A woman recently called about her stubborn hypothyroid numbers. She had raised her thyroxine (T₄) by using Dr. Christopher’s Thyroid Maintenance Formula and following his diet—yet her hormone levels kept swinging wildly.

Something didn’t add up. She assured me she was “doing everything right.” After a little more conversation, the missing pieces surfaced: she was also taking Synthroid from her physician and a plant-based “bio-identical” hormone blend she’d found in the natural-health world.

Mystery solved.

Herbs and a nutrient-dense diet work because they feed the thyroid, allowing it to manufacture its own hormones. When you introduce outside hormones—synthetic or “bio-identical”—you override the body’s feedback loop. The gland senses plenty of hormone in the blood and slows (or stops) its own production, which leads to the erratic numbers she was seeing. Give the body something it is designed to make, and eventually it quits making it. That is how the endocrine feedback network protects balance.

Why I don’t promote replacement hormones

Yes, synthetic or harvested hormones can bring short-term relief, but they come with side effects. The FDA once required a black-box warning on Hormone Replacement Therapy for this reason; the label disappeared only after companies agreed to reduce dosages to lower cancer risk.

The bigger issue remains: once the gland, “goes to sleep,” you become a customer of the drug companies for life.

Dr. Christopher’s original prescription

My father was decades ahead of his time. In the 1940s he was already advocating:

• Daily sun therapy, fresh air, and grounding (bare feet on the earth)
• Clean water and vigorous exercise
• Plenty of raw fruits and vegetables, sprouted whole grains, nuts, and seeds
• Very little meat—and elimination of dairy

Those fundamentals still rebuild thyroid function today. When we supply the body with what it needs, it remembers how to heal.

Follow the formula—nutrition first, herbs to assist—and let the thyroid wake up and do its own brilliant work. That is the path to stable numbers and long-term health.

David Christopher is a Master Herbalist, director of The School of Natural Healing, and son of our beloved Dr. John R. Christopher. He is continually helping others improve their health and that of their family members. The School loves having him as the director.