Many people who have been diagnosed with Graves’ disease wonder how they developed this autoimmune thyroid disorder in the first place. The truth is that there are many different causes of Graves’ disease, and in this article I will discuss some of the most common reasons people develop Graves’ disease. When I was personally diagnosed with this condition, I also wanted to know what the cause was, so I can definitely relate to what you’re going through.
It was perhaps even more difficult for me, as I am a holistic doctor who not only believes that there is a cause for every condition, but in most cases there is also a cure. And while there is no magic pill or supplement to cure Graves’ disease, for many people it is possible to restore health through a natural treatment protocol. I will briefly discuss this later in this article.
But first, here are some of the different causes of Graves’ disease:
Graves’ Disease Cause #1: Inability to handle stress. Although most people know that stress can cause many problems, most don’t really understand the impact that chronic stress can have on health over a period of many months or years. Our bodies were designed to handle acute stress situations, but not chronic stress. As a result, a person dealing with chronic stress and doing a poor job of managing it will likely develop adrenal problems, which in turn can affect immunity and, over time, can lead to the development of an autoimmune disease.
Obviously, it is not possible to completely eliminate stress from your life. But most of us can handle stress much better. In fact, for anyone with Graves’ disease looking to restore their health, stress management is a key component.
Graves’ Disease Cause #2: Nutritional deficiencies. Having one or more nutritional deficiencies can cause or contribute to Graves’ disease. There are many different nutritional deficiencies that one can have, but two of the most common are iodine and vitamin D. Many people mistakenly assume that people with Graves’ disease have excess iodine, but this is usually not the case. To learn more about the importance of iodine and why most people are deficient in it, I recommend reading the book “Iodine, Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It.”
Vitamin D is another important nutrient when it comes to immunity. One of the main reasons many people are deficient in vitamin D is because they avoid the sun and/or put on sunscreen every time they go out. For more information about vitamin D, visit the vitamindcouncil website.
These are just two of the common vitamins/nutrients that one can be deficient in. But there are other nutrients that people can be deficient in that have a big impact on their health. This is yet another reason why you should consider seeing a holistic doctor, as most endocrinologists and general practitioners will not consider such deficiencies to be one of the causes of Graves’ disease.
Graves’ Disease Cause #3: Environmental Toxins. Just as it is impossible to completely eliminate stress from your life, it is also not likely that you will avoid all environmental toxins. In the book “The Autoimmune Epidemic”, the author talks about how toxins can affect the immune system and possibly lead to the development of autoimmune diseases. He makes sense when he thinks about it, as in recent decades we’ve been exposed to more and more environmental toxins, and the rate of autoimmune thyroid conditions like Graves’ disease has also increased.
Of course, more of us also have chronic stress and nutritional deficiencies these days, so it’s not always easy to determine what exactly has caused your condition to develop. On the other hand, it’s hard to argue that minimizing our exposure to environmental toxins will only help keep our immune systems stronger, and therefore potentially lower our chances of developing autoimmune disease.
Graves’ Disease Cause #4: Genetics. Although genetics can play a role in the development of an autoimmune condition like Graves’ disease, the good news is that it doesn’t play as big a role as many people think. And while you may not be able to directly control this potential cause of Graves’ disease (although some research suggests otherwise), you definitely can control some of the other causes I’ve discussed so far. Some research studies show that people with genetic tendencies toward certain conditions can trigger those conditions by neglecting the lifestyle factors I just mentioned. Either way, instead of worrying that your condition is caused by factors you can’t control, it will only benefit your health to improve other factors you do have control over.
These are some of the common causes of Graves’ disease. Since most endocrinologists label this condition incurable, they don’t worry too much about the cause. However, to a natural endocrine practitioner, the cause of this autoimmune thyroid disorder is important when trying to restore health to someone with Graves’ disease.
Curing Graves’ disease is no easy task.
Let me start by telling you that curing Graves’ disease is not an easy process. This is why it is advisable to consult with a competent natural endocrine doctor, as they will look for the underlying cause of the problem and then recommend a natural treatment protocol to help restore your health. So, for example, if they determine that lifestyle factors are to blame, like stress and nutritional deficiencies, they will obviously help you better manage the stress in your life, eat better, recommend proper nutritional supplements, address any hormonal imbalances , etc. . .
If environmental toxins are the problem, which many people are, then they will try to remove these toxins from their body as well as minimize their exposure to these environmental toxins, which is certainly not always an easy task. While it is more challenging to help someone with a condition caused by genetics, the good news is that it is rare for an autoimmune condition like Graves’ disease to be caused solely by genetics. Most of the time the person can be helped through natural treatment methods.
Being a natural health practitioner, I am of course biased and therefore recommend that people with Graves’ disease consult with a natural endocrinologist. After all, antithyroid medications do nothing for the actual cause of the condition, and radioactive iodine should be a last resort due to the damage it causes to the thyroid gland. When you think about it, there really isn’t much to lose by talking to an expert, but there is a lot to gain, and it could be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made.
