Procedure for collecting samples for the Thyrodine Test: Key Points

The Thyrodine test is very sensitive and easily upset.  A percent always default to "invalid" despite our best efforts.  Here are the key points for ensuring that the odds are in your favour for producing a valid test result:

• Do not take any dietary supplements that may contain iodine for 48 hours prior to collecting the samples.
• Avoid iodised salt, walnuts, fish and shell fish, seaweed, or any food that may contain iodine for 48 hours.
• Brush your teeth and rinse and gargle with water an hour or so prior to taking the saliva sample.  Have another quick rinse and gargle ten minutes before collecting the saliva.
• Do not collect any saliva and urine from first thing in the day.
• No phlegm - clean saliva from the mouth only please!
• If you have dry mouth, I find sniffing the aroma of a freshly brewed coffee gets the saliva going.
• If you suffer dry mouth from medication, such as for your heart or depression, try collecting the saliva at a time that is well away from your medication for the day.
• Fill each collection bottle to the very top (take your time with the saliva and ensure you have a spare hour when doing the collection.
• Write your name etc on the two collection bottles and ensure the lab forms are completed.
• FREEZE the saliva overnight, or long enough to be frozen solid.
• REFRIGERATE the urine.
• Place the samples and lab forms in the courier pack and arrange collection, either from your work or drop the pack off at a Post Shop.
• While it is not essential, you might want to wrap the samples in bubble wrap as insulation.
• DO NOT send the courier pack off after Wednesday, otherwise the samples may be held up over the weekend and may subsequently degenerate.  So, the only days to send the courier pack are: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

If either of the samples you send in produce an invalid or contaminated result, the laboratory will advise us.  Our normal procedure, in such cases, is for the lab to send a fresh kit out to you at no additional cost.

The test results are sent to us within a week of you sending in the sample.  We will forward a copy of the report and arrange a half hour consultation with you to explain the findings and work out a plan.  This consultation can be in person, by phone, or Skype.  There is a fee for this consultation (the $99 for the Thyrodine test goes to the lab - Not us).

If you have not heard anything by two weeks, please get hold of us.  Thanks.

About this website 

The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation. Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.

Candida and Fungal Infections? Gary Moller recommends you explore this programme: Click Here!

Nutritional Medicine 101: How to do a "Challenge Test" (updated 2/12/2013)

"Hey, just curious and maybe coincidental,but I tried one drop of Lugols iodine today.  Had a horrible headache and totally out of it today.

Any relationship you think?"
(Name withheld)

It is possible that a nutrient, such as iodine, a nutritional therapy, such as for adrenal fatigue, or a therapy for candida or intestinal parasites may trigger some unpleasant symptoms.

Where there is the coincidence of feeling under the weather and taking a nutrient, like Lugols, how can we be sure it is the iodine and not just mere coincidence?  Perhaps the patient has caught a virus, or just woken that day feeling "off colour" as so often happens for no apparent reason? 

Adrenal and thyroid dysfunction, a poor diet and many medications may result in sluggish liver function and sluggish detoxification at the cellular levels.  While this is a controversial subject, I have no doubt that this is the case for many people who have been operating on less than all cylinders.

Anything that upregulates cellular metabolism, including liver function, can result in an increase in discomfort.

Think of an old motor that has been sitting unused and poorly maintained for a long time: When it is restarted there may be considerable difficulty turning the motor over and success may finally be greeted with much unpleasant and worrying coughing, spluttering and blowing of dirty smoke out the rear end before finally bursting fully into life!  This may happen with a person - kind of!

When this happens with a person, the already toxic liver may struggle to cope with the metabolic load of the 1.5 trillion cells of the body off-loading built up toxins into the circulation.  If there is parasitic die-off, the detritus must be disposed of which is an unpleasant, but necessary process for the body to deal with.  All the while, the poor old liver is struggling with disposing of the toxins from within into the bile where it is excreted into the digestive tract.  The result may be headache, aching muscles and joints - and even digestive upset, including nausea.  The digestive upset may be due to the toxic bile upsetting the gut.

In the case of iodine therapy for thyroid dysfunction, there may be an initial over-reaction of the thyroid to the increase in iodine.  This is not necessarily a bad thing; but confirmation that the therapy is on the money.  Think of a person found dying of thirst in the desert.  While they may require several liters of water, resuscitation begins with a teaspoon - not a liter of water.  The same principle applies in the case of nutrient starvation.

If the symptoms are tolerable, where there appears to be a reaction, then the best action may be to hunker down until you break through.  This may take a few days.  If the symptoms are intolerable and/or we are still not sure if the nutritional therapy is the cause (the cause may be a virus, for example) then we do this version of the "Challenge Test".

• Stop all nutrients for 24 hours, or for as long as it takes for symptoms to disappear then...
• Start again with the nutritional therapy but at a level lower than before.
• If there are no symptoms after a week, then step up the dosage a little and keep steady for another week.
• Keep incrementally increasing each week until you have reached your target dosages as determined by your health practitioner.
• If symptoms return then stop for another 24 hours, or for as long as it takes for symptoms to disappear, and then resume at the level below which symptoms again arose.
• Continue this process for as long as it takes to reach your target levels symptom-free.

This is a most useful procedure for determining what is having an effect on your body.  It is also a nutritional treatment procedure in itself (Consult your health practioner about how to use this procedure):

Imagine this being a bit like "tidal flushing" of a polluted estuary - with the initial flush of the tide, much polluted muck is dislodged and carried out to sea.   This is very unpleasant, initially; but with each tidal flush, the water becomes cleaner and cleaner and estuary gradually returns to a pristine environment with abundant life.  The same occurs within your body.

If you are taking multiple supplements, or suspect a food may be the culprit, you may do a variation of the above by eliminating all of the suspects from the diet, waiting until you are symptom-free and then gradually reintroduce each item back into the daily diet, one at a time, carefully monitoring symptoms.

About this website 

The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation. Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.

Candida and Fungal Infections? Gary Moller recommends you explore this programme: Click Here!

Accurate thyrodine Iodine testing is now available here in New Zealand

The thyrodine test for assessing levels of iodine in the body is now available for my people.  Just $99.  This test fits beautifully with the ICl Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis which I have developed a specialty in.


Fatigue, fibromyalgia, joint pain, tendonitis, osteoporosis, brain fog, diseases of the nerves, adrenal fatigue, thyroid disease, blood pressure problems, cholesterol issues, fibrocystic breast disease, breast, ovarian, skin and prostate cancer, candida, hair loss, period problems, poor skin, allergies, weight gain, depression, low libido.

Anything to do with unwanted lumps, bumps and hard things

 

Consider the possibility of there being the combination of iodine deficiency, thyroid problems with adrenal fatigue.

My special interest is in applying this knowledge to athletes who are universally vulnerable to adrenal and thyroid disorders.  One of the keys to athlete performance and career longevity is being able to optimise adrenal and thyroid function.

Please watch the following videos from Dr Eric Bakker, Adrenal and thyroid guru, Dr James Wilson and Dr Daryl Turner, inventor of the Thyrodine Test and contact me if you want to take this further:

About this website 

The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation. Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.

Candida and Fungal Infections? Gary Moller recommends you explore this programme: Click Here!

Questions from a client about her nutritional programme

The following article is based on some excellent questions from a client.  So good that I want to share her questions and my answers with my readers:
_______________________________
Gary,
Just a few questions...

Question:

Adrenal C, Adrenal Stress + Smoothie just seems like a BIG dose of vitamins and minerals. Why do I need all of this? I am already showing high levels of Vit B12 in my blood, so I'm struggling to see I need more of the same?

Answer:

The high levels are probably due to having taken supplementary B12.  The good news about producing such high levels in the blood test is this is evidence that the vitamins are being absorbed from the gut into the blood stream.  It may take several days for the levels to return to "normal" as the body either sucks the vitamins into cells and storage, or excretes any excess.  If you are having a blood test that includes vitamin and mineral levels, it would be prudent to avoid any dietary supplements for the best part of a week so that baseline levels in the blood can be determined.

Having said this, it is important to note that the blood is merely the body's delivery system to the cells and what appears in the blood may have no direct bearing on what is found in the cells themselves and it is what is going on the cells which is most important from the viewpoint of health and well-being.  The Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis is arguably the best and most practical tool for assessing what is going on at the cellular level in the body.

The actual doses being taken with the Super Smoothie and Dr Wilson's products is not high at all; but they do exceed official recommendations for daily intake.  This is intentional.  You are not taking mega doses of anything.

WHO and other agency guidelines for daily allowances are very misleading: Levels of recommended intake are based on what is necessary to avoid overt starvation-related disease such as rickets and pellagra.  What is needed for "optimum nutrition" may be completely different.  This may be especially the case if a person is under any kind of stress; be that from injury, illness, exercise or toxic exposures.  With ageing, needs increase - they sure don't decrease!  Also, there are individual differences: Some people naturally need a lot more than others.  Again the Hair Tissue test is one of the best tools for determining individual needs.

Below is an article by Dr James Wilson, which explains the use of vitamins and minerals for adrenal and thyroid support.  Dr Wilson is arguably the World's leading authority on adrenal, thyroid and other glandular disorders:

Adrenal Fatigue Vitamins by Gary Moller

Question:

I have also read that if you take for too long that the result can be permanent depression of adrenal function. How do we know when the “job is done” and the supplements are no longer needed?

 Answer:

Taking vitamins and minerals, including glandular extracts (must be in a form that has ALL hormone residues removed) will not suppress adrenal function.  At least 80% of the people I test require MORE adrenal and thyroid support, not LESS.

Hormone-based drugs like Cortisone and Prednisone and thyroxine will definitely suppress adrenal and thyroid function and will risk long term dependency.  In fact, the last course by Dr James Wilson that I attended was on the subject of how to safely wean a patient off dependency on Prednisone and cortisone hormones.  Its a huge problem and few medical practitioners know how to do it safely and effectively.  Its a huge problem.

Here is feedback from one of my clients about his struggles with fibromyalgia and dependency on Prednisone:
http://blog.garymoller.com/2013/02/feedback-from-person-who-has-been.html

Question:

How is it that glandular extracts taken by mouth don't just get broken down and absorbed as protein etc, as if I was consuming food?

 Answer:

Glandular extracts are a fascinating and exciting form of therapy and it works.  I'll use myself as an example:
Around about 1990, I was not well and underwent a 24 hour collection of urinary cortisol.  The result was dangerously low cortisol levels, bordering on Addisons.  My Dr wanted me to commence a course of Prednisone immediately.  I said, "leave it with me a few weeks, please".  I located some adrenal glandular extracts and began taking them.  The improvement in symptoms were noticed within a few days.  A followup unrinary cortisol test revealed cortisol levels close to "normal".  My Dr was astonished with the turnaround.  I did not tell him what I had done (should have; but I was part of the "medical system" at the time and taking of natural products was actively discouraged and I could not be seen to be a traitor within!).

Glandular extracts were struggling way back then due to hostility from mainstream medicine, sadly.  With the outbreak of Mad Cow disease in the UK and elsewhere, glandular extracts disappeared entirely off the market.  I understand that Dr Wilson is one of the only sources of glandular extracts nowadays and his are sourced from porcine sources - not bovine.  One very important point about glandular extracts is they must have all hormones removed.

Yes, digestion will break the glandular extracts down to their base nutrients for absorption across the intestinal wall.  The glands will then uptake what is needed from the circulating nutrients to repair and nourish as required.

The following PDF is from Dr Wilson and explains in more detail questions about the use of glandular extrtacts.

Adrenal Rebuilder - Frequently Asked Questions - Doctor Wilson's Original Formulations

Question:

The quantities Dr Wilson recommends for these products seems to be 4 or more tablets a day. If I only take 1-2/day will results just be slower?

Answer:

This is always a difficult one:  The cost of taking lots and lots of pills can be off-putting and some people are simply freaked out by the prospect of taking all hose pills!  I always work on the motto: "Start Low - Go Slow" rather than going for the Big Hit.

In your case, you have what appears to be a good diet and you have been taking additional vitamins and minerals for several months, so we are not starting from scratch.  What your Hair Tissue tests indicate is a consistent pattern of adrenal fatigue and thyroid issues.  So it is time for a switch in emphaisis, zeroing in on adrenal and thyroid support.

It may be slower but I think it is best to take one's time, gently nudging the body in the right direction.  Bear in mind, as well, that the Super Smoothie has many of the ingredients in Dr Wilson's products, so I think we are fine.  Also, you are not a large person, although very active (active people generally have higher nutrient needs).

When do we know the job is done?  The best measure will  be the Hair Tissue test, plus you reporting near or full resolution of signs and symptoms of ill health and feeling full of energy.

 Question:

I can't find out any information on Thyro-Mend which I assume is for thyroid support. What is it? What is it's effect?

Answer:

I have only had this product since the beginning of the year and it plugs a gap in my prescribing wonderfully.  I find it works well with Dr Wilson's adrenal products.  The feedback, to date, has been exciting, especially with athletes who have shown physical improvements in performance.  The stop watch and the weights lifted do not lie.

Here is detailed information about Thyro-Mend:

Douglas Thyromend by Gary Moller

 Question:

Do we still need extra magnesium and iodine solution in our smoothie?

Answer:

The answer is "No!"  The adrenal products and Thyro-Mend have it all covered.  But do not throw these away: Add a small single dose per day to your smoothies until what remains is finished.

 Question:

Where does Candida fit into all of this as after the 2nd hair analysis this was where the focus turned.

Answer:

Sticking to a full-on candida elimination diet is tough to stick to for most people.  I think you have gone hard out for long enough on candida and it is now time to change the emphasis, while - of course - not letting off on dealing with candida.  Please continue to follow a "candida diet" but you can relax a little if you like.  Continue to take a daily probiotic.  Candida is closely associated with adrenal and thyroid problems and related issues such as oestrogen dominance in women which is now a consistent and persistent feature in your Hair Tissue tests.  The adjusted treatment regime that you are now doing definitely continues to address any ongoing issues that may be related to candida and fungal infections.

Healthy adrenals and thyroid are central to having a strong immune system in place and it is your immune system that will ultimately clear you of infection once and for all.  Keep a close eye on signs of candida such as the spit test.  There should be a gradual improvement.

I trust I have answered your questions sufficiently?  And, thank you for asking.

Gary

I need hormone replacement therapy now,cortisol,thyroxine and desmopressin

Hello Gary,
I came across your website while researching tendonitis,waiting another week for a specialist appointment,really unable to work or do much at all.

I am six months out from craniopharyngioma surgery,very little pituitary stalk remaining and now trying to manage pan hypopituitarism.

My issues are many as you can imagine,I need hormone replacement therapy now,cortisol,t hyroxine and desmopressin.

Basically I feel I have little to no immunity,have been suffering from viruses and sinusitis and chest infections,you name it..now tendonitis.

I take some supplements,fish oil,echinachea,osteoeze,calcium,magnesium,and prior to tumour removal also took vitamins B and C,now I am almost unable to take the vitamins as they seem to interfere with the action of the desmopressin and have me urinating very frequently(B and C have always made me do this,but now it concerns me that it is somehow working against the medication).

I have gained weight and have gone from being a salt person to a sweet tooth,and have read so much on the internet am totally confused about what I really need.

I am so continually unwell that I am a shadow of my former self and am only barely coping with everyday life and taking a lot of time off work,and when at home sleep half the day.

I really need some solid advice,I have to take these medications to live,but I need to live better than this.

More about thyroid issues, adrenal fatigue and nutrition

An example of extreme nutrient depletion and imbalances

I have recently been diagnosed as hypothyroid, after having a baby 9 months ago.

I have a book on adrenal fatigue and I have been experiencing all the classic symptoms of this for the last few years, particularly allergies that I never had before and exhaustion. I am now on thyroxine, but what I really want to do is heal my body so that it is in balance again and come off the medication. I know that nutrition plays a big part in wellbeing. I have been a vegetarian since I was 16 (I am now 34) but I sometimes feel like my body would do a lot better if I ate meat again. I eat pretty healthy, but I suspect I am missing out on some important food groups maybe. I know you do the hair trace analysis, which I have had before to test for allergies, but not for mineral deficiencies etc.
______________________________________
Gary:
Thyroid problems are one of the most common issues I face daily. The symptoms of hypothyroidism and adrenal fatigue are near identical.

Advice about Palindromic Rheumatism

Gary,
I was diagnosed 10 years ago with something called "Pallindromic Rheumatism" then I had a sports injury (flipped off my bike into a ditch) and had Fibromyalgia - the FM is completely gone - also I have as anyone would at my age 55 osteoarthritis. There never seems to be a definitive diagnosis in my mind - thats when 7 years ago I returned all the prescriptions to the Doc and went organic with supplements.

I take Calcium, a good multi, vitamin C with E and mix in a little baking soda to keep me alkaline, milk thistle when I'm on Robaxacet, niacin, super B's, probiotics and fish oil. I also stay totally away from anything that is processed. I juice at least every other day and basically start my day like no one else on the planet by eating vedge and fruit and I drink gallons of pure water.
The Pall R. migrates from major joint to major joint. The osteo affects both hips and spine, cervical, thoracic and lumbar....I do take something we have here called Robaxacet with a muscle relaxant that has helped me through a few hurdles. My biggest drug has always been exercise, and I'm very cognizant of not over doing, but movement is essential and my first drug of choice. I have started Bromelain which seems to help. Unfortunately they do not know what is causing the current problems (and frankly I don't expect them too) but I am having an MRI in July. Today I warmed up on the treadmill (slowly) did 30 minutes and then lifted light weights for a couple of sets.
All of the above started after consuming bad well water for 3 months just over 10 years ago - seemed to be a catalyst for the arthritis and it was at that time that I was diagnosed with hypothryoidism. BUT, a few years back I discovered that there were many foods that seemed to put me into a flare up i.e, salt, soya, peanuts etc......hence my organic and only fresh foods. I
also no longer clean with chemicals - it's all quite an amazing journey. I swam for a while but have some problems with chlorine so I wait for the warm weather and jump into any lake I can find.

______________________________________

Gary Moller comments:

Please view the video commentary for rheumatoid arthritis along with these notes:

• Palindromic rheumatism is closely linked with rheumatoid arthritis. Read this.
• The osteoarthritis and the allergies may have similar underlying causes - a dysfunctional immune system.
• Fibromyalgia is related to mineral depletion and low vitamin D.
• The hypothyroidism may be similarly linked.
• Low vitamin D is a likely factor as is trace mineral depletion and deficiency in the fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K).
• All of these are essential for a robust immune system, strong bones, healthy joints and healthy metabolism (thyroid function).
• Drinking pure water flushes the body of minerals and water soluble vitamins. It may interfere with digestion by diluting the digestive acids and enzymes.
• Baking soda may interfere with digestion by neutralising the digestive acids.
• Acidity in the digestive processes is also important for uptake of minerals.
• A low fat diet that is also low in animal products, including organs like the liver, will not supply sufficient minerals or fat soluble vitamins.
• Multi vitamins and other supplements of synthetic origins, may not be as effective or as safe as natural ones that are rich with nutrient co-factors.

Recommendations:

• Get a blood test asap to assess vitamin D status.
• If less than 120nmol, take measures to boost it urgently (Free range egg yolk, organ meat from free range sources, raw grass fed full fat dairy products, fish head broth, beef bone broth, cod liver oil, natural vitamin D supplements (available from http://www.myotec.co.nz/ ).
• During winter take 2-4,000 iu supplementary Vit D per day, unless levels are already well over optimum.
• When you take the fat soluble vitamins, you must include fat in the diet with them otherwise their uptake is seriously compromised.
• Get a hair tissue mineral analysis right away. Details here.
• Stop taking baking soda. The juicing etc is alkaline enough.
• Take a quality mineral supplement right away in addition to the diet recommendations.
• Only drink as much water as needed to ward off thirst and this should be a rich mineral water - stay away from distilled water.
• Start taking daily glucosamine and chondroitin (Powder form is best value) from http://www.myotec.co.nz/ . This nutritional supplement is of proven benefit and is applicable to all forms of arthritis, including the inflammatory forms.
• Take up to 2,000mg of vitamin C per day through diet and natural supplements. Vit C is important for immune health as well as for healthy joints and connective tissue.