1. Rule out thyroid-impacting dental and/or sinus infection. Find a biological dentist who can do a thorough examination of your mouth with a low-level radiation panoramic X-ray. Since many biological dentists also specialize in mercury-free dentistry, have the dentist check your mouth for mercury and/or high copper amalgam fillings as well as for conflicting metal interference in your mouth. Many offer a bio-compatibility blood test, which assesses the most suitable dental materials, crowns, glues, and cements for your unique system. Check out the International Academy of Biological Dentistry and Medicine online at iabdm.org to find a practitioner in your area. Check with a local Ear, Eyes, Nose and Throat specialist for sinus issues.

2. If you do find mercury or copper in your mouth, then keep in mind that mercury and/or copper can be deadly to the thyroid. They both incapacitate thyroid hormones and impact metabolism. To fix this, go to glutathione. It is the primary chelating agent to detox heavy metals. The best way to accomplish this is with the Detox & Liver Health Reg'Activ product. This product contains Lactobacillus fermentum ME-3, which is a unique strain of probiotic bacteria that produces glutathione in humans.

3. Substitute coconut oil whenever you can to nourish the thyroid. Use the oil and all coconut-derived products like full-fat milk, cream, and unsweetened coconut in cooking, smoothies and desserts. Make macaroons your sweet treat. There are many novel ways to get coconut in your diet. Adding it to your morning cup of coffee or tea will energize you from the get-go.

4. Get your thyroid checked. If you can't get a full thyroid panel with a TSH, T3, T4, and T7, then do consider a hair mineral analysis. The calcium to potassium ratio that is revealed on that test can tell volumes about the functioning of your thyroid and how it might be contributing to your weight loss plateau. Typically those with hypothyroidism have too much calcium in relationship to potassium. And those that need to rev up their thyroid may need more potassium-containing foods and/or supplements. Excessive amounts of calcium from dairy foods or supplements tamp down thyroid activity. In contrast, potassium can speed up thyroid activity. So load up on potassium-rich spinach, squash, salmon and avocados. By balancing the thyroid gland alone and supporting your mineral balance, you can expect to finally jump off that weight loss plateau!

5. Give up gluten. Completely eliminate gluten-containing grains from your diet to naturally reset thyroid hormone production. Wheat, rye, spelt, kamut, couscous, triticale and barley should be avoided. Gluten-free alternatives that I highly recommend are also grain free options as well. These include the grain-like seeds such as quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat and millet. Instead of flour, consider using arrowroot or tapioca for thickening. If you are really serious about weight loss, you should also eliminate all other reactive foods—primarily foods containing sugar and yeast, both of which often accompany gluten.

6. Power up on protein. Consume at least 20 grams (as found in three to four ounces of fish, poultry, or meat, a serving of whey or vegan protein powder equating to 20 grams, about three eggs, and four ounces of fermented soy). Protein boosts metabolism by up to 25 percent for about 12 hours. They are the tissue and muscle builders par excellence.

7. Cook cruciferous. Since raw cruciferous veggies (cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower) contain possible thyroid-interfering goitrogens, your best bet is to cook them. With regards to soy products, only consume fermented GMO-free soy products or GMO-free lecithin, which does not contain the goitrogenic element.

8. Address the adrenals. Well-nourished adrenal glands will help to support a weakened thyroid so do consider adrenal glandulars, which contain the RDA/DNA blueprint for regeneration. In addition, or if you are vegan or vegetarian, try adaptogenic herbs like rhodiola and ashwaganda. Good old fashioned pantothenic acid, which I learned to revere thanks to Adele Davis' books that I voraciously read when I was in college in the '70s, is a long forgotten godsend for worn out adrenals and the inability to cope with stress. It can help to balance the adrenal's output of cortisol, a major fat-promoting hormone. In general, 500 mg up to four times daily, either alone or in conjunction with the other adrenal nutrients—can make a huge difference in energy levels. So can more sea salt.

9. Pop some probiotics. High probiotic-containing foods like yogurt and kefir contain millions of friendly bacteria, but a well-balanced probiotic with a variety of different strains including the gliadin protecting B. lactis BI-04— will contain billions of probiotics. This is just what you want to populate your microbiome. The right strains and numbers of friendly flora will support thyroid function and many other immune-enhancing processes.

10. Avoid fluoride, bromide, and chlorine like the plague. Without sufficient iodine to kick them out, these three chemicals can stockpile in your body and impede thyroid function. So become a diligent label reader. A good water filtration system, which blocks fluoride and chlorine, may be essential for home use. About 2–3 mg of the trace mineral boron can help to neutralize fluoride.

11. Seriously consider supplementation of vitamins, minerals and amino acids that are thyroid friendly. Some of these nutrients help the inactive T4 hormone convert to the more activated T3 while others support overall gland functioning. Typically, integrative practitioners will suggest daily totals of 50 mg of a methylated B complex, 25,000 IU of Vitamin A, 400 IU of Vitamin E, 45 mg of zinc, 18 mg of iron, 200 mcg of selenium, 500 mg or more of tyrosine. There are also a variety of whole food sources that will naturally provide all these nutrients, but most likely not in the high enough therapeutic dosage that a tired thyroid needs to heal.

When it comes to iodine, it is important to keep in mind that iodine is able to restore balance whether the thyroid is high or low, although in the case of Hashimoto's, iodine may not be recommended.

While the recommended daily intake (or RDI) of iodine for adults is 150 mcgs per day there are many benefits to taking more, especially for women. In higher amounts iodine acts as an adaptogen, a substance that increases the body's ability to adapt to stress, and plays a significant role in treating the thyroid as well as preventing such disorders as polycystic ovary disease, fibrocystic breast disease, sleep apnea, diabetes, cardiac arrhythmia, hypertension and hormonal imbalances. Iodine can also increase your stomach acid levels, which will improve your digestion.

I like a supplement called Iodoral, which combines 5 mg of iodine with 7.5 mg of potassium iodine for a total 12.5 mg of iodine. Although this may seem like too much of a good thing, it has done wonders in turning up the metabolic fires of many hypothyroid sufferers. The typical iodine sources that I used to recommend would be sea veggies like hijiki, wakame, Kombu and nori. However, since Fukushima I no longer recommend them because I simply can't be assured that radioactive residues, let alone mercury, is not an issue.

12. Don't be a victim of virus. Coconut comes to the rescue again. The purified lipid extracts derived from coconut oil turns out to be a virile virus killer. Look for products called Monolaurin or Lauricidin. The amino acid l-lysine can stop the virus from replicating along with a diet that is low in lysine's antagonist amino, arginine. That means you will need to limit all nuts, seeds and chocolate for the time being to avoid too much arginine at the expense of anti-viral lysine. Herbal viral remedies include cat's claw (processed without the TOA chemical), lemon balm, lomatium, osha, and/or olive leaf extract. These are all available in either tinctures or capsules. Look for tinctures preserved with non-GMO grape alcohol or grain-free alcohol. Some individuals do very well with colloidal silver—especially the advanced nano- based ones now on the market.

Smart Fats are simply one of the BEST and tastiest solutions for stalled weight loss because they go far beyond the call of duty. Alone or with synergistic help from additional vitamins, minerals and herbs, these savvy fats can kick up thyroid function and/or stimulate calorie-burning brown fat (a special tissue that disperses surplus calories for heat instead of fat storage). And, that's just for starters!

They also reduce the body's ability to store fat for energy by controlling the enzymes that release fat from the cells into the bloodstream. Many are so satisfying that they enable long-term appetite satisfaction so you are not tempted to overindulge.

The Thyroid Connection
But, first things first. You cannot fix a broken metabolism until you address thyroid dysfunction. After all, your thyroid is the body's key metabolic driver. With a sluggish thyroid, your body may produce too much insulin and trigger low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), along with intense cravings for carbs.

The thyroid secretes two major hormones, T3 and T4, which regulate the burning of calories for energy. Thyroid hormones control body weight, body temperature, muscle strength, heart rate and menstrual regularity. In fact, the thyroid connection to sex hormone imbalance is not surprising to women in their 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s.

Estrogen-induced thyroid dysfunction mimics underperformance of the thyroid gland. My friend, the late Dr. John Lee, observed that many perimenopausal women exhibit symptoms of hypothyroidism with normal thyroid levels. He theorized that estrogen excess and progesterone deficiency might be the cause. Raising progesterone levels through the use of natural progesterone cream often normalizes thyroid activity without any other treatment.

Furthermore, a diet devoid of Smart Fats but heavy in commercial polyunsaturated vegetable oils also sabotages the production of thyroid hormones. Without enough thyroid hormone, estrogen rises and acts as a fat trap especially as we grow older and progesterone levels take a nosedive.

The actual number of hypothyroid patients is highly underestimated. According to the American Thyroid Association, nearly 30 million Americans have been diagnosed with a thyroid disorder—a number that could easily be much more. I highly suspect, after working with so many individuals for the past three decades, that more than 60 percent of the population have some degree of thyroid dysfunction but are not being diagnosed properly.

Besides stubborn fat that won't budge, other low thyroid symptoms include depression, hair loss, poor eyebrow growth—especially the outer third of the brow, aching wrists, fluid retention, constipation, a coarse voice, diminished sex drive, infertility, premature graying of the hair and lack of muscle strength.

This tiny powerhouse-regulating metabolism controls the health of just about every organ in the body, including the heart. That's why it is so alarming that Hashimoto's thyroiditis, a type of autoimmune hypothyroidism, is growing by leaps and bounds as is Grave's disease, another kind of autoimmune condition characterized by hyperthyroidism.

Normalizing thyroid activity is a fundamental "must" if you want to restore metabolism and help your body rebuild itself. Smart Fat supplementation will go a long way in re-establishing equilibrium. But, when it comes to a comprehensive thyroid treatment plan, it is only one of many key factors.

To speed up fat burning and heal the immune system overload that often accompanies thyroid dysfunction, you will have to take into account insidious thyroid thieves like hidden dental or sinus infections, gluten, goitrogens, lack of protein, adrenal burnout, dwindling probiotics, fluoride, bromine and chlorine overload plus several vitamin, mineral and amino acid deficiencies, which are necessary to make thyroid hormones work; and then there's underlying virus, especially Epstein Barr.

No wonder thyroid disease is rampant! There are so very many seemingly diverse factors, which are likely to be contributing causes of dysfunction.

Sneaky Thyroid Saboteurs
Let's take a more in-depth overview at how each of these sneaky saboteurs do their damage. Fasten your seatbelts because this promises to be a VERY bumpy ride.

Hidden Dental Or Sinus Infections
Your mouth is the repository of a tremendous amount of bacteria that can impact different areas of your health. That's why individuals with a heart condition are recommended to take an antibiotic before a routine dental cleaning. Dentists who practice holistic dentistry and biological dentistry believe that each tooth is connected to an organ. If that tooth has a root canal, is decayed (even under a crown that X-rays don't pick up), is an implant, or even has been pulled, leaving behind a cavitation (hole in the jawbone), you can experience a whole host of health challenges in the associated meridian line of that tooth.

Many unresolved health problems might be associated with the anaerobic bacteria seeping into your system from root canals, implants and cavitations remaining from pulled teeth. ALL of this has to pass through your thyroid! This can depress or accelerate metabolism. Sinus infections can do the same if unresolved.

As the late Dr. Hal Huggins, biological dentist and mercury pioneer told me himself, "How many people know the consequences of housing the 40 anaerobic bacteria in implants, the 60 in root canals, or the eight in cavitations?"

Goitrogens
Goitrogens are possible thyroid-suppressing substances found in raw cruciferous vegetables like broccoli.

Add to this the heavy metal burden of precipitating mercury and/or copper from high amalgam fillings and you have one lethal mixture that your thyroid is up against.

Gluten
Many grains contain gliadin, which is the protein found in gluten and most concentrated in wheat, rye, and barley. Grains are fairly new to the diet—the trail-blazing orthomolecular medicine physician, Dr. Richard Kunin, says it best: "Grains are really Jonny-come-latelies on the nutritional scene. Meats, fruits, beans, nuts and vegetables have had a considerably longer historical alliance with the human gut. Almost as if to make up for lost time, grain has deluged man's diet and this excess increasingly appears to have something to do with common major and minor ailments."

Cardiologist and author of "Wheat Belly," Dr. William Davis, couldn't agree more. Moreover, to add insult to injury, he suggests that today's "Frankengrain" is nothing like what went into your grandmother's bread. Modern wheat contains 10 times more gluten than that of 50 years ago. Today's gluten is high in gliadin, a protein that is foreign to our bodies. It highly resembles a crucial enzyme known as transglutaminase, which is concentrated in the thyroid. As the immune system attacks the gliadin, antibodies also attack the thyroid. The immune system can then go into overdrive, damaging the thyroid, sometimes for up to six months. And that's all thanks to gluten.

But, that's not all the bad news to report, folks. Gliadin is a shameless appetite trigger. People can consume nearly 400 extra calories per day when manufacturers add it to certain food products. Food sensitivities trigger a kind of toxic shock to your system, which leads to addictions and binging. Partially digested components of common food allergens function like morphine-containing opioid drugs. They heighten appetite and decrease metabolism.

Gluten-containing foods like bread, crackers, chips and cookies are so highly addictive because of gliadin. Similar to the casein in milk, gliadin has a drug-like effect on your brain. The gluten in grain probably affects just about everyone in this day and age. The trouble is that nearly 100 percent of gluten intolerant individuals are unaware of this because gluten's negative reactions typically occur a good 12 to 24 hours after consumption.

If you decide to give up gluten, you may also want to give up all sugar and yeast, too.

These three substances, in addition to dairy, account for about 80 percent of all food sensitivities. They damage metabolism through an inflammatory response that can pack on 10 pounds or more of water weight and they can make you fat from heightened cravings to reactive foods or hormonal disruption of your metabolism.

Lack of Protein
Protein is a wonderful normalizer for overall thyroid function. It acts as an escort to transport the thyroid hormone to all bodily tissues.

Adrenal Burnout
Healthy thyroid function is intimately related to the adrenal glands. They both work synergistically to keep you functioning. When you are under stress, your adrenals secrete cortisol, which can block the thyroid's T4 to T3 conversion. When active T3 is suppressed, more cortisol comes to the rescue to rev up metabolism, creating a vicious cycle. The adrenals can make more cortisol from the hormone progesterone, which ultimately decreases available progesterone for other tasks. Diminishing progesterone levels trigger the thyroid to pinch-hit to make enough adrenal hormones. Long term, this process creates burnout for both the adrenals and the tired thyroid.

Dwindling Probiotics
Gut flora is also dependent upon your thyroid. At least 20 percent of thyroid function relies on a healthy amount of quality beneficial bacteria. One strain in particular has been found to protect against the toxicity of gliadin, which is so problematic for thyroid patients. That strain is B. lactis BI-04 and comes from the Bifidobacterium family.

Fluoride, Bromine and Chlorine Overload
These chemicals compete with iodine for uptake in the thyroid, negatively impacting metabolism. They are contained in water, toothpastes, hot tubs, non-organic foods, soft drinks, teas, commercial breads, some medications and brominated vegetable oils.