Sometimes "new" things that besome en vogue in West make me laugh. Cupping with fire : a nightmare of soviet kids cause all grand mamas knew how to do that. I hated this and now....I paye like 50 euros in France to put coups on my back 😂
Are you familiar with the work of Dr. Tom Cowan exposing the lack of evidence for viruses, and the germ theory more broadly? What are your thoughts on it?
Yes, I am familiar with his work. I disagree with his arguments undermining viral isolation (as studies have cultivated and sequenced viruses, which need cell cultures to replicate), and that the cell death seen in experiments using viral inoculation of cell cultures could instead be caused by toxins or nutrient deprivation (a control group of cells is always used to screen for that and rule it out as confounding variable).
I do, however, agree with some of his general sentiments, which I think is reflected in this article. For example:
1. I agree that not every organism that comes in contact with a virus (or harbors a latent virus) will fall ill. Their general health (and yes, nutrition very much plays into it) dictates how resilient they will be to the virus and whether or not they will fall ill at all.
2. I agree that, as a society, we focus far too much on avoiding exposure to viruses and fearing coming in contact with them. Again, a person’s/animal’s general health dictates their resiliency, and, in my opinion, we would be in a much better place as the human race if everyone understood that as far as protecting yourself from viral infections goes, there are no shortcuts: you have to have good metabolic health and robust nutrition, as that’s what makes ur more resilient and guards us against falling ill. That being said, a person who is sick (metabolically, nutritionally) probably has a good reason to be afraid, as they are susceptible. Still, making oneself healthier (and thus more resilient) is the only solution here.
3. Cowan argues that it’s toxins and nutritional deficiencies that makes us ill, not viruses. I think a more accurate representation would be that toxins and nutritional deficiencies make us ill AND they weaken the body’s systems, making us more vulnerable to viruses.
4. Yes, exposure to certain environmental toxins can produce symptoms similar to the flu. However, this includes bacterial and mold toxins (which fall under the “germ” umbrella), and yes, viruses can also cause these symptoms. They all activate the body’s “damage protection” system (immune system), which can result in similar symptoms as similar mechanisms (such as sneezing) are employed to get rid of the “offender.”
The germ theory and the terrain theory are often pitted against one another, but they aren’t mutually exclusive. The terrain dictates our resilience to the germ. Or, in other words, the people who fearmonger viral infections claiming that anyone who comes in contact with a virus will surely fall ill (and that vaccination is the only solution), and the people who claim that viruses aren’t real, are both wrong.
Hi Kaya, thanks for the great article. I’m looking into getting on the desiccated thyroid myself (as you have recommended in other articles too). I am also reading your work to figure out how to help my 69yo husband who has Hashimotos. Should Hashimoto patients take desiccated thyroid? You didn’t address that in your Hashimotos article. His TPO is 104 and his Thyroglobulin abs is 2.80. His other thyroid numbers are in range (except T3 uptake which is 26). I’m confused about this.
For the past 5–7 years, I’ve been dealing with a persistent irritation inside my nose—sometimes to the point of developing painful, bloody blisters that eventually peel off. On top of that, my nose starts running every time I eat, regardless of whether the meal is hot or not.
I’m commenting under this article because I’ve noticed the blisters tend to get worse in winter. I also suspect there’s a connection to increased stress, fatigue, or general exhaustion.
For context, I’m a 37-year-old male. I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes nine years ago and initially wrecked myself with a low-carb diet because it made blood sugar management easier. Thankfully, discovering your work and that of others has put me on the right path again—my strength is improving, sleep is better, and my mood has lifted.
But that damn nose keeps running every time I eat, and occasionally, though less frequently than before, those painful blisters still form just inside my nostrils.
Do you have any thoughts on what might be causing this? And is there anything specific I could look into to help narrow down potential causes? Any recommendations on how to address it would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Kaya and thank you for such a thorough and wonderful article! I am currently trying to find the perfect desiccated thyroid supplement that ships to my country. I have found this product by LeftCoastPerformance on iHerb https://cz.iherb.com/pr/left-coast-performance-bovine-thyroid-with-beef-liver-60-capsules/146586 and I think its pretty clean. Would there by any problem that it comes in a combination with 300mg of bovine liver per 1 capsule? Or are there any side effects on taking 200mg of bovine thyroid right away? (No upping the intake gradually). What are the risks? And also it got me thinking - Swanson does not mention the ethical info about the animal.. would you say thyroxin-free formula is more important than grass-fed certification or anything like that? Thank you so much for your response!
Hi Kaya, I have been taking the natural desiccated thyroid and upping the dose once a month. I am almost at the end of month two and on 2, 130mg pills and it is not moving the needle temperature-wise. Shall I continue in this vein, upping it by another pill next month? You mentioned you were going to cover this in a podcast and I eagerly await it. If there's any other advice you have, it is greatly appreciated. Many thanks.
Hey Dana, which product are you using? Some can be unreliable. If it's not moving the needle at all, I would look into increasing co-factors needed for energy metabolism (carbs, calories, vitamin B1, magnesium, selenium). I still plan to release the podcast but decided to test out Cynomel (synthetic T3) on myself first before doing so, to be able to speak on how it compares to NDT. Still waiting to get my hands on it but hoping to have some soon.
Hey Dana, I haven't as I haven't tried it myself (since a prescription is needed). I heard it's a very good product though. However, apparently its potency has gotten a bit weaker over time (as per an anecdote from Danny Roddy), so there might be a need to experiment with dosing a bit.
Thank you so much for your response. The bovine thyroid isn’t working for me after three months. I’m going to give armour a try. Also change my rating tactics after reading your current post!
One other thing I want to mention is that I have been on supplements for mineral balancing and I did read that if you are not properly mineralized, the thyroid might not take. I have no idea what's true there. Do you have an opinion on mineral balancing? I've been using the Endo-Met Labs synthetic supplements. Thanks!
The mitochondrial enzymes involved in energy production are mineral (and vitamin) dependent. A deficiency of these nutrients (or an excess of certain metals competing with them) could interfere with energy production by creating "bottlenecks," so I think it makes sense that a deficiency in certain nutrients can make thyroid less effective. After all, it takes more than just thyroid hormones for energy production.
Re:mineral balancing, I am very much in favour of the general premise (replenishing minerals, using minerals as a safe way to rid of metals, interpreting HTMAs correctly), but it seems that the effectiveness of the program (like any program really) is based on the competence of the practitioner.
I personally see a lot of benefit in higher doses of certain minerals (especially if dealing with metal toxicity), and I like that in Mineral Balancing there's a lot of focus on monitoring the client's response and re-adjusting from there.
Thank you for your reply! I am on month three, I started with a 130mg dose and each month I've been increasing one pill. Currently I am at 3 x 130mg = 390mg and my temp is increasing subtly, hovering around 97.5. I still feel very sluggish, cold hands and feet, unable to lose weight. I am using a product my naturopath uses on herself with success, Priority One.
I also have Forefront health 65mg but haven't used that one yet. I know this takes time so I am committed to increasing each month until I find my dose. I hope it works. If you have any further suggestions for me, please let me know and good luck trying the Cynomel. I look forward to your next post.
I will keep you posted once I try it. One thing that might be worth doing is just tracking food intake in Cronometer for some time to see if there are gaps in any nutrients. Not a perfect science but if, let's say, after a week of tracking you see that you're never hitting, for example, the vitamin B3 theoretical RDA, then it might be safe to assume that there might be a deficiency and that this might be the bottleneck in energy production.
Love this article so in depth like always. About the zinc I had a copper IUD for 5 years and my skin the last year of the IUD became more red and dry than usual, i also consume a lot of dark chocolate so i think i probably got too low in zinc even though i eat lots of meat.
I will try to work on ways to get rid of unbound copper I think I read something about vitamin c, but have also wanted to up my dose of zinc and not consume as much copper foods just because I think i created a real imbalance. But I also dont want to overdo but I also want to fix the imbalance I think i have, so do you know if there are tests I can take to make sure my ratio is okay, maybe htma? or blood test would be even better.
I think I will supplement with the zinc supplement you recommended.
Hey Flo, I think the alternative in this case would be synthetic T3, or a T3/T4 mix, such as cynomel or cynoplus. I haven't used these products myself (had some issues getting my hands on them, and didn't bother trying a second time as I'm pretty satisfied with the desiccated thyroid results), but many in the Ray Peat sphere swear by them entirely. Danny Roddy has some content on how to use those products.
Sometimes "new" things that besome en vogue in West make me laugh. Cupping with fire : a nightmare of soviet kids cause all grand mamas knew how to do that. I hated this and now....I paye like 50 euros in France to put coups on my back 😂
And for whatever reason... it works! :)
Are you familiar with the work of Dr. Tom Cowan exposing the lack of evidence for viruses, and the germ theory more broadly? What are your thoughts on it?
Hey Nat,
Yes, I am familiar with his work. I disagree with his arguments undermining viral isolation (as studies have cultivated and sequenced viruses, which need cell cultures to replicate), and that the cell death seen in experiments using viral inoculation of cell cultures could instead be caused by toxins or nutrient deprivation (a control group of cells is always used to screen for that and rule it out as confounding variable).
I do, however, agree with some of his general sentiments, which I think is reflected in this article. For example:
1. I agree that not every organism that comes in contact with a virus (or harbors a latent virus) will fall ill. Their general health (and yes, nutrition very much plays into it) dictates how resilient they will be to the virus and whether or not they will fall ill at all.
2. I agree that, as a society, we focus far too much on avoiding exposure to viruses and fearing coming in contact with them. Again, a person’s/animal’s general health dictates their resiliency, and, in my opinion, we would be in a much better place as the human race if everyone understood that as far as protecting yourself from viral infections goes, there are no shortcuts: you have to have good metabolic health and robust nutrition, as that’s what makes ur more resilient and guards us against falling ill. That being said, a person who is sick (metabolically, nutritionally) probably has a good reason to be afraid, as they are susceptible. Still, making oneself healthier (and thus more resilient) is the only solution here.
3. Cowan argues that it’s toxins and nutritional deficiencies that makes us ill, not viruses. I think a more accurate representation would be that toxins and nutritional deficiencies make us ill AND they weaken the body’s systems, making us more vulnerable to viruses.
4. Yes, exposure to certain environmental toxins can produce symptoms similar to the flu. However, this includes bacterial and mold toxins (which fall under the “germ” umbrella), and yes, viruses can also cause these symptoms. They all activate the body’s “damage protection” system (immune system), which can result in similar symptoms as similar mechanisms (such as sneezing) are employed to get rid of the “offender.”
I haven’t gone down to actually read all of the studies that he references in his book, but the authors of this article did, and they point out that he may have misrepresented some of the publications/research articles that were covered in his book: https://www.natureinstitute.org/article/craig-holdrege-and-jon-mcalice/some-comments-on-the-contagion-myth
The germ theory and the terrain theory are often pitted against one another, but they aren’t mutually exclusive. The terrain dictates our resilience to the germ. Or, in other words, the people who fearmonger viral infections claiming that anyone who comes in contact with a virus will surely fall ill (and that vaccination is the only solution), and the people who claim that viruses aren’t real, are both wrong.
Hi Kaya, thanks for the great article. I’m looking into getting on the desiccated thyroid myself (as you have recommended in other articles too). I am also reading your work to figure out how to help my 69yo husband who has Hashimotos. Should Hashimoto patients take desiccated thyroid? You didn’t address that in your Hashimotos article. His TPO is 104 and his Thyroglobulin abs is 2.80. His other thyroid numbers are in range (except T3 uptake which is 26). I’m confused about this.
The Swanson Thyroid Glandular says that it's thryoxine free. Does it have any thyroid hormones then? Do you still recommend it?
Hi Kaya,
For the past 5–7 years, I’ve been dealing with a persistent irritation inside my nose—sometimes to the point of developing painful, bloody blisters that eventually peel off. On top of that, my nose starts running every time I eat, regardless of whether the meal is hot or not.
I’m commenting under this article because I’ve noticed the blisters tend to get worse in winter. I also suspect there’s a connection to increased stress, fatigue, or general exhaustion.
For context, I’m a 37-year-old male. I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes nine years ago and initially wrecked myself with a low-carb diet because it made blood sugar management easier. Thankfully, discovering your work and that of others has put me on the right path again—my strength is improving, sleep is better, and my mood has lifted.
But that damn nose keeps running every time I eat, and occasionally, though less frequently than before, those painful blisters still form just inside my nostrils.
Do you have any thoughts on what might be causing this? And is there anything specific I could look into to help narrow down potential causes? Any recommendations on how to address it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks so much for your work and insights!
Hi Kaya and thank you for such a thorough and wonderful article! I am currently trying to find the perfect desiccated thyroid supplement that ships to my country. I have found this product by LeftCoastPerformance on iHerb https://cz.iherb.com/pr/left-coast-performance-bovine-thyroid-with-beef-liver-60-capsules/146586 and I think its pretty clean. Would there by any problem that it comes in a combination with 300mg of bovine liver per 1 capsule? Or are there any side effects on taking 200mg of bovine thyroid right away? (No upping the intake gradually). What are the risks? And also it got me thinking - Swanson does not mention the ethical info about the animal.. would you say thyroxin-free formula is more important than grass-fed certification or anything like that? Thank you so much for your response!
Hi Kaya, I have been taking the natural desiccated thyroid and upping the dose once a month. I am almost at the end of month two and on 2, 130mg pills and it is not moving the needle temperature-wise. Shall I continue in this vein, upping it by another pill next month? You mentioned you were going to cover this in a podcast and I eagerly await it. If there's any other advice you have, it is greatly appreciated. Many thanks.
Hey Dana, which product are you using? Some can be unreliable. If it's not moving the needle at all, I would look into increasing co-factors needed for energy metabolism (carbs, calories, vitamin B1, magnesium, selenium). I still plan to release the podcast but decided to test out Cynomel (synthetic T3) on myself first before doing so, to be able to speak on how it compares to NDT. Still waiting to get my hands on it but hoping to have some soon.
Kaya, have you ever written about your thoughts on Armour thyroid? If so can you direct me to in? Thank you!
Hey Dana, I haven't as I haven't tried it myself (since a prescription is needed). I heard it's a very good product though. However, apparently its potency has gotten a bit weaker over time (as per an anecdote from Danny Roddy), so there might be a need to experiment with dosing a bit.
Thank you so much for your response. The bovine thyroid isn’t working for me after three months. I’m going to give armour a try. Also change my rating tactics after reading your current post!
One other thing I want to mention is that I have been on supplements for mineral balancing and I did read that if you are not properly mineralized, the thyroid might not take. I have no idea what's true there. Do you have an opinion on mineral balancing? I've been using the Endo-Met Labs synthetic supplements. Thanks!
The mitochondrial enzymes involved in energy production are mineral (and vitamin) dependent. A deficiency of these nutrients (or an excess of certain metals competing with them) could interfere with energy production by creating "bottlenecks," so I think it makes sense that a deficiency in certain nutrients can make thyroid less effective. After all, it takes more than just thyroid hormones for energy production.
Re:mineral balancing, I am very much in favour of the general premise (replenishing minerals, using minerals as a safe way to rid of metals, interpreting HTMAs correctly), but it seems that the effectiveness of the program (like any program really) is based on the competence of the practitioner.
I personally see a lot of benefit in higher doses of certain minerals (especially if dealing with metal toxicity), and I like that in Mineral Balancing there's a lot of focus on monitoring the client's response and re-adjusting from there.
Thank you for your reply! I am on month three, I started with a 130mg dose and each month I've been increasing one pill. Currently I am at 3 x 130mg = 390mg and my temp is increasing subtly, hovering around 97.5. I still feel very sluggish, cold hands and feet, unable to lose weight. I am using a product my naturopath uses on herself with success, Priority One.
https://priorityonevitamins.com/products/thyroid-300mg-60-capsules?_pos=2&_sid=4d874a431&_ss=r
I also have Forefront health 65mg but haven't used that one yet. I know this takes time so I am committed to increasing each month until I find my dose. I hope it works. If you have any further suggestions for me, please let me know and good luck trying the Cynomel. I look forward to your next post.
I will keep you posted once I try it. One thing that might be worth doing is just tracking food intake in Cronometer for some time to see if there are gaps in any nutrients. Not a perfect science but if, let's say, after a week of tracking you see that you're never hitting, for example, the vitamin B3 theoretical RDA, then it might be safe to assume that there might be a deficiency and that this might be the bottleneck in energy production.
Ok, I will try the app and see what transpires. Thank you!
This is very validating so thank you.
Love this article so in depth like always. About the zinc I had a copper IUD for 5 years and my skin the last year of the IUD became more red and dry than usual, i also consume a lot of dark chocolate so i think i probably got too low in zinc even though i eat lots of meat.
I will try to work on ways to get rid of unbound copper I think I read something about vitamin c, but have also wanted to up my dose of zinc and not consume as much copper foods just because I think i created a real imbalance. But I also dont want to overdo but I also want to fix the imbalance I think i have, so do you know if there are tests I can take to make sure my ratio is okay, maybe htma? or blood test would be even better.
I think I will supplement with the zinc supplement you recommended.
Thanks for this great write up! Is there a vegetarian alternative for desiccated thyroid with similar effects?
Hey Flo, I think the alternative in this case would be synthetic T3, or a T3/T4 mix, such as cynomel or cynoplus. I haven't used these products myself (had some issues getting my hands on them, and didn't bother trying a second time as I'm pretty satisfied with the desiccated thyroid results), but many in the Ray Peat sphere swear by them entirely. Danny Roddy has some content on how to use those products.
is there any downside to taking t3/t4 hormone for decades? Labs are optimal range.
Thank you for the fast response. This helped!