Restoring Thyroid Health Through Traditional and Complementary Medicine

Book by Brittany Henderson, MD, and Allison Futterman
$16.95, 272 pages, 6- x 9-inch paperback, ISBN 978-0-7570-0475-9

In the United States, it is estimated that over 20 million people have thyroid problems. And of this number, the most common thyroid condition is called Hashimoto’s Disease—a form of hypothyroidism in which the body does not produce enough thyroid hormones—leading to its immune system attacking its own thyroid gland. Despite millions of people having this disease, many suffer with life-changing symptoms for years without being diagnosed. 

Unfortunately, too few people recognize the impact this important gland has on our state of health. It is responsible for producing key hormones that regulate our metabolism, heart rate, growth, reproductive functions, and much more. And for those who have Hashimoto’s, even after diagnosis, many Hashimoto’s patients continue to experience debilitating effects from this disease. Fatigue, muscle and joint pain, weight gain, headaches, hair loss, and throat/neck pain are some of the commonly occurring symptoms. That’s why endocrinologist and thyroid specialist Dr. Brittany Henderson and patient Allison Futterman joined together to write What You Must Know About Hashimoto’s Disease. 

Realizing that far too many patients are not getting the information and care they need, the authors created this book to help those who are suffering from this all-too-common form of hypothyroidism. Written in understandable language, the authors give the reader an insider’s view of what you need to know about Hashimoto’s, from both a doctor’s perspective as well as a patient’s point of view.

The book is divided into three parts. Part 1, Getting to Know Your Thyroid, explains how your thyroid functions, how Hashimoto’s affects your health, and what signs to look for. Part 2, Testing and Diagnosis, looks at the most reliable tests used to detect Hashimoto’s, how they work, and what to expect from testing. Part 3, Treatment and Management, discusses the most effective conventional medications as well as those complementary treatments that have proven to be effective. 

Unfortunately, there still remains a lack of understanding of Hashimoto’s among patients and health professionals alike. As a serious autoimmune disorder, Hashimoto’s is a multifaceted and complex disorder. Covering both traditional treatments as well as complementary therapies.  What You Must Know About Hashimoto’s Disease is designed to take the mystery out of this disorder and provide patients with an invaluable resource that they can rely on at every stage
of their journey to greater health. 

About the Authors

Brittany Bohinc Henderson, MD, ECNU, is board-certified in internal medicine and endocrinology, with advanced training in thyroid disorders, including Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Graves Disease, thyroid nodules, and thyroid cancer. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, she graduated in the top 10% of her class at Northeastern Ohio Medical University, where she received the honor of Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA). She completed her endocrinology fellowship training under a National Institutes of Health (NIH) research-training grant at Duke University Medical Center. She then served as Medical Director for the Thyroid and Endocrine Tumor Board at Duke University Medical Center and as clinical director for the Thyroid and Endocrine Neoplasia Clinic at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. 

She has received multiple prestigious grants from the American Thyroid Association (ATA) and ThyCa (Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc). Her work has been featured on the cover of Thyroid and in many other scientific journals including Endocrinology, Gut, and Oncotarget. She desires to improve quality of life for those living with thyroid disease both through novel research and medical guidance. For patients living with Hashimoto’s disease, she believes that knowledge is power. 

Her current clinical practice, the Charleston Thyroid Center, is dedicated to patients with thyroid disease and thyroid cancer. She lives in Charleston, So, with her husband, Jeff, and enjoys music, hiking, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. 

Allison Futterman is a freelance writer who has been published in print and online. She’s written human interest, food, travel, profile and writing craft pieces. Her work has appeared in Philanthropy, The Writer, Charlotte, Winston-Salem Monthly, and Today’s Charlotte Woman magazines, among others. Online, her writing can be found on the websites of “The Nervous Breakdown,” “Talking Writing,” “Brevity,” and “People of Charlotte.” Additionally, she contributed to the Charlotte Observer for several years. 

Allison is also a patient with chronic medical issues. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), fibromyalgia, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. After years of struggling with illness, she found a true partner in health with Dr. Brittany Henderson. Written through the lens of their real-life doctor-patient relationship, Allison and Brittany seek to bring that same knowledge to others looking for help and hope. 

She has a bachelor’s degree in communications from Hofstra University and a master’s in criminal justice from UNC Charlotte.

Introduction

As you may have already discovered, your health and well-being can be profoundly affected by a butterfly-shaped gland that is the size of a walnut and located at the front of the neck. “But how?” you may ask. The answer is through the production of hormones, or signals that travel from the thyroid to the rest of the body through the bloodstream. When working normally, the thyroid gland can keep the body functioning in peace and harmony—but when not functioning normally, the thyroid can have a devastating impact on your health.

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is the most common thyroid disorder, affecting 14 million people in the United States alone. Simply put, Hashimoto’s is the underproduction of thyroid hormone, leading to the development of hypothyroidism. But the larger impact of this disease stems from it being an autoimmune disorder. In addition to causing hypothyroidism, Hashimoto’s refers to a situation in which the immune system attacks the body, resulting in life-changing effects on your health.

Having Hashimoto’s can and often does leave sufferers feeling incredibly sick, frustrated, and confused. It is a lifelong condition with symptoms that can fluctuate between intense, sudden “flare-ups” and remission, or stretches of time when the disease lies dormant. Understanding your condition will help you to achieve stable thyroid function, meaning fewer flare-ups and less active symptoms.

Maybe you or someone you care about has recently been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s. Or perhaps you’ve been struggling with it for years, still unable to find the help and relief you need. Possibly you suspect you may have Hashimoto’s based on symptoms and your own research, but haven’t been officially diagnosed yet. Our hope is that this book will concisely and accurately give you the information you need to help understand and be proactive about this specific thyroid condition.

Hashimoto’s can be debilitating, and sufferers need to know how to be an active participant in their own care. In order to understand your Hashimoto’s symptoms (fatigue, muscle pain, weight gain, headaches, throat pain, difficulty concentrating, skin issues, and constipation, among others), you need to understand as much as possible about this complex disease. Once you do, you can then be an advocate for your own thyroid health—which will lead to better overall health. This book will give you the information you need to know about Hashimoto’s, from diagnosis to treatment.

There are a multitude of books and websites out there about thyroid disease, offering different perspectives and advice. In fact, there’s so much information out there that it may overwhelm you. In your quest for knowledge, you may find yourself reading contradictory information, creating confusion and frustration. Even worse, you may be embarking on your fact-finding mission while you feel depleted from struggling from the effects of thyroid disease. There are so many opposing viewpoints, nutritional supplements, and diets, that you could try all of them and still never exhaust the possibilities. That is where we come in. You need one central place for clarity and guidance, and this is it.

You and others like you are the reason we wrote this book. As a physician and real-life patient, we have joined together to provide a place for thyroid patients to turn for answers. The information you’ll find here is grounded in both evidenced-based medicine (related to research findings) and clinical experience (based on treating thousands of patients). Our collaboration brings a uniquely valuable combination of a knowledgeable thyroid specialist and a patient who has been where you are.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to thyroid disease, and that’s because Hashimoto’s is a multifaceted illness. The more you know, the greater impact you can have in reaching your personal best health. You need facts and a plan. That’s what this book is here to do. We will guide you, step-by-step, along your journey to better thyroid health. We’ve written this book in a way that breaks down complicated medical issues into understandable concepts that will enable you to navigate the complex world of Hashimoto’s.

The book is divided into three sections. Part 1 covers thyroid basics and is your introduction to why the thyroid is so important to your overall health. After reading Part 1, you will have a firm understanding of what autoimmune disease is and how it can affect the thyroid gland in particular. We will also discuss thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer, two concurrent diseases that are more likely to occur in patients with Hashimoto’s disease.

Part 2 is designed to explain the world of testing and diagnosis that lies ahead, which is of critical importance in Hashimoto’s disease. We will discuss available thyroid blood tests and how they can be used to optimize your thyroid health, along with a variety of other important tests that can help to establish or confirm a diagnosis and yield pertinent information about your specific situation. We also walk you through the biopsy process and introduce you to the emerging area of molecular testing.

The last section of the book is all about Hashimoto’s treatment and management. Here, we will provide extensive information about treatment, including thyroid hormone replacement options, integrative approaches, diets, supplements, and avoiding environmental exposures. We will provide useful tips on how to achieve optimal thyroid levels and suggest ways to avoid flare-ups. Finally, we will offer recommendations on credible resources where you can find a qualified thyroid specialist or supportive community of fellow patients who have already achieved success.

Our goal is to help you be an advocate and active participant in your own healthcare. While we can’t say the process will be quick or easy, it will be worth it. Just know that many thyroid patients have been where you are today. Sick. Exhausted. Scared. Maybe even hopeless. But hang in there, because you aren’t alone in this. There is help. And most importantly, there is hope.