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Medical data is for informational purposes only. You should always consult your family physician, or one of our referral physicians prior

Supplement to

The Art of Getting Well

Thyroid Hormone Therapy:

Cutting the Gordian Knot

Sources are given in references.

Authors of contributions\quotations are alphabetically

arranged; major author, if any, is underlined.

Broda O. Barnes, M.D., John Baron, D.O., James A.

Carlson, D.O., Anthony HJ. Cichoke, D.C., O.P. Dimball,

M.D., Shirley Holmstead, Lita Lee, Ph.D., Howard Loomis,

D.C., Raymond F. Peat, Ph.D., Gus J. Prosch, Jr., M.D., E.

Denis Wilson, M.D. Jonathan V. Wright, M.D./Responsible

editor/writer Anthony di Fabio.

Foundation for the Eradication of Rheumatoid Disease

AKA The Arthritis Trust of America

7376 Walker Road, Fairview, TN 37062

Thyroid: Master Gland & Regulator

The human body, from one perspective, is fundamen-

tally a carbon/oxygen engine. It burns carbon with the use

of oxygen, producing heat and other forms of energy.

The rate at which this engine burns its fuel (carbon) has

a certain efficiency, and is measured by a concept called

“basal metabolism”.

Basal metabolism represents the energy expended to

maintain respiration, circulation, peristalsis, muscle tone,

body temperature, glandular activity, and the other vegetative

functions.

If the rate of burning is higher than normal, one is called

hyperthyroid, and if the rate is lower than normal, one is said

to be hypothyroid.

Thanks to Broda O. Barnes, M.D. (deceased) and his

research and book, Hypothyrodisim: The Unsuspected Ill-

ness

we now know that improper thyroid functioning is the

basis to many disease states, as well as the key to wellness.

The reason is simple to explain: Proper enzyme function-

ing depends upon proper temperature. Too high or too low, and

the enzymes do not function, or do not function properly. As

tens of thousands of enzymes are the very essence of our

proper functioning cells, organs, and systems, improper func-

tioning of enzymes also causes improper functioning of cells,

organs and systems.

According to E. Denis Wilson, M.D., there are perhaps 60

different symptoms that stem from improper enzyme function-

ing, many of them also named as diseases in their own right.

Wilson's Syndrome: Multiple Enzyme Deficiencies

There's a simple treatment that just might cure, or at least

improve, more than 60 different disease symptoms by permit-

ting enzymes to function properly. The various disease symp-

toms include: Fatigue, Headaches, Presmenstrual Syndrome,

Irritability, Dry Hair and Hair Loss, Decreased Memory and

Concentration, Insomnia and Narcolepsy, Anxiety and Panic

Attacks, Heat and/or Cold Intolerance, Depression, Fluid

Retention, Inappropriate Weight Gain, Constipation and Irri-

table Bowel Syndrome, Dry Skin, Allergies, Asthma, Itchi-

ness, Hives, Unhealthy Nails, Acid Indigestion, Decreased

Sex Drive and Joy of Living (Anhedonia), Irregular Periods

and Menstrual Cramps, Infertility, Decreased Self-esteem,

Decreased Wound Healing, Increased Skin Infections and

Acne, Hemmorrhoids, Hypoglycemia, Low Blood Pressure,

Food Cravings, Fatigue and Sleepiness After a Meal (In-

creased Post-Prandial Response), Elevated Cholesterol Lev-

els, Recurrent Infections, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome,

Lightheadedness, Dry Eyes and Blurred Vision, Psoriasis,

Changes of Skin and Hair Pigmentation, Flushing, Arthritis

and Muscular Joint Aches, Increased Bruising, Musculoskel-

etal Sprains, Ringing in the Ears (Tinnitus), Abnormal Throat

and Swallowing Sensations, Canker Sores, Bad Breath, Inhib-

ited Sexual Development, Cold Hands and Feet and Raynaud's

Phenomena, Lack of Coordination, Food Intolerances, Sweat-

ing Abnormalities, Increased Susceptibility to Substance Abuse.

Hypothyroidism means, simply, low functioning of the

thyroid gland. This gland regulates the rate at which we burn

fuel — carbon — to provide us with the energy to move, to

repair ourselves, and, in general, to live, all mediated by

enzymes.

There is an interaction between the thyroid, pituitary and

hypothalmus that is complex, and while the pituitary, in a real

sense, is the “master” gland that makes all else function at

the proper level, the thyroid gland is the great “fuel-burning”

regulator. The pituitary — via a substance titled TSH, or

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone — tells the thyroid gland

when to produce thyroid which then regulates the body’s

metabolism.

According to Dr. Barnes, 40% of all Americans suffer

from hypothyroidism.

The quantity of thyroid hormone produced from the

thyroid gland, like many other measures in nature, will

follow a “normal distribution,” which means that some folks

will produce more and some less, but, like the wide variation

in the measure of people’s heights, a certain percentage of

those measured will be tall, some short, and some inbetween.

When the whole population of humans are considered, one

can develop a neat “frequency of occurrence” curve called

“normal.”

Most medical statistics will quote an “average” of all the

measurements as being where “norm” is, and then arbitrary

limits are set on both sides of this average which, if you fall

within those limits, will also be considered “acceptable.”

Most laboratory analysis of blood specimens and other

biological tests are interpreted in the same manner — if

outside the arbitrary limits it's called abnormal. If inside the

arbitary limits, it's called normal.

People's production of thyroid follows a gradient scale,

from very low in thyroid production to very high in thyroid

production, depending on genetics and other factors.

It is that group of people just below the arbitrary limits of

"normal" to "very low," that Dr. Broda Barnes classified as

among the 40% who are deficient in thyroid.

He said that of all problems that can affect physical or

mental health, none is more common than thyroid gland

deficiency, that none is more readily and inexpensively

corrected, and that none is more often untreated, even

unsuspected, by the medical profession.

Assuming there is no damage to hormone-producing

glands, numerous other factors can cause hypothyroidism,

among which, according to Lita Lee, Ph.D.,

chemist, enzyme

therapist, nutritional consultant, lecturer, and author, are the

use of fluoride, synthetic and genetically engineered hormones