CAN PESTICIDES & MOLD CAUSE THYROID PROBLEMS?

An estimated 20 million people in the United States have some type of THYROID disorder. Although ALL OF THE CAUSES of thyroid disease remain unknown, researchers have begun to uncover mounting evidence that exposure to ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICALS (including PESTICIDES), as well as to PATHOGENS (including MOLD), may be a major factor linked to UNRESOLVED THYROID problems. Can PESTICIDES & MOLD CAUSE THYROID PROBLEMS?

ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICALS, PESTICIDES and MOLD are widespread in our lives. They are rarely connected to poor thyroid health in conventional medicine, yet they interfere with proper THYROID function. This is especially problematic for women, who are much more likely to suffer from THYROID DISEASE.

Fortunately, the REAL problem of ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICALS, PESTICIDES and MOLD can be solved and your symptoms can be addressed.

THESE TOXIC CHEMICALS AND PATHOGENS MUST BE REMOVED, yet conventional wisdom, relying on synthetic pharmaceuticals cannot do this effectively.  So, let’s take a look at how these TOXINS negatively affect your thyroid and how minimizing your exposure to them, as well as detecting and REMOVING them naturally can restore proper THYROID health.

 

HOW DOES MY THYROID AFFECT MY HEALTH?

 

To understand how ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICALS, PESTICIDES and MOLD negatively impact the key HORMONES your thyroid produces, let’s first examine the critical role your thyroid plays in your body.

 

THYROID HEALTH 101

 

The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of your neck. It plays a vital role in the proper functioning of your HORMONAL or ENDOCRINE SYSTEM. Thyroid hormones are chemical messengers that affect ALL THE CELLS of your body.

The two MAIN hormones are known as T4 and T3.

T4 is called INACTIVE hormone because it must be CONVERTED to the ACTIVE FORM, called T3.

Thyroid hormones are responsible for MANY critical functions in the body.

Together, they work to regulate essential aspects of metabolism such as your heart rate, energy, fatigue, brain function, weight stability and more.

The two main forms of thyroid disease are hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.

HYPOTHYROIDISM, also called a slow or UNDERACTIVE thyroid, occurs when the body doesn’t release sufficient levels of thyroid hormones.

Your metabolism slows down, you feel fatigued and you often gain weight, among other symptoms.

In HYPERTHYROIDISM, or OVERACTIVE thyroid, the gland produced high levels of hormones. This condition is less common, and speeds up your metabolism. However, it is potentially dangerous as it also causes other symptoms like weight loss, rapid heartbeat and insomnia.

TWO MAJOR THYROID DISEASES are AUTOIMMUNE related (HASHIMOTO’S and GRAVES). In AUTOIMMUNITY, the reason you are having thyroid problems is because your immune system is confused and attacks the gland!

According to the American Thyroid Association, people with thyroid problems (and their doctors ) find it difficult to realize they have the disease, , because symptoms are often attributed to other health conditions and because the symptoms vary greatly from person to person.

 

HOW DOES ENVIROMENTAL CHEMICALS AND PESTICIDES AFFECT YOUR THYROID?

 

One of the main reasons that ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICALS such as PESTICIDES (which includes herbicides, fungicides and insecticides) are so disastrous to our overall health is that virtually ALL of them interfere with THYROID HORMONE metabolism.

‘One of the most important factors that leads to HYPOTHYROIDISM is exposure to environmental TOXINS, such as PESTICIDES, which act as HORMONE or ENDOCRINE ‘DISRUPTORS’, interfering directly with thyroid hormone regulation, metabolism and function.’
– Mark Hyman, MD
–
One significant, yet disregarded source of pesticides is extremely TOXIC lawn care chemicals, which are often tracked inside of people’s home from our shoes!

Trace amounts of PESTICIDES and fertilizers end up in some of the food we eat. The nonprofit group Beyond Pesticides warns that some 60 percent of pesticides affect the thyroid gland’s production of the two major thyroid hormones, T4 and T3.

Biochemically, pesticides are a type of xenoestrogen, a class of SYNTHETIC compounds that mimic estrogen.

‘Xeno’ means ‘foreign’ or ‘outside the body’. They mimic estrogen, competing with it, and this may cause a common condition known as estrogen dominance. Estrogen dominance ALSO affects men, showing up as decreased sex drive, male breasts and aggressive behavior.

The role of estrogens in autoimmune disease has been well studied. Every XENOESTROGEN that you are exposed to, including pesticides, adds to your TOXIC LOAD. A high TOXIC LOAD makes it difficult for your main detoxification organ, the liver, to handle these pesticides and other environmental estrogens, which have been shown to alter your immune system’s ability to protect you.

Pesticides also block thyroid hormone CONVERSION, so that the ACTIVE form does not get into the cells.

Lastly, many pesticides contain BROMINE, a known endocrine disruptor.

Exposure to bromine interferes with proper IODINE ABSORPTION, which inhibits thyroid hormone production which needs iodine in the proper amounts. This leads to low thyroid, or HYPOTHYROID.
Likewise, other ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICALS used in PLASTICS and flame retardants contain TOXINS shown to trigger thyroid problems, especially in genetically predisposed individuals.

Another common CHEMICAL TOXIN, TRICLOSAN, an anti-bacterial agent found in everything from hand soaps to facial tissues to toys has been measured in the bloodstreams of three out of every four Americans!
Experts suspect this could be causing some pregnant women’s thyroid glands to send distorted hormonal signals to fetuses that may contribute to autism.
Some other COMMON chemicals that we are exposed to:

Flame Retardants – These contain bromine, discussed above. It can also be found in pasta, drinks, pool cleaners and other household items, including clothing, furniture and carpeting.

BPA– Used in food storage containers and beverage containers like water bottles, metal food cans, water supply pipes and bottle caps. Also found in dental materials.

In addition to damaging the thyroid gland, BPA exposure can cause cardiovascular problems such as heart attack, peripheral artery disease, and coronary artery disease.

But that’s not all, BPA has a negative effect on reproductive disorders including infertility, sex-drive and impotence, and an increased risk of breast and prostate cancer.

Lastly, it can increase the risk of diabetes, stubborn weight loss resistance and an increased risk of asthma and wheezing.

Fluoride – Many people are surprised to learn that fluoride can disrupt the thyroid gland. Although fluoride is added to water to prevent cavities, it can damage thyroid health, even in very small doses – about the amount that you drink in fluoridated water each day!

Drinking fluoridated water could lower your thyroid function.
PFCs (perfluorinated chemicals) disrupt thyroid function, especially in women. PFCs are used in several items, including takeout containers, pizza boxes, and even certain mattresses.

 

HOW DOES MOLD AFFECT YOUR THYROID?

 

MOLD is a strong, but often overlooked, STRESS on the body and can suppress the immune system. When the immune system and gastrointestinal system are stressed from outside invaders (pathogens, like mold), this can lead to autoimmune conditions, including autoimmune thyroid disease, also known as HASHIMOTO’S and GRAVE’S.

What exactly is the connection between mold and your thyroid?

In previous articles, we have talked about how mold can make you sick.

In a 2015 survey of over 2,000 people who had Hashimoto’s, 20% reported that their health declined after a move, possible evidence of exposure to a new mold or other environmental toxin.

ASPIRGILLUS, a mold commonly found in food, is a threat to thyroid health, especially of those who are immunosuppressed. About 1 out of every 5 people with aspergillosis, where this mold infects the body, has Aspergillus DEEP INSIDE their thyroid.

Clinically, the patients we see who have tested positive for mold exposure almost always have thyroid conditions.

A Note on Lab Values:

 

In FUNCTIONAL or FOUNDATIONAL MEDICINE, we look at thyroid hormones using FUNCTIONAL (OPTIMAL) lab ranges for thyroid. These are narrower ranges compared to the lab values most doctors use and that you see on the paperwork.

If your results were within this narrower range, we would conclude you have subclinical (under the radar) hypothyroidism, even though you would be total missed by the best endocrinologists using conventional thinking and ‘regular’ lab ranges.

 

MOLD-INFLAMMATION-DISEASE

 

Mold causes a condition known as CIRS (Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome). INFLAMMATION is the body’s response to an injury, and results in things like redness, swelling, heat, pain and most importantly, LACK OF FUNCTION of that cell, tissue or gland.

So, INFLAMMATION is the body’s way of healing.

It is usually a GOOD thing, but ONLY IF it is temporary.

The trouble starts when inflammation does NOT go away. When it becomes CHRONIC.

That’s because CHRONIC inflammation is the cause of ALL degenerative disease!

Here are some biochemical mechanisms by which mold exposure and inflammation lead to thyroid disease:

 

LEAKY GUT – THE BEGINNING OF THE END

 

Mold exposure can lead to a widening of the right junctions or ‘gaps ‘in the intestines, which increases INTESTINAL PERMEABILITY, also known as LEAKY GUT.

Imagine the cells of the gut lining like a brick wall, with each individual brick very close to each other forming a right seal.

Inflammation causes these tight junctions to become larger, which allows undigested proteins that should OT be in the bloodstream to ‘leak’ into your circulation system.

This, of course, leads to the immune system going crazy and identifying many things in its path as ‘foreign invaders’.

Leaky gut can lead to autoimmune conditions, such as Hashimoto’s or Graves’ disease.

 

MYCOTOXINS

 

Mycotoxins, the TOXIC BY-PRODUCTS that are released from mold are considered neurotoxins. That means they are not prevented from passing through he blood-brain barrier, causing a disruption of normal brain activity.

This crease NEW ALLERGIES, intolerances and/or sensitivities to occur, which father taxes your immune system. The increase in STRESS of the immune system is what allows autoimmune conditions.

In summary, MOLD IS A THYROID DISRUPTOR, slowly eroding it.

Over time, it can destroy this important gland.

Additionally, if you already have a thyroid condition, you may be more susceptible to the potential harm of MOLD exposure.

 

How Can I Test for ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL Poisoning or MOLD TOXICITY?

 

If you would like to KNOW if you have ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICALS, PESTICIDES AND/OR MOLD, an advanced yet simple test is a SPECIALIZED URINE TEST Excreting an elevated level of these TOXINS is a sure sign of BIOACCUMULATION in your tissues.

The best, most advanced lab that offers testing for ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICALS, PESTICIDES AND MOLD is Vibrant America.

 

HOW DO YOU REMOVE THESE TOXINS FROM MY BODY?

 

The answer is…
You make food, advanced supplementation and lifestyle choices that both MINIMIZE your exposure to them AND help your body REMOVE them safely.

 

THE KEY TO MINIMIZING EXPOSURE TO ALL CHEMICAL TOXINS

 

Although it is practically impossible to avoid exposure to all toxins, you can help minimize your exposure with the following tips. As you reduce toxin exposure, your thyroid will begin functioning better.

These tips can apply to most TOXINS, whether it’s plastics, antibiotics and hormones in commercially raised meat and dairy, or even synthetic skincare/cosmetics

REDUCTION TIPS

1. Avoid using pesticides in your home or garden
2. Choose organic foods
3. Limit use of plastics
4. Avoid nonstick cookware
5. Increase foods or supplements with iodine and selenium
6. Start a DETOXIFICATION PROTOCOL using advanced nutrition
7. Avoid antibacterial soaps
8. Invest in a high-quality water filter for your drinking and shower
9. Work with a Functional/Foundational Medicine health care expert to reduce TOXINS and NOURISH your depleted cells

Our bodies have six built-in detoxification organs: Your lungs, skin, kidneys, colon, lymphatic system and liver. Supporting ALL these systems on a regular basis while minimizing exposure of these TOXINS is an important step in lowering their effect on our body.

 

WHOLE BODY DETOXIFICATION – THE KEY TO REMOVING ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICALS

 

Failure of your body’s natural ability to detoxify itself from ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICALS, PESTICIDES AND/OR MOLD results in health issues.

Supporting the body’s ability to bind to and eliminate these substances is a key part of healing your thyroid.

So, you MUST support your body’s natural detoxification and drainage systems.

Special agents that BIND toxins so they can be more easily excreted are required for this.

 

An excellent, natural REMEDY for BINDING environmental toxins is called Carbon Technology

 

Made of specially-selected and precisely-formulated extracts of fulvic and humic acids, Carbon Technology uses these natural substances to tightly BIND ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICALS, PESTICIDES AND/OR MOLD to help remove them from your body via stools.

 

Hope For Your Thyroid

 

In conclusion, ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICALS, PESTICIDES AND/OR MOLD may be difficult to avoid completely. However, likely exposure means they may be impacting your THYROID and beyond, including heart disease, obesity, autoimmune disorders and even brain or neurological problems.

So, if you’ve ever asked “What is my doctor missing?” and suspect that ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICALS, PESTICIDES AND/OR MOLD POISONING may be a part of YOUR persistent, unresolved THYROID challenges, do NOT give up.

It’s important to work with an experienced practitioner to DETECT AND CORRECT this type of TOXICITY.

Addressing them takes your THYROID from TOXICITY to PURITY, and allow you to get back to looking, feeling and functioning at your best.