Illness and drugs also can interfere with hormone function. Again let us look just at the Thyroid. Obviously diseases such as Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Disease effect function. But so do diabetes, stroke and pituitary disorders. Medications such as aluminum or calcium antacids, calcium supplements, iron supplements, and anti-cholesterol/bile acid sequestering drugs has a negative effect. There are also a host of herbs and foods with undesirable effects on the thyroid gland or thyroid HRT and they include: Buckwheat, Cabbage, Collard, Fenugreek, Flax,Bugleweed (Lycopus virginicus, Lycopus europaeus) and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), Kale, Lentil, Oats, Rye, Soybean (tofu, soymilk, etc.), Kelp, & St Johns’ wort. There are many others that affect different hormone axes.