76 Achieving pH Balance to Treat Specific Ailments
cose or fat in the body, reverse T3 levels rise in order to lower energy
production so that body fat and glucose are conserved.
When food becomes plentiful, reverse T3 blood levels drop far below
that of regular T3, because with the intake of enough food there is no need
to conserve body fuel. If despite the fact that you are eating enough, and
your regular T3 level is normal, you still have the symptoms of an under-
active thyroid, it may be because your reverse T3 levels are too high.^2
Why do a few individuals, although having plenty to eat, neverthe-
less have high levels of reverse T3? Dr. Richard Cordaro, a chiropractor
and nutritionist in New York City,has found that nearly all individuals
with excessive levels of reverse T3 suffer from heavy metal accumula-
tion. Cordaro says that by removing the cadmium, mercury, lead, and
other heavy metals from the body, reverse T3 levels are lowered and
symptoms of hypothyroidism lessen or disappear altogether.^3
A dependable method for detecting heavy metal levels in the blood is
the chelation test. Amino acids are injected into the blood where they bond
with heavy metal molecules and are eliminated through the urine. After an
injection, the urine is monitored for heavy metals over the next six hours.
You can’t assume, because all the tests you take point to low thyroid
function, that the trouble originates with the thyroid. It’s possible that
the parathyroid, the gland that regulates blood calcium levels, is respon-
sible. Dr. Cordaro says that if a patient has a problem with the parathy-
roid, it’s a sign that thyroid function is also not normal, and the reverse
is equally true.^4 So, whether a patient comes to him with a thyroid or a
parathyroid problem, Cordaro treats both glands. (See “Suggestions for
the Maintenance of Normal Thyroid Function” at the end of the chap-
ter for the supplements he recommends.)
An underactive thyroid can also be due to a defi ciency of progester-
one. Have your progesterone levels tested; if they are too low, ask your
doctor to prescribe a natural progesterone cream or progesterone sup-
plements (see the suggestions in Chapter 16).Elevated Blood Pressure Can Indicate a
Low-Functioning Thyroid
If you’re fi fty or older, you can get a pretty good idea of how well your
thyroid is functioning by taking your blood pressure. In my experi-