The physical examination often reveals the hair to be dry, brittle and thinning. The outer third of the eyebrows is often missing. One often finds swelling under the eyes. The tongue is often thick and swollen. The skin may be rough, dry and flaky and show evidence of acne. The skin may also have a yellowish tinge due to high carotene in it. Nails tend to be brittle and break easily. The thyroid gland may be enlarged. The patient is more often overweight, but may also be underweight. Hands and feet are frequently cold to the touch. Reflexes are either slow or absent. The pulse rate is often slow even though the patient is not a well trained athlete.
Instructions for taking basal body temperatures are relatively easy. Use an oral glass thermometer. Shake the thermometer down before going to bed, and leave it on the bedside table within easy reach. Immediately upon awakening, and with as little movement as possible, place the thermometer firmly in the armpit next to the skin, and leave it in place for 10 minutes. Record the readings for three consecutive days. Menstruating women must only take the basal temperature test for thyroid function on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th day of menses(preferably beginning on the 2nd day). Males, pre-pubertal girls, and post-menopausal or non-menstruating women may take basal temperatures any day of the month. Women taking progesterone should not take it the day before and the days that the basal temperatures are taken.
How does one interpret the results of the basal body axillary temperature test? If the average temperature is below 97.8 Fahrenheit, then the diagnosis of a low functioning thyroid system is likely. An average temperature between 97.8 and 98.2 is considered normal. An average temperature above 98.2 is considered high and might reflect an infection or a hyperthyroid condition.
(So far everything is reading like a book of my life *sigh* So nice to know I've been to so many doctors that are actually taught how to read such symptoms and none of them even tried to be helpful.)
Once a pattern of hypothyroid symptoms is established and the basal body temperatures are found to be low, the next step is a therapeutic trial of thyroid hormone. Dr. Barnes, his physician followers and many patients have found that the most effective thyroid medication is Armour Desiccated Thyroid Hormone. This medication is derived from the thyroid gland of the pig. It most closely resembles the human thyroid gland. It is dried or desiccated and processed into small tablets. In contrast, most conventional physicians prefer to use the synthetically produced thyroxine or T4. In my experience and the experience of many other physicians using Dr. Barnes' protocol, the synthetic T4 is not as effective as the desiccated thyroid.
When using the desiccated thyroid protocol, patients often remain on the thyroid for life. However, there may be times when the patient can be weaned off the thyroid as all other functions improve, as long as the patient is carefully monitored for the development of low thyroid symptoms and signs and low basal temperatures. When a person's basal temperatures are low, many of the enzymes of the body function in a suboptimal way, which leads to all of the problems we have discussed.
On the other hand, well treated hypothyroid patients should enjoy a vibrant life with lowered risks of all of the degenerative diseases including arthritis, cancer and heart disease. I personally have seen a number of patients whose arthritis pains have completely cleared when treated with proper doses of thyroid. With regard to cancer, the well known alternative cancer treatment developed by Max Gerson, involves the use of Armour Desiccated Thyroid in virtually all of his cancer patients. High serum cholesterol and the development of atherosclerosis are well known effects of hypothyroidism. Therefore, all patients with coronary artery disease and other atherosclerotic conditions should be checked carefully for evidence of a low functioning thyroid condition and treated cautiously and appropriately if a low thyroid condition is found. Psychiatrists have found that the addition of thyroid hormone to patients suffering from refractory depression often is helpful, even when the blood tests are normal.
The proper appreciation of low thyroid conditions and their subsequent treatment should aid greatly in reducing the morbidity and premature mortality of virtually all degenerative diseases.
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| Another great article paraphrased regardingThyroid disorders pt 2 |
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