Any repair to the body requires optimal absorption of nutrition from the small intestine, Wald says. The liver and pancreas also help with the digestion of nutrients required for the endocrine system and the activation of nutrients in foods, making them ready to do work compared to non-activated nutrients that require optimal small intestine, pancreas and liver function.

 “My approach to thyroid recovery and repair is to check absorption in the gut and to balance hormones as naturally as possible, avoiding synthetic or non-human (cow) hormones so that the thyroid gland doesn’t continue to shrink, with no chance for the patient to recover or get off medications,” he says. “The pH of the blood—not the urine or saliva—must be checked, as well as that of all the organs bathed in blood. If the acid-base balance is not ideal, enzymes that run all reparative reactions are blunted.”

In short, addressing thyroid issues through diet and nutritional supplementation without addressing the corollary areas of the body cannot completely restore the thyroid or improve overall health, Wald says.