Dr Melissa Esguerra

I have just finished listening to Dr. Melissa Esguerra’s talk on the Essential Oils Hormone Forum, a free online summit hosted by Dr. Mariza Snyder. Melissa is a doctor of chiropractic, functional medicine practitioner and clinical nutritionist, and explains how natural treatments can address thyroid issues and how empowered we can be. In her opinion, it is not necessary to work with a functional medicine doctor, although this provides expertise and encouragement, but self-treatment can also alleviate symptoms and reduce inflammation.

She says that thyroid issues can be attributed to 7 different causes. That said, a combination can also be the culprid.

1. Nutritional deficiency
2. Autoimmune disease
3. Liver overwhelm — which causes T4 thyroid hormone not to be converted into active T3 hormone. 
4. Estrogen excess or dominance
5. Gut dysbiosis / digestive imbalance 
6. Stress and Inflammation — which produces excess cortisol and reverse T3, an inhibitor of T4 production.
   • rT3 can also be produced if you don’t sleep enough
   • Too much cortisol can also cause leaky gut.
   • If this continues too long, your adrenals can get tired and stop producing cortisol resulting in inadequate immune regulation.
7. Blood sugar imbalance 

Where to start? Melissa recommends to look at your diet first. Sometimes we don’t even realize how inflammatory our food intake is. If your thyroid condition is autoimmune related, then you need to reduce inflammation before the body can even start to rebalance.

Dr Robert Rakowski, a Houston based doctor who advocates Natural and Lifestyle Medicine says, that “every disease begins with a vitamin or mineral deficiency.” If you are nutrient deficient, then you need vitamin/mineral supplements that will give you a healthy gut barrier system, make you detox correctly and help you make thyroid hormones. Body designed that it becomes back to balance and homeostasis. 

Here are some tips:

1. Are you nutrient deficient?
   • East foods that includes Zinc, Iodine, Iron, Selenium — all minerals that are needed to build thyroid hormones.
   • Essential fatty acids are also important became they are anti-inflammatory and will support the nervous and cardiovascular systems, and the lining of the digestive system. Omega 3 is a big one here.
2. Are you bloating, have heart burn, diarrhea or constipation? This means that you are enzyme deficient. It means that you don’t break down food properly, have a clean digestive system, and having a proliferation of bad bacteria in your gut. A gut cleanse is a good idea.
3. What toxins might be in your body? You can’t clear gut of can’t clear inflammation. 
4. What about your mitochondrial activity? Inflammation lowering complexes can also be added, as well as mitochondrial support, such as  ATP, CoQ10 and DoTerra Mito2max.

Remember that everyone reacts differently!! So there is not a cure-all. Instead, you find out what works for you by trying different supplements and ideally testing bloods and other fluids. 

Melissa’s mantra is: Remove. Replenish. Repair.

And finally, her favorite DoTerra essential oils mix for thyroid support is below. Remember, that oils can’t address nutritional deficiencies. 

Mix 4 drops Myrrh and Frankincense, and 3 drops of Lemongrass, Tumeric and Cacabia a 5-oz roller ball bottle. Add some fractionated coconut oil to dilute the oils, shake and apply to thyroid.

To learn more, you order Melissa’s book, “Thyroid Essentials.”