iThyroid.com

Many people have asked about my background. What is my background and where did my nutrition information come from?  

Basically people want to know if my information is any more reliable than that from their doctor.  I don't consider myself an "Internet doctor" or an "Internet health advisor."  I think of myself as a health investigator and the Internet is one of the most powerful tools that I use.  I make suggestions for people to try and make notes of the effects when they report them back.  What I have been discovering appears to me to be very significant information that can help people correct their thyroid conditions through the simple  method of correcting their nutritional deficiencies.

It's very important for people to understand the difference between science, medicine, and hypotheses.  No hypothesis in science can ever be proven without a doubt, only to a certain degree of confidence.  Controlled, double-blind experiments are required to prove something, but that proof can only be up to a certain degree of confidence, such as 95% or 99%, for example.  Most of medical procedures are not based on science, meaning that controlled, double-blind experiments have not been performed demonstrating that those procedures are better than doing another procedure or doing nothing.  Vast areas of medical treatments are open to debate and are being debated for this reason.

What I can do is to experiment on myself and observe effects and listen to the reports of others who have told me that they have done the same.  These are not controlled, blind observations.  This is not rigorous science but just observations.  My recommendations are based upon the same types of evidence that doctors use to devise their treatments--clinical observations.  The main difference is that my observations and conclusions are based on fewer cases.  However, I do study the medical literature and look for experiments that confirm or conflict with my observations.  With these observations and interpretations of scientific studies, I develop theories about the effects of nutrients upon the thyroid, endocrine, and immune system. 

The important thing to realize is that the information that I provide to you is mostly my own speculation interspersed with my interpretations of scientific studies that I've read.  Do not rely on my information and do not rely on the information you receive from anyone.  You must take responsibility for your own health and find a pathway that works for you.  You can take my suggestions and the suggestions of others and doctors as ideas to try.  You must choose your own path and hopefully that path will lead you to health.  My best suggestion is to not go down any pathway from which you can't return.  In my opinion, RAI and surgery are pathways from which you cannot return to the starting point to try again.

About me: I studied physics and got my B.S. in psychology from Brown University in 1966 and M.S. in experimental psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in 1967. I came to California in 1968 and met my wife in 1971. We have three children: daughters, 27 and 24, and a son, 17. All of our children were born at home with no one there except my wife and me. We've always been self-reliant and have studied nutrition instead of rushing to the doctor. None of our children have been in a hospital. I never spent a dime on health insurance and have chosen to put that money into good foods and supplements instead.

My views on health are a little different from most peoples'. I don't think of using nutritional supplements to prevent and treat illnesses as "alternative medicine". I think that it's pure science. The allopathic medicine (treating symptoms instead of correcting causes) that AMA physicians practice which relies nearly completely on drugs and intervention is what I call "alternative medicine". I don't use homeopathic remedies (although I've tried many), acupuncture or acupressure, or herbal therapies. These treatments may have benefits, but my belief is that the most powerful method we have to help the body to heal is to provide it with the essential nutrients that it needs.  I believe that our bodies are self-healing and there are no drugs, remedies, herbs, or doctors which can heal the slightest thing. My core belief is that if we provide our body with the materials, energy, time, and rest that it needs, it will heal itself. Very simple. Essential nutrients and rest. When I get a cold I don't take Echinacea or golden seal. I just eat less, rest, and let it run its course.

As we work together, comparing our experiences and the results of our personal experiments, we will discover information which will lead us to further our understanding of thyroid and other diseases.  Hopefully this knowledge will someday help many people to avoid the health problems that we've been through.   John