Healing Hashimoto's: A Savvy Patient's Guide
Alan Christianson is a Phoenix, Arizona-based Naturopathic Doctor (ND) who specializes in natural endocrinology with a focus on thyroid disorders. As a child growing up in rural Minnesota, Alan had a superior intellect. In fact, he read the encyclopedia from cover to cover before kindergarten. His body, however, told a different story: Alan struggled with health problems such as epilepsy, poor coordination, and obesity. His nadir occurred in seventh grade when a student directed the class’s attention to Alan’s rotund physique during gym. Devastated and embarrassed, he became determined to change his health, devoured dozens of nutrition and fitness books over those next few weeks, and discovered at an early age how diet profoundly impacts health. Alan gave up sugar and developed a rigorous exercise routine. A year and a half later, the former overweight, uncoordinated adolescent was involved in competitive sports and became the class’s fastest runner. He turned that passion into a lifelong endeavor and completed his premedical and nursing studies at the University of North Dakota. He went on to earn his ND with the first graduating class of the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, Arizona. Over time Alan discovered that medicine didn’t have all the answers. Instead, he combined his expertise and insatiable knowledge to teach others how to utilize foods and nutrients for optimal health. In 1997 Alan broadened that goal by founding Integrative Health, a group of physicians whose philosophy is to “Provide smart, safe, primarily natural and scientific solutions for the entire family to live ‘in good health.’” The outcome is a more personal, comprehensive approach to health and wellness than simply masking symptoms with pills and procedures. Along the way he earned numerous accolades, including 2011 Top Doc recipient in Phoenix magazine. Alan also co-authored the bestselling ‘The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Thyroid Disease’. He frequently appears on national TV shows like The Doctors and The Today Show as well as print media like Shape Magazine. When he’s not maintaining a busy practice, Alan’s many hobbies include mountain unicycling, marathons, off-road motorcycling, technical rock climbing, and martial arts. He is also a licensed pilot. Alan resides in Scottsdale, Arizona, with his wife Kirin, their two children, and his six unicycles.