using alternative medicine is in knowing what to do (immediately if you have just minutes) or knowing where to find the information you need if you have the luxury of time. My goal has always been to avoid medical intervention whenever possible... using alternative medicine first, even if only for a day or a week before starting conventional treatment. In most cases, my alternative treatments have worked well enough to allow me to avoid conventional therapy altogether.
My story
Over a period of about 30 years, my thyroid became more and more sluggish. During the last 10 years, I knew I had a problem but I didn't know what to do about it. Every year the same conversation ensued with my doctor. The last five years were worse as I gained weight without eating. The intent of this article is not to prescribe a treatment for hypothyroidism. It is simply to share what worked for me in my attempt to avoid having to take a medication for an escalating problem with no end in sight.
I never watched what I ate because the weight gain was so gradual I didn't notice it until I was in my 40s and all of a sudden, size 12 didn't fit anymore and I found myself buying size 14. My blood tests showed my thyroid number declining each year but still in the normal range. Finally, it was right on the bottom line for hypothyroidism but still not low enough for medical intervention. I really didn't want to take medicine but I could see that, if I did nothing, that's exactly what I would have to do the following year. The problem simply had to be addressed before it got to that point and my medical doctor really couldn't help me.
So I went to an alternative doctor who suggested that my system was toxic and therefore my thyroid (and probably other organs as well) was simply clogged. He recommended an antioxidant called MegaHydrate to clean out the toxins. He spent considerable time explaining to me how MegaHydrate worked and that it was extremely important that I increase the dose gradually. He also explained that I might break out in a purple rash within the first three days and if that happened to just stop taking it for a week and continue.
I did break out in a rash but it wasn't itchy and it just appeared on my chest but it looked weird so I followed his advice and the rash never reoccurred. I didn't notice any difference at first but once I reached four a day, my face and neck looked noticeably thinner. When I reached eight a day people started commenting on how good I looked.
I kept slowly increasing the dose by one every two weeks over the course of six months until I was taking four with each meal or 12 a day. I would stop taking it or step back the dose if, in the normal course of events, I started to come down with a cold or something. I was afraid it could make matters worse by overloading my system when it was not working at peak capacity. I stayed on 12 daily for a few months and then gradually cut back by two a day every three weeks or so until I reached a maintenance dose of four a day. If I noticed my system slipping back, I increased back to the previous dosage for another month.
A remarkable thing happened! I went from a size 14 to a stable size 10 in less than a year... all with no change in my diet except for the fact that I was eating more. As my weight increased I had started eating less and less but as my thyroid began working properly, I found I could eat normally again. Another positive side effect was my wrinkles seemed to disappear and my skin is exceptionally smooth. Everyone wanted to know what I was doing.
I enjoyed my size 10 for a year or so. Then I read Dr. D'Adamo's book, Eat Right 4 Your Type and I started to incorporate some of his suggestions into my diet. It wasn't hard. I just ate more of what I liked that was good for me and eliminated what was bad. Over the next 12 months I went to a size 8 and felt much healthier.
I was completely happy at size 8 but after a conversation with my MegaHydrate rep, I decided to try a Royal Body Care product called BioShape. It was an amino acid supplement that required drinking a lot of pure water. I really don't like water. Since it had to be taken an hour before meals and I never knew when I was going to eat, it was a real problem for me to take it seriously or with any routine. I suppose I took it about 3-4 times a week for a few weeks but never on a regular basis. My lifestyle just didn't allow it so I took it whenever I could. But the bottom line is... I dropped a size 6. So I guess it worked although I really didn't expect it to because of the way I abused the directions.
I'm now 75 and still a petit size 6 and sometimes 4 depending on the garment. The point being, since I dealt with the root cause of toxicity, instead of focusing on my thyroid or weight gain, I experienced true healing or a "cure" which is something allopathic medicine does not address since medicine targets symptoms... not causes.
I don't know what will work for other people. Lucky for me, my alternative doctor initially pointed me in the right direction with MegaHydrate. I wish I had known about Dr. D'Adamo's diet long ago. BioShape is no longer sold and Royal Body Care is no longer the same company.
I have always shied away from taking weight control supplements, but BioShape seemed so harmless I thought I'd give it a try. The only side effect was an increase in urination, probably because of all the water. I like to think I was peeing my fat away. Certainly there must be a replacement product on the market by now.
I hope this helps if you are on a quest to save your thyroid from medical bombardment. I'd much rather take supplements than thyroid medication but then... not everyone shares my point of view.
Good luck and good health,
Angel
